Intimacy Through the Lens: The Cinematography of the Independent Film Matt and Mara

interview and copy written for RED

The vérité-style character studies of Canadian filmmaker Kazik Radwanski have drawn comparisons with indie legend John Cassavetes, and his latest feature only burnishes that reputation. "Matt and Mara" is a touching and fragile tale of friends reunited, filmed on location in Toronto in Radwanski's customary semi-improvised style that extends from actors to camera.

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"Kaz writes a loose script, but we're always anticipating going in different directions," explains Radwanski's frequent collaborator, cinematographer Nikolay Michaylov ("How Heavy This Hammer," "Anne at 13,000 Ft"). "We want the freedom to be able to go anywhere, knowing that the blocking is improvised, and as a result, the camera movement has to react to that."

The film centers on a young writing professor (played by Deragh Campbell) and the instability she invites into her life by reconnecting with an old friend from college (Matt Johnson). Sparks fly in both directions, but both shy away from letting them truly catch fire.

Technical Evolution

"Shooting RED was a no-brainer for me," explains Michaylov. "I've shot RED numerous times before. It was the go-to camera when I was studying film at Toronto Metropolitan University where we shot a lot on the SCARLET and the EPIC. More recently, I've been enjoying shooting with the MONSTRO and the KOMODO. In the months leading up to 'Matt and Mara,' I shot a short film on the KOMODO, and that was kind of an eye-opening experience. I realized what a powerhouse this camera is."

Most of the duo's previous films were shot on older cameras with lower resolution capabilities, including the critically acclaimed "Anne at 13,000 Ft" (winner of the 2020 TFCA Best Canadian Film Award and nominee for the 2020 Canadian Screen Award), released in 2019. "That was a great experience and we were happy with the look of those films, but later, when we saw that footage blown up on higher resolution screens, the image started to really fall apart," Michaylov explains.

"We wanted to meet 4K deliverables and future-proof our next film, for which a 1080p workflow just wasn't appropriate. We needed to upgrade our camera system while honoring our typical lightweight and nimble production methods. The KOMODO was the first camera that came to mind given its low-profile form factor and excellent dynamic range with 6K resolution. The camera is the size of a Rubik's Cube, and it really complemented our shooting style, which draws from documentary methods. We are very run-and-gun and very self-sufficient," he says. "The beauty of this camera is that it can be easily transformed into a studio build if required."

Dual Camera Setup

Michaylov utilized two KOMODO bodies for "Matt and Mara" - one rigged for gimbal work on a Ronin RS2 and another on a tripod. "Kaz likes to shoot handheld so I can react to the moment with our actors. It's a very immediate process of filmmaking, and the KOMODO's lightweight design is operator friendly."

"Having the extra resolution for our final 4K deliverable gave us breathing room in post-production to punch in on the image and smooth out undesirable kinks. On top of that, the dynamic range of the camera is mind-blowing for the price point. We couldn't believe its ability to handle low-light situations and pull information out of the shadows."

Finding the Right Balance

While the shaky-cam aesthetic for "Anne at 13,000 Ft" suited a solitary character study, the focus on two characters in "Matt and Mara" required a less frenetic approach. To prove this thesis, Michaylov shot tests using their existing workflow.

"Very early on in our process, we used our old camera setup and shot trial scenes from 'Matt and Mara' in the same way we shot 'Anne at 13,000 Ft.' It really didn't work - it was unwatchable. The footage was way too shaky."

Inspired by the 2017 Bulgarian film "3/4" shot by Julian Atanassov on Steadicam, they tested some stabilized walking and talking sequences. "The results were too stable and too antithetical to Kaz's aesthetic instincts," says Michaylov. "Shooting on a gimbal with a wider-angle focal length gave us more of a middle ground between the raw, shaky energy of Kaz's previous work and the overly stable and floaty aesthetic of our reference points."

The MDFF Philosophy

The film is produced by MDFF (Medium Density Fibreboard Films), a Toronto-based production company Radwanski co-founded in 2009 with producer Dan Montgomery. MDFF is a collective of local filmmakers who adhere to an ethos of self-sufficiency.

"There are certainly challenges when working with a modest budget and keeping a low-profile production team, but there's also freedom," Michaylov explains. "We keep crews small because we like to work with our friends and people that we're comfortable with. We don't shoot in an orthodox way at all. A lot of the shooting is off the cuff. We shoot on locations that are available to us, like our own apartments or businesses that are friend or family owned. Keeping a small footprint is essential to how we capture our footage because the scale of a traditional studio production would interfere with the performances or with the realism that Kaz tries to chase."

Equipment Choices

The philosophy of self-sufficiency led MDFF to invest in their own equipment, including a KOMODO package. "And we couldn't be happier about that," says Michaylov, who was part of the consultation. "I drew up a shortlist of cameras that we should test, and after those tests, the KOMODO made the most sense given its price point, fantastic dynamic range, ergonomics, form factor, and ability to work well on a smaller gimbal. It checked all the boxes for this project, so we pulled the trigger very comfortably."

The DP presented his director with different lens options in a blind test, which included professional cine lenses and the Canon stills photography glass they had used on "Anne." "Kaz responded only to the Canon 24-70mm glass, and I didn't want to fight that instinct," reports Michaylov. "Using them was a bit more challenging for my camera assistant (James Salmon). On a technical level, we had to customize our build a bit more, but it was aesthetically the right choice because they offered a sharp look that Kaz felt honored the realism he was looking for and was also most accustomed to."

Urban Geography and Spontaneous Moments

Michaylov's background as an accomplished skateboarder provides unexpected benefits when filming in Toronto. "I know the city like the back of my hand. When skateboarding, you clock spots in your mind like a rolodex – there are stair sets, rails, ledges, and fire hydrants that you see the potential in interacting with. For safety reasons, you also need to be aware of your surroundings. There are many sequences in 'Matt and Mara' where I'm walking backwards (for almost 30 minutes at a time) and can't see where I'm going, but mentally I'm aware of my surroundings, and my familiarity with Toronto streets helps me in those filmmaking scenarios."

The filmmakers secured permits to shoot at Niagara Falls for just one day, with no time to scout the location. To prepare, they watched movies with scenes set at the natural wonder, including the 1979 feature "Last Embrace".

