Installations

Fox Sports Goes All the Way with generationQ

Sydney, Australia - Subscription TV sports broadcaster, Fox Sports, has installed a major new server-based editing system built around Quantel’s radical generationQ technology at its Sydney headquarters. At the new system’s heart are four fully specced QEdit Pro non linear editing machines supported by eight QCut editing seats, all of which in turn hook into four Quantel sQServers providing 290 hours of storage at 30Mb iFrame.

For details, click here.

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Broadcast Design

Ambience Delivers Brand for ASTRO.

The broadcast design arm of The Ambience Group has just completed production of a mammoth branding package for Malaysian based, ASTRO TV.
According to Rowan Matheson, Head Producer of the Astro Project, "Sixteen weeks after we were awarded the branding project of its size in Australia, Ambience have branded 14 Channels, produced 18 hours of content, and supported the training of eight ASTRO promo producers."
ASTRO is Malaysia's sole provider of multi channel television services operating via direct to home satellite. It is a multi ethnic, multi lingual broadcaster and caters for the various ethnic sections of the Malaysian community.
The branding of ASTRO was a natural progression of the service to evolve into a more consumer focused brand as Chief Operating Officer of ASTRO David Butorac explains.
"In the first phase of our growth, the focus on the master brand was the digital technology that made the platform's unique selling point. With digital technology now accepted and more widespread, it is time to move the brand to a more consumer focused brand that extols the values of the services ASTRO delivers."
Competition between Australian production companies to win the ASTRO job, were robust, with ASTRO undertaking a review of opportunities within Sydney and three companies being short-listed.
"Ambience were selected to produce all of our channel brands out of the short list review process, based principally on their track record in brand work in broadcast television and quite simply by their passion for the concepts" said David Butorac.
Working from concepts developed by acclaimed London branding company Lambie Nairn, the Ambience creative directors worked in league with the initial design team from London and the design and production people from Malaysia, developing and producing the final 14 channels.
According to David Webster, Ambience Group Creative Director, "Ambience had to illustrate an understanding of branding for a network, regardless of where it was located. It was important for ASTRO to know that we could maintain the branding principles put in place by the Lambie Nairn team intelligently and with a true understanding of the brief."
Given the scale of the project in line with the deadline, Ambience's David Webster decided that the best way to proceed was for each of the 14 channels to be given it's very own unique branding team.
"The creative structure for ASTRO was paramount to the brand evolvement and bigger picture brand principles. We had a lead creative over no more than three channels, directing a senior designer on each channel. We also ran a team of producers on each channel who were co-ordinated by an executive producer and supported by a team of animator and designers."
With the creative direction for most of the ASTRO brand being more graphically driven, as opposed to live action, six out of the 14 channels still required complex live action shoots.
"Whilst production was in full swing at Ambience we had numerous live action green screens shoots happening in Sydney and narrative based shoots happening in Malaysia," explained Head Producer, Rowan Matheson.

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Awards

Cinematographers Shine at State Awards

The 2003 New South Wales & ACT Awards for Cinematography were recently held in Sydney. A total of 93 awards were presented in 16 categories with 26 Gold award winners to progress through to the 2004 National Awards for Cinematography to be held on the Gold Coast on May 15, 2004. Gold awards were given in the following categories:

FEATURE FILMS CINEMA

• Dion Beebe ACS - "In the Cut"
• Andre Fleuren ACS - "Evelyn"

SINGLE CAMERA NEWSGATHERING

• Michael Cox - ABC "Baghdad by Night"
• Louie Eroglu - ABC "Baghdad Streets"
• Richard Moran - "Canberra Firestorm"

COMMERCIALS

• David Burr ACS - Visa "Tuk Tuk"
• Mandy Walker ACS - Victorian Tourism "Yarra Valley"

TV STATION BREAKS AND PROMOS

• Matt Stewart - "Melbourne Cup Titles"

MUSIC CLIPS

• Matt Stewart - Naked Heart "Confide"

STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Tim Alewood- "Smith"
• John Radel - "Living Life at 24 FPS", "Room 14"

For a complete list visit http://www.cinematographer.org.au/

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Post-Production

Thunderstruck Comes Alive with Digital Intermediate

Thunderstruck is Digital Pictures Sydney's second digital intermediate feature film in as many months.
When Director Darren Ashton and Producer, Jodi Matterson from Wild Eddie Films first discussed the Thunderstruck project with Digital Pictures, they knew that they wanted a digital intermediate but didn't quite know how it could be achieved; in essence they wanted the level of flexibility that came with the digital process, which is lacking at a lab.
With Digital Pictures' depth of knowledge in film and its sophisticated range of technology, Darren and Digital Pictures Head of Film, Siggy Ferstl set about planning a pipeline which would best deliver the filmmaker's vision.

