
TVBEurope talks to the team at The Round, an augmented reality app which will feature an exclusive performance by Liam Payne ahead of Sundays EE British Academy Film Awards
By Jenny Priestley
Published: April 8, 2021
TVBEurope talks to the team at The Round, an augmented reality app which will feature an exclusive performance by Liam Payne ahead of Sunday's EE British Academy Film Awards
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
On Sunday night Liam Payne will open the British Academy Film Awards alongside his digital doppelganger.
But first, fans will be able to see Liam's avatar in a world-first real-time augmented reality mobile experience, created using EE's 5G network. Liam's performance will be recorded live and beamed to fans in the UK on their mobile phones wherever they are via AR app The Round.
Pip Brignall and Thomas Winsor, founders of The Round, developed the app as a way to enable live event producers and creatives to build and distribute their productions using augmented reality, and they describe it as a venue for live holographic performances.
Our background is in theatre, so our in' for immersive tech was very much from a theatre perspective, and we started to explore how virtual reality and augmented reality could be used to enhance that live performative storytelling format, Brignall tells TVBEurope. When we first started working on The Round it really came out of Covid shutting down all the theatres. We realised that a lot of the obstacles that we were facing could be solved by creating this one platform. We wanted to explore ways that dramatic storytelling could evolve into the audience's personal space. They're inviting the drama to them rather than going to it.
data-src=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Round-726x484.jpg alt= width=422 height=281 data-srcset=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Round-726x484.jpg 726w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Round-353x235.jpg 353w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Round-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Round-1536x1025.jpg 1536w data-sizes=(max-width: 422px) 100vw, 422px />Pip Brignall (left) and Thomas Winsor (photo courtesy Anand Vara at V A Photography)The duo were taking part in Digital Catapult's 5G Accelerator Programme, experimenting on how they could utilise that technology to improve the platform and develop it further when the marketing team at EE found them. 5G is a huge part of EE's immediate and future roadmap and they always try to do a big exciting campaign around the BAFTAs and they were looking for something that would be a world first. They got in touch and asked us what would be possible, explains Brignall.
It was quite funny. They saw the video of our prototype and emailed saying they wanted to do that, and we said well that's what we're already doing', adds Winsor.
EE brought Payne on board, and the project developed from there. The AR version of the singer will be kept under wraps until 6.45pm on Sunday evening, but the app is available to download now with an AR holding animation that viewers can use to help them familiarise themselves with the process. Payne will perform exclusively for The Round at 6.45pm on Sunday before taking to the stage alongside his avatar to open the BAFTAs.
The avatar itself has already been created using photogrammetry. We captured Liam's image from every single angle you could imagine in a huge rig, and took lots of photos of his face and then we've turned that into the avatar, explains Winsor.
data-src=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/eebafta-liampaynear5g-726x484.png alt= width=407 height=271 data-srcset=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/eebafta-liampaynear5g-726x484.png 726w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/eebafta-liampaynear5g-353x235.png 353w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/eebafta-liampaynear5g-768x512.png 768w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/eebafta-liampaynear5g.png 1333w data-sizes=(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px />The images were then turned into a mesh, which was converted into an avatar and touched up in Maya. We're using really innovative facial capture technology as well so when we were doing the photogrammetry shoot we got Liam to recreate the face shapes that he makes when he's singing, says Brignall. When we were creating his avatar we had ready-made facial positions that we know are similar to what he does, so we then pre-programmed these blend shapes which were from an iPhone just strapped to his head. It tells the avatar that Liam is now doing blend shape number six and the face moves into blend shape number six. It has a series of blend shapes depending on what he's doing. That is all transmitted in real time so that once we've rigged the avatar it moves and behaves in the ways that Liam himself does, his digital face is programmed to make the same facial positions. When it's in real time that information makes the avatar come to life.
A slightly enhanced version of the avatar is being used in the TV performance. There are some limitations at this point as to what level of fidelity you can put an AR avatar into a mobile phone because they have a hard ceiling on what they can process. So we've created an improved' version of the avatar that people will see on the TV broadcast, says Winsor.
Part of the process has also involved Payne pulling on the dreaded mo-cap suit. But Winsor and Brignall say he's been up for anything. We had a very early session with him when we went to our motion capture studio and we got him in a mo-cap suit, and had a play and started loosely blocking i
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
24/07/2026
Referee hat cameras, player/coach mics, and virtual graphics will be deployed at the three-day event for the first time
The NFL FLAG Championships return to ES...
24/07/2026
Qvest, Ateme, and Scaleway have partnered to offer broadcasters, media organizat...
24/07/2026
LTN has completed satellite-to-IP migrations for more than 3,000 broadcaster, MVPD (Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributor), head-end, and content owner si...
24/07/2026
Chyron has released Virtual Placement 8.1, an update to its live sports virtual graphics platform. The release adds workflow and graphics changes across chroma ...