"When we got to the Falls, we knew what the story beat was and anticipated some romantic tension between Matt and Mara. What we didn't know was that the two characters would progress their relationship into something physical. That kiss was something that Kaz threw at them while we were all getting soaked by the mist of the Falls. We were kind of in awe of them. None of us had been to the tourist section underneath the Falls itself, and we were just chasing a chaotic energy. When I am operating a camera for Kazik's films, I'm almost acting as a scene partner with the actors. When Matt and Mara are running around the falls, I'm trying to reflect their energy while capturing the fine details and keeping their character development at the fulcrum of the scene. For that under-the-Falls sequence, we only shot a couple of takes. What you see on screen is pretty raw."

 

How Stéphane Fontaine conceived the immaculate perfection of Edward Berger’s Conclave

interview and text for RED

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Best Picture Oscar nominee Conclave is composed with all the ritual and restraint of robed Cardinals in the Vatican. Director Edward Berger’s follow up to the Oscar winning All Quiet on the Western Front is a slow burning conspiracy adapted from Robert Harris’ novel that unfolds during a Machiavellian campaign for papal succession.

“Edward’s idea was to make sure that despite the epic side of the storytelling we were still aware of how intimate it could be,” explains Stéphane Fontaine AFC (Captain Fantastic, Jackie, Elle and Ammonite) partnering for the first time with Berger. “I never thought in terms of mystery or suspense but in terms of tension and expression of doubt as seen exclusively from the point of view of Cardinal Lawrence.”

Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, is charged with leading the arcane voting procedure which pits candidates including Cardinals played by Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto and Carlos Diehz against each other. Some struggle under the weight of responsibility and begin to question their faith.

Fontaine says Berger wanted to explore opposing ideas expressed in the production’s design and photography, a balance of light and dark, male and female, traditional and contemporary. This influenced the discipline in which director and DP approached lighting, camera movement and composition.

“Edward is a precise director in the sense that he likes to come up with a plan. The last thing you want to do is show up on set and only then start thinking about how to break down the scene,” Fontaine says.

“During prep we went through the script and tried to define the best possible plan for each scene. How do we want to begin the action? What does each scene convey? Is it just information or is there more at stake? So that when the camera moves it moves for a reason.”

They drew up an extensive shot list but retained the flexibility to adapt when the actors arrived on set. “What they do with their performance might open new doors to our imagination,” he explains, “but because we had a thorough understanding of the scene it was super easy to change our minds.

The DP, who won the César Award for Best Cinematography in 2006 for The Beat That My Heart Skipped and another in 2010 for A Prophet, has shot RED since lensing Rust and Bone on EPIC in 2012. Selecting the V-RAPTOR 8K VV for Conclave came naturally.

“One consideration was how to represent humans in context of the Sistine Chapel. I used the widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ratio to do this, often using framing characters in negative space that reminds you of the scale of their environment.”

The opening of the film includes a 360-degree Steadicam shot operated by Alex Brambilla showing the chaos that Lawrence is facing, after which the visual language becomes much more restrained.

“The sense of power had to be translated by the composition of the frames,” Fontaine says. “We had to suggest as opposed to stress what we thought viewers should know. We used the widescreen aspect ratio to either pack the frames or to isolate characters.”

“We also needed to translate how suffocating it would feel to be living in these rooms for days on end. There should be a sense of claustrophobia. The large sensor enabled us to achieve greater separation between foreground and the background.”

He cites a scene set in an auditoria with red cassocked cardinals lit from overhead and positioned against cyan blue seats. “The beauty of the large sensor combined with a very quick falloff of light means you barely see anything in the background except for two tiny practicals. These create more depth and grounds the shot in a reality. Across the film, we didn’t want to have light that was too manicured or theatrical. It had to feel very simple each time and in that regard this scene is a good example.”

He tested different lenses and picked the TRIBE7 T-Tuned BLACKWING7 primes. Fontaine used one set of primes and shot most scenes with two V-RAPTOR allowing him to select a different resolution and use the same lens.

“The great thing with the 8K sensor is that you can use it in 7K, in 6K or 5K as you wish and you can't tell the difference because the image quality is even throughout the scale of resolution.

“For example, we had one V-RAPTOR set at 8K with a 27mm lens and the other at 6K. I have the option to swap the lens to either camera and achieve basically the same frames which is quite interesting. I like the fact that if you shoot in 6K, 7K or 8K, the same lens has a very different personality depending on the resolution you choose.”

Since the story is told from the point of view of Fiennes’ character Fontaine often frames him in close or medium shots. “Edward was keen for our close-ups to be on a 27mm which means that you're pretty close to the to the actor but at the same time when you shoot with a wide angle you still have a good sense of the surroundings. It's not blurred or abstract. You still know where you are. That felt right to us.”

Berger was also interested in using zooms, not to quickly rack a focal length but to very slowly move into or away from a subject. One of these is when Cardinal Lawrence is giving his opening address to the Conclave and the zoom solely closes in on Fiennes face as if crushing him under the weight of responsibility. Another instance pulls back from Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) to show him seated alone with his thoughts.

“The last thing I want to show is draw too much attention to the visuals,” says Fontaine. “A zoom especially is a very strong visual statement and hence also a strong storytelling statement. But there were a few occasions where we wanted to throw a bit more attention on the story.

“In the Sistine Chapel we start close in on Adeyemi and zoom out to see the whole chapel. It emphasizes that he has lost. He won't be Pope. It’s quite an effective way to describe how miserable and lonely he must feel at that moment.

“The other thing that happens when you make a slow zoom, when you don’t cut away, is that the audience is forced to listen more carefully to what's being said. So, when Lawrence has everyone gathered around him at the beginning and lays out the process for the Conclave we gently zoom giving the audience plenty of time to understand what's at stake.”

Production designer Suzie Davies built sets for the Sistine Chapel and residential building Casa Santa Marta on sound stages at Cinecittà. This included the Stanza delle Lacrime (Room of Tears), a small antechamber where a newly elected Pope changes into his papal cassock for the first time.

“It’s the place where he suddenly understands the burden that he’s going to assume. In reality, the walls of this room are very strong white. I felt this was a little boring to shoot. Then Suzie came up with the idea of painting it an almost primary red. It was really impressive.”

It’s almost as if the filmmakers conceived this location as a womb. “Visually it's striking and it also recalls the red that we see in the Sistine Chapel,” Fontaine says. “We’d made color tests for locations and costume fabrics and the REDs translation of these colors matched our vision perfectly.”

