Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

NASCAR, The Famous Group Team Up for Another Lap of Mixed-Reality Magic at Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte

05/06/2023

NASCAR, The Famous Group Team Up for Another Lap of Mixed-Reality Magic at Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte Drone is deployed in a first for MR activation By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor

Monday, June 5, 2023 - 1:43 pm

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

Last week's rain-delayed, crash-filled Coca-Cola 600 proved to be one of the wildest races of the NASCAR Cup Series season thus far. And there were plenty of fireworks beyond the action on the track as well, with NASCAR and The Famous Group teaming up for the second time this year on an innovative mixed-reality (MR) activation honoring 75 years of NASCAR. The 1-minute feature, which was among the first to deploy a drone for mixed reality, appeared during Lap 100 of Fox Sports' broadcast as well as on videoboards at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

We set out to create a visually stunning activation celebrating all things that have made NASCAR such an amazing part of American culture, says Hemu Karadkar, creative director, The Famous Group (TFG). It was an added bonus that the activation was going to happen at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend. We got to play into the Americana theme for the creative for the show.

Inside the Creative: Honoring 75 Years of NASCAR History

The piece paid homage to NASCAR's 75-year history and featured mixed-reality footage showing legendary drivers and cars from the past, as well as audio from classic Fox broadcasts.

The segment, which builds on a mixed-reality activation produced by NASCAR and TFG at the Daytona 500 in February, focused on a giant construction of the number 75, representing the 75th year of NASCAR. The numeral became a sculptural piece housing the iconic elements that have become synonymous with the NASCAR brand. Time-lapse animation allowed viewers to see the various elements representing the different eras as they were placed in the numbers. As the animation was triggered, the 75th-anniversary car come out of a portal representing the future of the brand and landed on a platform that served as a base for the 75.

We've been building memories for 75 years.

Trust us, we're not done yet! #NASCAR75 pic.twitter.com/oEMYCP5Kr5

- NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 29, 2023

We took a deep dive into researching things that have become iconic to the brand, says Karadkar. Representing some famous drivers through their numbers and cars that have left a legacy on the sport. Introducing the Mount Rushmore of the NASCAR world.

To five iconic tracks and trophies - plus the eagle from the Pocono Raceway trophy flying across the American flag - TFG added in some fun background elements, including the iconic Sunoco fuel cans, Goodyear tires, an F-16 flyover, and fireworks completing the Americana theme.

TFG collaborated closely with NASCAR Head of Content Strategy Amy Anderson and SVP/Chief Digital Officer Tim Clark with the goal of creating something visually stunning that also helped to build buzz around the 75th-anniversary celebration.

Tim, Amy, and their team wanted something that would highlight the forward thinking at NASCAR, notes Karadkar. The use of mixed-reality-led creative definitely helped present the 75th-anniversary theme in a unique way. Our partnership with Fox Sports on many mixed-reality activations was also a huge advantage in pulling off this creative.

Inside the Technology: Drone Plays a Key Role in MR Activation To create the segment, TFG, NASCAR, and Fox Sports deployed two tracked cameras using Stype and one drone using Pixotope Fly, with the signals fed directly into render servers running Unreal Engine 5.11 and Stypeland. The unique thing about this activation is the use of a drone for mixed reality, says Karadkar, a first of its kind in the live event.

All tracking data went into a machine running Stage Precision, which serves as TFG's central hub and control machine. The data was calibrated, aligned, and corrected in Stage Precision, then passed on to the render engines.

The video feeds with the composited MR were output from the render system directly into the broadcast truck at 1080p59.94 and Rec. 2020. Audio for the piece was sent externally (rather than embedded in the SDI since Stypeland wasn't able to do that) and embedded in the live feed in the truck.

Activations of this scale offer an opportunity to tell unique brand stories on a bigger stage, says Karadkar. Stories are developed to take advantage of a different canvas than the traditional media formats. In the past three years, we have seen a greater awareness from brands for the potential of AR and mixed-reality activations to build buzz.

