< PreviousEING AN EMPATHY ADVOCATE WITHIN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY, HOW DO YOU THINK IT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MODERN DAY STORYTELLING? The reality is that storytelling without empathy is simply a narrative. Our ability to connect emotionally with other human beings relies on our ability to lay empathy at the core of all creativity. For creativity to resonate and to truly impact behaviour, it needs to first empathise with the audience it was created for. IN A WORLD INCREASINGLY DRIVEN BY TECH, CAN WE DRAW AN AMICABLE LINE BETWEEN HUMANITY AND FUTURISTIC INNOVATION? Technology could be a very useful force for connectivity, or a wall to human connection. It is important to focus on how it is created and used. Tech will only ever be as powerful, as the human beings behind it. In that way humanity and futurism can never be separated. The deeper we embed our humanity, the more likely innovation will reach and deliver against true needs in our world. DO YOU THINK INTERACTIVE AND IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCES IMPACT EMPATHY? Evidence shows yes it can. Our ability to empathise eff ectively is deeply embedded in the use of our imagination to place ourselves into the reality of others. VR and immersive experiences hold the power to deeply connect us within the context of someone else and transform our ability to empathise. B All set to chair Marketing Mania at this year’s GITEX, Mimi Nicklin, Creative CEO at the newly founded agency FREEDM – talks about the infl uence of intent and purpose on technology, as well as how empathy can shape the way forward EMBRACING EMPATHY IN TECH AS A PODCASTER, DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE A CONTENT CREATOR IN TODAY’S TIMES TO STAY RELEVANT? WHICH TECH DO YOU USE? I have read that many podcasters don’t get past the fi rst three-fi ve episodes. I am not surprised, as it is truly a full-time job! The reality is you cannot stay relevant today, if you don’t have content. No one would know you if you didn’t share content with them. How else would they follow and engage with you? In a world driven by virtual, social and professional connection, we need content bridges that allow us to stay relevant and in front of the eyes that matter. Tech-wise I love Squadcast, it is intuitive and reliable. Mimi Nicklin, Creative CEO, FREEDM ALL SET TO BE THE CHAIRPERSON FOR MARKETING MANIA AT GITEX, WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT? Marketing Mania is an event that connects the marketing community in a fantastic way. I look forward to the conversations that take place in between the key notes and inspirational sessions. The ones that build relationships, open opportunities, inspire a new generation of creative thinking and collaboration. After all, we live in an era where co creation and collaboration are major driving forces for growth. Given the two years behind us, I feel this year will be transformative in its ability to connect people and potential. www.digitalstudiome.com20 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2021 GITEXith Amazon Web Services scaling up operations in the region, a future driven by cloud is certain. Taking notes and empowering the next generation with advanced skill sets is Murdoch University, Dubai. As the fi rst AWS Academy-accredited partner in the UAE to have launched a cloud foundations course free of cost – the university has been off ering 20 hours of self-paced course content under their AWS Certifi ed Cloud Practitioner certifi cation. “As one of the leading international universities in the region, we always strive to deliver learning solutions for real-world scenarios through practical, hands-on experiences. The collaboration with AWS Academy serves this exact purpose, and with Global Knowledge ranking AWS Certifi cation as one of the top 15 most valuable IT certifi cations, we look forward to delivering more AWS Academy courses in the region,” said Dr. James Trotter, Dean and Academic President, Murdoch University, Dubai. COVID forced companies