Fontaine began his career in 1985 as first assistant camera on features directed by Jim Jarmusch, Leos Carax and Olivier Assayas and still prefers to operate on all his projects.

“The first thing that led me to RED was that it is compact and lightweight. I’ve tended to shoot quite a lot of handheld work in my previous movies and having that very small form factor felt like an asset to me. In Conclave there are basically no handheld shots but the A camera is something I need to do.

He continues, “I like being with actors and I need to be on set with them. I really do care about them and RED means I don’t have to use a bulky set-up. It makes no sense to be 10 meters away in front of multiple monitors. I would feel disconnected. Making films to me means being emotionally connected to the story as it is performed.”

 

Scripted drama with a purpose: The stories that make producer Jessica Badenoch tick

interview and copy written for Sohonet 

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xperienced producer Jessica Badenoch oversees diverse production projects from development to final delivery, helping bring nuanced stories to the screen that range from the police procedural Grimm (NBC), supernatural drama Proof (TNT) and multiple award-winning music drama Empire (Fox) to NBC’s Ordinary Joe and romantic drama Tell Me Lies (Hulu). Her career spans numerous notable projects where she has established a reputation for meticulous organization and creative vision.

‍Purpose-Driven Storytelling

“I like to work on scripted dramas with strong writing that talk about real-life problems,” Badenoch says. “If a show has a purpose, it can help people relate to the story and characters, even if it is purely entertainment. I think that's why I like post so much. You can do so many things with color and sound and editing to affect and engage people's emotions.”

From Theater Beginnings to Professional Production

Badenoch went to Creative and Performing Arts High School (CAPA) in Philadelphia before heading to college in New York.  There, studying theater, she and her friends began to stage plays.

“We were young and we’d tend bar to make enough money and then put all our money into these plays. It was trial by fire but each time we learned a little more about what it takes to produce a show, whether that’s lighting or ticketing or insurance.”

After relocating to Los Angeles, Badenoch concentrated more and more on production, landing a first job as assistant at a local NBC station. After producing commercials and live viewing parties for awards shows she decided to cross over into scripted television, where she quickly rose up the ladder from PA to associate producer to producer.

“I already knew how to manage people and so I needed to learn how to run everything else that makes a show tick.”

‍Collaborative Leadership and Technical Expertise

Known for her collaborative leadership style, she has guided teams through challenging schedules and technical requirements, contributing to productions like Empire and Tell Me Lies and gaining recognition for her versatility and attention to detail.

‍Adapting to Remote Work with ClearView Flex

Most key technology and workflow decisions fall under Badenoch’s purview. “I welcome input from editors and my post-supervisor. I’ll meet with vendors to learn about new developments but every project is different and has a different budget. Usually, the showrunner will be the one who selects editors, although I may have some influence in that decision. As long as the DoP is happy with the colorist, I pick the post facility we use for dailies and final color. A lot of times, the studio will have a relationship with a certain company which I’ll take into consideration. I consider myself a very loyal person and if there’s no reason for me to leave then I won’t.”

That relationship holds true for Sohonet and ClearView Flex, the video collaboration software which has been a fixture in Badenoch’s workflows since the pandemic. “Before 2020 there was not really any concept of remote. Everyone had an office. All the editors and assistants would be a few feet away down the corridor. It was all so self-contained. Then suddenly we were on lockdown and I found myself sitting in the parking lot waiting for a bunch of hard drives to be brought to the trunk of my car from the local Best Buy so we could clone all the media.”

‍Embracing Flexibility in Workflows

At the time, Badenoch was working on the sixth and final season of Empire. Editorial teams had to have workstations set up at home and post producers tried to jury rig a system that would connect everyone up.

“We tried a few different systems and ClearView was the most stable at that time, so we just kept with it,” she says. “It's served us tremendously and we still use it daily. I mean, it’s basically our lifeline.”

Badenoch just wrapped season two of Tell Me Lies on which showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer was based in Atlanta near the set. “Since she was going to be remote, it made more sense for everybody to be remote. If there was a question or concern with a daily that comes in or an editor wants to show me something, we just hop on ClearView really quick. Then, as soon as the director’s cut starts, our editors are on ClearView with them for up to 12 hours a day.”

Even during final mix Badenoch will always be on the stage but a showrunner or composer might have the session ClearView-ed to their location.  

“ClearView affords us the opportunity to continue to work and to stay on schedule. With our showrunner in Atlanta there's no way that we would have been able to do it otherwise.  Not every show has to go remote but we have the flexibility to decide on a case-by-case basis.”

Challenges and Rewards in Post-Production

“For a pilot shot last year the director and executive producer wanted to be in the room with the editor. Not a problem. We rented a small office suite and also offered the editor a remote system. They assembled the show from home and reviewed in person with the director.”

There are broadly three options for workflow, she explains: completely remote, entirely in person or a combination. “I think I prefer the hybrid situation. I miss the human aspect and the creative conversations with everybody in and around the office but I totally understand the convenience of working outside of the office.

“Even if the show is fully in-person I feel like Clearview will still be used quite a bit. Maybe not to the extent that it was before but simply because of convenience. If a director doesn't live in Los Angeles, as on Tell Me Lies where one of our directors was from the UK, then it is not even a question any more whether they can do the same job from thousands of miles away.”

‍Looking Forward to Technological Innovations

Having been given a preview of ClearView’s forthcoming video chat feature, Badenoch is excited for it to launch.

“Normally you have ClearView to watch a cut on one monitor and you talk to your people on Zoom on another. It’s always better to be able to make eye contact all the time. Realtime chat will be another nice step up for ClearView.” 

 

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Flying and diving into Malta’s history with the Odyssey Malta Flying Theatre Show

AV Magazine

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Located at Mercury Towers, St. Julian’s, in the heart of Malta’s entertainment district, Odyssey Malta is the result of a multi-million-euro investment by property mogul, Joseph Portelli and is situated inside a new development designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

Discussions with the developers began four years ago initially about a scuba diving experience to be filmed underwater. “Following a number of meetings we realised it would be extremely tricky to simulate the weightlessness of a scuba diving experience to the standard we wanted,” explains Ross Magri, managing and technical director of immersive experience designer and producer, Sarner International.

“That led us to develop different ideas. At the time, I was also looking at a number of projects where a flying theatre was one of the components. We brought the concept to the client and they loved it.”

