Behind the Scenes: BBC Sport's New 360 Virtual Euro 2020 Studio Uncovered
07/07/2021
Friday, July 2, 2021 - 15:30
Print This Story
BBC Sport has launched a new 360 degree virtual set for Euro 2020, which will also be used for all its football coverage going forward
Europe has been gripped by Euro 2020 fever since 11 June, and many of those football fans in the UK have been watching all the action on BBC Sport, which is presenting from its new virtual studio based at Dock10 in Salford, Manchester.
The 360 studio also marks the start of a new visual era for BBC Sport, which is keeping the 360 virtual concept and rolling it out into its football coverage going forward.
It has been designed under the watchful eye of BBC Sport creative director, John Murphy, with help from Dock10, AE Live and set designer, Ian Webber. The studio is an evolution of work the broadcaster began two years ago when it launched its first virtual studio at Dock10 for its Match of the Day coverage and other football output, using Zero Density and Unreal Engine.
The new system uses Mo-Sys camera tracking in the studio, with Zero Density as the inbetween render engine platform, and Unreal Engine for the final real time rendered delivery. Dock10 also provides a small Unreal Engine artist team to add to the studio output.
The new BBC Sport virtual set has been designed under the watchful eye of BBC Sport creative director, John Murphy, with help from Dock10, AE Live and set designer, Ian Webber
Continuous learning
On what this new studio adds to the fan experience that they were not getting from the previous version, Murphy tells SVG Europe: A couple of things, I think. When we launched the Match of the Day studio [two years ago], we put ourselves into a kind of a stadium [virtual image], which at the time was great. And it was a big move for Match of the Day to go into that. But I think what we learned was that we had this virtual world, and we put ourselves into this big stage, and we actually made it too big. You lose that sense of closeness if you like, by making things too big and a bit too spacious.
Unreal Engine real time rendering is photo realistic but you've got to optimise a lot because there's only so much that the current hardware able to deliver in real time
So with this Euro studio [we made] it circular, which brings the talent a lot closer [to the viewer] and brings it in so it's not so cavernous. Also, with the 360 imagery [for the Euros] it's giving the viewer just a feel of London or Rome or wherever for the match. We're not saying that we're actually there, but whilst they're watching [the match] it gives them that sense of they're there. I think that was the biggest thing for us, actually; just giving that viewer experience of being in the locations as we can't be there. That was the biggest plus for us.
Says Murphy on the Match of the Day virtual studio: That was a big move for us at the time. We learnt a lot. In terms of the design aspect of the virtual studio, we've been in there two years now with the Unreal Engine, so we've learned a lot and we're fully behind virtual sets. We're doing a lot of projects in this [virtual] area and we're learning. The technology is moving on all the time, but I think we have to understand that there are limitations [to this technology] as well. It's okay thinking, oh, well, we can do whatever we want . Well, that's true in a sense, but actually, in terms of performance of the way [virtual studio technologies] work, there is a limit on the sort of things that you can do well.
Obsession with glass
On those learnings, Murphy states: Unreal Engine real time rendering is photo realistic but you've got to optimise a lot because there's only so much that the current hardware able to deliver in real time. If we're throwing things in like live stadium feeds and 360 windows you've got to kind of understand that there's a limit of what you can do in terms of performance; the computing power kind of behind it.
The other thing is I have a big obsession with glass, like having glass windows and getting the real time reflections on the glass. But that eats up a lot of the rendering power. The designers [for the Euros studio have been] through a lot. We throw things at them and they start having kittens. It takes up a lot of optimisation.
He continues: So I suppose overall what I'm saying is we've learned a lot in this field now, so we understand that yes, we can throw as many ideas as we possibly can, but we also understand that sometimes you have to kind of strip back a little bit as well.
Moving forwards
Murphy comments on the rebrand and evolution of the studio for this years big football tournament: For the Euros we've done a big football rebrand, which we've launched for this event, but we'll take it on into the new season of Match of the Day. What we decided to do was change the look of the virtual studio in Dock10, based more on a kind of circular theme because that's the whole idea around the rebrand.
The whole basis of [this rebrand] was UEFA's idea of this Euro being in different cities with their brand all around, [providing] a bridge to the different cities across Europe. So we tried to tie into that with a 360 studio design. We brought in a new kind of physical central structure and seating and desk area to fit in with the rest of the brand, and then we built a 360 panoramic studio around that.
It's just giving that feeling of being in that city where [whichever match is being shown] is being played, by using 360 photography, firstly [showing] a bit of city locations, and then as we get nearer to the match action we've taken 180 degree stadium feeds four piece stadium feeds from the stadium
LINK: | https://www.svgeurope.org/blog/headlines/behind-the-scenes-bbc-sports-... |
See more stories from svg |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
29/04/2024
Clear-Com Enhances The Kennedy Center with Seamless Communication Solutions
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
29/04/2024
Optimising audio loudness & normalisation across the Media Supply Chain
Codemill aims to revolutionize media workflow efficiency at this years NAB Show by introducing Just-In-Time (JIT) playback technology in Accurate.Video Validate...