to shift everything online and invest in digital transformation. With several leaders realising the need to build a presence online, there is a rise in demand for younger skilled professionals. Especially, since the UAE W Cloud computing has been one of the major trends accelerating businesses globally in 2021, and entertainment is no exception. The team at Murdoch University, Dubai explains why it is necessary for millennials to embrace the future with the best in cloud – AWS FUTURE-PROOFING GEN Z has a large number of youth, unique with its multicultural perspectives and diverse cultural values. “The AWS Academy at Murdoch University Dubai gives our students the opportunity to learn Cloud Computing skills and strengthen their employment prospects through AWS training and certifi cation. Students gain knowledge that is in high demand in industry, as well as practical experience in architecting Cloud solutions for real-world problem scenarios,” shared Mandy Northover – IT, Murdoch University Dubai and accredited trainer AWS Cloud Foundations and AWS Cloud Architecting. Companies in the region have been building their IT infrastructures to embrace a fl exible, portable and scalable future. Breaking down the very concept of cloud and how it is an enabler for growth, Joseph Stevens, Program Coordinator, Computer Science & Information Systems, Murdoch University Dubai explained, “Cloud is like a rental car. Earlier, you would need a server, with the appropriate amount of hard drives and power. You would have to spend time in ensuring maintenance, updation and security. That means putting your software and applications on it. Instead of buying and paying for your own equipment, the cloud model changes business by off ering a third party arrangement that takes care of all this for you. For us, as academicians, we saw this need taking over the market and hence, decided to support it by preparing our students for the current job market.” The course teaches students how to work with virtual servers, deploy them in the cloud, networking and storage on the cloud, which is a more abstract process, when compared to working with physical machines. “When students fi nish this course, they know the basics of how to work with Amazon Web Services, which is one of the most trusted services right now. There is another course called the Amazon Cloud Architect, which we plan on running in the next year hopefully. That is more advanced, since it covers building very large, complex systems in the cloud. In addition to our Information Technology degree in cybersecurity and forensics, the cloud certifi cation makes students well-equipped for the future of business,” added Joseph. Further elaborating on machine learning, as part of the course, Wayne Muller, Lecturer – IT Murdoch University Dubai and accredited trainer AWS Academy Machine Learning Foundation and AWS Academy Cloud Foundations mentioned, “Many organisations are already leveraging machine learning to enhance their products and services. Currently, the demand for machine learning experts is outstripping the supply. AWS Academy Machine Learning Foundation introduces students to the concepts and terminology of machine learning. By the end of this course, students are able to select the most appropriate tool and apply the services to solve business problems. Students are also able to label, train, and build, a custom machine learning model.” The course is currently running its fourth cohort and is currently accessible by all students of the university. It is expected to open for the public next year, along with a new postgraduate degree in Information Technology. Wayne Muller, Lecturer – IT Joseph Stevens, Program Coordinator www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER - DECEMBER 2021 / 21 EDUCATIONTo set a benchmaark and ssustain it aat a time when chaallenges are strife is not easy. Seven Productioon’s CEO Hadi GGhanemm, along wwith Manaaging Director Pierre Tabet reveals practicaal takeawaays from thriving in the Midddle East – in convversation with Karishma Hingorani esppite