The IBC Podcast

This flexible production-themed episode of the IBC Podcast features:
Gordon Castle, senior vice president, Technology, Eurosport on the broadcaster’s technology transformation project to build a private cloud for live production (2.30)
Patricia Doherty, project director of Live & Wild explains how Candour Productions will lead a project testing 5G connectivity for use by documentary makers (18.36)
Extreme E head of broadcast and technology operations Dave Adey on the race series’ production operation (36.31)
Visit ibc.org/features/themed-week for more features and case studies on flexible production.
And follow the Live & Wild 5G project on Instagram @live_and_wild, Facebook: Live and Wild and Twitter @liveandwild

IBC365 editor George Bevir is joined by journalists James Pearce and Ann-Marie Corvin and IBC Accelerator project leaders Muki Kulhan and Mark Smith for a discussion about some of the highlights of IBC SHOWCASE, IBC's virtual event that took place in September.  

The podcast contains clips of some of the IBC SHOWCASE sessions featuring:

• Matt Frost, Google, during Intel's panel on AV1
• Eva Norry, Fifa, as part of Synamedia's discussion on piracy
• Deborah Turness, NBC, in the IHFE Award presentation
• Tim Davis, ITV, as part of a look at the object-based Accelerator
• Rafi Nizam, creative consultant on CG animation

To watch all of the sessions discussed during the podcast visit: https://www.ibc.org/ibcshowcase 

The latest episode of the IBC Podcast takes a look at the impact of coronavirus on production services, with NEP SVP technology and asset management Scott Rothenberg explaining what clients are now asking for, and why robust and fast connectivity is more important than ever. He also reveals what NEP has invested in during the pandemic.

"Some investments have been to do with conversion of control signals and video signals to IP; ways to get signals over the public internet in a reliable, fast matter. We’ve done that with a number of different vendors and we continue to look at different different options out there. We’ve also seen increased demand for small robotic cameras.”

BBC Studioworks chief executive Andrew Moultrie speaks about the impact of Covid-19 and how BBC Studioworks is helping productions get up and running after the pandemic

“Covid has provided a chance to review the supply chain and look at the approach to creating content. There’s a partnership between production companies and commissioners and facilities and operators, who all now have to work collectively in order to deliver the content in a safe way that’s Covid friendly.”

And IBC Accelerator project lead Rafi Nizam and head of Sky’s XR Technology department Matt McCartney explain how the CG animation Accelerator could make the animation process more efficient and why it is focusing on the use of extended reality tools.

• Sky Studios CEO Gary Davey
• UKTV chief technology and operations officer Sinead Greenaway
• IBC Accelerator: Live Content Moderation

“We couldn’t see Covid coming - we had to shut down 29 productions and we’ve got nine back in production now, but we couldn’t have done it without a really sophisticated set of safety protocols.”

On the second episode of the IBC Podcast, Sky Studios chief executive Gary Davey speaks about the impact of coronavirus on the Sky division’s production output. 

And while some productions have restarted, he explains how Sky Studios is braced for a second wave of coronavirus.

“It’s been a really interesting exercise to rethink the editorial of a lot of the shows, especially the bigger shows. So for example, we've rethought the number of episodes and had a good look at the editorial to figure out, if there were another crisis, is there a way of managing the script in such a way that you could get out after only a few episodes?”

And one of the most significant outcomes of the restrictions imposed following the spread of coronavirus has been in post-production, Davey said. 

“Out of necessity the whole industry has moved to remote editing and post-production, and it has worked brilliantly. As a result, I think that will become much more business as usual.” 

The issue of reacting to coronavirus and the lessons learnt because of the industry’s response to the pandemic is also a key theme of the interview with UKTV chief technology and operations officer Sinead Greenaway. 

She speaks about the need for resiliency and reassurance from suppliers, and about how the need for greater remote working has hastened the shift to the cloud. 

And we hear from two of the Champions leading an IBC Accelerator Live Content Moderation project, with Grant Totten from Al Jazeera and Ian McLaren from Thompson Reuters discussing the use of AI to ensure live content adheres to regulatory standards. 

"The industry needs to look at itself and ask who is making these programmes and films and telling these stories. Have we got fair representation of the population, yes or no?"

In the first episode of the IBC Podcast, chair of the RTS Diversity Committee Angela Ferreira speaks about the challenges of creating a more inclusive industry. And she explains why its important to go beyond headline figures. 

"For too long people have been able to muddy the waters about who they are employing...it is important to have representation but who is making the decisions? I am not interested in hearing endlessly about mentoring and shadowing schemes. Where is the  retention and growth and who is climbing the career ladder?

Also on the first episode, Avid chief executive Jeff Rosica explains why he thinks coronavirus has changed the way people make film and TV for good. And he speaks about Avid's shift to a subscription model and reveals the firm's top selling subscription products before sharing his thoughts on the barriers to adopting cloud-based infrastructure. 

And Mark Smith and Muki Kulhan provide an introduction to the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme and explain why the likes of the BBC, Reuters and Al Jazeera have signed up to some of the problem-solving projects. 

The IBC Podcast is launching on Thursday 16 July.

The fortnightly show will give broadcast and media professionals insight into the big issues faced by the content and technology industry. 

Hosted by IBC365 editor George Bevir, it will include discussions with technologists, conversations with creatives and in-depth interviews with industry leaders as well as the inside track on IBC. 

On the first episode:

• Avid chief executive Jeff Rosica 
• RTS diversity committee chair and Douglas Road Productions managing director Angela Ferreira  
• IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme leaders Mark Smith and Muki Kulhan