The creative was led by Karadkar, and the Unreal Engine team was led on the art side by UE/Art Director Jeremy Lobdell and on the technology side by Technical Director Ben Ryle, who played a key role in execution of the project. TFG VP, Production Technology, Erik Beaumont oversaw the production, along with in-house NASCAR expert and Lead Producer Gil Colon, who helped add accuracy to the creative. On the live-broadcast side, Fox Sports director Bryan Lilly and producer Jake Jolivette were at the front bench. Long-time TFG collaborator Zoic Studios helped in animating and developing key visual elements of the activation in Unreal Engine, and Liveyard Productions helped with the car animations.
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/06/05/nascar-the-famous-group-team-up...
See more stories from svg

More from Sports Video Group

28/03/2024

TNT Sports Gets Its College Game On for March Madness Audio

TNT Sports Gets Its College Game On for March Madness Audio Marching bands, crowds make up for lack of court FX and wired players By Dan Daley, Audio Editor ...

28/03/2024

Cosm/ESPN Deal Will Bring NBA, NHL, Tennis, College Football, and More to Shared Reality' Venues

Cosm/ESPN Deal Will Bring NBA, NHL, Tennis, College Football, and More to Share...

28/03/2024

MLB 2024: The Famous Group, Miami Marlins Team Up for AI-Powered Intro for All 2024 Home Games

MLB 2024: The Famous Group, Miami Marlins Team Up for AI-Powered Intro for All 2...

28/03/2024

MLB 2024: MLB Network Showcase Opts for Secaucus-Based Remote Production

MLB 2024: MLB Network Showcase Opts for Secaucus-Based Remote Production The league's production arm marks 15th-anniversary season with packed schedule By ...

28/03/2024

MLB Opening Day: ESPN Brings Sunday Night Baseball Into Analytic Age With Volumetric Replays, Win Probability' in Scorebug

MLB Opening Day: ESPN Brings Sunday Night Baseball Into Analytic Age With Volume...

28/03/2024

MLB 2024: FOX Sports Steps Up to the Plate With Big Audio Plans

MLB 2024: FOX Sports Steps Up to the Plate With Big Audio Plans More player and field sound will be on tap By Dan Daley, Audio Editor Thursday, March 28, 202...

27/03/2024

Program Productions Partners With Investment Firm Integrum, Eyes Expansion Into New Markets

Program Productions Partners With Investment Firm Integrum, Eyes Expansion Into ...

26/03/2024

Royal Belgian Football Association's Head of Content Daf Van Campenhout on Creating a Content Strategy That Makes a Difference

Royal Belgian Football Association's Head of Content Daf Van Campenhout on C...

26/03/2024

WEBINAR: Content Leadership in Pro Sports With The Gargano Leadership Group

WEBINAR: Content Leadership in Pro Sports With The Gargano Leadership Group Managing content teams with New York Jets Jessica Ciccone, Washington Commanders Rae...

26/03/2024

Prime Video's Eric Orme on What's Next for the Streamer

Prime Video's Eric Orme on What's Next for the Streamer By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital Tuesday, March 26, 2024 - 1:01 pm Print This Story |...

26/03/2024

NFL Streaming Exclusives in 2024: Peacock Lands Week 1 So Paulo Game, Prime Video Adds NFL Wild Card Game

NFL Streaming Exclusives in 2024: Peacock Lands Week 1 S o Paulo Game, Prime Vid...

25/03/2024

The State of Soccer Rights in Europe: Ampere Analysis' Daniel Monaghan Breaks Down the Complexities

The State of Soccer Rights in Europe: Ampere Analysis' Daniel Monaghan Break...

25/03/2024

Rising Star: Checking Out Strategic Sports Goals With TikTok's Global Head of Sports Partnerships Rollo Goldstaub

Rising star: Checking out strategic sports goals with TikTok's global head o...

