B R O A D C A S T - F I L M - P O S T - I N F O T A I N M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y BROADCAST GLOBAL MEDIA FOR BROADCAST, FILM, POST & INFOTAINMENT & FILM TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS Inaugural Issue

I n f l u e n c e r s

KEITAN YADAV, HARRY HINGORANI, P JAYAKUMAR COO & VFX Producer CCO & VFX Supervisor CEO, SHAHRUKH KHAN Toonz Media Group & redchillies.vfx T e c h n o l o g y T r e n d s

KIREET KHURANA RAJKUMAR HIRANI Animator & Filmmaker Ace Filmmaker

SUSHANT RAI SATISH AGGARWAL VP, Sales – South Asia, MEA Managing Director TVU Networks Visual Technologies Contents

5 Editorial

6 News NEWS... Editor: MANOJ MADHAVAN manoj,madhavan@nm-india.com Shah Rukh Khan’s redchillies.vfx 9 Garnering Critical Acclaim Production: PRASHANT KARANGUTKAR 15 Covid 19 Lockdown Impact on the Entertainment Business

Rajkumar Hirani : Ace Filmmaker 17 on Technology Trends in Cinema

Editorial & Advertising 19 Gamechanger in the M&E Industry: NürnbergMesse India Pvt. Ltd. Real-Time Virtual Production 312/313, A Wing, 3rd Floor, Dynasty Business Park, Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400059. Tel.: +91-22-6216 5313 Satish Aggarwal – The Broadcast Technocrat Par Excellence Mob.: +91-91082 32956 22 Email: manoj,[email protected] www.broadcastandfilm.com

Broadcast industry ensures Business 24 Continuity with Cloud-based Solutions Copyright Disclaimer BROADCAST AND FILM Magazine is Digitally published Sushant Rai to Drive Growth for TVU Networks bi-monthly. It is available only through subscription. 27 in the Broadcast Market is the Trade Mark of BROADCAST AND FILM Magazine. No material including the Logo may be reproduced, electronically or otherwise, without written consent of the publisher. The opinions in the articles are those of the authors and the publisher may not necessarily Enabling Spectacular Experiences agree with them. 30 in Broadcasting through Sound Technologies BROADCAST AND FILM accepts no responsibility for material contained in the advertisements. It is not the intention of the magazine to encourage in any way actions which are contrary to existing or future regulations, rules or local laws. 32 Delivering Audio Innovation Registered Office NürnbergMesse India Pvt. Ltd. The State of the NLE in Indian Film and TV 312/313, A Wing, 3rd Floor, Dynasty Business Park, 34 Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400059.

BROADCAST AND FILM 2 INAUGURAL ISSUE EDITOR’S DESK

From the Editor’s Desk

The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted the entertainment industry very badly and the industry is still trying to get its bearings. The first signs of opening up is visible in the form of some shooting schedules which have commenced with a great degree of emphasis on social distancing and other safety precautions. This is going to the be the “New Normal’ and the industry will have to get used to this. While we at the Broadcast India Show are planning to go digital, it will be a new experience for the exhibitors and visitors. The Show will be packed with exciting demos and conference sessions. The industry will miss the physical feel of the event, but the virtual domain promises to provide an engaging experience to the broadcast domain. The inaugural digital edition of Broadcast & Film comes packed with interesting features, technology trends, interviews and news.

MANOJ MADHAVAN The broadcast industry has seen and learnt a new slew of technologies Editor and workflow implementation due to the pandemic. Capturing and distribution of news required the channels to get adept and agile while facing the significant challenges posed due to the pandemic. Will VR production propel the broadcast industry? Normally new technologies which would take many years to get picked up, the The broadcast industry pandemic has hastened the adoption process. The broadcast has seen and learnt a companies are looking at live VR broadcasts for delivering content. new slew of technologies Esports could see the next exciting avenue for VR with loads of and workflow innovation. implementation due to This being our inaugural digital edition of Broadcast & Film, we the pandemic. request you to send us your feedback to me at manoj.madhavan@nm- india.com. Please keep me posted with all the news and developments at your end. Be it any latest news, sales project you have done, case studies of any high-profile customer you wish to feature in the magazine, I will be happy to hear from you. The purpose of the media is to help build a neutral and credible media for the industry. Cheers!

[email protected] Manoj Madhavan - Editor

BROADCAST AND FILM 3 INAUGURAL ISSUE NEWS

BROADCAST INDIA 2020 “WE GO DIGITAL EDITION” Due to the global health crisis resulting from the CoVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions that have been imposed on travel and business operations, the Broadcast India Show will transition to a digital model for the year 2020. As the region’s leading event for television, film, radio, audio: from its content creation to its management and delivery, the event has witnessed considerable support from the Industry, while enjoying steady year on year growth. The event, now in its 30th year has been the epicenter of many conversations and interactions; the whole Film and Television community has converged in Mumbai year after year to meet their peers as also to get a sneak peek into the paradigm shifts in  Let’s e-meet before we re-meet infotainment technology across the globe. The decision to move the event into a digital space would ensure that this  From 29th October, 2020, community remains connected amidst these unprecedented times, by creating BROADCAST INDIA 2020 online experiences which will redefine the way information is shared, while allowing - WE GO DIGITAL EDITION the Stakeholders to engage in new and unique ways. will offer comprehensive Along with BIS, co-located events- SCAT India & Content India, under the parent presentation options and umbrella of A.B.I.S.- Asia Broadcasting and Infotainment Show, will also be digitally year-long networking hosted, providing three days of seamless networking experience. The opportunities BROADCAST INDIA 2020 - WE GO DIGITAL EDITION - will be launched on 29th October, 2020, providing an innovative all year-round opportunity for  Save the date: The next exhibitors to remain connected with experts and decision-makers, thus enabling Broadcast India Show (BIS) business continuity. will take place from The platform is designed to engage the participants by offering access to an exclusive 21-23 October, 2021 online forum featuring exhibitor product information, announcements and demos. Attendees will get an opportunity to interact with companies representing almost every vertical of the broadcast, entertainment and technology industries. Delegates to the conference program can expect a good mix of live as well as pre- recorded sessions, interactive panel discussions via Q & A chat conversations, masterclass sessions, while exhibitors can showcase their products, build conversations and have one-to-one meetings with registered attendees; thus making this event the logical extension of the physical event. For more information on Speaking on the occasion, Sonia Prashar, Chairperson of the Management Board participation at & Managing Director, NürnbergMesse India said, “Direct, face to face networking still remains the most efficient way to connect and establish contacts, however BI 2020 extraordinary times such as these demand flexibility and innovation. By creating - WE GO DIGITAL EDITION the BROADCAST INDIA - WE GO DIGITAL EDITION, NürnbergMesse India please contact: aims to bring Industry stakeholders together, allowing participants a unique opportunity to showcase their capabilities and engage with each other and through Contact for Exhibition: a new format. Join us this October to restart the conversations am discussions.” Varun Gaba She further adds, “Furthermore by presenting all the three leading shows on a Director- Projects single platform covering the domains of broadcast, cable, satellite, content, T: +91 22 62165303 broadband, media and infotainment, we expect that this combination will benefit E: [email protected] the Industry at large”. Pranali Raut BROADCAST INDIA 2020 - WE GO DIGITAL EDITION will feature a good mix Asst. Director – Project of technical sessions, technology showcase & networking. The platform itself T: +91-22-62165313 will offer numerous features including meeting scheduler, product spotlight, E: [email protected] attendee profiling etc. thus enabling seamless connectivity. BROADCAST INDIA 2021 will resume as a physical event from 21-23 October 2021 at the Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai, India. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 4 INAUGURAL ISSUE NEWS

Avid MediaCentral 2020 efficiency with a storyboard view to see metadata together with the thumbnails in empowers news channels one single view. Finding Media Faster to Improve Collaboration–Includes more control and options to find the right media assets quickly, improve collaboration, ensure up-to-date results and improve the overall usability of the system. Enhancing Storytelling with Maestro Graphic–Allows the use of full mix-down of graphics and video into a single file ready for publishing in MediaCentral and Media Composer or for publishing to social media and other digital outlets.

Sony launches 4K SXRD laser projector for large display applications Sony Electronics has unveiled its newest professional projector, the VPL-GTZ380, which enhances the company’s Avid announced the immediate lineup of native 4K (4096×2160) SXRD models to include its highest brightness, availability of MediaCentral® 2020, the 10,000-lumen model. comprehensive media workflow The new projector platform for TV news, sports and post combines contrast, production operations. Innovative new brightness, high dynamic features in MediaCentral 2020 deliver range and resolution with a on the needs of modern newsrooms, wide colour gamut to offer providing journalists with increased a visual experience in any efficiency, faster search options and distance and lighting improved editing as well as an condition, making it ideal for enhanced broadcast viewing a wide range of corporate, experience for audiences. entertainment and MediaCentral 2020 accelerates simulation applications. The production with a complete and scalable flagship projector end-to-end media workflow platform, incorporates cutting-edge providing news teams with media technology into a small form access, workflow integration and factor that provides installation flexibility and enables quiet operation. remote collaboration to deliver Featuring a newly developed 0.74” Native 4K SXRD panel, the VPL-GTZ380 breaking news as its happens. provides detailed and radiant imagery with a high 16000:1 contrast ratio that MediaCentral 2020 empowers global delivers deep blacks. By adopting a new liquid crystal material for the panel, its collaboration to connect disperse light stability dramatically improves, enabling durability with 10,000 lumens teams to share media and create better brightness. This allows the projector to be used in both bright and dark stories together, while leveraging environments, offering increased versatility and flexibility in installation. broadcast content and incoming feeds The VPL-GTZ380’s new laser light source, which incorporates a red laser diode in to break news fast on digital channels. addition to the two different-wavelength blue laser diodes, enables a wide colour From information gathering that gamut of 100% DCI-P3 without any loss of brightness. leverages powerful search capabilities This includes new features such as Dynamic HDR Enhancer and object-based to story creation, graphics integration HDR Remaster to enhance dynamic range and achieve deeper blacks. The VPL- and social media distribution, GTZ380 also supports HDR formats including HDR 10 and HLG for more natural MediaCentral 2020 empowers teams colour reproduction. with the tools and the workflow speed From a design perspective, the VPL-GTZ380 has a compact body size (51kg) for they need to break news first. Key new its class, due to the adoption of the small-sized panel and patented phosphor capabilities include: wheel providing efficient heat release, which allows the model to seamlessly Viewing and Editing Time-based integrate into a variety of installation environments. The VPL-GTZ380 will be Metadata More Easily–Increased available in selected countries in the Asia Pacific from February 2021. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 5 INAUGURAL ISSUE NEWS

AADAI and Andhaghaaram Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio by G. Balaji Blackmagic Design announced India based digital cinema designer and colorist G. Balaji used DaVinci Resolve Studio to grade the recent Indian hit film “AADAI” and the upcoming “Andhaghaaram.” Working on dozens of Indian feature films and TV shows, Balaji started his career as a film editor before moving to DIT and colorist work. Since 2015 he has used DaVinci Resolve Studio on more than 30 films for both color correction in post-production and on set dailies work. “AADAI” is a hit thriller film that was released for theatrical distribution in India and across global streaming networks in 2019.