In most existing flying theatre installations - in Iceland, Rome or The Netherlands - the local landscape forms a key part of the experience. Malta, because of its size, is more limited in this regard.

“There are some great locations for aerial photography but not enough for five minutes of footage. So we came up with the idea of Maltese history and linking the island’s history with the present,” says Magri.

The concept evolved to include a Dark Walk that would take visitors through the pre-history of Malta culminating in a flying theatre linking key historical events with the present.

“Our aim is for visitors to leave the attraction with the city’s landmarks holding a deeper meaning for them,” says Magri. “They will better understand the story, for instance, behind the fortifications in Valetta, Cittadella and Mdina and their significance to Malta.”

Dark Walk
The attraction begins with a 25-minute Dark Walk that reveals the traces of history from the oldest manmade structures to the critical battles that echoed around Europe.

Northern Ireland-based scenic theming specialist, Best Constructors and digital media designer, Cosmic Carrot worked in tandem with Sarner’s editorial team to create the interactive experience.

An evocation of Malta’s prehistory draws on temple archaeology that dates back earlier than Stonehenge. “We created a sunburst effect that simulates the solstice,” says Sarner’s creative director, Michael Bennett.

“The effect comes straight down the corridor through atmospheric smoke as visitors walk into it. Each scene in the Dark Walk is a form of theatre with dynamic lighting.”

Scenic artists painted a backdrop of Phoenicians, Greeks, Roman, Normans and Arabs who all settled in Malta creating its distinctive culture and Latin/Arabic language roots.

An animated sequence in the maritime section brings these civilisations to life and leads through to a sequence where Ottoman Turks and Christians battle for control of the island.

Large sandstone block walls which characterise Malta’s castles are recreated out of plaster by Best Constructors and employed as proscenium arches for animations projection mapped by Cosmic Carrot.

“A view through the gates of fortified Mdina opens to a busy market scene in the Middle Ages with people walking about,” says Bennett. “We even filmed a local falconer in the studio with his Maltese falcon and incorporated that into a sequence.”

Visitors also learn the story of Mercury House, the site of the attraction and previously an underground Control Centre and vital communication hub during WWII.

The element of flight, and in particular the idea of the Roman god, Mercury as the ‘messenger of the gods’ is used to connect scenes throughout the Dark Walk with a final animation that is also mirrored in the introduction to the ride.

Projection mapping transforms a three-dimensional thematic wall, taking visitors on a journey from medieval Malta to the era of the Knights of St. John and into the early days of the Second World War. Enhanced with smoke effects, cannon fire, and a surround sound system, this dynamic experience brings Malta’s pivotal moments to life.

Flying theatre production
“I tend to use a similar team for our digital media attractions,” says Bennett who credits writer Chris Lethbridge as being “very good on historical documentaries and the ideal person to brainstorm the content with.”

Bennett drew storyboards before deciding how much to shoot in studio, or location or to make in VFX. “We wanted to provide the connection from Malta’s geological origins and first cave dwelling inhabitants right up to the present. So, for example, linking the history of the Second World War and the dogfights over Malta with a scuba dive to actual shipwrecks of planes and submarines in the ocean off the Malta coast.”

That ambitious concept required a production mix of aerial photography, photoreal computer-generated imagery and studio filming with Bristol’s Moonraker VFX in charge of delivery.

Sarner worked with Heritage Malta to obtain digital scans of the wrecks which lie about 100 metres underwater. The scans were used by Moonraker to create an animated dive experience.

“Everything is factual and based on historical events using a mixture of aerial filming and VFX to link the past with the presence,” confirms Magri. “That’s why the content in this flying theatre is unique. We are immersing the audience in the history so that visitors can better appreciate the historical significance of Malta.”

London-based Talesmith were commissioned to provide the live action media for the flying ride, filming cinematic visuals over different seasons using a RED Komodo camera and FPV drone, as well as from a helicopter.

It proved a little tricky to obtain permits for aerial filming for both drone and twin-engine helicopter. A planned flyover over Cittadella had to be stopped at the walls of the city itself but Sarner had a creative workaround. In the ride, an animated sequence takes over at this point and takes the viewer back in time.

The grand finale of the Dark Walk culminates with the Flying Theatre at Odyssey Malta, where visitors travel back in time and take flight over Malta’s history and landscapes. Combining the use of stunning VFX, a 6DOF motion platform, and a 10-metre spherical screen, this state-of-the-art experience immerses guests in a breathtaking journey through Malta’s underwater and aerial views while showcasing its rich heritage.

Ride install
The location was in Mercury House, part of the new Mercury Towers, but a Grade 2 listed building with space and planning restrictions.

“Most flying theatres are installed in large custom-built locations but in this instance the building was listed with certain limitations,” Magri says. “The space featured a column that is also one of the supports to the building which we could not move.”

The HEXaFLITE mini from German supplier, Simtec met a lot of these requirements. “It needed some reinforcement to the basement slabs but nothing that would impact the structure. Because the product was roughly the scale and size that we needed we felt comfortable that there’d be less R&D needed than selecting a product where we would be starting from scratch.”

The 6 Degrees of Freedom HEXaFLITE motion system features a 10-metre spherical screen with audiences seated on two levels, ten people per level. The design allows guests to enter the system in a horizontal position. After starting, at the beginning of the ride, guests are tilted towards the dome screen in one movement, so that their feet are hanging freely in the open air, creating a unique feeling of free flight.

“Most flying theatres are fifty to eighty seaters,” says Magri. “I’m not sure there is another on the size and scale that we’ve achieved. The challenge was to fit the theatre into this space with a relatively small audience and still achieve that depth and sense of flight.”

Seat fans enhance flight sensation
Fans embedded in each seat enhance the sensation of flight to accompany animations of a World War II aerial dogfight before plunging the passenger into the ocean among scuba divers exploring the wrecks.

“These are key points where we use a very fine mist. It’s exactly the right balance between having that sensation of water without it becoming annoying.”

A recreation of the Siege of Malta in 1556 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island and were held by the Knights Hospitaller is accompanied by the smell of gunpowder.

Visuals are projected from four Barco 4K RGB projectors with media controlled by AV Stumpfl Pixera ONE Quad. The surround sound system features two levels of speakers each with three JBL speakers and two sub base speakers.