the impact ofCCOVID-19 on sevveraal businesses, prooducction companies havve managed to staay pput. Having led coveeragge forr sevverall largge-sccale events in the MENA regiion, Sevven PProdduction has been D constanntly ccaptturinng thhe mmarket, with their leadding 4KK annd HHD bbroaadcast solutions, alonng wwith live ttechhnicaal eveent support. WWith thhe ongooingg wwave of hybrid techhnollogy in the inddustrry, the company has beeen qquickk to adaapt aand off er world- classs ssoluttionns fofor its prestigious set of distinguisshedd cliennts, including broaadcaasterrs, pproduuction ccompanies, event orgaanisers andd govvernnmennt entities. After haviing susstainned suuccesssfully through thicck aand thhin, Haadi Ghanem, CEO, andd Piierree TTabeet, MMannaging Director, Seveen Prooducctionn hiighliight the seven funddammentals of runnningg a production busiinesss in 20221. Hadi Ghanem, CEO, Seven ProductionCOVER FEATURE Post panddemic, as debbates go on to specculaate tthe neeed foor leesser resources on grouundd – thee rolle oof human force on set is indisppenssable. Teams may havve bbecoome smmalleer, hhowever, there is alwayys aa neeed ffor ffew crew members to ooverrseee opperaationns aand ensure all thinngs aare in pplacee. Faaithh in this fact has worrkedd woondeers for Haddi in sustaining a laargee-scaale set up desspite pandemic unccertaaintties. “Att thee endd of the day, you willl alwwayss neeed a caamerraman to be on locaationn, inn orrderr to enssure everything goes smmootthlyy. Thhere is nno alternative to pre or ppost prooducctionn. Yoou need lighting, regaardlless of a rremoote or on premise shoot. Soomeeqquippmeent is always requuireed aand thaat iis mmost important for all of uus aat Seevenn Prroduction. Its a factt thaat conttinuees to keeep us positive, enthhusiiastic aand proaactive every day as a team,,” saays HHadi. EElaboorattingg onn thee new tech in store at SSeveen Prooducctionn, PPierre informs thatt thhe rrental houuse now provides Pannasoonic’’s 44K rreaddy roobotic cameras for dirrect strreammingg too YouTube and other social meediaa pllatforms. “The cammeraa uses aartifficiaal inntelligence and is cconnnectted to thee intternet, making it tthe perrfect fit foor the widespread livee sttreaaminng requuestts we receive on a dailyy baasis. Wee haave 36 cameras likee these and hhave been using them exteensiivelyy foor all ouur evvents. Recently, we aalsoo inttrodduceed ouur 44K equipped OB vann – a firsst inn thee reggionn. We now cover commpleetelyy inn 4K – frromm switch routers to ccamerass – everythhingg is empowered by the lattestt in buusineess. At a time wheen mosst bbusiinessses stopped bulk opeeratiionss, wwe diid not. WWe were aware of the mmarrket demmannd annd tapped onto thatt pootenntiall to plann ahhead. Clients in Havvingg annticiipateed aa pootential impact on bussiness ooperratioons,, Hadi and his teamm ssaileed throughh thee pandemic by reviisitiing rresoourcces aand uupgrading them for the futuure. “TThiss is what innforrmed our response to tthe ppandemmic as wwell.. We planned it wayy in advvancce. TTherre wwere limitations on holldinng pphyssicaal evvents such as foottballl, coonceerts andd larrge-scale shows in tthe UAEE, aas wwell as SSaudi Arabia. A TThhe neeedd foor eeqquippmmennt is coonsttanntt UUppggraade too SSuccceeed thiss reggionn arre allwayys inn a hurry. They ask todday,, buut wwoulld hhave needed it yestterdday. Heencee, it is vvery necessary to rremaain cconnsisttent andd constant in all enddeavvourrs,” expplainns Pierre. CCurrentlly, SSeveen PProdduction is home to oveer 448 equuipmmentts including a widde raangee off prre annd ppost softwares, broadcast eqquipmennt, film cameras, drones,uunivverseepplatfforms, lenses, servverss annd grraphhicss gennerators. All of these aare ddeliiverred bby sstate-of-the-art induustrry bbrannds succh as Grass Valley, Cannon,, EVVS, VVizrrt, PPlayybox, Inscriber, Fujinonn, MMarrshaall, GGoPPro, Panasonic, Sonny, DDJI, EEassyrigg, Thhe TTiffen Company, Jimmmyy Jibb, FFloatcamm, GGreenbull, Top Traack aand Supper TTechhnoo. hugge