How LiveU Solo has become game-changing technology for Prime Focus Technologies’ Propixels India AI platform, CLEAR™ Vision Propixels started their ambitious journey a year before Cloud now combines the 2019 Indian General Elections where they teamed Technology and Consulting to up with two leading political parties of Maharashtra – make AI work for you NCP & BJP covering every political event, including outdoor rallies, indoor conferences, live interviews Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the and more. They shot to fame when they managed to technology arm of Prime Focus, flawlessly live stream the Sharad Pawar ‘Satara ki announced new features in its AI Sabha’ event in heavy rain using the LiveU Solo+ platform that help solve real world wireless encoder. business problems of TV Networks, "It was a crucial event, and we did not switch off the Studios and Direct to Consumer camera and Solo+ unit even for a second. It eventually businesses. A native media recognition changed the entire political scenario of Maharashtra AI platform, CLEAR Vision Cloud state. The challenges were overwhelming – heavy rain, works because of its perfect huge crowds, and a remote village with limited bandwidth – but we managed to combination of both technology and overcome them all. The event stream was picked up by all the regional, as well as consulting to solve real use cases for national, news channels. After that, there was no turning back. clients. Technology platform that combines best-of-breed third party AI (Microsoft, Cineom's turnkey deployment powers Shemaroo's post facility AWS, IBM Watson and Google Mumbai based Shemaroo is one of the largest engines) and PFT developed Vision content catalogue owners of Bollywood feature Cloud AI models to provide both high films and television programs. The content at quality data & actionable data Shemaroo is digitalized and repurposed for Consulting to enable suitable learning deliveries across major multi -platforms such as to AI models for unique enterprise broadcast, OTT and direct-to-home (DTH). Since content, alter the Vision Cloud models Shemaroo has been beaming its content across to adjust specifics & sharpen the tools various digital platforms, the task of managing to make decisions that meet specific and storage of 3400 + titles was a huge challenge. business needs of the client Shemaroo wanted to opt for a robust and reliable solution to store and process the content and they decided to tie-up with Cineom for this deployment. Cineom, a leading system integrator has been working very closely with Shemaroo since the last two decades.

BROADCAST AND FILM 6 INAUGURAL ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: VFX

Shah Rukh Khan’s redchillies.vfx Garnering Critical Acclaim

Shah Rukh Khan is a perfectionist to the hilt. The decision to set-up redchillies.vfx was done with an intent to set-up a world class vfx facility, comparable to the best in Hollywood. Keitan Yadav & Harry Hingorani teamed up with Shah Rukh Khan in 2006 and setup redchillies.vfx. redchillies.vfx has established itself as a leading vfx studio and delivering high-end projects in the VFX arena for local and international markets.Keitan Yadav, COO & VFX Producer & Harry Hingorani, CCO & VFX Supervisor share their journey in an exclusive interaction with Broadcast & Film.

Q1. Tell us briefly about the birth of production facility in India to create work on multiple visual effects and redchillies.vfx Studio. What world-standard movies. colour grading on film, 4K digital motivated Shah Rukh Khan, Keitan platform like Netflix & Amazon, Yadav and Haresh Hingorani to set Q2. What are the latest technologies broadcast, OTT simultaneously. up redchillies.vfx Studio? equipped at redchillies.vfx studio? The studio has a heterogeneous OS Shah Rukh Khan wanted to establish a Give us brief description of the VFX environment including Linux, Mac studio which could deliver on his technology workflow pipeline and Windows that are powered by vision of world-class vfx quality implemented at redchillies.vfx. high end workstations with superior Hollywood-style sci-fi superhero NVIDIA Quadro GPUs. Our movie in India. Since this project pipeline includes Houdini and was very close to his heart, he felt Autodesk’s Maya & Max, the the other vfx studios wouldn’t do industry standard for 3D design justice to his passion and thus, with redchillies.vfx is equipped with software for photorealistic vfx and the help of Keitan Yadav & Haresh technically advanced world's latest Arnold for rendering along with other Hingorani, he set up redchillies.vfx in centralised storage technology with 1.2 rendering tools. For compositing, we 2006. He also wanted the entire industry petabytes of disk space for all our data use Nuke studio which offers a to benefit from this world-class post- flow needs which has the capacity to cutting-edge toolkit for node-based

BROADCAST AND FILM 7 INAUGURAL ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: VFX

compositing and for editorial we have house team of programmers who ‘Zero’ our latest project released in Final Cut Pro & Avid. We also have a develop scripts and plug-ins December 2018 was the 1st of its kind state-of the art review suite using ingeniously proprietary scripts & again. In this, never-been-done-before scratch and for Pipeline management programmes to ease the functioning movie, we had to use special effects to we have Autodesk’s Shotgun, for of the studio. With the help of our shrink an actor of 5 ft 10 inches to 4 ft 6 rendering needs we have around 8000 strong R&D team, we were able to inches for a duration of 130 minutes, a in-house cores & we scale our render create and conceptualise unique, feat never achieved before in any movie capacity additionally by 10,000 cores, never-been-done-before projects like globally. Apart from creating a dwarf based on our needs for larger projects. FAN & Zero in a span of 6 months, effect for 130 minutes, the other The high capacity networking with no material to refer to for these challenges we faced were maintaining infrastructure includes Spine of unique projects. eye-level between the actor & co- 100GbE Fibre Switch, and the Leaf is actors throughout the movie, making 10G which carries a whopping Q3. Please highlight some of your sure creative vision of the Director is switching capacity of 3.2Tb/s. In most creative and challenging VFX not compromised, and ensuring the addition to the software, hardware and work. What were the major technical interactions and body contact between tools, we have developed proprietary challenges the entire team faced for the actors is seamless. The main new age weapons to beat all the the VFX creation and how did the challenge we foresaw was ensuring the cinematic limitations and deliver team overcome them? eye-line between actors in the scenes quality output as per the clients’ post- Some of our creative/challenging where the actor would be interacting production needs. We have an in- projects so far are as follows: with his co-stars in different situations like fight sequences, dancing as well as showcasing emotions. We were quite clear that we didn’t want to shoot the protagonist separately and then composite him in the scene later as this would be possible only for 1-2 minutes duration and not for the entire film. That’s when we realised, we had to shoot all of them together in the same scene. This challenge was cracked by using Lego blocks. We created blocks (fake floor) with the depth directly proportional to the height of the actors we needed to reduce. These blocks would be removed where Shah Rukh Khan would be moving in the scene.

BROADCAST AND FILM 8 INAUGURAL ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: VFX

Shah Rukh Khan had shrunken and we had to re-create the to position his arms at entire set. This included animating and a wider angle to show matching the motion of all characters more of his body since for the entire song and set extension. it was going to be The original set needed to match pixel shrunk later using to pixel with the CGI set and for that we visual effects. There scanned the real set using Lidar Scan. was an additional pass The set creation was just one part, to capture the HDRI in texture lighting was equally important post-production using as we needed to get the CG elements a chrome ball. These and interactions to look real. shots were then The background extension was also CG, consolidated and where we can see the movement of the composited at plants and fluttering leaves. We had a different scales; then lot of simulation done on the coloured merged into a single powder(gulaal) and the interaction with The actors would stand on these image. To show the accurate the characters and photo-real light blocks and perform on them while the movement, we used CG trackers while simulation on the gulaal. protagonist would stand in the pit 1.5 shooting. By placing them on the 800 servers, out of a total 2000 for the feet deep; surrounded by the blocks. actor’s body we curated a matte image entire movie, were hired just for this For this very reason we ended up and then 3D image, from these scenes. song; given the exorbitant amount of replacing the floor in the entire film. Besides creative challenges, the vfx processing power required. This was Also each shot required minimum 5 production pipeline had to be planned the most complex and took the longest plates : first plate being a in detail. redchillies.vfx realized that to complete. previsualisation shot, second being a they had 2,50,000 tasks spread across The New York Times Square sequence regular plate with Shah Rukh Khan 2400 shots, and each shot had minimum which is part of a song sequence, was surrounded by the boxes at a level lower 5 plates and around 16 odd tasks. originally shot on the streets of than his co-actor’s, third being a shot Streamlining the vfx production Alabama and then recreated to look like which had Shah Rukh Khan and his process was critical. Once the Times Square using plates from co-stars act at the same ground-level rotoscopy & BG generation was different angles, were shot separately (for his characteristics), fourth plate completed, we had to start the dwarf in Times Square and then added into involving the co-stars repeating their creation process. the song to give it the big apple feel. moves but without Shah Rukh Khan in Mera Naam Tu was the most complex Another challenging sequence for us the frame (to capture their movements), sequence in the entire film taking about was the Zero G sequence. We created and the fifth being the one in which 9 months to complete. A seemingly the entire interior replication of the impossible amount of Zero-Gravity chamber in Autodesk VFX technology and Maya designing suite. It was shot in a color-grading had to be studio in Film-City and we had to show employed. For instance, them floating in zero-gravity. The entire the rainwater in the set was designed in vfx & movie was generated in CGI. We also created an extensive CGI at 800 fps while the walkway leading to the Zero G lab song was being shot at which had heavy-duty digital 48 fps. The two monitoring devices which was also elements had to be created in CGI. merged into one scene. In the rocket launch sequence, the actor From coloured powder is escorted to the lift at the rocket launch (gulaal) to the rain site which leads to the AERO-BRIDGE. drops, all was CGI The Fx simulations for the smoke, fire because the and the rocket body particles was protagonist had to be challenging. For this sequence we had