For more, click here

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ITV

Interactive Partnership for IDS and Ambience Concept

In a signal for the future direction of both free-to-air and pay TV - Ambience Concept and IDS (Information Dialling Services) have announced a partnership to leverage their joint creative and technology skills.
The partners will produce TV programmes specifically aimed at maximising viewer interaction and revenues from telephony, SMS and web.
"Free TV is becoming ever more competitive and as cable and digital grow most TV operators will seek new ways to generate ancillary revenues though viewer interaction," said Bryan Lowe, Director of Ambience Concept.
Fellow Director, Michael Boughen added, "We currently have specific programmes in the proven entertainment areas of lifestyle, dating, relationships and quiz - with big prizes and a truly interactive experience. Our aim is to continue to inject "live" television with the excitement of immediate feedback to viewers".
IDS Sales Manager, David Hayes said that his company has been creating interactive telephony services for media since 1987 and that this combination of technical experience with the outstanding creativity of the people at Ambience Concept was a "powerful force".
He added, "With our ability to accept interactivity by voice, SMS or web as a single data stream and to deliver text directly from the mobile hand-set to the TV screen - our technology is able to enhance the viewer's on-screen experience like never before".
In this new alliance Ambience Concept and IDS intend to work closely with free-to-air and TV operators to create innovative one stop programming and technical solutions for this exciting new growth sector.

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Pay-TV

Staff Invest Over $3 Million in AUSTAR

Austar United Communications (AUSTAR) employees have invested more than $3.1 million in the company following the recently implemented staff incentive plans. Shareholder approval to introduce the incentive plans was obtained at an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 4 November 2003.
AUSTAR Chairman Mr Bill Ferris said, “The Board is delighted with the positive employee participation in the new staff incentive plans. We believe that having management and staff invest their own equity in the company is the best way to align the interests of AUSTAR’s employees and executives with those of all shareholders.”
The 13 senior executives of the company together invested $2,530,000 of a possible $2,600,00 investment as part of the Senior Management Share Plan.
Offers to participate in the Management Group Share Plan were taken up by 78.6% of eligible staff, with the majority electing to invest the maximum of $10,000 in the company. Total investment in the company under this plan was $509,600.
18.6% of eligible employees elected to participate in the General Share Plan, who together will invest $126,500 in the company over the next 12 months.
Shares were issued to staff participating in the Senior Management and Management Group Share Plans on 1 December 2003. Shares issued under the Management Group Share Plan and the Purchased Shares element of the Senior Management Share Plan were issued at 16 cents. The issue price for shares under the Matching Shares and Additional Shares elements of the Senior Management Share Plan was 37.55 cents, the 5 day weighted average trading price leading up to and including the day of issue.
Salary sacrificing under the General Share Plan is due to commence on 12 December with the first tranche of shares issued in March 2004.
Mr Ferris also noted that all but 2 option holders had accepted the company’s offer to cancel options under the Executive Share Option Scheme. As a result of these acceptances, approximately 37million options have been cancelled in exchange for cash payments totaling $558,506. 50,000 options at an exercise price of $4.70 remain outstanding at this point.

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Transmission

NTL/AsiaSpace to Share TX in Malaysia

Datuk Abdul Ghani Abdullah, Chairman of AsiaSpace Dotcom Sdn Bhd and Patrick Duffy, Managing Director of NTL Asia Pacific recently signed a ten-year agreement to co-develop shareable transmission sites across Malaysia. Development will be nationwide and initially focus in the key areas of Putrajaya and the Klang Valley.
The newly signed agreement paves the way for Malaysia to accelerate its development towards a truly shared infrastructure that will provide significant benefit to wireless services operators. The new agreement is also in line with the Malaysian government's call for operators to share facilities and reduce expenditure.
"We are excited to have found a partner as well positioned as AsiaSpace Dotcom. With a full suite of licences and focus on infrastructure development, NTL Asia Pacific sees this new partnership as being of great benefit to wireless services operators in Malaysia, be they TV, Radio or Mobile. This will enable a truly commercial and professionally run shared infrastructure to deliver more reliable services and predictable costs", said Patrick Duffy after the signing ceremony.
Added Datuk Abdul, "We are happy to be working with NTL Asia Pacific. Their experience of operating broadcast transmission services to the highest standards of quality and availability and as an operator themselves uniquely places them to understand the needs and requirements of broadcasters in the region."
AsiaSpace brings its expertise and unique licence to supply and own broadcast towers and infrastructure in addition to the telecommunication towers, which have already generated significant interest. AsiaSpace has already completed the first of its Telecommunications towers and is well under way to deliver a total of 50 towers by year's end.

