Top league Football club AZ chooses AI driven Camera Studio System

Top league Football club AZ chooses AI driven Camera Studio System posted: 26/01/2021

Alkmaar Zaanstreek, better known as AZ Alkmaar or simply AZ, have selected an AI driven camera studio for creating their own TV productions situated within their AFAS stadium. AZ is a Dutch professional football club from Alkmaar and plays in the Eredivisie, the highest professional football league in the Netherlands.

AZ haven decided upon vPilot that allows them to create professional studio productions without the need of camera people or an onsite director by utilizing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create shots and direct cameras.

The studio build was completed by Buckdesign, a local company based in the Netherlands but who serve global customers, designed the studio layout, managed the installation of the vPilot system and installed all the necessary lighting, backdrops, furniture and screen required for the studio build.

The vPilot system is developed by IQ Video Solutions, a brand of Mobile Viewpoint, who specialize in live streaming and AI solutions for broadcast. The vPilot system utilizes commercially available PTZ cameras, which through the use of additional 3D scanners and the AI software, can track people within the studio, while utilizing a virtual director to create the production with different shots and any necessary graphics, inserts and external feeds, to create a completely automated professional production without the need of a camera team or director.

Michael Koster, Commercial Director at AZ explains In the long term, having our own studio for a variety of different broadcast applications is our plan but with the current pandemic we have a high priority for keeping channels of communication open for our loyal fanbase while we play behind closed doors. The pre-match and post-match analysis that we live stream allows us to keep our fan engagement relevant and close. The longer term plan is that we intend for the studio to be used by broadcasters and for other external communications, as well as a platform for a university course that we are setting up.

Peter Buck the Managing Director at Buckdesign commented AZ is a very well known football team, not just as a top flight team in the Netherlands but across Europe and the world as an active participant in the Champions League. To be involved with AZ and the opportunity to build their studio in such a iconic environment, is a great privilege for us.

Michel Bias the Managing Director of Mobile Viewpoint and IQ Video Solutions said We have been developing AI solutions for sports and studio productions for the last 18 months, and to have our local Eredivisie football team to implement our technology is a great honour for us and justifies many of the manhours we have put into this evolving technology. We are pleased this co-operation with AZ and Buck will lead to same great productions for AZ, their fans, sponsors and partners.

Koster concludes The power of AI to operate the studio without the need of a camera team allows us to both be flexible and quick to react, but also keeps our costs and media down. The professional studio built by Buck is the professional appearance we want to give. We look forward to increasing our professional video output.

About IQ Video Solutions: Based in the Netherlands, IQ Video Solutions (IQ-VS) develop world leading automated sports production and studio production platforms based on the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Their IQ-Sports Production platform enables broadcasters, sports clubs and right holders to remotely live stream games without the need of camera people or an onsite director. Their AI driven vPilot platform allows studio automation without the requirement of camera people ideal for visual radio, emergency news rooms, sports stadiums and for corporates looking to create professional media communications within their own studio environment.

About Buckdesign: Buckdesign provide stand and event design with build-up and take down services for organizations wishing to take their brand awareness to the next level. Based in Alkmaar in the Netherlands, they are members of the worldwide OPSI network that enables them to work with global partners on stand and event building that all follow the same philosophy of utilizing sustainable building materials with an approach of guaranteeing a high level of expertise and service. Buckdesign have a range of value added services including Audio Visual services that includes an automated TV studio setup for creating professional video productions though interviews, webinars and panel discussions, as well as implementing TV studios for companies looking to deploy their own in-house AI driven broadcast studio.

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