In early November, NOS op 3, a Dutch public channel targeting a younger audience and part of the Dutch television broadcaster NPO Politiek en Nieuws, curated a series of seven livestreams covering pivotal debates among various parliamentary parties on YouTube. The daily livestreams provided essential information in the week leading up to the national voting day.
Alain Dikken, managing director at Stream My Event, assumed responsibility for the technical live-directing aspects of the livestream project. Dikken chose a combination of cameras, specifically employing five URSA Broadcast G2 units connected and controlled through an ATEM Constellation 8K live production switcher.
“As I managed the playout of graphics, jingles, and videos for this production, the ATEM Constellation was the ideal choice for the HD show,” he explains. “It facilitated the creation of additional virtual cameras using the ATEM’s built-in SuperSource and DVE effects. Concurrently, the ATEM Constellation’s support for macros allowed us to develop and automate significant aspects of the show.”
An additional advantage of the integrated production workflow, combining the ATEM with the URSA Broadcast G2, was the ability to control both zoom and focus on the lenses remotely. The innovative approach significantly reduced the need for camera operators, enabling the filming of up to 11 participants per debate using seven cameras and just a single camera operator.
“The URSA Broadcast G2 proved to be the perfect fit for this project,” adds Dikken. “With the ATEM, you get a scalable and cost-effective SMPTE fibre camera chain with CCU control for remote shading. Its impressive depth of field added a cinematic touch to the show, ensuring visual harmony with NOS op 3’s regular content.”
The technology supplied by Walk in the Park facilitated Dikken’s cost-efficient and successful streaming on YouTube. That content was repackaged in vertical (9:16) formats, providing snapshots for social media, including TikTok and Instagram, utilising the original 4K material.