Says Magri: “ More specifically, the Barco projectors are the UDM-W15 and Digital Projection and Evision 9000. Audio we have JBL SRX 815s, SRX 828S for subs, Audac range speakers Crown 1250 and Audac SMQ range amplifiers. BSS BLU806 for audio processing, Pixera One and mini for video playback. Show control is via Alcorn V4-X and AMX NI-1200.”

Tests included running the attraction at full capacity with invitations to groups of 400 people. “We wanted to see what happens if we’re running twenty people every fifteen minutes and people start to turn up earlier or later. There’s also a viewing platform that takes them up to the top floor. All that needs to be managed and tested. There was the usual last minutes panic of getting things working but it prepared us well.

Adds Magri: “We’re very pleased that we’ve had visitors as young as four and (old as) ninety on the ride and they loved it. An older gentleman was apprehensive about going on a roller coaster, but he really enjoyed the sensation of flight.”

A beautiful friendship
This is the latest in a series of attractions that Sarner has activated with the Maltese authorities. Magri, who was born in the country, explains how his own passion for AV was fired as a teenager when he worked on the very first Malta Experience (which still operates in Valetta).

“In the early 1980s I had an interest in film, photography and electronics,” he recalls. “I saw what the Malta Experience was doing with slide projectors and show control and it inspired me to pursue a career in this business.”

Magri joined Sarner a number of years later and helped the company work on several Maltese projects, including a visitor centre on Gozo, the National War Museum in Fort St Elmo, a project for Farsons brewery and the Cittadella Visitors’ Centre.

The latter won awards including the Prix d’ Honneur and Silver Medal by Din l-Art Helwa, Malta’s leading NGO in Cultural Heritage and the 2016 Malta Architects Awards.

“Mercury Tower is the culmination of all those projects because it has the biggest investment and allows us to take the visitor attraction in Malta to another level,” says Magri.

“We’ve got quite a pedigree of products there now. It’s more word of mouth and building the reputation of what we do.

“It’s also an advantage that our guys have worked on so many historical attractions in Malta. They know more about the island than a tourist guide!”

 

Tourism, mega projects and smart infrastructure boost South East Asia’s AV prospects

 AV Magazine

The region’s pro AV market segment presents a dynamic mix of opportunities and challenges, shaped by the unique economic, social, and geopolitical landscape.

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On the opportunity front, Jason Yeo, senior sales manager for Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Enterprise, Christie highlights Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam as experiencing rapid urbanisation and infrastructure development, “driving demand for pro AV in smart cities, education, and entertainment.”

Prospects for growth remain strong, underpinned by increasing digitisation, government initiatives to boost tourism and smart infrastructure, and rising consumer demand for immersive entertainment experiences.

“Businesses that can navigate the challenges with adaptability and local expertise are well-positioned to capitalise on this market’s vast potential,” says Yeo.

Director of Sales Asia, K2 Audio, Robert Adrian also describes the business climate as “thriving and undergoing rapid transformation” adding, “the market is vibrant, dynamic, and full of opportunities for companies that stay ahead of technological and market trends.”

AV demand in Singapore
The entertainment sector in Singapore exemplifies the region’s demand for advanced AV solutions. From cinemas and theme parks to live performances and nightlife, this sector thrives on cutting-edge AV tech. Major attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, Marina Bay Sands, and Gardens by the Bay rely heavily on robust systems to enhance visitor experiences.

Additionally, reports Adrian, “Singapore’s hospitality sector is a vital driver, with its status as a regional business hub spurring demand for event spaces, luxury hotels, and boutique accommodations. Corporate events, conferences, and tourism contribute significantly to AV investment, especially in premium systems tailored to sophisticated clientele.”

Lorenzo De Poi, brand manager at K-array and KGEAR says Singapore leads pro AV growth in SEA. “Singapore’s pro AV market thrives as a hub of technological innovation and smart solutions. Corporate investments and initiatives drive demand, hospitality and events sectors adopt advanced pro AV to enhance experiences, while luxury residential markets seek high-end systems.

“The country’s corporate sector is a major force driving the demand for pro AV, fuelled by its status as a global business hub,” he adds. “Companies are heavily investing in hybrid work technologies, such as advanced video conferencing systems, immersive displays, and collaboration platforms, to support distributed teams and enhance productivity.”

Sustainability leads
Jinfu Chen, business development manager at Powersoft reports interest from private and public sectors towards greener solutions. “Governments in the region are pushing towards more sustainable and efficient solutions due to rising energy costs. We might see more incentives for greener solutions, driving further adoption.”

The Singapore Sports Hub recently upgraded its power amplifiers to Powersoft’s Unica platform with one of the selling points being the Unica’s operational cost savings with better power efficiency and less cooling. “It gave them fifty per cent more savings in operation cost compared to the competition,” says Chen.

K2’s Adrian also notes sustainable touring and events shaping demand. “There’s a growing emphasis on audio solutions that reduce power consumption and environmental impact without compromising performance.

“While awareness of sustainable practices has grown significantly among artists, audiences, and some larger production companies, cost considerations and profitability often remain overriding factors for smaller operators.”

MD of APAC, LYNX Technik, Joehan Tohkingkeo finds that Indonesia holds greater growth potential compared to neighbouring nations: “Relocating Indonesia’s capital to Kalimantan is expected to significantly increase AV requirements for developing essential infrastructure. The growth of casinos in Thailand and the rising demand for improved infrastructure in Cambodia further highlight opportunities in the region.”

Diversity in approach
Respondents to AV Magazine believe that, overall, the region’s pro AV culture has matured significantly but there remains great diversity in approach.

“Customers in this market span a broad spectrum - from those who prioritise performance and cutting-edge technology, often willing to invest in premium solutions, to those who are price-sensitive and seek cost-effective options without compromising basic functionality,” notes Yeo. “These differences often hinge on the application type, sector, and local economic conditions.

“Industry stakeholders and end-users are increasingly savvy, with growing exposure to global technology trends and solutions,” he adds. “This maturity is evident in the demand for high-quality, innovative pro AV systems across education, entertainment, hospitality, corporate environments, as well as certain government sectors. End users are now more discerning, valuing reliability, integration capabilities, and long-term RoI alongside initial costs.”

Datapath’s region manager, Eddie Tan reports that government ministries, public offices and government-backed projects are collectively driving demand – particularly in command and control applications in Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia. “Other applications are more dispersed and fragmented in most Southeast Asian countries. Corporate, enterprise and private entities have seen much less scale and complexity,” he says.