riise in viirtuual evennts prompted us to aadappt bby taakinng oon ggame shows for Rammadan. In an industrry that is ever- evolvinng, yyouur bbusinnesss has to keep evolvinng ass weell,” he aaddss. LLast Raamaadann, SSeveen Production provvideed hhybrrid soluutions for a game showw caalledd Inncoggnitoo, fillmed from eight diff eerennt loocattionss at the same time. The pressentter aatteendeed thhe event from their homme aand so ddid tthe ppartticipants spread acrooss EEgypt, DDubbai, AAbuu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddahh, DDammamm aand Lebanon. The challennge wass too deeliveer zero latency to ensuure seamlless covverage and an enhhancced vviewwer eexpeeriennce. TThe team att SSeveen Production succcesssfullly oorgaaniseed tthe event with no delayss,uusinngaadvaanced satellite trannsmmissioon andd sattelliite downlink in eachh inndivviduual locaationn. Additionally, the Seevenn PProdducttion 4K OB van locaatedd at ttheiir baase in DDubai – was the maiin hhub receeivinng ssignals from across locaationns aand senndinng signals to all of themm. WWithh thhe seammlesss integration of advvanceed techhnoologiies, powered by a teamm off expperiienced pprofeessionals, Seven Producctionn mmanaagedd too capture the exciitemmentt, nnail--biting adventure and thriill asssocciateed wwith a gaaming event. TThe ccommpanny eextenndedd the capability of its exiistinng eequiipmeent for sports prodducttionn andd addapteed itt for a successful onliine eveent, thuus off eering a diverse rangge oof soluttionns wwithiin the industry. As pprodducttions risse annd thhe region opens up for bussiness, Haddi beelieves this has CCOVER FEAATURE wwww.digitalstudiome.com24 // OCCTOBBER - DECEEMBEER 20021KKKnnow thhee mmaarkket Forr a mmoddernn-dayy prroduuction business to sttay rresiliennt, a 3600-degree knowledge of tthe maarkeet iss veery iimportant. For Sevven Producctionn, thhis translates into theiir sstrattegiic pposittionning in two of Midddlee East’s thriivinng fillm destinations – Saaudi Arrabia annd DDubaai. Being at the foreefront oof reegioonal prooductions, Hadi commmeents,, “WWhenn I vventtured into Saudi Araabia,, thhere waas oonlyy one company therre, aand theey wwere limited to football. Theere wwas no ootheer prroduuction company at tthe timme annd tthatt is when we were doinng mmajoor eevennts tthere. Saudi Arabia is uundergooingg a bigg booom currently. We aree doiing a loot off eveents in the city inclluding tthe NNatiionaal Daay celebrations, conncertts, prroduuctioons and large- scalle showws, aaparrt ffromm working with Forrmulla EE. Anothher notable project for us iis MMBCC’s TTop Cheef AArabia. We have been cooverringg thee shhow for over seven seassonss noow. Haavingg saaid that, Dubai wass alwwayss thhe mmajoor soource for us, as ourr fi rsst bbrannch andd heaadquarters. We get acceess tto hhugee worldwwide companies here, bee it pprodducttionns orr events. Thanks to bbothh these locatioons, a lot of clients fromm thhe UUK aand Eurropee have also been appproachinng uus.” Forr any evvent produuction to be succcesssful,, thheree arre sseveral factors thatt neeed tto bbe keept iin mmind. Especially withh thhe risee inn livve streaming and onliine events,, produuctioon teams face a stroong demmannd foor ssecuure and reliable trannsmmissionss. At a tiime like this, Pierre empphassises onn thhe neeed for production houuses too innvesst inn hhighly effi cient backupp solutioons. “WWe are alwwayss woorkinng with backup. It iis extreemeely iimpportaant, because if anyy misstakkes hhapppenn oveer a live stream, it alll gooes bblacck and tthatt is a big NO for us. We alwwayss haave aa baackup in all our truccks, wee arre UUPS equuipped, in case of aa powerr ouutagee, wwe reemain switched on regardllesss. WWe hhavee a backup for the rouuter,, mixerr, as weell as the audio. Forr anyy evventt, wee ennsurre the supply of extrra equippmeent andd stoorage measures, regaardlless off wwhetther it has been requuestted bby tthe ccliennt orr not. You never knoow inn caase sommethhing falls down and breaaks,, youu neeed eextrra