Telekom Street Gig with Coldplay posted: 07/03/2016 On December 8, 2015 the German TV viewers who didn't switch channels during the commercial break were rewarded with a special commercial: at prime time, precisely at 8.13 p.m., the Telekom switched to Coldplay's Street Gig in Offenbach, Germany, on eight of the highest-rated German private broadcasters - in time for the performance of their new single Adventure Of A Lifetime .
Additionally to the on site concert experience at the Capitol in Offenbach and to the numerous live commercials on television, the concert could also be followed via the live stream on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter - for free!
The broadcast of the German premiere of the new album A Head Full Of Dreams and the only Coldplay concert in Germany in 2015 was carried out by the production company Neoxfilm on behalf of 2Bild GmbH in cooperation with the technical service provider TV SKYLINE.
To optimally reproduce the event for the viewers in front of their TVs, computers and portable devices, a total of 10 Ikegami HDK-97A camera systems, a crane and an e-dolly were deployed. The live production of several streams and the digitisation of eleven different signals for the following postproduction was carried out by the TV SKYLINE team inside its OB truck 7, which was inaugurated in 2014. The 7 accommodates mobile editing and graphics and - thanks to its flexible layout - offered enough working space for the high number of editors and technicians, also from additional third-party users. For the digitalisation of the signals TV SKYLINE relied on the new 12-channel EVS XT3 server.
The small concert venue Capitol in Offenbach quickly became cramped due to the stadium band's density of technology - including a 10-metre wide and four-metre high LED screen. Director Sch trumpf therefore opted for the compact e-dolly version from TV SKYLINE, which can also accommodate an Ikegami broadcast camera thanks to a GENTLE:MOTE remote head. Two pumps were additionally placed on the right and left of the rail. With its vertical motion it ensured that the band's dynamics were perfectly captured on film. The sound was multi-track recorded by Peter Brandt Remote Recording and mixed live by Rik Simpson, Coldplay's Sound Engineer.
On behalf of 2Bild, the production company Neoxfilm met all of the production profile's high demands regarding television technology and directing. Additionally to the live stream on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube these included a Google Hangout as well as simultaneous live commercials on all eight private broadcasters. Additionally to the concert, the band made itself available for a Google Hangout, where fans could speak with the band members in an interactive interview chat using their own webcams.
In close consultation with Ben Miles, the band's Visual Producer, numerous cameras and their operators were integrated into an on-site communication system using dual connections and specifically programmed intercoms. This way the operators received both the most important cues for the broadcast and for the breathtaking visuals of the show.
Branded content, which was produced especially for the stream, was additionally shown for example on the LEDs. To have as much material available as possible for TV station Prosieben's Coldplay special programme post production, the director selectively added these branded signals to the stream. This programme was shown in excerpts during the final of the German TV show The Voice of Germany and broadcast in its full length directly after the show.
Marc Sch trumpf, director of the TV production and owner of Neoxfilm, has been involved in the broadcast production of the Telekom Street Gigs since the very first Telekom Street Gig with Billy Talent in 2007. Since then he has realized over 50 further Street Gigs - for example with Deichkind, Mando Diao, Fanta4, Depeche Mode, Linkin Park, Placebo, Cro and Ed Sheeran. Marc Sch trumpf: This Street Gig was a special production not only due to Coldplay's huge reputation but also due to the complexity and the requirements set for the audiovisual usage. A lot has changed since the first Street Gig in 2007 with Billy Talent. What started as a classic one-way live stream is now a multi-tracked production in which the synergies of TV partners, social networks and live web portals are interlocked and optimally used.
The production company Neoxfilm realises TV live entertainment for its customers from the music, culture, fashion and industry sector. Neoxfilm has also made itself a name in the cinema segment by implementing numerous live events with Keane, Cro and Laura Myula as well as high profile classic events. Neoxfilm offers the full range of demanding, camera technological services and ensures the realisation of complex production demands. The wealth of experience gained during over 50 Telekom Street Gigs and numerous live DVDs naturally flow into each complex production. In this case, the challenge was to unite the band's high demands regarding their lighting and stage design with the diverse utilisation requirements of the TV station and the live streams as well as the tightly packed TV operation.
Producer Uli Tanas, Managing Director of the 2Bild GmbH is responsible for the TV realisation of the Telekom Street Gigs and has worked with Marc during the Telekom Street Gigs since 2007.
Robert Kis, Managing Director at TV SKYLINE on Neoxfilm, commented: The challenges set for the TV production were very extensive and required a very close and trusting cooperation with all groups. Marc is one of the most experienced directors in the music live segment and thanks to his experience especially with numerous live broadcasts on the big screen he can see exactly which technology can best be implemented in the venue in question. Additionally