24/07/2026
Riedel's RefCam Live was used for the first time at an international soccer match during a friendly between the German men's national team and Ghana in ...
24/07/2026
USSI Global said it is prepared to help broadcasters, satellite network operators, and media organizations manage the next phase of C-band spectrum clearing, fo...
24/07/2026
FuboTV and The Athletic have launched The Athletic Video Hub on Fubo, bringing The Athletic's sports video content to connected TV (CTV) for the first time....
24/07/2026
Tagboard and Momento have partnered to bring Momento's fan reaction photos to venue videoboards in real time following big plays. The Seattle Mariners will ...
24/07/2026
Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) created an anthem called The World Is Here for Fox ...
24/07/2026
Caz TV has acquired Brazilian broadcast rights to the entire WTA Tour driven by Mercedes-Benz, covering all WTA 250, WTA 500, and WTA 1000 tournaments. The agre...
24/07/2026
SiriusXM and WWE have launched WWE Radio on SiriusXM channel 156, beginning Monday, July 27. The channel will carry live audio of WWE Premium Live Events, audio...
24/07/2026
Harvard Athletics produces more than 325 live NCAA Division 1 sports events and 500 edited videos per year. To manage video capture, streaming, recording, and s...
24/07/2026
Chyron's PRIME 5 graphics platform supported live graphics workflows for NBCUniversal Telemundo's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage across Telemundo, Univers...
24/07/2026
Wearable tech returns to the coverage, and a brand-new mobile unit is rolled out for the 2026 edition
The 21-stage Tour de France is nearing its conclusion. Th...
24/07/2026
More than 20 cameras, extensive player and coach audio, and a REMCO production model will power coverage of the league's showcase
For an event designed to ...
24/07/2026
New broadcast tool uses live timing, telemetry, and predictive analysis to decode real-time team decision-making for fans at home...
24/07/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
24/07/2026
First string library captured at Studio Richter Mahr
The latest sample library to be created at Max Richter's Studio Richter Mahr facility captures the ...
24/07/2026
Official emulation of Blackbird Studios reverb chamber
In their latest collaboration with Blackbird Studios, KIT Plugins have captured the sound of the Stud...
24/07/2026
Sohonet's partners at BIND Studio have published a great case study on the V...
24/07/2026
Angela Gomez brings over 14 years of experience in broadcast communications and audio engineering, specialising in live outside broadcasts, live sports and larg...
24/07/2026
Between the maturation of IP and remote production workflows, collegiate sports production is advancing rapidly. For an Ivy League institution like Harvard, kee...
24/07/2026
iWedia, a global provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announces the launch of Teatro Factory, a new operator-facing software factory o...
24/07/2026
Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one addressable advertisements into live video streams during the 2026 ...
24/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/07/2026
Current DASDEC software enables customers to comply with the FCC's new 15-character password mandate without requiring updates
LYNDONVILLE, N.Y. July 23,...
24/07/2026
At the IBC2026 Show, SDVI will give European media organizations their first hands-on look at the next-generation Rally media supply chain management platform f...
24/07/2026
Sonnet Technologies at IBC2026
Brie Clayton July 23, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image: Sonnet Twin25G T5 Thunderbolt 5 Adapter
At this year's IBC Sho...
24/07/2026
Musora Enhances Online Music Lessons with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton July 23, 2026
0 Comments
Director of Production Josh Holliday details workflo...
24/07/2026
Interview with Production 360. Original article published here
The theme of thi...
24/07/2026
Article courtesy of postPerspective
Read the article
While Toy Story 5 maintai...
24/07/2026
Kerry and Mayo fans Up For The Match as excitement builds in Croke Park on the e...
23/07/2026
Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 23rd, JULY, 2026 - Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one addressable advertisem...
23/07/2026
This Spring 2026 graduate from Honolulu found a home at SoonerVision as a live-production star and is ready to enter the industry as a replay op on Prime Video&...
23/07/2026
As the AUSL postseason begins tonight, listening in to players during games enhances fan engagement for the young organization
Ballplayers chatting with announ...
23/07/2026
Snap Inc. and the Esports Foundation have announced Snap's activations at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, running July 6 through August 23. For the fir...
23/07/2026
Sony has announced the FX5, a full-frame Cinema Line camera built around a newly developed fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and BIONZ XR2 image processi...
23/07/2026
TNDV (a division of Live Media Group) provided technical production support for the Pickleball Slam 4 live broadcast from Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, ...
23/07/2026
LTN has announced it has completed satellite-to-IP migrations for more than 3,00...
23/07/2026
Daktronics has announced the winners of the 2026 DakClassroom Student Showcase, a national competition recognizing student work in media production, storytellin...
23/07/2026
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) and beIN Media Group have announced a five-ye...
23/07/2026
Clear-Com provided the communications infrastructure for the Fryderyk Awards Gal...
23/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is, on paper, an unparalleled financial success. Total t...