Pixel Power charted the results for Scotland’s constitutional referendum as they came in on 18 September. The specially created graphics were linked directly to the database and controlled by the presenters using a dedicated tablet app.
The overnight coverage was produced by STV in Glasgow and available in the UK on the ITV network. The live programme depended heavily on graphics, especially as the result was predicted to be very close.
STV is already a user of Pixel Power Clarity graphics systems, but for the referendum night coverage the broadcaster installed two more Clarity 3D engines to present the results as they came in. One was dedicated to on-air graphics and lower thirds, while the other primarily fed plasma displays on the set, which were under the direct control of a Windows Surface Pro tablet used by the presenter.
Pixel Power’s Creative Services team worked with STV’s graphics designers to create the templates into which all the information would sit. The team also managed the development of interfaces to the STV database, to the Avid iNews network, and to the Surface, using the Pixel Power Control Toolbox.
“The whole production team was delighted with the graphical output and ease of control of the system developed for the referendum night,” said Sam Dornan, channel operations manager at STV. “The Pixel Power team developed tools that did exactly what we needed, and most important got the critical information onto the screen and to our viewers as quickly as possible.”
James Gilbert, CEO of Pixel Power, added “When broadcasters have big one-off events like this, they need to be absolutely certain the right results are on-air and can be easily interpreted by their viewers. It was great that our Creative Services team could be part of it, and we very much look forward to working with STV on further projects in the future.”