Value-add for solutions
Observing that SEA has been a price sensitive market, Chen now spies a change in mindset. “Customers are looking towards solutions that offer convenience, quality and value. This is shaped by the growth of tourism following Covid with more investment in hotels, food, drink and retail chains. Organisations are now evaluating both capital expenses and opex and focusing on the value-add for solutions apart from just pricing.”

Chen adds that retail and food and beverage chains now recognise the importance of music and audio to enhance the customer experience and increase sales.

“More investment is being made in the aural experience. We also see this being the responsibility of the IT department, creating the shift from analogue to digital systems with more AI elements, remote monitoring and control.”

Tohkingkeo picks out health and education sectors as promising opportunities as more hospitals and schools are being constructed. “Governments recognise these as critical areas where demand is expected to grow steadily in the coming years,” he says.

“Competition is intense as information is widely accessible online, leading to a better understanding of both technologies and pricing. To secure key projects, value-added services and a proven track record of successful installations will be crucial. Most importantly, long-standing relationships built over the years will play a pivotal role in achieving success.”

Where it is happening
Different cities and regions exhibit distinct spikes of activity, each driven by unique economic priorities and government initiatives. For example, in Singapore, there’s been a noticeable increase in spending on tourism-related installations. The city-state has long been a hub for global tourism, and its investments in world-class attractions, integrated resorts, and digital experiences have led to a surge in demand for advanced pro AV.

“High-tech installations for entertainment, theme parks, and museums are now common, with immersive technologies such as projection mapping, large-scale digital displays, and interactive exhibits becoming integral to enhancing the visitor experience,” says Yeo.

In contrast, other countries in the region are focusing more on infrastructure-related projects. Says Yeo: “In Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, there has been a strong push for modernising public transportation systems, including airports, train stations, and bus terminals, with pro AV playing a key role in providing realtime information, digital signage, and public safety messaging. Governments are investing in smart city initiatives, where pro AV technologies are central to creating connected, digitally enhanced urban environments.”

Singapore has major projects such as the Changi Airport T5 which will integrate advanced AV systems for passenger experience. The Greater Southern Waterfront, a smart city initiative also in Singapore will feature high-tech AV for mixed-use spaces. Additionally, the Hotel Indigo Changi Airport aims to be Singapore’s first zero-energy hotel, blending sustainable tech with innovative AV. The Waves at Southern Waterfront will showcase cutting-edge marine tech and AV solutions.

Mega integrated developments
In several major Southeast Asian cities, there have been ongoing mega integrated developments such as ultra large compounds containing office buildings, malls, food and retail outlets, entertainment complexes, medical care facilities and upscale residences.

Tan picks out the Lotte Malls in Hanoi, OneBangkok in Bangkok and PIK II in Jakarta as examples.

Vietnam is seeing rapid growth in corporate, education, and live events as urbanisation accelerates and infrastructure modernises, according to De Poi. He reports Thailand investing heavily in AV, particularly in Bangkok’s hospitality, retail, and entertainment industries. Malaysia also leads with significant AV adoption in Kuala Lumpur, driven by smart city projects and expansion in corporate and retail spaces.

Meanwhile, Jakarta’s expanding economy and large population fuel the need for AV systems in public events and infrastructure projects.

“Ho Chi Minh City is becoming a key player in live entertainment and corporate functions due to its rapidly growing economy and vibrant cultural scene,” says K2’s Adrian. “Manila, with its thriving entertainment industry and corporate event business also presents significant opportunities for pro AV providers. These regional hotspots illustrate the dynamic and diverse nature of Southeast Asia’s pro AV market.”

Strategic engagement and targeted approach
To succeed in Southeast Asia, it’s crucial to understand the nuances of each market. “Conduct thorough research to identify local needs, build strong relationships with distributors and integrators, and tailor your marketing strategies to resonate culturally,” advises Adrian. “Offering training and support goes a long way to establishing trust and loyalty.”

“My one piece of advice for engaging with the Southeast Asian market is to thoroughly understand your company’s strengths and weaknesses, and focus your efforts on the areas that will deliver the fastest RoI,” shares Yeo. “SEA is a highly diverse region, with varying levels of economic development, market maturity, and customer preferences. It’s essential to tailor your approach based on these regional nuances, ensuring that you’re investing your time and resources where they’ll have the greatest impact.”

Tan’s advice is to work with qualified local partners “who are native in local language(s) and local practices.” He adds: “Unless you want to finance and have your own local teams working with local partners who have reach and breadth in the market is what foreign entities usually find most beneficial.”

Many will claim to be the most experienced and valued in the market and have the widest reach, he warns, “so do your homework, be objective, check around before signing. It’s not unusual to engage with more than one partner.”

 

Is this the beginning of the end for ‘flat’ content?

RedShark News

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Advances in compression, rendering, and head worn displays are combining to finally bring true 3D, multiviewpoint or volumetric video to the mainstream. The revolution in spatial computing is in the early days, but it is on path to supersede the over a century old flat (i.e. 2D) boxed video format.

While tech titans Meta and Apple are pushing photoreal spatial computing software to funnel content and users toward Quest 3 and Vision Pro there’s a growing ecosystem of developers tackling all aspects of the pipeline.

Heard about Gracia? Last autumn the Delaware-based startup launched its dynamic volumetric VR technology which could be a game changer. Gracia allows users to dive into environments with moving volumetric scenes. It has released a few standout clips on its app (available on the Horizon Store for Quest 3S and Quest 3 and on Steam for PC users) including a ballet dancer, a chef dicing salmon, and a sparring boxer that you can ‘walk’ around in 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF). The scenes can also be rotated, zoomed in and out, and slowed down.  

Streaming these clips using a gaming PC and compatible VR headset does require some serious internet bandwidth though, upwards of 300Mbps, but the company says it is working on making volumetric capture and streaming easier and more accessible.

Notably, Gracia uses an AI technique called Gaussian Splatting to capture and render real-world objects, people or entire scenes from any angle. As outlined in this tutorial, Gaussian Splatting is a form of Neural Radiance Field (NeRFs) or photogrammetry, used to generate a 3D representation from a video or set of photos, capable of synthesising views from any perspective.

In a preview to the app’s launch, UploadVR noted that Gracia claims its specific Gaussian implementation is faster than "any other technology on the market", which is how it can run on Quest 3 standalone without a PC – “albeit at a noticeably lower resolution”.

