Creamfields, the UK’s largest EDM festival, used a multi camera live production workflow from Blackmagic Design to provide live streams and IMAG feeds to the event’s Apex Stage.
With a capacity of 30,000, the Apex Stage is billed as the largest indoor festival space in the world. Tasked with delivering the live video solution was facilities company Video Village. Using its custom built OB van centered around an ATEM Constellation 8K live production switcher and a fleet of Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 cameras, Video Village was able to scale to the unique needs of each artist.
“The van is extremely powerful, offering our clients a compact, affordable, high end outside broadcast with the ability to deliver demanding technical specifications,” said Dan Brennan, technical manager at Video Village.
A Blackmagic Videohub 80×80 12G router handled signal distribution, supporting 32 fiber inputs using ATEM Talkback Converter 4Ks as interface points, enabling bidirectional video, tally, and intercom over single mode multicore fiber. The ATEM Constellation 8K was paired with an ATEM 2 M/E Advanced Panel 20 for vision mixing, while an ATEM Camera Control Panel provided camera control and shading.
“The biggest challenge at Creamfields is the sheer number of outputs per source,” said Brennan. “We have to deliver clean outputs often in different frame rates. That’s where the scalability of the production workflow is crucial.”
“A key prerequisite from the directors was to keep everything moving,” he added. “Our camera work had to keep pace with the performances, capturing the atmosphere while still showcasing the epic staging and visuals.”
Two of six URSA Broadcast G2s, rigged with Blackmagic URSA Studio Viewfinder G2s, were set at front of house. Those feeds ran over 12G-SDI or duplex single mode fiber to a Blackmagic Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G with a 12G-SDI SFP Optical Module.
“URSA Broadcast G2 forms part of our broader Blackmagic investment. Integration with rack control reduces cost and complexity and meets our needs for image quality, color matching and flexibility,” noted Brennan.
Looking for ways to further elevate the experience, multiple Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2s were discreetly positioned around the arena. “These little cameras offered us quick repositioning and smooth tilts. They worked very well in spaces where a larger, operated camera wouldn’t be practical,” he said.
Video Village also deployed the Blackmagic Camera app running on an iPhone as part of the workflow. “With a simple adaptor and the app, we were able to feed it straight into the ATEM Constellation using a low latency wireless video transmission system. It synchronized and worked perfectly, giving us discreet shots from inside the audience,” Brennan concluded.