BROADCAST AND FILM 9 INAUGURAL ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: VFX

escaping the police. All of it was created in CGI in an indoor studio after references taken of a house wall in Croatia Another sequence was the airport sequence for which the Director decided we recreate Heathrow airport on the terrace of YRF studios, Mumbai We won several VFX awards like FICCI BAF, IIFA and Filmfare in 2017 for our outstanding vfx work. ‘Ra-one’ released in 2011 a stunning superhero movie was the 1st of its kind to be very specific for the scene scale, given the timeline of 11 months, in in Bollywood and one of our it had to look massive , so from the which we achieved & released the benchmark projects with 3400 VFX concept to modelling to animation to movie on time. The major Visual Effects shots which make 80% of running time compositing, we concentrated on very implemented to look SRK young are amounting to 125 minutes. This volume minor details. Hi-dense, detailed smoke making his iconic nose sharp and small of vfx was the first ever undertaken by and fire simulation was the key factor size CG nose, overall body shape shrink any Indian studio The team spent a for the sequence. From earth to space to show a thinner/leaner version of good deal of time developing the travel and the cloud bed interaction young Shah Rukh Khan lookalike with pipelines for the cubic transformations with the Rocket, this was a head- leaner shoulders, bigger eyes, in the film for the villain Ra.One. There storming task and we achieved that straightened eyebrows, Lips changed were six or seven different algorithms successfully. Dynamic camera angles in proportion of thin face, jawline required to facilitate all the on-screen for some shots also made the visuals sharpened and changed the overall action, and the development and more impressive. We won Filmfare skin tone. testing of these pipelines had been the award for BEST VFX for our never- Besides the shrinking of the body, there most challenging aspect. been-done before work in Zero in 2019. were massive set-extensions which In one of the sequences, we used a ‘FAN’ released in 2016 was a movie with were created for the movie. For the end technique called ‘Time Slice’, where the digital body reshaping, here we climax scene, we created the entire city same action is shot by multiple cameras changed facial features like eyes, nose, of Delhi shown from the terrace, where from several angles to convey the jawline, forehead, hairline, making the both the actor & the fan are fighting powerful impact of being ejected protagonist a completely different each other. This sequence was also skywards in one one of the fight person by de-aging him to 28 years old complex as it entailed a double-role shot sequences. Over 60 still cameras were and shrinking him not only by 2.5 with both the actor & the fan in inches, but also making his body leaner hand-to-hand close combat. in 2400+ vfx shots. We didn’t want to We even re-created the entire use a body double as Shah Rukh Khan city of Dubrovnik in Croatia and the vfx team were very certain that where the chase sequence takes there would be no real challenge if he place, where we can see them didn’t play both the roles in the movie. jumping from terrace to terrace, Since the movie is about a die-hard fan running in-between narrow of the actor, it was very important for streets. redchillies.vfx even us to retain the mannerism of SRK, created indoor set extensions which would be impossible for a body for the song sequence which double to replicate. We had to reinvent takes place in a ballroom. There a new pipeline as this feat wasn’t are a lot of complex double role achieved before ever for such a long shots also executed in the film. duration. As for the timeline, We even created a dilapidated redchillies.vfx had projected 18 months wall which has a very fast-paced to complete this feat however, we were chase sequence of the fan

BROADCAST AND FILM 10 INAUGURAL ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: VFX

used to create a sequence where the minute particles & his body collapses meters above sea level. Superhero characters frozen, but the camera on the ground. This sequence was Krrish fought against the evil mutants moved moving at about 220°. rendered using multiple layers and was created by KAAL where KAYA could The face of the villain was created by composited keeping every minute detail morph into multiple avatars including adding geometrical cubes to wires in mind like his suit, cubes & his the scary beast when she dies, which visualised for Ra.One’s face. It took disintegrated particles. We even was generated in CGI. Another mutant over a year-and-a-half for the entire film. created a miniature of VT station which had a lizard like long tongue, again Ra.One assumes several avatars from showed a train coming through the generated in CGI, another was a very Akashi, played by Tom Wu, to Kareena station which then, was then converted fast super-sonic mutant was also Kapoor’s Sonia till he finally takes the on the big screen to show a real-like created in CGI. face of Arjun Rampal. Each mutation train coming through the station in the Q4. There is a feeling that Indian was meticulously planned and climax. Studios are not capable of delivering executed to the extent that every cube ‘Krrish 3’ released in 2013 was another a vfx laden movie like Avataar, was prepared and created by computer benchmark project of ours which won Interstellar, and Avengers..etc. Where technology to precisely match each numerous awards for Best VFX. First do you think Indian studios falter player’s physical attributes. Entire suit time in Indian cinema where large scale when compared to the Hollywood of Superhero G-One and R-one was realistic building destruction & VFX Studios? Do we lack technical replaced with digital suit done in VFX explosions were achieved by using and creative manpower when which is an exceptional feat to extensive vfx simulation. This project compared to the West? accomplish as the actual suits had had complex CGI creature Hollywood is an evolved and mature deteriorated majorly. transformation and realistic mid-air industry in comparison to Bollywood For this movie we swept all the major fighting sequences which totalled to and they started using visual effects awards received the including the 59th 1800++ vfx shots. Mid-air fighting, glass way earlier than us. Their genres are National Award in 2012 for Best VFX, effects breaking, flying shots, creature also very different from those of Filmfare, IIFA, Zee Cine Awards to name creation was all part of the work taken Bollywood. Their big budget movies a few. During the climax, G. one absorbs up by rcvfx. One of the most iconic shot from Abyss to Avatar to Jurassic Park the particles of Ra.One and his body was that of Hrithik Roshan standing or the DC/Marvel/Disney movies are becomes brittle & he disintegrates into on a construction crane which was 2000 primarily Vfx driven whilst in India, the industry is still evolving. Bollywood on the other hand has primarily focussed on musicals, dramas, comedy but now with the arrival of new generation of directors, producers, digital platforms like Netflix, Amazon etc, we are seeing a huge demand in visual effects and a change in genres like horror, sci-fi/ mythology, periodic dramas where the usage of vfx is extensive. Another challenge is that the directors &

BROADCAST AND FILM 11 INAUGURAL ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: VFX

producers are yet to fully imbibe and delivered International quality visual understand vfx and its usage. Indian effects. redchillies.vfx have also been filmmakers are still learning the art of actively involved in foreign projects using vfx effectively and economically from time to time. We have partially which Hollywood has mastered. worked on projects like Sin City 2, Bollywood is improving by the day and Chinese movies like “Feng Sheng Bang we are sure with the right kind of & The Legend of Taimur (Genghis exposure & experience we will reach khan) as well as a film by a NY based provides Digital Colour Grading Hollywood standards one day. Having Independent filmmaker “The Good Features, Trailers & TV Spots, Editorial said that, the vfx driven movies are Shepherd.” We are also working on & Conforming, ACES workflow, Digital almost at par with international outsourced work through other Cinema Mastering & KDM Delivery, standards, considering our market & International various studios who are Digital Mastering for 4K UHD & OTT budgets comparedM to that of working on Hollywood projects. Content, On Set Services DIT & Dailies Hollywood. Q6. What kind of services does rcvfx etc. Q5. redchillies.vfx has delivered offer? We are the only postproduction house quality vfx in some of the past movies. The state of the art facility in Goregaon in Asia which has bought the Is there a vfx movie in the making by West, Mumbai provides a full-fledged TechnoDolly- Motion Control rig, the team which could prove to the visual effects services right from world’s 1st telescopic crane designed West that Indian studios can deliver conceptualisation to on-set for programmed repeatable moves, for and Is Red Chillies focussing on supervision to visual effects final live action and motion control. We are international vfx job work or is it only delivery with our Indian & International in the process of setting up Motion focussed on the domestic Indian vfx divisions. Our redchillies. colour Capture which can be used for making market? division has 2 film grading suites and previs, gaming & other film work. So, a We have proved with Zero, Ra.One, one digital grading suite using full-fledged post-production set up is Krrish 3 and FAN that given the time Baselight. We even have a DIT available here at redchillies Goregaon and budget, redchillies.vfx has division, DCP mastering division which facility. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 12 INAUGURAL ISSUE COVID IMPACT Covid 19 Lockdown Impact on the Entertainment Business The corona virus lockdown crisis is causing major disruptions across the entertainment business. Companies are redrawing their business strategies and looking at ways to overcome the challenges during this period and adapt to the changing global scenario. Broadcast & Film had an opportunity to assess the ground reality through an exclusive chat with P Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group & Kireet Khurana, a leading Animator & Filmmaker.

P JAYAKUMAR KIREET KHURANA CEO, Toonz Media Group Animator & Filmmaker

P Jayakumar – CEO of Toonz Media Group

Q 1. The impact of the Corona Virus taken the hardest hit but its ripple complex systems, data rooms and lockdown has been severe across the effects can be tangibly felt in the software, all of which is available in board. More so when we look at the animation industry. Movies and TV physical studios but it is very implications on the animation and the series filming has come to an absolute challenging to replicate the same entertainment business. How do you halt across the world and nearly all model at homes on a large scale. On look at this whole scenario? producers have stalled their releases. the good side of things, we’ve seen a Response: The Coronavirus pandemic The pandemic and lockdowns have trend wherein platforms are has been the most unprecedented created a strange Catch 22 situation for approaching content owners to license humanitarian situation that the world the entertainment industry in general. more of the content already produced. has ever witnessed. The lockdowns As people are confined to their homes, This will definitely see some increase across the world, albeit a completely the demand for content has nearly in sales. essential measure, has definitely doubled but our industry is not entirely The financial impact has also been impacted all industries, including the equipped to meet this demand as the immense as advertising and animation and entertainment business. personnel involved in the industry are merchandising revenues, which often Within the entertainment sector, the also confined and working out of their finance the creation of content, have live-action film and TV industry has homes. For animation, we require slumped in the past weeks. This is due

BROADCAST AND FILM 13 INAUGURAL ISSUE COVID IMPACT to the fact that the product industry is there will be some respite and all Response: There are of course other not investing in advertisements as businesses can attempt to make a bottlenecks which hinder growth in before because the manufacturing units recovery. Having said that, it is the animation industry, regardless of are closed and they are unable to meet essential that all businesses have their the pandemic. The imbalance of the supply-chain requirements of business continuity plans in place with demand for highly skilled creative products. reasonable foresight. While is it personnel when compared to its The whole scenario seems worrisome, necessary that we remain hopeful, we availability is always a concern. This but it is essential that we remain must also be prepared for any industry is constantly in need of optimistic about what the future holds. contingency at any time. At our highly skilled and talented company, we’ve ensured that our professionals but as animation Q2. How soon do you think the business operates as normally as continues to be a niche field unlike business can bounce back from this possible and our sales as well as many other fields, it is not easy to meet impact and attempt to make a content deliveries continue to happen the number of such professionals recovery? without much hassle. We’ve been able required. One of the other key Response: As the pandemic situation to achieve this through a sound bottlenecks is the lack of tax credits, seems to be evolving every single day, business continuity plan which was subsidies and incentives for this it is quite difficult to predict when the implemented across the board so that industry in territories like India. business can bounce back. In fact, all our employees can operate out of Animation costs are generally very even governments and medical the safety of their homes. high and securing financing from professionals are finding it tough to private investors and banks is a long- give us definitive timelines on the return Q3. What is the other bottlenecks drawn process. Government aids such of normalcy. However, realistically, it which hinder the growth in the as tax credits and subsidies would seems that by the second half of the entertainment and animation greatly help in closing the funding year and particularly by the last quarter, industry? requirements of projects.