25/03/2024

TV Skyline Completes Record Winter Sports Season with FIS Ski World Cup in Saalbach

TV Skyline completes record winter sports season with FIS Ski World Cup in Saalb...

25/03/2024

Sports Innovation 2024: New Viewing Experiences and Tracking Systems Provide a Glimpse Into the Future

Sports Innovation 2024: New viewing experiences and tracking systems provide a g...

25/03/2024

Sports Innovation 2024: Wonderment and Warnings in Equal Measure as AI Dominates Dsseldorf Event

Sports Innovation 2024: Wonderment and warnings in equal measure as AI dominates...

25/03/2024

NAB 2024: EVS Sets Out Plans for NAB and Highlights Industry Tech Trends

EVS sets out plans for NAB and highlights industry tech trends By George Bevir Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - 16:34 Print This Story Left to right: Lisa Coll...

25/03/2024

ESPN's Allison Loucks on the Challenge of Integrating Analytics Into the Live Sports Broadcast

ESPN's Allison Loucks on the Challenge of Integrating Analytics Into the Liv...

25/03/2024

NBC Sports Chicago, Chicago Blackhawks Team Up for First-Ever Animated Real-Time Local Sports Broadcast

NBC Sports Chicago, Chicago Blackhawks Team Up for First-Ever Animated Real-Time...

22/03/2024

Put It in the Mixer: European Broadcasters Embrace the Cloud For Soccer Production

Put It in the Mixer: European Broadcasters Embrace the Cloud For Soccer Producti...

22/03/2024

SVG Digital Engagement Forum Tackles Current Industry Topics, Evolving Media Landscape

SVG Digital Engagement Forum Tackles Current Industry Topics, Evolving Media Lan...

22/03/2024

Edgio's Eric Black on Offering Cost-Efficient Solutions for Direct-to-Consumer, OTT Platforms

Edgio's Eric Black on Offering Cost-Efficient Solutions for Direct-to-Consum...

22/03/2024

With Caitlin Clark Effect' at an All-Time High, ESPN Covers NCAA Women's March Madness From All Angles

With Caitlin Clark Effect' at an All-Time High, ESPN Covers NCAA Women'...

21/03/2024

Visual Aids: Telling the Story of Soccer Through Data and Graphics

Visual Aids: Telling the Story of Soccer Through Data and Graphics Tech leaders from FIFA, Sky Sports, and Genius Sports discussed the opportunities at SVG Euro...

21/03/2024

March Madness Gets Real Today; NEP, Game Creek, F&F Trucks Are Front and Center for 20-Camera Productions

March Madness Gets Real Today; NEP, Game Creek, F&F Trucks Are Front and Center ...

21/03/2024

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Comcast Technology Solution's Peter Gibson on Activating Content Via AI Tools

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Comcast Technology Solution's Peter Gibson on Act...

21/03/2024

Inside Monumental Sports Network's New ST 2110 Production Facility: A National-Network Feel at DC's New RSN

Inside Monumental Sports Network's New ST 2110 Production Facility: A Nation...

21/03/2024

SVG Regional Sports Production Summit Travels to Denver on June 26-27

SVG Regional Sports Production Summit Travels to Denver on June 26-27 By SVG Staff Thursday, March 21, 2024 - 1:47 pm Print This Story | Subscribe Story...

20/03/2024

Between the Lines: The European Soccer Rights Revolution and Its Impact on Production

Between the Lines: The European Soccer Rights Revolution and Its Impact on Produ...

20/03/2024

The Reality of Production in a Post-Pandemic World: SVG Yearbook Offers a Glimpse Into the Past and the Future

The Reality of Production in a Post-Pandemic World: SVG Yearbook Offers a Glimps...

20/03/2024

MLB Seoul Series: ESPN Turns to COVID-Era Remote Production for Two-Game Slate in South Korea

MLB Seoul Series: ESPN Turns to COVID-Era Remote Production for Two-Game Slate i...