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Digital Radio

ABA Concerned by Digital Radio Claims

The Australian Broadcasting Authority says it is disappointed and concerned by a recent series of assertions on the subject of digital radio trials on the unused VHF television channel 9A. The statements, which have received wide media airing, amount to a misrepresentation of the ABA's position and actions.
The ABA's recent decision to permit Broadcast Australia, which is not an incumbent radio broadcaster, to conduct digital radio trials has provoked strong unease within the commercial radio industry. However, the ABA says its trials policy is expressly designed to confer no long-term rights or in any way to pre-empt Government policy decisions in this area. The Auhtority says no decision has been made that the spectrum in question (VHF television channel 9A) will even be used by digital radio in the long term. Nor, crucially, does the policy prevent trials by existing commercial radio operators.
According to an ABA statement, "Repeated public claims by Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) to have been ‘frozen out' of digital radio trials in Melbourne are of concern. The Broadcast Australia trial will make use of only one of up to three channels that are vacant and potentially available for trials in Melbourne. The Broadcast Australia trial will not be extended beyond eighteen months, if this is desirable to ensure equitable access to trials.
"CRA did not, at the outset, apply for a channel in Melbourne. The ABA has now invited CRA to apply to conduct trials using one or more of the remaining available channels. These channels would be adequate to permit on air trials by every AM and FM commercial radio service currently licensed to operate in Melbourne, at the same time as the Broadcast Australia trial proceeds.
"Similarly, CRA's claim that it has applied three times for test spectrum in Melbourne and was ignored by the ABA is misleading and wrongly implies that CRA has faced regulatory stonewalling. The reality is that CRA was at all stages made aware of the ABA's open trial policy. In Sydney, CRA has itself been a beneficiary of the policy and unlike in Melbourne, the CRA trial will make use of all suitable and available broadcasting services bands spectrum.
"And CRA's claim that the ABA is aiding and abetting Broadcast Australia's business expansion plans and is ‘trying to totally destabilise the radio industry', is extraordinary and simply wrong. In all its public and private communications, the ABA could hardly have been clearer that it has conferred no rights beyond an 18-month trial to Broadcast Australia."

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Regional news

Pacific TV Chooses SGT automation

Located on the island of Sulawesi, in Indonesia, Pacific TV has chosen French company SGT to automate its transmission system.
Pacific TV called upon Indonesian integrator DWI to help with the technical side of this development. DWI in turn decided to work with the Transmission Management package by SGT. With this solution, DWI was able to offer its client all the technical functions it needs at a price adapted to its budget, in an open-ended solution that can accommodate any future upgrades and extensions.
As soon as the new system is installed, the station's operators will have the benefit of new workstations for the digitization of programs, quality checking and playout (from an Incite server). DWI will handle the onsite integration of the automation solution, as members of its personnel have already participated in SGT's "Integrator" training program.

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FIBRE Partners with UK's Sohonet