Kireet Khurana, Animator & Filmmaker Q1. The impact of the Corona Virus live-action productions cannot shoot, dealing with it differently. I’ve seen lockdown has been severe across the hence are virtually shut. Some live- some organisations have culled people board. More so when we look at the action productions which are in the day the lockdown happened. This implications on the animation and the scripting/development and pre and was primarily because they weren’t entertainment business. How do you post production phase are still going doing well due to the unfavourable look at this whole scenario? on remotely. In the case of animation, conditions before the virus struck. Response: As we know India has been many studios have moved proactively Covid19 was a huge blow which many experiencing an economic slump in and moved their entire operations companies clearly cannot wait out; 2019-20 with growth rates plummeting online through remote desktop. Artists hence they laid off people at the onset, to sub 5%. To add to the country’s sitting in their homes can manage and which is tragic. Many Producers have woes, Covid19 has come as a big blow control their machines and still produce backed out of contracts invoking the to not just our country, but to the entire animation and graphics. Hence ‘force majeure’ (act of God) clause world. When business goes down, the whatever little bit of advertising that is embedded in all contracts. Many first casualty is usually advertising happening is being executed in organisations have given pay cuts to and marketing spends as the animation, which is a blessing in their employees and it’s difficult to disposable income threshold is disguise. guess when their pay packets will be reduced significantly among back to their original amount. This consumers. This depletion has a Q2. How soon do you think the purely depends on the overall cascading effect on the entertainment business can bounce back from this economic recovery of India, which is Industry of which the animation impact and attempt to make a interlinked with the world’s economic industry is a sub-set. recovery? recovery. The third set of companies For the animation industry specifically Response: There are many scenarios is willing to stick their neck out and there is a silver lining though. Most that are emerging and everyone is stand by their employees, neither continued om pg27

BROADCAST AND FILM 14 INAUGURAL ISSUE FILMMAKER INTERVIEW

Rajkumar Hirani : Ace Filmmaker on Technology Trends in Cinema

Rajkumar Hirani was born in Nagpur. His parents wanted him to be a chartered accountant, but he was more keen on theatre and films. In his college days he was involved with Hindi theatre and later did an editing course from Film & Television Institute of India, Pune. Hirani worked in advertising for many years before shifting to films as an editor and gradually established himself as a director and producer of films. After doing fairly well in the advertisement industry he took a break from advertisement and started working with Vidhu Vinod Chopra. He worked on promos and trailers for 1942: A Love Story and later edited promotions for Kareeb in 1998. He also edited the film Mission Kashmir in 2000. In 2003, Hirani made his directorial debut with the comedy film Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. starring Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Gracy Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, and Sunil Dutt. In 2006, Hirani directed the second installment of the Munna Bhai franchise, titled Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which retained some of the original cast, including Sanjay Dutt, Warsi, and Boman Irani, and added Vidya Balan as the female lead in place of Gracy Singh. The feature received critical acclaim and proved to be Hirani's highest-grossing release to that point, thus attaining a blockbuster status and becoming the third highest-grossing film of that year. Hirani's next directorial venture was the coming-of-age comedy-drama 3 Idiots (2009), which starred Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Boman Irani. 3 Idiots received positive reviews from critics, and proved to be the highest-grossing Bollywood film up until then, earnings in global ticket sales. Hirani won his third National Film Award for Best Popular Film Award for Wholesome Entertainment, Filmfare Best Film and Best Director Award, and Filmfare Best Screenplay and Best Story Award, for his direction. The film established Hirani as one of Hindi cinema's most prominent filmmakers. In 2014, Hirani directed PK. He also directed Sanju in 2018. Both movies turned out to be major box office hits. In his illustrious career Rajkumar Hirani has won innumerable awards. In an interview to Broadcast & Film, Rajkumar Hirani gives his take on the technology trends in cinema.

BROADCAST AND FILM 15 INAUGURAL ISSUE FILMMAKER INTERVIEW

Q.:You were one of the first editors to first film will always be my first Q.: VFX is a major highlight in films use Avid non-linear editing. Please milestone. nowadays. How do you look at VFX tell us how was the experience of using in Indian films? Would you look at non-linear based editing compared to Q.: Film technology has undergone making a VFX film? the analogue editing major changes, right from the Kodak I don’t think one should make a film to Nonlinear editing is actually bliss. & Fuji film to digital cameras now say that I will make a VFX film. Films When you compare the experience of used for shooting. Your take on these are about storytelling. And whatever editing on Steenbeck, it was so much changing trends? story you want to tell, you have tell it of physical labour. If you wanted to add Technology you cannot stop. You may through your film. If that story needs two frames to a shot you had to find like it or dislike it. Newer technologies VFX then you have to use it. The the right can. Take out the roll and will keep coming. It’s best to adapt to advantage today is you can think of open the roll. And then add the two new technologies. We can always anything and you can achieve it frames which you want to add. It could debate that film is better or digital is through VFX. With VFX nowadays one take minutes or hours sometimes to find better. The reality is digital is here to can dream of anything and achieve it. the two frames if it was As far as doing some not catalogued kind of a super hero properly. Non-linear film or a completely editing made life so VFX driven film, I have much easier. You could not thought of it. My have so many versions mind doesn’t function of the edit. You could like that. I think of a see the dissolves, story. Unless I think of wipes, optical effects in a story which comes to non-linear. In analogue me and if there are it used to take days to characters which see the optical effects. require VFX and if it’s For editors non-linear engaging and if it’s got editing is bliss. I drama then I would remember when Avid love to do it. VFX has was introduced there improved our lives and was so much there is so much we resistance, that people can do. But used to say it did not somewhere down the have the feel of a film. I used to tell stay. Digital has its advantages and line we have lost the discipline in the them to keep a strip of the film in your disadvantages. With film you had a ten film shoot. Lot of things that have been neck, feel the film there, but edit on Avid. minute roll and you were doing a great left in the frame, we have a tendency to take and at times film runs out. With say that we will correct it in the VFX. Q.: Tell us about the first major digital you can take more shots and Earlier that discipline of taking a perfect milestone in your remarkable career. takes. Also in projection with digital shot during the shoot is somewhere lost It’s always your first film which is very there is no worry about whether the now. special to you. Anybody who wants print will start having scratches. Digital to make a film and comes to this city projection stays the same even after Q.: You have a very successful track with the dream of making a film and many screenings. Digital has changed record as a filmmaker. What is the when that film is done, that is the post-production in editing and sound major highlight that we can expect happiest moment. At that moment you recording. It has made things easier. from you in the future? never worry about how the film is going Quality has improved. On the shooting I am working on a couple of scripts. to fare or how much of business it will front there could be differences. Some Scripts are the most important part of do. You are happy that the film is people feel 35mm looks better. Even I any film making; they are the completed and your family and friends sometimes feel that 35 mm is better. I foundation of film making. So once the have seen the film and loved the film. guess digital is here to stay and we script is ready, I will then see how it So Munnabhai MMBS which was my have to accept it. shapes out. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 16 INAUGURAL ISSUE VIRTUAL REALITY Gamechanger in the M&E Industry: Real-Time Virtual Production By PRIYAN PARAB

of new possibilities it brings within the production procedures of any film, ad- film, television, live events, theatre, etc. are sure to complement the industry with widespread flexibility. Statistics According to E&Y, the M&E sector in India had an upward growth chart by 9% in 2019 and reached a whopping figure of INR 1.82 trillion. Statistical research states these numbers would further rise up to INR 2.41 trillion by 2022. One cannot help but note here that the revenue-wise top 4 sectors are – Television, Digital Media (OTT), Filmed Entertainment and VFX After being intricately involved in the manner. Irrespective of whether you are respectively. Pre-production, world of Real-Time Virtual Production from the industry or not, you should production and post-production are for the past few months, I thought it not face any difficulties in critical elements in each of these 4 would be a wise idea to give you all understanding this invention. In case sectors. some insights about this blooming field. you do, please do not hesitate to get in What is Real-Time Virtual Being introduced to the world of a touch with me! Production? stage-like digital environment that Introduction Imagine if the entire production of any optimizes the entire workflow of The rise of these innovative of the 4 sectors mentioned above could production and post-production technologies under the umbrella of be done indoors? Completely pipelines can be of great benefit to Virtual Production will surely disrupt eliminating the need for outdoor individuals in the Media & the market, while simultaneously shooting. All this while the final output Entertainment (M&E) sector. keeping your current workflow intact of the shot is visible in real-time on your This article focuses on explaining with an added advantage to increase screen. Yes, this is absolutely possible! Virtual Production in a simplified efficiency and productivity. The range By stepping into the domain of Real-

BROADCAST AND FILM 17 INAUGURAL ISSUE VIRTUAL REALITY

Time Virtual Production, you can not currently using more than 10 Reality when they try to shoot something on a only have access to the final product Engines to run their post-match green screen. All the background sets, of the scene in real-time but also save analysis of IPL (Indian Premier League) including lighting, shadows, upon millions of dollars that would and other events. Even the FIFA 2018 attachments, etc. can be clearly otherwise be invested in production World Cup held in Russia used a similar accessible and visible to the film crew and post-production costs. concept of high-end Virtual Production in real-time while they are shooting. Zero Density (ZD), a real-time virtual for a top-notch viewing experience for Can it be shot in 4K? Oh, absolutely! production equipment company, their viewers. In my opinion, in the One can record in 4K UHD HDR, as the provides a solution known as Reality foreseeable future, this technology Reality Engine from ZD is compatible Virtual Studio platform. This is offered shall be adopted by the film & ad-film with all such crucial formats involved in India by Cineom, a leading system markets to revolutionize the way in the production. An immense focus integrator company in the Indian M&E production works. is laid on the different kinds of data markets. The only two mandatory that can be recorded and stored while requirements are a studio with green/ shooting real-time – blue/black screen for keying and Background data appropriate tracking devices. Once you Foreground data have these along with a Reality Engine, Tracking data trust me, there is no limit to executing Mattes your imagination. Alpha Channels This product amazingly not only keys Real-time final Compositing the object of focus at an accuracy of Keyed Output (with variations) 99.9% but also provides real-time 3D The whole purpose of providing the compositing. This means the user with such vital data is so that they manpower requirements are lowered as have hands-on access to several the high-tech system does the majority elements of their shoot. This data also of the job. There’s a lot more to this gives them the flexibility to accomplish product – all the reflections, refractions This must be a question lingering in any additional VFX-related goals. and formulated shadows of the your mind right now. My The functionality of Reality Engine in subjects and objects are recorded in understanding from various projects I the case of ad-films allows systems to real-time. What this aims to reward the have seen & experienced has taught export the real-time output and use it user is with accurate photo-realistic me how this product can simplify the directly for the project at hand. To put effects. tasks of directors and the DOP (Director things into perspective, let’s speak Wondering how trustworthy and of Photography). In films, this about an ad-film for a brand where the effective can it be? The news and technology comes in as a time/money/ actor has to perform a stunt or walk on sports broadcasting industry have effort saviour in Previz (Pre- a world-renowned high rise building. successfully reaped maximum benefits Visualization). It gives the directors and In normal cases, this would be a from this product. Star Sports India is DOP a vision of their final product herculean task due to permissions,