The current focus of the platform is stills which creators can generate using freely available Gaussian splat smartphone apps like Luma to upload to Gracia. But the next frontier is volumetric short video clips, which Gracia will handle using in-house tech.

UploadVR notes that at least 20 GoPro cameras will be needed to capture volumetric video using Gracia and that this would require a dedicated studio. Training a video takes around two minutes per frame “so this is currently a very expensive and time-consuming process,” it said.

Meta's Horizon Hyperscape app also offers photorealistic volumetric scenes which it describes as “digital replicas” scanned using mobile phones (processed in the cloud) which UploadVR believe relies on Gaussian splatting to scan and render.

All these demo videos are short, just a few seconds long, and that’s because the stream is data heavy – often comprising multiple GBs.

The importance of compression 

Compressing the stream is where London headquartered compression specialist VNova looks to score. Having acquired the requisite XR technology from Belgium developer Parallaxter in late 2023, VNova released a toolset and demo content in late 2024 targeting what it believes is the latent multi-billion dollar industry for streamed 6DoF entertainment.

The first couple of titles showcasing what’s possible are a pop promo featuring Albanian singer and X Factor winner Arilena Ara, and a short film called Sharkarma both produced by its own content division V-Nova Studios available via Steam.

Its target market is Hollywood and it’s already applying the technology on archive content such as How to Train Your Dragon owned by DreamWorks.

The company claims its PresenZ tech to be a “revolutionary compressed volumetric media format that transcends previous XR limitations offering viewers unprecedented freedom of movement within pre-rendered virtual environments.”

Like Meta and Gracia’s solution the assets need to be pre-rendered. V-Nova CEO, Guido Meardi, says one frame of a typical Hollywood VFX movie would take three to seven hours to render but once that’s done (and you’d only need to do it once) PresenZ makes it possible to compress and stream at 25Mbps using the existing MPEG-5 LCEVC compression scheme (which is based on V-Nova algorithms).

What about live volumetric video though? Meardi is dismissive of this given current cost limitations in processing power; “You’d need something of the scale of a NASA moon landing.”

Free-viewpoint volumetric video

But another UK startup is on the case. Condense Studio, which has close links to Bristol University, also uses NeRFs as the basis for proprietary compression algorithms it claims are among the most optimised in the world. 

Its Volumetric Fusion stitches video from 4K camera array and streams the video in realtime for VR presentation. The goal is to make high-quality volumetric video technology more accessible and scalable, with the potential of transforming the way we deliver immersive content to audiences.  

“One of the benefits of neural representations is their compression efficiency,” explains Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder, Ollie Feroze. “We plan to leverage this to transfer the computationally intensive fusion process (the dynamic creation of 3D meshes and textures) from local hardware to the cloud.”

He says this involves designing high-bandwidth protocols for rig-to-cloud data streaming and creating a fault-tolerant, scalable pipeline. “By leveraging cloud infrastructure, we aim to enhance the scalability, reliability, and cost-efficiency of volumetric video processing.”

Shortly after launch in 2020 the company caught the eye of BT Sport, which was then a world leader in innovating live video technology. The two worked together to explore ways of delivering live AR/VR sports experiences, such as boxing matches, to viewers at home enabled in part because the Condense technology is not only portable (no dedicated studio required) but operates using fewer than normal cameras. 

While there were problems with the boxing idea, including practical ones such as proper placement of cameras around the ring, the company’s target live events market continues to build. 

Since 2023, Condense has produced several live and virtual gigs with artists such as Gardna, Charlotte Plank and Sam Tompkins streamed into BBC Radio 1’s New Music Portal. The BBC’s investment arm BBC Ventures has even invested half a million sterling in the Bristol company’s bet on immersive live events.

“It’s difficult with a nascent tech since you're having to educate the market as you build,” says cofounder Nick Fellingham. “Getting solid content partnerships is the first step to scale but it is an inevitability that this kind of video will become more and more prevalent. Volumetric is better than conventional video. Users feel more involved. It gives you a sense of presence. It doesn't matter if it's inside a game, or inside a headset, volumetric makes you feel closer.”

 

ISE2025: Putting the art into artificial intelligence

IBC

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AI permeated almost every aspect of ISE 2025 but experts and executives were keen to stress AV’s indivisible role in meshing tech with the art of communication.

Despite predictions of pending job losses in every workplace due to AI, there’s a belief that the technology will never replace the art of communication – which is what professional AV is broadly about.

These are the ‘soft skills’ inherent in the DNA of every human which AI boosters view as more important than ever as the AI evolution unfolds.

“Technology implementation is a core engine of growth for many markets but unlike information technology, proAV is as much art as it is a science,” said Sean Wargo, VP Market Intelligence, AVIXA at ISE in Barcelona.

In the show’s opening keynote, digital anthropologist and futurist Brian Solis urged attendees to reimagine AI’s role. The ISE community already recognises job loss, job creation, automated programming, and AI-based signage, he said, so why not ask GenAI what are the hidden risks and barriers that could slow adoption?

“If you're waiting for somebody to tell you what to do, you're on the wrong side of innovation,” he warned. “At some point, we're going to have to push ourselves in a new direction because constant iteration isn't going to create the next light bulb moment.”

AI can not only help iterate a product or make processes more efficient, it can also spark out-of-the-box ideas that we were unlikely to conceive any other way. All you have to do is ask (prompt) your AI to give you the answers you least expect.

“We have to put creativity back into work,” he said. “It's the soft human skills that allow us to explore possibilities.”

This theme was picked up by digital artist Quayola who makes what he terms ‘Algorithmic Poetics’ and ‘Robotic Sculptures’. Through his art and tools such as AI and 3D printing, the Italian “looks at the world differently”, he said in ISE’s second main keynote.

“I employ technology as a collaborator to enhance my observations. My work is not about a live experience but rather a different reading of the world where machines provide new opportunities to discover new aesthetics and new observations.”

Creative thinking is deemed key to unlocking business in the age of AI. In its recent “Future of Jobs” report, the World Economic Forum listed cross-disciplinary attributes such as resilience, agility, self-motivation and curiosity that employees now want from their workers over and above a deep understanding of AI and big data.