29/04/2024
TF1 Chooses Broadpeak to Power Targeted Advertising for New Video Streaming Service
April 29, 2024 -- TF1 Chooses Broadpeak to Power Targeted Advertising for New...
29/04/2024
LG Adds Allen Media Group's Local Now FAST Channel in 223 Markets
LOS ANGELES Allen Media Group (AMG) has partnered with LG Electronics to bring 223 Local Now FAST channels to LG's free streaming service, LG Channels, avai...
29/04/2024
Ross Video Unveils Raiden Weather Graphics System
OTTAWA Ross Video has announced the introduction of Raiden, a data-driven weather graphics software that combines data gathering, processing, and visualization ...
29/04/2024
Melanie Georgieva Joins Panalux as Long Form Sales Direct...
Panalux, a leading rental provider of lighting and power solutions for the motion-picture industry and part of Panavision's end-to-end service offerings for...
29/04/2024
Cobalt Iron Earns Patent on Analytics-Based Dynamic Autho...
Cobalt Iron Inc., a leading provider of SaaS-based enterprise data protection, today announced that it has received a patent on its technology for dynamic autho...
29/04/2024
SDVI Rally Access Workstation Earns Two Top Awards at 202...
SDVI, the leading platform provider for cloud-native media supply chains, today announced that Rally Access Workstation, a fully managed solution for editing in...
29/04/2024
Premier Sports selects QuickLink Remote Commentary soluti...
Premier Sports, a premium sports broadcaster, has selected QuickLink's Remote Commentary solution for introducing professional, high-quality remote commenta...
29/04/2024
Glookast picks Jigsaw24 Media as exclusive UK channel par...
Glookast has chosen Jigsaw24 Media as the only UK channel partner to represent their portfolio of ingest and workflow optimisation products. The agreement, sign...
29/04/2024
Clear-Coms Eclipse HX and Agent-IC Technology Illuminate...
Clear-Com played a pivotal role in the seamless coverage of the recent solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Leveraging its cutting-edge Eclipse HX Digital Matrix i...
29/04/2024
PlayBox Neo to Promote Latest Smart Media Playout Innovat...
PlayBox Neo will promote its complete range of television channel management, graphic branding and playout solutions to EMEA region media content owners and bro...
29/04/2024
RuPaul Game Show Lingo' Returns to CBS May 24
Lingo, RuPaul's word-twisting game show, returns for season two on CBS Friday, May 24. Two episodes air that night, and stream on Paramount Plus, too....
29/04/2024
ESPN, Amazon Prime Video Reportedly Close To New Deals With the NBA
ESPN and Amazon Prime Video are reportedly close to scoring television rights to the National Basketball Association, according to published reports....
29/04/2024
Judge Judy,' Hot Bench' Renewed for 2 More Years
Judge Judy and Hot Bench, CBS Media Ventures' genre-leading court shows, have been renewed through the 2025-26 TV season in more than 95% of the country, Gr...
29/04/2024
Irish Sports Broadcaster Premier Sports Taps QuickLink for Remote Commentary
Premier Sports, an Irish-based premium sports broadcaster, has selected QuickLink's Remote Commentary solution for introducing professional, high-quality re...
29/04/2024
BAFTA Television Craft Awards winners announced
The awards celebrate the craft of behind-the-scenes TV talent and the best programmes of 2023 By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 29, 2024 The awards cel...
29/04/2024
Watch: How Milk VFX helped create 259 shots for Netflix's Scoop
The team at Milk had to create and deliver the VFX and environment work for the royal residences featured in the drama from scratch By Jenny Priestley Publis...
29/04/2024
What's going on at Paramount Global?
CEO Bob Bakish is expected to leave the company as early as today, with a new leadership committee likely to run the company on an interim basis By Jenny Pries...
29/04/2024
Meet the director of media and entertainment and strategic products
Albena Ivanova, director, media and entertainment and strategic products at CHAOS talks to TVBEurope about her route into the industry By TVBEurope Staff Pub...
29/04/2024
Anna Valley brand name acquired by AV company Grand Technix
The acquisition gives Grand Technix the opportunity to expand its footprint in the audio visual and broadcast technology sectors By Jenny Priestley Published...
29/04/2024
Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light
29 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light First Light Principal Photography is underway on Firs...
29/04/2024
Capitol Broadcasting Becomes First Company Inducted into NC Media and Journalism Hall of Fame
Capitol Broadcasting recently became the inaugural company honored with inductio...