BROADCAST AND FILM 18 INAUGURAL ISSUE VIRTUAL REALITY stuntman training, costs and safety Generated) character into the Reality Angenieux, BMD, Fujinon, Panasonic involved. Making an individual walk on Engine via a live link. When viewed as (4K PTZ camera as they have in-built the Eiffel Tower or World Trade Centre an output, you could see the CG tracking), Sony, etc. Speaking of for real-life production requires months augmented character fighting with the tracking devices – I would suggest a of planning. Rather than going through real character, both being keyed at the highly economical and user-friendly the above-mentioned hassle, you must same time! That too while both model known as Stype Redspy. opt to create a virtual set. These virtual characters are present in the ongoing To quickly summarize, here sets can be created on Maya, 3Ds-max virtual set! Think about it, if we could or an unreal engine (it has to be an FBX achieve this in real-time, then what not are the elements you would file), and then directly imported onto is possible? need to do Virtual Production: Virtual Set (FBX file) the Reality Engine by ZD. Simply turn Centroid also provides some Reality Engine (by Zero Density) on the virtual production system & wondrous additional solutions your cameras, and you are good to Tracking System (Stype Redspy) that can be implemented begin shooting. Cameras, lenses and lights during production and post- Cyclorama & other shooting My recent experience doing production: accessories. Virtual Production Real-time performance capture Here are some youtube links for your There are no limits to the benefits of Virtual camera further understanding. 1- Virtual Virtual Production. Not too long ago, I VR-scouting Production in Movies, 2- Virtual attended an event (which I was a part Real-time augmenting of CG elements Production for TV & Broadcast, 3- of) at Famous Studios. Cineom and in the real world Virtual Production for Ad-films & 4. Centroid India focused on some of the If you find yourself wondering which Virtual Production for Live & Launch most important advancements in the tracking devices, cameras or lenses to events. domain of Virtual Production that was use, then I would love to tell you that Do you have any more technical displayed there. It was for the 1st time any professional broadcast or film questions or general queries? Please in the industry that Cineom, ZD and camera & lens can work just fine. Just feel free to get in touch with me or Centroid teams could integrate the make sure the lens used is capable of approach Cineom team as they have a output of motion capture. We could recording and storing lens data. I would complete turnkey Virtual Production literally include a CG (Computer- suggest a few brands such as Arri, Solution. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 19 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST INTERVIEW

Satish Aggarwal – The Broadcast Technocrat Par Excellence

Satish Aggarwal, the name evokes a lot of respect in the industry for his stellar contributions. Ever smiling and unflappable, Satish Aggarwal, Managing Director of Visual Technologies & President of the AIBMDA (All India Broadcast Manufacturers Distributors Association) has been in the industry for close to three decades. He shares the experience of his professional journey and career highlights in an exclusive interview to Broadcast & Film.

Q1. You have been in the broadcast Education, AV Industry, Enterprise technology has made possible industry for close to three decades and solution and high-end security commercial viability of High Definition represents some of the leading solutions. Television technology. Rapid rollout of broadcast brands. How do you look I am fully satisfied and feel proud of HDTV (1080/50i/60i) started about 10- at your journey over the three the fact that we have successfully 12 years ago and thereafter decades? served the industry and the country technological development in this field Yes we have been working in this for close to three decades. never looked back. We have seen Industry for close to three decades, announcements of a new technology Visual Technologies India Pvt Ltd came Q2. How has the transition of the or concept, almost every year at the into existence in 1996. We are Indian broadcast industry been over NAB Show in Las Vegas. We have also representing Panasonic since then on the years? And how do you see the witnessed the rollout of the progressive an exclusive basis for the Indian future of Indian broadcasting in the HDTV, 1080/50p/60p, 3D TV broadcast market. Later we added many next 5 years? technology, 4K technology and now other brands to our portfolio like Ross Television Content Production and 8K Technology, coupled with Non Video, Azden, Libec, AVT, Riedel, Broadcasting Technologies are Linear Editing, NLE, Server based Hitachi, Canare ... etc. Today we have a evolving ever since its inception. Rapid recording, shifting from tape to tapeless partnership with more than 40 leading development was seen after the recording media to Solid State Memory brands in the field of Content adaptation and application of the digital Media, Server Based Recording and Production and Post-production for TV, technology. Digital technology brought Playback, induction of a lot many Film industry, Satellite and Terrestrial the cost of equipment within the reach production and transmission codecs, broadcasting and OTT/Web TV of the entrepreneurs, thereby OTT, fusion with IT industry etc. Channel. We are serving the industry accelerating the expansion of the Digitalisation also brought a major as a system integrator and providing broadcast industry which otherwise change in the graphics, virtual technology and systems to the was mostly restricted to the technology also which has benefited Television news channels, TV Studios, Government broadcaster / Public the Film and Signage industry too. TV & Film entertainment Industry, Service Broadcasters. Digital From last few years, the most talked

BROADCAST AND FILM 20 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST INTERVIEW technology is 4K / Ultra High Definition TV channels are broadcasting HD TV. TV (linear) channels on OTT Technology, UHD, with High Dynamic Most of the TV Channels are still platform with worldwide Ratio, HDR and High Frame Rate, HFR. broadcasting in SD TV format. availability by using an App known Besides these technologies other Almost all the Camera manufacturers as “One Nation –One App” technologies which are drawing have stopped manufacturing SD TV through CDN service provider. attentions of the broadcasters are as Cameras/camcorders since long and Work involved setting up of follows : have now shifted their focus from HD twenty-four TV studios, equipped a) Mostly with NHK efforts 8K/ Cameras to 4K Cameras. Most of the with NRCS, Production and UHDII technology with immersive TV channels, though they have HD Playout facility with automation. It sound, this year we seen many 8K Cameras in their TV Studios and field, is equipped with the Products from Cameras and Camcorders but are still using the same in the SD Panasonic, Ross Video, Harmonic, displayed by major manufacturers TV mode only. Camera manufacturers Octopus, Vizrt, Adobe and many in Trade Shows. are bringing newer models in 4K and more partners. Unique attraction of b) Web TV Channels, linear and OTT, 8K UHD domain. the setup is three supporting use of the social media for Industry is getting ready for a big jump streams for each channel carrying broadcasting. from SD TV to UHD TV in the near live feeds from the field, total c) Media over IP/ Uncompressed SDI future. Upcoming Olympic Games seventy-two live streams. Entire over IP which was going on from scheduled to be held in Tokyo in 2020 installation, configuring and last so many years, seem to be likely to accelerate these phenomena. commissioning work was getting worldwide popularity and completed in a record time of four acceptance in the form of SMPTE Q3. Tell us something about the months by the VTI team with 2110. prestigious projects undertaken by support of the partners. VTI recently? d) Audio over IP d) Satyajit Ray Film & Television e) AI, artificial intelligence coupled Last year was a comparatively a very Institute, SRFTI Kolkata TV with machine learning. busy year for VTI, we have completed Studios. VTI completed the entire more than thirty projects in the field of work of setting Studio and flyway f) Efforts for developing New Inter Television Broadcasting, Production & kits for sports field coverage. Operable format IMF, Satcom (RF), Education, High End Flyway kit was designed in such Interoperable Master Format by Security Solutions and Enterprise. a way as to make it deployable in SMPTE, for the easy exchange of the field for sports coverages and media content on all platforms Some of the Important Projects are as as well in the SRFTI facility at which includes TV, Cinema, Social follows: Kolkata. Media, and Cloud based media a) Supply of Nine Digital Satellite services etc. News Gathering Vans, DSNG Vans e) Dolby 7.2 Audio Mixing Studio g) Development and acceptability of to Doordarshan on turnkey basis. facility at State University for highly efficient Audio/Video This state- of-the- art Vans were Performing and Visual Art at codecs fabricated on Ashok Leyland Rohtak, Haryana. It was a Dolby certified unique project of its own h) For the transmission & Chassis in 1+1 Configuration. Vans kind in the North India. broadcasting ATSC 3.0 & 5G were also equipped with a small technologies are evolving and live production facility also for the f) Interrogation, Control Room drawing the industry’s attention. live field broadcast capabilities. facility for the Jharkhand Police 5G technology is being looked as b) Two Earth Stations for unlinking at Ranchi. It was an interesting and a replacement of “C” band satellite multiple TV Channels to Satellite small project of its own kind. broadcasting. for Doordarshan at two locations Q4. How is the broadcast business i) e- Sports, with possibility of remote in Delhi. in India? And how is the system sports production and auto c) ETV BHARAT PROJECT - The integration business in India? Is VTI production. most prestigious ETV Bharat TV looking at the markets other than All the above is the gist of happenings set at Ramoji Film City Hyderabad. India? on the technology front, but when we Project involved setting of twenty- India is vibrant county of multiple come to the ground realities in our four linear TV channels on OTT/ cultures and languages, therefore I see country, not more than 15-18% of the Web platform. Project is for the 24 continued om pg31

BROADCAST AND FILM 21 INAUGURAL ISSUE CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

These are strange times and the last few weeks have thrown the world into a tailspin. BROADCAST INDUSTRY ENSURES BUSINESS CONTINUITY WITH CLOUD-BASED SOLUTIONS

These are strange times and problem of this magnitude, we the last few weeks have are learning on the go. While thrown the world into a most News setups in our tailspin. Globally, we were ill- country had traditional Disaster prepared for the situation, Recovery and Remote however critical services Workflow mechanisms, no one quickly geared up to face the was prepared for an event of challenges. this scale. Cloud-based As the print medium faced workflows that were considered severe restrictions in many as tools for the future have regions, it became imperative now become the need of the that the News Channels keep hour. communication lines open for As Broadcast updates from around the world being spread through unmoderated Technology Architects, and for the Authorities to raise social media. Real Image- the Media awareness, disseminate information In these unprecedented times, with no Solutions team of Qube and counteract the misinformation template of best practices to handle a Cinema, has been

One of our clients, with a bouquet of news channels for both national and regional audiences, operating out of multiple facilities across India geared up for this scenario by ensuring that each of their facilities can operate as a DR site for the other. In the event of a temporary closure of a site, the Infrastructure of the other site can take over the additional load and continue operations efficiently. Workflows have been remotely set up by our team, for efficient sharing of both text and video between sites.