Providing another link between Australia, Hollywood, London and New Zealand's creative film, television and advertising industries, is the announcement of a Strategic Partnership agreement between Sohonet and FIBRE Pty. Ltd.
"It's long overdue for Australian companies to be able to get reliable, secure and affordable connectivity with producers overseas," said Dominic Case, Chair of FIBRE (Film Industry Broadband Resources Enterprise).
"Competition for runaway productions and international co-productions is getting tougher, and both production and post-production rely more than ever on good broadband connections," said Dave Scammell, Managing Director of Sohonet. "We have long been aware of the under utilised potential in the Australian content creation sector that American and European film, television and advertising creative producers has seen, but felt was difficult to access. With increasing demands on cost and time constraints, our clients have recognised that across Sohonet time disadvantage can be turned into a time advantage, with a high degree of reliability and security.
"Sohonet, like FIBRE, is firmly based in the film & TV industry: it has a good pedigree and understands this business well" explained Judi Tucker, Executive Director of FIBRE. "This extremely important partnership will provide a secure conduit to enable our industry to bid for new projects from around the world, knowing that work can continue here in Australia whilst the production companies sleep in USA and UK.
"FIBRE already has a growing client base in the post-production and production community, and Sohonet brings a guaranteed quality of service to these clients, as well as cost-effective international connectivity to the growing world-wide Sohonet customer base."
FIBRE and Sohonet welcomed inaugural customers which include Animal Logic (Sydney), Cutting Edge (Brisbane), the Australian Caption Centre and Rastis Central (Sydney), for the new joint network, demonstrating the diversity of clients and applications able to benefit from the partnership. The agreement with Sohonet provides for fully managed connectivity for FIBRE customers all around Australia, with a highly flexible and fully guaranteed service to all Sohonet international destinations. In addition FIBRE will now become an Australian Carriage Service Provider.
FIBRE - the Film Industry Broadband Resources Enterprise network project is supported by the Commonwealth Government through the Cultural Development Program of the Department of Communication, Information Technology and the Arts. FIBRE is a demand aggregator of bandwidth needs for the Australian Creative Content sector with the intention of reducing the cost of bandwidth and enabling the post production industry to more effectively collaborate on projects, both domestic and international. The FIBRE network currently supports 10 companies at 17 sites across the three Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

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New Website for JVC Professional

JVC Professional has announced the launch of a new website
According to Noel Oakes, National Sales Manager, JVC Professional Products Division, the new website features updated product information, local & global news, brochure pdf's and links to many other useful sites.
In the near future it will have a special dealer section where authorised resellers can download the latest price lists, instruction and technical manuals for JVC products.
The website can be found at
http://www.jvcpro-australia.com/JVCPRO/jsp/c_index.jsp

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Intelsat and TVNZ Satellite Services Form Alliance

Intelsat Global Sales & Marketing Ltd. and TVNZ Satellite Services Ltd have joined forces in the occasional use broadcast services business. This alliance is designed to leverage the strengths of each company by offering a global network of satellite and terrestrial infrastructure, complemented by a portfolio of television broadcast and enterprise services.
Upon final completion of the agreement, the alliance between Intelsat and TVNZ will create a unique combination, under one umbrella, of occasional use satellite provider and television broadcaster. Specifically, the portfolio of services will offer customers comprehensive choice in global occasional use satellite distribution, as well as access to television production and packaging services.
Event management, host broadcast services and on air enhancement products are examples of the expanded range of offerings. Targeted to serve the news, sport and special event needs of the international television broadcast community, the alliance will leverage the combined assets of both companies to better benefit customers.
In addition to its global network of ground resources, Intelsat will contribute dedicated capacity on eight of its satellites, with additional capacity available. TVNZ will contribute occasional use services and television broadcast solutions expertise.
"The formation of this alliance will significantly shift the traditional occasional use service business paradigm," explained Sam Fairhall, Managing Director of TVNZ Satellite Services Ltd. "The goal is to create a new business model that will deliver to customers a product that significantly exceeds the high-quality and cost-effective solutions we already provide. As a television broadcaster as well as an occasional use services consumer and supplier, TVNZ has first-hand knowledge of what it takes to deliver this added value."
Jon Romm, President of Intelsat's Media & Entertainment business unit, said, "This alliance will present customers with the best of both worlds - the knowledge and expertise of a broadcaster combined with the reliable and flexible network assets of a global satellite provider - in one simple end-to-end solution. Intelsat is very committed to adding value to service offerings so that customers are deriving benefits by using our network. This alliance will package virtually every value-add and customer benefit and make it easily accessible. That's what customers want and what we'll deliver."
The alliance will be managed day-to-day by TVNZ. International (24/7) operations centers in Auckland and in Washington D.C. will provide seamless support for all service requirements including booking, billing and special event planning. The alliance product and solutions portfolio will ensure that current arrangements and contracts with existing customers will be honoured.

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New digital datacasting licence for ABC

The Australian Broadcasting Authority has allocated a datacasting licence to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for the whole of Australia.
"The proposed service will add value to the future digital television services provided by the ABC," said Ms Lyn Maddock, Acting ABA Chair.
Datacasting services can include electronic program guides, Internet content, electronic mail, information services, educational programs, interactive computer games, text or still images, and advertising or sponsorship material.
"The ABA expects that the appeal and value of digital television services generally will be further enhanced as new datacasting services start to become available over the next year or so through digital television receivers and set-top-boxes," Ms Maddock said.

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