Quoting the WEF report, Emily Patterson, Learning Designer at Cambridge University Press, emphasised that “agile and critical thinking” is vital for problem-solving in the age of big data and AI. These aren’t areas that are necessarily valued by governments or education establishments which seem to prioritise single-subject expertise and STEM.  

“It is possible to teach creativity,” she insisted.

There’s even a trend that goes back to the basics of handwritten communication as a quicker and improved means of brainstorming and sharing human knowledge.  German company Bikablo calls its visual training and communication system “thinking in pictures” and explains how “more and more people are capturing organisational knowledge and designing smarter products.”

It recently partnered with ISE exhibitor iDMA which has developed a way of transferring handwritten notes and shapes into digital form for wider sharing on smart boards or electronic devices.

“This will help traditional AV dealers rapidly grasp AI technology opportunities for higher profits,” claimed iDMA’s CEO Larry Woo. “We hope that real-time handwriting helps more people to organise their ideas and grasp key points easily.”

Yet analogue concepts like this will soon be obsolete if Silicon Valley systems integrator Rich Green is to be believed. He has designed AV home interiors for luminaries like Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison and expects to see breakthroughs in Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) as soon as this year, he told ISE.

AGI is next-level AI being worked on by OpenAI and others which will see the tech attain or surpass human-level brain ability. Most futurists view AGI as probable but several years to decades away. 

Green suggested AGI would pave the way for advanced chips to be surgically implanted in the human body (as is happening already with experiments in Brain Computer Interfaces) a move which would potentially supercharge a person’s intelligence. When that happens, “AI can be superscaled,” he declared. “The potential size [of the market] is anywhere from all software to all human endeavours. It’s the end game. Don’t bash it. Embrace it.”

In the conference session ‘Visions of Tomorrow’ panellists debated where they see AI’s biggest impact. Sarah Cox, Founder and MD of Neutral Human, said: “AI will accelerate the speed at which we receive information and personalisation. To some people, this will seem scary, but I’m excited because the digital-first generation will run with this.”

Florian Rotberg, MD, Invidis Consulting, also pointed to AI’s role in supercharging personalised experiences and eliminating language barriers. “We’ve already seen how GenAI is changing the industry in terms of creating and translating new content and being able to localise it with different information and artwork. Whether you want to interact with a machine or if you’re talking to someone whose native language is not yours or if you want a senior citizen to feel inclusive to your service then AI will deliver instant, clear and personalised communication.”

Solis, a speaker on this panel, alluded to the future of entertainment as an ‘empathy engine’. “This is the idea of using AI to analyse the opportunity to evoke emotion in real-time and to hyper-personalise that experience,” he explained.

“How do you elevate the experience of something for someone so that they never forget it? There are only two experiences someone will remember: those that suck and those that are amazing. Design for amazing.”

Live drives broadcast AV drives proAV

Live experiences and video content are fuelling growth across the board from high street brands to enterprise giants and government departments.

“ProAV technology has become a crucial component of adaptation out of the pandemic for a cross-section of industries,” explained Sean Wargo. “For instance, where airports once had the occasional large LED screen now such displays are critical for information and when they go down the whole airport suffers.”

The proAV market is expected to bounce back in 2025 after dropping from 6.9% to 6.1% growth between 2023-2024, adding around U$100bn over the next five years to become a market worth U$450bn, in figures shared by trade body AVIXA.
“ProAV is in transition away from pandemic recovery to new engines of growth driven by the experience economy.”

These are emerging opportunities in spaces that we might not have expected, Wargo added, not least as retailers and corporates adopt media production facilities in-house to sate growing demand to communicate their message internally and online.

The broadcast AV industry reached $18bn in media technology product sales in 2024, reflecting robust growth across diverse vertical markets and presenting exciting prospects for further growth as the proAV and broadcast industries converge.

“The converging broadcast AV space covers everything from virtual production to virtual reality through to OTT streaming and broadcasting,” said Ciarán Doran, Chair of the Broadcast AV Summit. “Reference case studies are hugely important because I believe it's really important that people are able to see what peers in the industry are already doing.”

The agenda for the summit was to connect experts on the broadcasting side with clients keen to invest in content production on the AV side.

Hannah Shellswell, a former ITV presenter who runs her own media training consultancy said: “Whether we’re working in AV or in broadcast it's all about telling stories, delivering content and doing that more effectively. Broadcasting is no longer just television. It's a way of opening up new channels to markets. Getting content in front of people is what brands and corporates are really trying to do right now. They are going direct to their audience.”

Esports demonstrates convergence

Arguably this convergence is most apparent in esports. Having started out being streamed online from players’ bedrooms, electronic multiplayer games have now moved into arenas filled with spectators and the production equipment has been upgraded as a result. 
ISE hosted a sizeable stage where live esports competitions were played and streamed. This was organised by LVP, an esports producer owned by Spanish media production group Mediapro. Together with games publisher EA Sports, LVP runs LALIGA FC Pro as well as eLaLiga Santander, the official FIFA competition in Spain that LVP produces for LaLiga and Electronic Arts. 

Carles Negreiro, Senior Project Manager, LVP said: “We started out with lightweight production tools and were broadcasting with two people in a control room. Now, with Mediapro, we have significant numbers of people [in production]. We have Steadicams and aerial cams just like broadcast soccer and we are taking workflows into software and the cloud allowing us to go live at scale. Esports is blowing up as a result.”

Adam Marshall, Chief Product Officer at Grass Valley, whose kit is used almost identically in both formats, said: “Esports is learning from the traditional broadcast space as well. The two worlds are meshing as are the technologies.”

Now, esports’ presentation techniques are bleeding into traditional sports. George Bevir, Editorial Director, SVG Europe, noted the rise of “gamification” in sports leagues on the broadcast side as federations and clubs experiment with new camera angles, graphics or commentary “with the aim of getting fans closer to the action and as opportunities for monetisation.”

There were alternate views. Calling ISE  "a pivotal event" for the proAV industry Chris McIntyre Brown, MD, Futuresource Consulting told IBC365 that he felt there was a muted presence of AI at the show.

"It's a trend that was also noted at CES and BET. It seems the industry is taking a step back to basics, focusing on using models to guide customers on their AI journey. This approach is essential for ensuring that AI solutions are practical and beneficial."

He called the convergence in broadcast and pro video a notable trend, "driven by generational shifts and increased video usage in enterprise spaces. The presence of more broadcast-based businesses at the show highlights the opportunities this convergence presents for the industry."