BROADCAST AND FILM 22 INAUGURAL ISSUE CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

As a gesture to the Newsroom community in India and across the world, Avid has offered free extended software licenses for NRCS, Asset Management, Editing and Playout workflows. To the Editor community, Avid has recently extended its Media Composer trial license to 3 months (from 7 month) for those working from home. For editors who specifically generate content for New Media platforms, there is the Media Composer I First, a lighter version of the application that is always free, with no watermarking or time limit.

helping its clients analyze their Having introduced cloud-based Video Most of the preparedness and ensure business Editing as early as 2012, Avid News continuity with minimal dislocation of Technologies offers a bouquet of broadcasters are manpower. Production solutions for users who equipped with Another client need not be geographically bound. bonded telecom solutions to transmit with Partnering with Microsoft Azure, and receive ENG live video streams operations in Avid can today host an entire facility from the field. MOG Technologies, an Noida and on the cloud. Nexis CloudSpaces can established media gateway to Mumbai has park projects on the cloud as well as newsroom systems with tight APIIevel planned for complete off-site DR sync with on-site Nexis workspaces for integrations, has also enabled Ingest facilities at both locations. With our an off-site backup. Media Composer, of live lP streams to make them team's support, the entire newsroom Avid's flagship editing application seamlessly available to production database has been duplicated at the DR offers 2 remote variants, Media users accessing content over remote site and it can go fully operational Composer 1 Cloud as well as a Media through Avid Media Central I Cloud without lag time. Composer 1 VM. Other components for UX. Another method followed by a national the Newsroom/GEe such as NRCS, Pebble Beach client, was a planned lengthier 3-day Asset Management, On-Air Graphics, offers a long rundown so that most operations Archival, etc. are also available bouquet of at their facility could be controlled remotely with Avid's MediaCentrall Broadcast remotely and with minimum staff. The Cloud UX solutions The MediaCentrall Automation regional players without a cloud-based Publisher option offers a SaaS-based and Playout workflow or VPN access, have opted portal to browse content from solutions. for general IT remote access Production Management and trigger Besides having an APIIevel applications, such as Team Viewer, for upload to the Publisher SaaS platform integration with iNews and other business continuity. and subsequently to Social Media NRCS systems, Pebble Beach offers During this period, our Media Services Platforms with a 'single click'. The advanced MCR workflows with deep team has also been conducting online technology that drives these integration to Production Assets, training sessions for our clients, to solutions can be deployed via on-prem Traffic System and Archival. Pebble ensure that their staff across divisions servers, VM or on the cloud. Besides Beach 'Orca' a software-defined and locations are updated on the new ensuring business continuity, cloud virtualized lP channel solution workflow practices. solutions also offer advanced enables the deployment of IP-based While the customers are setting up new metadata mining benefits that AI channels almost instantly, without Business Continuity workflows, all our offers, including Face Detection, OCR, compromising production values. product partners have also chipped-in Speech-to-Text, Phonetic Searches and Orca delivers all the functionalities with cloud-based solutions. more. typically handled by discrete

BROADCAST AND FILM 23 INAUGURAL ISSUE CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

While there are readily available products in the market that will benefit the broadcast workflows, each site is unique in terms of requirements. The Real Image Media Solution's team will be happy to collaborate with you to analyze your requirements and make recommendations for optimal and robust business continuity.

hardware servers, graphics, and lifecycle Azure, Google, etc. Its tight integration captioning systems but within a pure management with Avid and other Newsroom software environment. lt shares the for archival of workflows ensures a quick turn-around same underlying architecture video assets. so that users have fast access to with Pebble Beach's Dolphin and Its deployment browse and restore archival content operates under the Marina can be public cloud, private cloud, on- directly from their NRCS tool. Kumulate automation system. prem disk, tape storage tiers or a hybrid also allows content to restore directly Kumulate is Masstech's latest offering of both and includes support for all to playout servers such as Avid's in intelligent storage, workflow and major cloud providers such as AWS, AirSpeed for a fast turnaround. 

SHANKAR BHAT Head - Domain (Broadcast and Pro Video) The author, Shankar Bhat is Head - Domain (Broadcast & Pro Video), at Real Image, the Media Solutions division of Qube Cinema Technologies Pvt. Ltd. He completes 25 years in the Broadcast industry this year. Earlier he has worked as a Television Content producer for 8 years during which he handled many capacities from Script Writer, Show Director, Cameraman, Video Editor and Graphic Artist. Channels associated include Star Movies, BBC, MTV and Channel V. In the past 16 years, at Real Image, he has helped design and commission Newsroom workflows for more than 70 channels in the country including NDTV, Times Global, Network18, India TV, Sun Network, N TV and more. More Than 4000 Newsroom / GEC users have been trained by him and his team.

BROADCAST AND FILM 24 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST INTERVIEW

Sushant Rai to Drive Growth for TVU Networks in the Broadcast Market

Sushant Rai is the Vice President, Sales – South Asia, Middle East and Africa for TVU Networks, a technology and market leader in cloud and IP-based live video solutions. Sushant will lead strategic sales efforts across all three major regions with sales and solutions teams consolidating under his leadership. Prior to joining TVU, Sushant held multiple senior executive roles in well-respected technology and solutions providers in the broadcast industry. Sushant Rai reveals how he plans to drive growth for TVU Networks in the broadcast markets in an exclusive interview with Broadcast & Film.

Q. You have recently taken charge to transit their workflows to cloud and Surround; Tape to Monetisation; at TVU as Vice President Sales for IP based solutions, which will help CapEx to SaaS; On-Prem to Cloud; SDI South Asia, Middle East & Africa minimize disruption and maximize the to IP during these years and it is still region and been in the industry for advantage of efficiency. TVU is in a fun. over two decades. How do you look at good position; I will lead our team and your new role and your journey over show our ability to help our customers Q. The Covid 19 lockdown has the last two+ decades? achieve IP transformation in the near impacted the business worldwide. In this exceptional period, our future. How do you see the impact of this on customers are facing business In my 24+ years in the media industry, I the business and how soon will the continuity challenges, which require have focused on providing the best, companies be able to get over this and them to rethink the way of operating cost-effective, value-for-money bounce back? and managing broadcast tasks. In order solutions to my clients. I have strived The influence of COVID-19 on the to provide the media content that to offer better workflows and practical media industry is very serious. Due to audiences expect broadcasters must broadcast quality technologies keeping the isolation measures in India, many seek more cloud and IP based solutions the client’s budgets, and timelines media companies are unable to operate to overcome the current constraints clearly in focus. I am fortunate to have with any business normalcy. Those affecting the workflow of physical ridden a few technology waves – companies that are unable to rapidly studios. TVU can help all broadcasters Analog to Digital; SD to HD; Mono to adjust their business model to the new

BROADCAST AND FILM 25 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST INTERVIEW restrictions will not be able to compete traditional workflow with TVU embedded 5G modems. TVU One and are at risk of closing down. delivering tremendous value through transmits simultaneously over multiple Although the whole industry is facing lower cost, higher efficiency and simple aggregated connections, including an unprecedented crisis, , there are also convenience. cellular 3G/4G/LTE/5G, microwave, many opportunities for those willing to satellite, BGAN, WiFi and Ethernet. move quickly to cloud and IP-based Q. How has the growth been for Remote production enters a new phase solutions such as At-Home production TVU in emerging markets like India? with a TVU One solution that now workflows, mobile live broadcasting, How do you compare the growth with delivers HEVC/H.265 efficient video remote video conferencing markets in other parts of Asia? compression, patented TVU Inverse collaboration and so on. With years of TVU has been and continues to rapidly StatMux Plus (IS+) algorithm for technology accumulation, TVU is a grow in emerging markets. A dozen TVU superior transmission reliability, true 60 leader with rich experience in At-Home offices in the world are located in FPS frame rate, 10-bit HDR support and production and mobile live developing countries and regions. We the ability to send at 100Mbps over a broadcasting. TVU has been providing have established strong partnerships 5G cellular infrastructure. professional and free production with major media customers in these TVU Producer 3.0 – TVU Producer was solutions to the larger broadcast regions. India is a core strategic market designed to allow anyone to produce community during the pandemic. for us. TVU entered the Indian market professional quality multi-camera live In the post-COVID era, I think the media more than 10 years ago with TVUPack, video regardless of their level of industry will recover rapidly because our original portable cellular backpack experience. It is a powerful Cloud-based people's consumption of media content device. Over the years, TVU has grown video production solution that uses a is eternal, and with the increasing use its customer base in the region and now web interface from any standard of mobile devices, TV screens and work with ZEE, ANI, ABP News, ETV browser and requires no hardware or small mobile screens will develop Bharat, Asianet and many others. software. The new TVU Producer 3.0 simultaneously. However, production India and China are two of our fastest introduces integrated TVU Partyline, a methods will be changed forever growing regions of business. TVU has Real Time Interactive Layer which because of the necessity to adapt to been able to gain many new customers enables production crews, talent, and more remote production caused by the in these countries because we are able equipment to interact with each other pandemic. This includes developing to help Indian and Chinese in real-time, as if they are in the same content for new modes of vertical broadcasters increase the reuse of physical location. We call this Social screen programming for mobile live media content, reduce costs, improve Production. In addition, TVU Producer broadcasting. production efficiency and expand 3.0 delivers robust features including distribution. patented zero-latency frame-accurate Q. Tell us something about some switching technology, professional of the prestigious projects undertaken Q. Tell us briefly about some of graphics/overlay capabilities, instant by TVU in India recently? the new products that TVU plans to replay, PIP/dual/quad multi-view and We have many recent large-scale launch and their USP? the ability to simultaneously output projects in India. One of the most well- TVU continues to introduce new directly to social media platforms and CDNs as well as SDI through a TVU known is for ANI. ANI is the only news solutions and add new customer Receiver. It also has a separate audio agency in India and one of the biggest requested features to existing mix interface with independent input news agencies in ASIA. With ANI, we solutions that are designed to empower signed a long-term agreement where we channel level control, pan, mute and the media supply chain for will help in setting up their technology solo monitor functions. broadcasters. We have new product to distribute their video (24x7) to all their TVU Partyline – TVU Partyline, a introductions or enhancement across affiliates (nearly 100+) across the revolutionary development for Social our entire TVU ecosystem from media country. This includes all news Production, enables all members in a channels and certain sports portals and content acquisition to production to remote production environment to print companies. We have started distribution and management. communicate seamlessly as if they were deployment of TVU equipment and will TVU One with embedded 5G modems all in the same physical space. It enables complete the entire project by July 2020. — Our 6th generation TVU One 1080p production crews and talent to use This is a major milestone for India’s HDR and 4K HDR mobile IP video production tools and collaborate broadcasting industry in changing the transmitter is now shipping with remotely in real time with full HD video

