The Sydney Opera House recently sought submissions from technology providers to upgrade broadcast equipment and systems in its Recording and Broadcast Studio, and the winning bid came from Lemac.
Sony VENICE 2 paired with the Fujinon HZK 25-1000mm f2.8/5 Duvo zoom on a
Miller Skyline 90 Fluid Head
The Sydney Opera House’s Recording and Broadcast Studio was last fitted out in 2013, based on the traditional OB / TV studio configuration. Over the last decade, huge technology changes have reshaped client requirements. In 2013, there were only three standards for broadcast. Now, with the introduction of SVOD, streaming and event broadcast, there are hundreds of platforms each with their own specific requirements.
The Sydney Opera House tender deliverables included upgrading key components of its Recording and Broadcast Studio, including cameras, lenses, fibre optics video systems, monitoring, tripods and supporting accessories. Lemac was successful with its tender bid and has now completed installation and training on the new systems.
Lemac MD Sue Greenshields explained: “With the prevalence of global streaming platforms, the decision to upgrade the recording and broadcast capabilities at the Sydney Opera House is one that makes absolute sense in the market. The way people view content has changed. Global technology companies like Netflix, Stan, Amazon and Apple alongside traditional media companies like Disney, HBO and Paramount are leading viewership. Each of these companies have their own minimum standards for content capture and delivery, which currently exceeds that of our free-to-air networks”.
Sony VENICE 2 configured with the Multidyne Silverback Fibre System and paired with the Fujinon HZK 25-1000mm f2.8/5 Duvo zoom
The project was significant in every sense and from a technology standpoint the Sydney Opera House’s requirements were broad and comprehensive.
Greenshields continued: “In order to facilitate these requirements, the tender proposed minimum resolution and recording format standards. At Lemac we established a team to review these requirements, before deciding on a solution that we thought would best support the current and future requirements of the Sydney Opera House and its clients”.
For many artists and presenters, performing at the Sydney Opera House is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The content they capture must be of the highest possible standard to ensure those moments resonate with audiences whilst simultaneously meeting the delivery requirements of as many distribution platforms as possible, now and in the future. They might, for example, need to record in UHD minimum for a SVOD delivery, while also supplying a HD signal for a live stream or a national broadcaster.
For cameras, Lemac provided the Sony VENICE 2 (8.6K), Sony’s flagship cinema camera, which, along with the VENICE 1, has been used extensively in cinema, streaming and live broadcast. To integrate the VENICE 2 into the Broadcast Studio, Lemac provided the MultiDyne Silverback fibre system.
Greenshields said: “The Sony Venice 2 made a lot of sense to us. The ability to shoot in Super35 5.4K X-OCN Raw in camera exceeds the file requirements of the streamers, and with the ability to upgrade the cameras to Full Frame 8.6K recording with the purchase of a licence, it future proofed the set-up for years to come. The choice of which lenses to pair with the Venice 2 was equally important”.
Lemac National Rentals Manager, Tim Jordin, with SOH Head of Recording & Broadcast, Shane Johnson, demonstrating the build of the Sony VENICE 2 paired with Fujinon NZK25-1000mm f2.8/5 Duvo zoom inside the camera booth in the Concert Hall
Fujinon had recently announced the HZK25-1000mm Duvo, which is the world’s first Super35 broadcast style zoom for use on larger format Super35 and full frame cameras. Lemac took one of these Duvo zooms into the Concert Hall booths along with the Sony Venice 2 and Miller Skyline 90 Fluid Head Tripod system to prove that it could meet every requirement. We are very proud to say that these are the only two Duvo zooms in the world that have been sold to an end user and not into a rental environment. To meet the hand-held and versatility requirements of the other camera set-ups, we paired the Canon 15-120mm and 25-250mm Cine-Servo Zooms to the Venice 2 with Sachtler System 30 Tripod Systems. With Lemac’s supplied lensing solution, to enable full frame coverage, one must simply engage the integrated extenders. So it truly is a future-proof setup.
The new broadcast equipment in the Opera House’s Recording and Broadcast Studio has already been used for numerous events, including Khalid’s world exclusive premiere of Sincere, a live stream of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and The Cat Empire, an Australian Chamber Orchestra production and a live streamed performance of The Australian Ballet.
Sue Greenshields concluded: “We are honoured to have been chosen as the technology provider for one of Australia’s greatest icons. With this upgrade, the Sydney Opera House can now deliver to thousands of platforms globally, whether that be for broadcast, streaming or cinema release. The set-up can even deliver the required resolution for large scale projection mapping in the future. The resulting images are exceptional, and we cannot wait to see the results”.
Picture credits:
The Sydney Opera House Recording and Broadcast Studio technology upgrade provided and installed by Lemac Film & Digital
Contact Us
The Lemac team is your team, in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane
Lemac is uniquely placed to create and support tailored solutions for a wide range of applications.
Whether it’s a full studio build and install, a redesign of your existing facility or anything in between, we can guide you through the process, from start to finish.
Click for more information on our project services or contact us today to find out how we can help.