29/04/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Fanyana feels embarrassed about his sexual mishap
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Fanyana feels embarrassed about his sexual mishapDon't miss Monday, 29 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Sm...
29/04/2024
SEA.AI Navigates the Future With AI at the Helm
Talk about commitment. When startup SEA.AI, an NVIDIA Metropolis partner, set out to create a system that would use AI to scan the seas to enhance maritime safe...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with URSA Broadcast G2
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
27/04/2024
L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik Discusses 1Q24 On CNBC's "Closing Bell: Overtime"
On April 26, L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik joined CNBC's Mor...
27/04/2024
Audinate Adds Major New Features to Dante Connect
PORTLAND, Oregon Audinate Group Limited, the developer of the Dante AV-over-IP solution, announced significant new additions to Dante Connect, its cloud-based D...
27/04/2024
Bell Media Launches New Portfolio of FAST Channels
TORONTO Bell Media has launched 10 English and French-language FAST channels featuring entertainment, factual, news, and sports programming. The new free stream...
27/04/2024
Study: Broadcast TV Evening News Avoids Serious Economic Issues
An extensive new analysis of the news segments in the broadcast evening news programs of ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS has found that broadcasters devoted most of their...
27/04/2024
Hughes Opens Manufacturing Facility and Private 5G Incubation Center in Maryland
GERMANTOWN, Md. EchoStar's Hughes Network Systems has opened a new manufacturing facility and private 5G incubation center in Germantown, Maryland....
27/04/2024
Broadcasting Legend Harry Pappas Dead At 78
Harry Pappas, one of three brothers who founded Pappas Telecasting Companies in 1971, died April 24. He was 78 years old....
27/04/2024
Televisa Selects Synamedia For Broadcast Distribution Overhaul
ATLANTA and LONDON Mexican telecommunications and broadcast company Televisa has selected Synamedia for an overhaul of its broadcast distribution....
27/04/2024
Participate in the Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry
Participate in the Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry Pascal Wagner April 26, 2024 0 Comments By participating in this surve...
27/04/2024
SDVI Rally Access Workstation Earns Two Top Awards at 2024 NAB Show
SDVI Rally Access Workstation Earns Two Top Awards at 2024 NAB Show Brie Clayton April 26, 2024 0 Comments SDVI, the leading platform provider for clo...
27/04/2024
Berklee's Music and Health Institute Launches Community Health Musician Certificate
Berklee's Music and Health Institute Launches Community Health Musician Cert...
27/04/2024
Charter Reports Higher Q1 Profits Despite Broadband, Video Losses
Charter Communications reported higher first-quarter profits despite continued cord-cutting and competition for broadband customers....
27/04/2024
Environmental Groups Aim To Make Unscripted TV More Sustainable
Two environmentally-focused groups are partnering to engage the unscripted TV world in finding better ways to address climate change. Reality of Change is an ec...
27/04/2024
Sarah Garcia Named Weekend Anchor at Telemundo 40 in Texas
Sarah Garcia has been promoted to weekend anchor at KTLM McAllen, Texas, known as Telemundo 40. Starting April 27, she will anchor Noticias Telemundo 40 weekend...
27/04/2024
CBS Sports Kicks Off FAST Channel for UEFA Champions League on Pluto TV
CBS Sports said it launched a new 24-hour free, ad supported streaming television (FAST) channel devoted to the UEFA Champions League....
27/04/2024
Brian Roberts's Pay Rose To $35 Million at Comcast
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts received $35.4 million in compensation in 2023, up 11% from the previous year, according to a proxy statement filed by th...
27/04/2024
John Lithgow Goes Back to School in Art Happens Here'
Art Happens Here With John Lithgow, which sees the actor study dance, ceramics, silk-screen printing and vocal jazz with students in Los Angeles, debuts on PBS ...
27/04/2024
FETV Wants Upfront Buyers Seeking Cable Viewers To Join Its Family
Remember Leave It to Beaver? Bewitched? Dragnet? When cable ratings were rising?...
27/04/2024
Catchy Comedy Features Gomer Pyle, USMC' Weekend Marathon
Next up for the weekend binge at Catchy Comedy is Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Every weekend, Catchy Comedy features The Catchy Binge, a marathon of a classic sitcom....
26/04/2024
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 kicks off today at Cinpolis
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 kicks-off today with screenings in 5 theaters in Mexico City and the opening-night film, FRIDA, directed by Carla Guti rrez...
26/04/2024
Interview: Lourdes Portillo, Director of Las madres de la Plaza de Mayo, La Ofrenda
[Editor's Note: This interview is part of a larger feature about the women d...
26/04/2024
Career insights instead of everyday school life
Once again this year, SGL Carbon opened its doors to interested children and young people. On the occasion of the German Girls and Boys Day, which took place on...