BROADCAST AND FILM 26 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST INTERVIEW quality, perfectly synchronized audio wireless connection and available WiFi on their website. It was also used earlier and video and mix minus one feedback. to transmit live video through a TVU as a part of a global pool feed for media Collaboration within Partyline is made receiver. Some of the features available organizations remotely covering the possible through the use of a Real Time in the TVU Anywhere mobile app is first manned commercial space launch Interactive Layer (RTIL). With a simple Picture-in-Picture, split screen, video in the US. shared URL, participants can join return feed, metadata tagging, bi- TVU Grid is a scalable point-to- Partyline to watch all program feeds live directional VoIP and remote camera multipoint switching, routing and and interact, discuss, control and adjustment. With TVU’s token system, distribution of live video distribution participate in a production in real-time any remote interview subject can go over IP. TVU Grid is used by news with undetectable latency. TVU live instantly by scanning a QR code. agencies and media organizations Partyline offers integration with the It also features TVU’s patented Inverse around the world to share and entire TVU ecosystem including TVU StatMux Plus (IS+) technology for exchange reliable live broadcast quality Producer and TVU Anywhere currently. outstanding picture quality and uses video feeds with virtually no latency. It TVU Anywhere - As reporters and H.265 for efficient data usage. The TVU makes it possible for broadcasting anchors have had to report remotely Anywhere app is available for iOS, OS stations to transition toward an entirely from their homes due to lockdown and Android devices. IP-based infrastructure by using a restrictions, the TVU Anywhere mobile TVU Grid - TVU Grid has been used standard internet connection to deliver app has been the go-to choice globally successfully in different parts of the high-quality, low-latency video from for live reporting. TVU Anywhere turns world recently for broadcast pool feeds. one place to many others, resolving the your phone, tablet or laptop instantly Because of COVID-19 restrictions, local need for traditional expensive fiber and into a transmitter capable of streaming governments in countries such as the satellite. TVU GridLink provides a video high-quality live video and robust US are providing daily public updates preview from hundreds of news features often associated with on their efforts to combat the virus agencies and has embedded rich professional live video equipment. It using TVU Grid for remote live video metadata to help with live content aggregates your device’s cellular pool feed sharing with TV stations and search. 

Covid 19 Lockdown Impact COVID IMPACT on the Entertainment Business continued from pg14 retrenching them, nor cutting their pay. entertainment and animation same for the VFX industry, where They are perhaps more confident of industry? margins are under pressure and their future and resilient in their Response: Pre-Covid19, many of the studios do well only over a period of financial outlook. There is still a great larger animation studios which were time. Till the country isn’t able to deal of uncertainty over how long catering to TV channels and OTT evolve a mature, IP driven model and Covid19 will be around for, but it seems platforms were anyway struggling. a distribution / marketing ecosystem, it will be here for a few months at the Some had multiple shows on various animation will always remain a least. Hence it’s very difficult to predict channels and platforms, yet were commodity where bottom lines will the implications over the long period. unable to break even because margins always be under pressure. This My guess is that this pandemic has are thin and there isn’t enough to doesn’t however negate the fact that set us back by at least a year. sustain downtimes for a large team. the Indian animation has grown by Economically, we have regressed Many others have shut down. leaps and bounds in the past 2 maybe by a few years. Channels and OTT platforms aren’t decades and is among the leading willing to look at developing an eco- animation service providers for the Q3. What is the other bottlenecks system with win-win relationships. world and our local film and TV which hinder the growth in the Eventually all stakeholders suffer. The industry. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 27 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST AUDIO

Enabling Spectacular Experiences in Broadcasting through Sound Technologies

-Attributed to Pankaj Kedia Managing Director, Emerging Markets – Dolby

Entertainment – An Indian screens. Over the past decade, the 835 million; more than the entire Unifier entertainment industry in India has population of Europe. seen unprecedented growth and is With the industry growing at an Remember the times when Indian constantly evolving – content is being unprecedented rate and entertainment households had one television in the created and consumed in newer consumption patterns evolving, the living room and everyone would come formats and in more diverse languages needs of the Indian audience for a together to watch their favourite soap than ever before; entertainment is being superior audio and visual experience on Doordarshan? Sounds like ages ago, consumed on-the-go, be it movies or while consuming content has also but it actually hasn’t been that long. shows on various OTT platforms or evolved. Times have surely and rapidly evolved music. In fact, increased smartphone from then, with families now having a The Revolutionised adoption and internet penetration have television in multiple rooms in the contributed significantly to this Entertainment Experience house, customised subscription packs increased demand for entertainment. Through our breakthrough research in for every TV and in fact, and most science and engineering, Dolby importantly, every family member The Growing Broadcast transforms sights and sounds into having a personal screen with a Industry in India spectacular experiences. We bring our growing preference for entertainment Synonymous to entertainment is the innovations to people through consumption on their smartphones. broadcasting industry in India, and in collaborative partnerships that span However, what hasn’t changed in all the backdrop of the ongoing trends, artists, businesses and consumers these years is India’s connection with one thing is clear – the broadcast worldwide. And with our partners we entertainment. As Indians, we love our segment continues to grow. According deliver incredibly vivid experiences in entertainment and cannot get enough to BARC India, India had 197 million the cinema, at home and on the go — of it. Indians love their entertainment TV homes in 2018, up from 183 million experiences so lifelike that people feel in all forms and sizes – be it on the big in 2016. TV penetration is at an all-time as if they’ve been transported into a screen, on the radio, on their television high, with the number of individuals cinematic story or into a pulsing sphere sets, and now, on their mobile personal with access to television going up to of music, or an action-packed game. In

BROADCAST AND FILM 28 INAUGURAL ISSUE BROADCAST AUDIO entertainment, both through audio and imaging, we give everyone the power to see more and hear more; and feel the spectacular. The Contribution of Sound Technologies Technology has permeated into more and more aspects of lives. In the current era of digital transformation, several technological disruptions have come together to create powerful tools that are reshaping industries across the globe. As the ecosystem is evolving, streaming services and content. across all its shows sound better on a innovations in audio and visual Dolby’s technology is very widely majority of the television devices that technology play a vital role to elevate adopted across devices, including support 5.1 or Dolby Atmos. the overall experience. televisions, Set-Top-Boxes, DMAs, A/ Furthermore, in a mobile-first market like Sound is an extremely important V Receivers, Home Theatres, India, the mobile device is increasingly element of the overall experience, one Soundbars, Mobile Phones, Tablets, becoming an entertainment hub. that can make or break your entire PCs etc. Dolby as a brand consciously Understanding this landscape, we are experience. With evolving content works on making the experience also very actively working with a consumption patterns amongst the seamless across all screens. number of OTT service providers and Indian consumers today, they are Right from the introduction of HD in we have a number of services which increasingly focussing on an enhanced India, we have been deeply engaged in are now streaming content with the sound experience. That is exactly where and working with the Broadcast technology. We are working very Dolby comes in. Our unique audio ecosystem especially HD broadcast. closely with leading local OTT video technologies – Dolby Audio and Dolby Our work over the last several years streaming services including Voot, Atmos have completely transformed has resulted in Dolby Audio Surround YuppTV and Sun NXT to enable their the way sound is being created and Sound being used in over 75 HD service and content with our consumed today and has grown to be channels out of the 90 plus HD technologies. We expect to see even widely popular and accepted by channels in the market. We more interplay of the device, content creators and audiences alike. collaborated with Star India to enable and services in the coming times and Dolby brings innovations to people their HD channels in Dolby Audio when our mobile technologies (Dolby Atmos through collaborations with artists, the then launched in 2011. We also see the and Dolby Audio) are available on all film industry, A/V companies, growth of HD in regional language three. businesses and others worldwide. We channels and we have been working have collaborated successfully with with Sun Networks, Asianet, Maa Need of The Hour several OEMs, content services and Television, among others to enable their – A Seamless Experience content creators to deliver the ultimate HD channels and their content with our The overall understanding is that the entertainment experience to our technology. audience of today is seeking memorable audience. In fact, content creators as a 4K is an interesting opportunity and and spectacular experiences wherever community have always been globally 4K is being very closely they go. So, the need of the hour is to extremely important to us. We work associated with HDR, Dolby Vision and offer them immersive experience which very closely with several stakeholders Dolby Atmos. We can see a large stays with them long after they have in the content creation chain, right from amount of 4K content - television turned the screen off. In the coming directors, to sound mixers, and others drama, OTT originals and live sports, times, the landscape across industries to build strong collaboration. being made available with Dolby Vision and sectors will change rapidly but in In the Indian context, we also have a and Dolby Atmos. Netflix recently these dynamic environments, our goal large presence on the consumer announced that it is bringing studio- will continue to offer experiences that entertainment side in HD broadcast, live quality audio feeds to the service, bring entertainment to life while sports production and also now with which is expected to make the audio redefining the sound landscape in India.

BROADCAST AND FILM 29 INAUGURAL ISSUE INTERVIEW

Delivering Audio Innovation

Sennheiser is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, loudspeakers, microphones and wireless transmission systems and has been shaping the future of audio and creating unique sound experiences for customers. Vipin Pungalia, Director, Professional Segment, Sennheiser Electronics, India shares his insights in an interview with Broadcast & Film

Q1. Please tell us briefly about Q2. Sennheiser has a historic are expecting 50% contribution. your journey in Sennheiser. legacy and offers a complete Sennheiser has always been at the What has been your range of headphones and forefront on providing latest contribution in the professional microphones. Which is the technologies and innovations to our customers, bringing them at par with segment of the brand? segment which gives the largest their international counterparts. business/sales in India. What Being a technology and music lover myself, working with Sennheiser has are your priority markets in Q3. Tell us briefly about the new been the perfect fit for me. Like India currently? products launched by Sennheiser Sennheiser, my focus has always Over the past few months we have and their USP and how do you think been to bring perfect and delightful launched clutter breaking audio it will have an impact on the sound experience to our consumers. solutions across segments for all market? Having been an integral part of kinds of industry professionals. If we Currently, the Broadcast Industry is Sennheiser since its entrance into look at segment wise growth rate, our in a whirl of movement with the the Indian market, Sennheiser has Business Communication is growing evolving demands of customers and emerged as one of India’s most the highest at 45% followed by equally innovative offerings from successful audio brands which has Broadcast and Media 24% and Live manufacturers. The boom in the witnessed a 30% Y-o-Y growth in the performance- music segment which is smartphone industry along with the professional segment. My passion growing at 16%, and audio recording exposure to global music has further toward music and technology is at 13%. However, amongst these, the given it a boost. Hence, there is an what drives me every single day and Broadcast and Media, and Integrated emerging trend of integrating audio ensure that Sennheiser continues to Systems have seen the maximum and video services. deliver innovation that has a great growth as compared to last year. Smartphones these days are impact on the audio industry in Additionally, we are focusing becoming the epicentre of India. on non-metro cities from where we consumption. Therefore, we have

BROADCAST AND FILM 30 INAUGURAL ISSUE INTERVIEW introduced Memory Mic this year. We have also introduced Q4. How has the growth been The portable microphone is TeamConnect Ceiling 2. This ceiling for Sennheiser in emerging lightweight and offers excellent microphone is designed to improve markets like India? sound and works at any distance audio quality for voice and video from the smartphone. When conferences with automatic India is currently the largest and recording with the Memory Mic, the adaptive beamforming technology. the fastest growing regions for smartphone’s in-built microphone is This technology is patented by installed sounds leading the way. active and picks up the ambient Sennheiser and it automatically Our consumers in India are more sound. The wireless Sennheiser focuses on the active speaker and and more evolving and hence there Memory Mic lasts up to four hours follows their voice no matter where is a lot of potential here given that on a single charge and can be they move in the room. This product there is a rapid increase in the charged via the USB port and can sets the telephone and video corporate environment. When it charge up-to 70% in an hour. The conferences free, making them comes to product wise market share, main USP of the product is that it is simpler and more productive while amplifiers are currently dominating wireless. The wiring in the usual mics ensuring optimum audio quality. the Indian market with 65% share often hinder with the influencers’ It’s an ideal choice for medium-sized whereas microphones are activities. This Memory Mic allows to large meeting rooms, where it is contributing to 25% of the market. our customers to move around freely unobtrusively mounted to the The balance is being constituted and share their experience without ceiling and powered via Ethernet. by speakers, headphones, and having to worry about the wires, For larger or oddly shaped rooms, headsets, mixers, consoles, which we personally feel is sure to several ceiling microphones can converters, digital recorders, change the way content creators be combined to ensure best intelligent solutions, and conference produce their videos. coverage. systems. 

