Tech
A Guide to Remote Production
If you’ve ever felt confused when it comes to remote production (or if you’re new to the concept), this article will walk you through the process from start to finish – with detailed explanation of how every single element works.
Remote video production refers to a workflow in which a live event is captured and sent over IP video transmission to a centralized production hub. From there, the final product is produced and distributed. In layman terms, it simply is production where the producer isn’t in the same vicinity as the camera crew.
How it Works
Live transmission is completely redefined when it comes to remote video production. You are now dealing with different workflows, different production processes as well as different tools. In a remote live production kit, you will find video switchers, remote controlled audio mixers, and professional cameras.
Remote live production takes different approaches:
In-Studio Production
This approach involves encoding serial digital interface feeds in the field and transmitting them to the studio over IP then converting them back to serial digital interface feeds.
Traditional serial digital interface-based systems manage and produce content as if the cameras were within the facility as the people involved in production. Broadcasters leverage a single production system to work on multiple events in different venues in lieu of sending production crews and trucks to all the venues.
Cloud Production
Cloud-based production leverages the cloud to achieve remote video production, which means broadcasters forgo the expenses of a remote video production truck or a centralized production control facility.
Everything that’s physical is made virtual and all the production functions become virtual. Hardware functions like production switchers, relay systems, graphic generators and audio mixers are replaced by their virtual equivalents on CPUs and GPUs – all running in the cloud and playing out from the cloud.
Essentially, cloud production can be offered as SaaS. The serial digital interface feeds in the field are encoded and streamed to platforms where the now produced feeds are fed to cloud based over the top delivery platforms.
The elimination of remote production facility costs has made cloud-based production a favorite for newbies in live transmission or streamers with constrained financial resources.
Outside Broadcasting and Electronic Field Production (OB/EFP)
This approach is mainly used in the production of sports, entertainment, and generally TV programming with a broad distribution.
Signals from multiple cameras are strategically positioned around a venue and routed to a production switcher where a technical director executes commands – commands like switching between shots, slow motion shots, graphic and text. The production switcher’s main output feeds the contribution pipeline.
The pipeline could be fiber, satellite or even both. There are also auxiliary outputs usually used for other versions of the show like in foreign markets.
Audio on the other hand relies on a variety of microphones mixed with an audio console. Production crews use wired or wireless intercoms to keep in touch.
REMI
The workings of this approach are identical to OB/EFP bar the fact that there is no mobile production studio. Instead, camera signals are routed via dedicated fiber, internet, or satellite to a physical production center. This brick-and-mortar production center usually has all the production technology that you will find in an on-site production truck.
The aspect of centralized production eliminates most of the expenses that come with remote video production. That said, production stuff can now be used more effectively without traveling or relying on the same people to cover multiple events on the same day.
This approach to remote video production is very affordable so much so that it is economically plausible for sports events with relatively small audiences.
Benefits of Remote Production
To begin with, there is less staff and equipment involved. To add to that, the crew and equipment don’t have to keep traveling so you spend less on overhead costs.
With IP video transmission in use, live events are transmitted to control centers, scaling back on the infrastructure needed because you are leveraging existing infrastructure. Finally, you can reuse equipment across multiple venues to cover multiple events on the same day, increasing coverage of live events for larger audiences.