Hd Wins Brit Hearts

The 2007 Brit Awards went high definition, using a heart-shaped LED screen centre stage and images from XL Videos new HD portable production unit (PPU).

The awards event was the first outing for the new PPU, which used three Grass Valley LDK 8000 HD cameras and a Grass Valley HD Kayak mixing desk. The heart-shaped centre screen, made from 12 x 14 Lighthouse R16 panels and shaped via a scenic mask that was an integral part of  Mark Fishers stage design,  was supplemented by a 12m x 7m landscape R16 screen stage left.

XL provided the screens, the PPU and a Barco Encore image control system to production management company MJK Productions, who ran the show with a mix of VT play in from the broadcasters and custom show content including graphics, nomination packages and announcements produced by Hello Charlie.

The content played to the screens from the PPU had to go out in two formats one in standard TV format and one Encore-processed for the heart-shaped screen and the material was stored on and replayed from four Grass Valley Turbo drives.

Other features of the show, held on February 13, included two 16ft x 9 ft projection screens for video relay and the use of a Kinesys automation system to raise and lower the landscape format LED screen. The six tonne screen was raised and lowered to allow access for between-band backline and set changeovers. Rigging of the screen was by Outback.

www.xlvideo.tv

www.kinesys.co.uk