Cameras: News and Updates
JVC GY-HM650 PROHD Camera Saves WWSB Thousands in Satellite Truck Costs
By StudentFilmmakers.com
posted Jul 2, 2013, 12:43
Jack Dillon, director of engineering of Calkins Media Broadcast Division, which is part of Pennsylvania-based Calkins Media and includes WWSB, WTXL, and WAAY, said the use of the GY-HM650's built-in live streaming capabilities for live shots saved WWSB roughly $10,000.
Nik Wallenda gained national attention last month when he completed a 1,400-foot-long
tightrope walk across the Little Colorado River Gorge near the Grand Canyon
in Arizona. The event was shown live on the Discovery Channel on June 23, but
WWSB, an ABC affiliate based in Sarasota (DMA #14), used the built-in streaming
capabilities of the JVC GY-HM650 ProHD mobile news camera to provide live coverage
of press conferences and other events from Arizona for Wallenda’s hometown
fans.
With only a two-person team, anchor Lauren Dorsett and creative service producer
Charlie Yeagley, who handled shooting duties, the station provided live coverage
of Wallenda’s arrival and press conferences, as well as stand-ups from
the event. WWSB had previously covered Wallenda’s tightrope walk across
Niagara Falls in June 2012, where the station had coordinated with another ABC
affiliate for satellite uplink time.
Jack Dillon, director of engineering of Calkins Media Broadcast Division, which
is part of Pennsylvania-based Calkins Media and includes WWSB, WTXL, and WAAY,
said the use of the GY-HM650’s built-in live streaming capabilities for
live shots saved WWSB roughly $10,000 for satellite truck rental, as well as
additional uplink fees. “We covered a local story 1,500 miles away at
a cost of travel for two people,” Dillon said.
Rather than a Verizon 4G LTE modem, which attaches directly to the GY-HM650
via USB, WWSB used a Verizon 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot, which Yeagley kept in his
pocket during live shots. Most of the time, the GY-HM650’s live delay
was around two seconds, which Yeagley attributed to a “great 4G network”
in the region. “The camera setup worked during every live shot,”
he added. “The quality of the output was unbelievable, considering we
were using the camera with only a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot.”
It was very easy for Yeagley to move from one live shot to the next –
with the 4G hotspot in his pocket, he grabbed his camera and tripod, walked
to the next location, turned on the camera and hotspot, and he was live. In
contrast, he watched a shooter from a local station unravel two spools of cable
and struggle to run them underneath a boardwalk to get the same live shot. “There
was definitely some jealousy – and a lot of interest,” Yeagley recalled.
“He started taking pictures of our camera and sending them to his news
director.”
The GY-HM650 also streamlined the workflow. Between locations, while Dorsett
was driving, Yeagley would use the camera’s built-in clip trimmer to edit
specific clips, which he would then upload via FTP to a shared site for the
company. As a result, the individual files could be edited at WWSB or other
Calkins Media stations and newspapers.
“I love the camera. I was really impressed,” said Yeagley, “The
amount of work I didn’t have to do for a live shot made my job easier.
It allowed us to focus on our product, as opposed to worrying about technical
stuff.”
The Wallenda coverage was WWSB’s first use of the camera’s built-in
streaming. While Dillon said the GY-HM650 should be considered an addition to
microwave and satellite uplinks, not a replacement, WWSB is now using the technology
regularly to produce live shots from Venice, Fla., which is about a 30-minute
drive from the station. “This is absolutely an additional tool we can
use to get content back to the station,” he said. “Now we can reach
out and do more and more live content. This is a better way to serve our audience
and give them the live content that they want.”
Since purchasing its first cameras earlier this year, Calkins Media has standardized
on the GY-HM650, according to Dillon. WWSB has three units, while WTXL, the
ABC affiliate serving Tallahassee-Thomasville, Fla. (DMA #106), has six and
the corporate office in Levittown has one. The company is ordering an additional
three cameras for WWSB and six for WAAY, the ABC affiliate for Huntsville-Decatur,
Ala. (DMA #79). “The camera produces quality video, and at this price
point, to be able to have the capabilities and flexibility this camera gives
us is a big advantage,” he added.
About JVC Professional Products Company
Headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, JVC Professional Products Company is a
division of JVC Americas Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation.
JVC is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional
video and audio equipment, D-ILA front projection systems, and Super LoLux HD
video security products. For further product information, visit JVC’s
Web site at http://pro.jvc.com.
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