20/03/2024

Mobile TV Group Launches Latest Flex Series Mobile Unit With 52FLEX

Mobile TV Group Launches Latest Flex Series Mobile Unit With 52FLEX 52FLEX seats over 20 on-site crew members and features a first-of-its-kind Visitor Mobile Un...

20/03/2024

Mike Helling, Longtime FOX Sports and Regional Sports Producer, Dies at 65

Mike Helling, Longtime FOX Sports and Regional Sports Producer, Dies at 65 He led regional broadcasts for both the Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals duri...

19/03/2024

Calling the Shots: What European Soccer Directors Really Want

Calling the Shots: What European Soccer Directors Really Want Sky Sports Sarah Cheadle, Telenet Play Sports Serge Bellens spoke at SVG Europes Football Summit l...

19/03/2024

Going Grassroots: Men in Blazers Shoots This Week in Wrexham Digital Series With iPhones

Going Grassroots: Men in Blazers Shoots This Week in Wrexham Digital Series With...

19/03/2024

Grass Valley Maverik X Switcher Takes AMPP-Based Production to Next Level

Grass Valley Maverik X Switcher Takes AMPP-Based Production to Next Level By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - 10:40 am Print ...

19/03/2024

Monumental Sports Network Launches State-of-the-Art Production Facility and Broadcast Studios

Monumental Sports Network Launches State-of-the-Art Production Facility and Broa...

19/03/2024

NBA League Pass Escalates Sports Betting Functionality With Sportradar's emBET Integration

NBA League Pass Escalates Sports Betting Functionality With Sportradar's emB...

19/03/2024

ESPN Extends Exclusive Media Rights for Expanded College Football Playoff Through 2031-32 Season

ESPN Extends Exclusive Media Rights for Expanded College Football Playoff Throug...

18/03/2024

Major League Soccer: IMG on Capturing Fan Rituals and Delivering Consistent Coverage

Major League Soccer: IMG on capturing fan rituals and delivering consistent cove...

18/03/2024

Smashing Padel: Inside Aurora's Innovative Production of the Inaugural Hexagon Cup

Smashing padel: Inside Aurora's innovative production of the inaugural Hexag...

18/03/2024

Airspeeder Teams Up With EMG for World's First Live Broadcast of Flying Car Series

Airspeeder teams up with EMG for world's first live broadcast of flying car ...

15/03/2024

Live From THE PLAYERS Championship: New Truck Fleet, Live Drones Get Into the Mix for NBC Sports; Coverage Goes HDR

Live From THE PLAYERS Championship: New Truck Fleet, Live Drones Get Into the Mi...

15/03/2024

SVG Digital Engagement Forum (NYC, March 20): ESPN, CBS Sports, Amagi, TAG Video Systems Dissect the FAST Boom

SVG Digital Engagement Forum (NYC, March 20): ESPN, CBS Sports, Amagi, TAG Video...

15/03/2024

Pete Distad, Former Apple, Hulu Exec, Named CEO of New ESPN, FOX, WBD Streaming JV

Pete Distad, Former Apple, Hulu Exec, Named CEO of New ESPN, FOX, WBD Streaming ...

15/03/2024

Live From Big East Men's Tournament: FOX Sports Brings Back Pair of Live Drones for Second Year in a Row

Live From Big East Men's Tournament: FOX Sports Brings Back Pair of Live Dro...

15/03/2024

After a Record-Breaking 2023, NWSL Enters 2024 Season With More Production Partners, Free DTC Platform

After a Record-Breaking 2023, NWSL Enters 2024 Season With More Production Partn...

14/03/2024

Live From THE PLAYERS Championship: PGA TOUR Lays Out Vision for New Media Facility

Live From THE PLAYERS Championship: PGA TOUR Lays Out Vision for New Media Facil...

14/03/2024

Live From THE PLAYERS Championship: PGA TOUR Fleet of Trucks Transforms Setup, Coverage

Live From THE PLAYERS Championship: PGA TOUR Fleet of Trucks Transforms Setup, C...