Satish Aggarwal BROADCAST INTERVIEW – The Broadcast Technocrat Par Excellence continued from pg19 a bright future for this industry in India Security Solutions, and Solutions for Find ways of resolving problems which is having more than 800 TV the Enterprise & Corporates. faced by the industry from time to Channels at present. With the time through discussion with its upcoming technology advancement, I Q6. Tell us about the AIBMDA and members. foresee a bright future for the Industry. the role of AIBMDA in the Indian Monitor developments in the We are gearing up to spread our wings broadcast industry. broadcast sector and share it with and looking beyond India also. Let’s The All India Broadcast Manufacturers its members on a continuous see how it turns out. and Distributors Association, basis. AIBMDA, is the voice of the Broadcast Encourage and promote Q5. Which are other segments that Equipment and Broadcast Software technological innovation among VTI is targeting apart from the Industry in India. engineers and scientists working broadcast industry? Established under Section 25 of the in the broadcast sector through Visual Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. Companies Act 1956, the objectives of financial and other help. which is working and established in the the association are as follow: Apprise engineers and other country from last more than Twenty - broadcast professionals of the Two years in the field of TV Take up issues affecting the growth latest developments in the Production, Broadcasting & Satellite of the Broadcast Equipment and broadcasting sector through a Communication & RF, spreads itself in Broadcast Software Industry with concerted program of conferences, the other verticals of the similar fields Government and other regulatory seminars, exhibitions and road of Education & AV Industry, High End authorities. shows. 

BROADCAST AND FILM 31 INAUGURAL ISSUE NON LINEAR EDITING The State of the NLE in Indian Film and TV

This is my first of what is planned as a regular column on trending technologies in post, NLE, VFX and so forth. So, to start with, a look at the state of Non-Linear Editing systems.

By NEIL SADWELKAR

Avid Media Composer as subscription, so one pays monthly bins and clips. This is still being or annually. Of course, resellers also explored in India, and in the coming Avid Media Composer is by far the sell complete systems, and Avid also year, it could become a streamlining favourite among editing systems for provides information on ‘ideal’ factor in the growing web series mainstream theatrically released films. systems, that expert users can buy and industry. Avid’s media handling particularly for configure. Avid Media Composer has Windows long timelines, large amounts of media, One huge change that has happened and Mac versions with the same feature and organisational capabilities, is to Avid is, in 2019, for the first time in set. unparalleled. 30 years (yes, since 1989) the interface Over the years, Avid has changed underwent a complete overhaul in June Final Cut Pro 7 drastically. It’s not a system any more, this year. The new Avid no longer looks In conventional TV editing, FCP 7, or but just a software, and users add their and feels like Avid one has known for Final Cut Pro 7 is still going strong and own system, monitors, speakers, and decades. This is a good and refreshing is very popular. FCP was developed as hard drives. Avid software is available change as long as one spends time versions 1 to 7 over 2001-2009 with the studying new last update to FCP 7 happening in 2010 features. Some and the software officially call it Avid’s discontinued since 2011. FCP 7 has not ‘FCP X been available as a product since the moment’, but past eight years, but it still continues time will tell how to be used in large numbers in India. this change Large pool of familiar editors, easy to goes down. learn and start basic editing, rapid Avid is also the timeline work, easy bin and project strongest in management, uncomplicated import collaborative and export, compatibility with tape editing. Where sources, and ProRes, make it the more than one mainstay of TV in India, even today. editor can work But FCP 7 needs an older Mac system simultaneously to run and since about two years, no on the same new Mac can run FCP 7, so it’s a matter project and of time before it will be difficult to find share assets like a system to run FCP 7.

BROADCAST AND FILM 32 INAUGURAL ISSUE NON LINEAR EDITING

software gains Effects needs a rather well specced acceptance in computer system, and older systems the coming may struggle to complete long projects. months. Premiere’s support for exporting to Adobe other software like ProTools for audio Premiere Pro is or colour correction on Baselight or available as Resolve, is not as reliable as Avid’s Mac and unless care is taken with metadata, but Windows this changes with every new release. versions. And Another great new feature in recent it’s available as versions is the support for a subscription collaborative editing where multiple for a little over editors can work within the same a thousand project. Its age is rapidly getting apparent. FCP rupees per Premiere Pro has Windows and 7 cannot use memory over 4 GB, cannot month. Premiere Pro can be subscribed Mac versions with the same feature directly import many new camera to on its own, or as a complete Adobe set. Creative Cloud subscription where one formats, has sketchy support for 4k Blackmagic Resolve resolution workflows, and in later gets to use Photoshop, After Effects, versions of macOS, has uncertain Media Encoder and other Adobe After DaVinci’s takeover by handling of colour spaces. 2020 may software. Each subscription can be Blackmagic, this became Blackmagic be the last year for the widespread use used on 2 systems, and you can even DaVinci Resolve some years ago. With of FCP 7. load it in multiple systems and sign in newer versions 14 through 16, FCP 7 is Mac only and has no Windows and out as you like. Blackmagic added other ‘modules’ to version. Premiere handles many new camera Resolve, and it isn’t just a colour formats natively, without conversion, correction system any more. Adobe Premiere Pro but by caching. It can handle proxy In the last two versions of Resolve, With the discontinuance of FCP 7 in making on its own. With built-in many new editing-friendly features 2011, Adobe Premiere Pro, the most colour correction, advanced audio have been added, and it is now a similar editing software to FCP 7, has editing with Audition, and effects using worthy successor to FCP 7 for those rapidly gained popularity in TV and After Effects and Photoshop, means who are still on the fence. Resolve other genres of films in India. It has you can edit and finish in the same supports most camera formats natively, been used in a few feature films, many suite without having to import/export and has an in-built proxy and optimised a TV series and will likely completely EDLs or XMLs. Advanced finishing file generation process for those file replace FCP 7 unless some other and effects within Premiere/After formats that don’t permit easy real-time playback. Resolve has an integrated approach for activities beyond editing, like colour correction, VFX, and audio. It does this by having built-in modules called Fusion for VFX, Fairlight for audio editing/mixing, and of course, Resolve colour correction. So, if one has acquired the skills to master Fairlight, Fusion and colour correction in Resolve, then one can edit and finish an entire film within Resolve itself. Alternately, a team of an editor, a sound engineer, a colourist, and a VFX artist can work alternately and within the same project without having to

BROADCAST AND FILM 33 INAUGURAL ISSUE NON LINEAR EDITING bother going back and forth via EDLs/ XMLs as edit changes. For larger or episodic projects, collaborative editing via a shared databases and shared media is another feature which works reliably and is easy to setup. The best ‘feature’ of Resolve is that it has a full-featured (almost) free version, and even the full or Studio version is available for a reasonable one-time fee. Resolve has Windows and Mac versions with the same feature set. FCP X

FCP X, launched by Apple in a formats, seamless proxy handling, and varied. And software evolves controversial manner in 2011, has, media and project management make it rapidly, adding features and according to some sources sold nearly suitable for a variety of editing tasks capabilities. So fast that editors are 3 million copies, and yet, is considered even long form documentary. often left behind and don’t use many by many professional editors in India Among currently available editing new features that have been available has having ‘flopped’ in the pro market. systems, FCP X is the one with the least for years. Systems to edit off - Windows It’s true that not too many and Mac - also evolve rapidly feature films or web series in and get cheaper at the same time, India, are being cut on FCP X, and what used to to cost but in the one-man band millions, now costs tens of YouTuber and online video and thousands. The capabilities of Vlogger circle, FCP X is very even portable systems of today popular. rivals large desktop systems of Built around a database-based just a decade ago. project (called Library), FCP X The lines between editing or changes the usual terms for what used to be called ‘offline’ Project, Bin, Sequence, and has editing, and sound mixing, visual an innovative ‘magnetic’ timeline effects, colour correction, and which novices find very easy to ‘online’ editing gets thinner understand, and professionals requirements of the system, and even and thinner, and its left to the find equally frustrating. Leading to its an older MacBook Air can run FCP X capabilities of the human more than low acceptance amongst established with ease. what the system can do. Today, an editors. FCP X is Mac only and has no exceptionally talented editor who FCP X is the most ‘different’ system Windows version. invests time in learning, can edit, colour from the others in many ways, and it correct, mix sound, and do visual takes a while to get used to its method. Conclusion and Outlook effects, and can even create a DCP for But, having gotten used to FCP X, it’s The choice of editing software (NLE) theatrical release, or upload for online difficult to go back to any other system. for editing a feature, documentary, ad, release - all in one small affordable Its support for many prosumer camera episodic, web, corporate etc, is wide editing system. 

Neil B Sadwelkar Neil Sadwelkar, based in Mumbai spends most of his waking hours working as a consultant on data and workflows for movies and Television and is an occasional editor, teacher and My site : www.digitaldada.in writer. At present, he runs a small Data and Workflow Services company called 'Digital My blog : neilsadwelkar.blogspot.com Dada' which is a trusted name in data and workflow for feature names by some of the skype : neilsadwelkar largest film companies - Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions, Red Chillies, Excel twitter : fcpguru Entertainment, Bhansali Productions and many others

BROADCAST AND FILM 34 INAUGURAL ISSUE GLOBAL MEDIA FOR BROADCAST, FILM, POST & INFOTAINMENT 2020 TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS Media Kit BROADCAST & FILM - Your #1 Resource to Reach Broadcast, Film, Post & Infotainment Technology Markets in India

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