baack up.” WWhile itt is esssenttial for production businessses to kknoww thheir ttarget audience, it iss eqquallly ccruccial for fi lmmakers to gathher enouggh kknowwleddge about the regiion, befforee thhey stepp in. Shedding lighht onn prootoccols andd proocedures, Pierre highhlighhts, “Ass of 22021, it is important to check yyourr zone aand makke sure you are vacccinaated. Theree arre sseveral permits thatt neeed to be acqquireed for shooting in tthe regiion.. Wee att Sevven Production orgaanisse thhesee forr ouur clients, including permmitss foor fi lmmingg, outdoor shoots, wireeless trranssmisssionn, drrone usage, etc. If yyou are comminng frrom outside with a timelinne off twwo oor thhree days, it can be diffi ffi cultt too organise all of this. That is wheere we parrtneer wwith teams to off er endd-to--endd supppoort innforrmed by years of experieencee andd sppeciaalist skillset.” AAlwwayyss bbaackup Pieerre TTabet,, Managinng Directoor, Seven Production beenn one of tthe bestt deecisions for the commpanny sso ffar. “Wee deecided to spend timee inn upddatiing oour exissting trucks and equuipmmentt. Today,, as pprodductions open up in-ppersoon –– thaat haas woorkeed tremendously welll foor uus cconssiderringg we are well- equuippeed wwith thee lateest in business. This yearr, ouur teeamss in Dubbai aand Saudi Arabia have beeen wworkkingg on fifi lmming a big concert happpenning in Jedddahh and we are really lookkingg forwwarrd too it,” affi rrms Hadi. HHadi furttherr shaares thatt the entire team at SSeven Prroduuctiion aacrooss Saudi Arabia andd Duubai hass beeen PPfi zeer vaccinated, in order too ennsurre thhere are zero hurdles in termms oof trraveel, saafetyy annd shooting on- locaationn. Fromm hiss experiience, things on set are nott baack to nnormmal completely, withh lessser crew annd ddistaancing still being the norrm. HHowweveer, hhe hoopes for 2022 to brinng a neww and immproovedd kind of normal. CCOVER FEAATURE wwww.digittalstuddiomee.commOOCTOOBER - DECCEMBER 2021 / 25 Moddernn day prooductionn environments demmandd a fastter turnnaroound amid high presssurres. Contennt nneedds to be vivid, sharrp aand cryystall cleear. In order to do thiss, prroduuctioon crewws aare required to use thee hiigheest pperfformming technology to eensuure qquallity ooutpput. At a time when mosst innnovvatoors aare addding 4K to their rangge oof ccapaabilitties, Sevven Production has beeen tthe fi rsst inn the region to set up theiir owwn douuble exppansion 4K OB (outtsidee brroaddcasst) VVANN, based on 12G techhnollogyy, fuully equuippped with Grass Vallley eequiipment andd conntrolled by TSL. It allso iincluudess thee Sirrus 8840 core Router andd Kaahunna 96000 VVision mixer. The van is equuipped wwithh 200 cameras GVG LDXX86NN (NNattive 4K)), 6 x 12G wireless Systtem with coontrol, 55 x EEVS XT4K replay systtem,, 18 xx AJJA KIPRRO UULTRA recorders 12GG annd VVizrtt’s UUHDD grraphics System. Addditioonallly, itt featurees thhe LAWO MC236 Auddio Connsolle wwithh surround audio systtem andd RTTS ODDINN inttercom. AAs a moobilee prroduuctioon unit, suited for all typpes of in-ppersson and hybrid producctionns, theeSSeveen Production 4K OBB trruckk ccomees complete with equuipmmentt and crrew, dessigned for travel to aa loocattionn forr brroaddcast coverage. Talkkingg about whhy it is wwise to invest in 4K righht nnow – mmoree thhan ever, Pierre claiims, “Foor us, anny nnew investment is a 4K inveestmmennt. WWe aare nnot investing in HD anyy loongeer, bbecaausee we know that everryonne wwilll moove to 4K technology sooner or llater. Itt is aa waaste of money to inveest iin annythhingg elsee. Innstead, I can use the 4K equuipmmentt in HD mode. We have alreeadyy donne ttwo producctions in 4K and are doing aa thhird onee in SSaudi Arabia. A lot of eenquuiriees aare ccoming in for Expo 20220 aas wwell. Evven if cclients are not trannsmmittinng iin 44K, ttheyy are streaming on sociial mmeddia iin 44K. TTV stations are Reggarddlesss off whhatevver happens in the industrry, HHaddi sugggestss holding onto the biggger piccturre annd pplacing trust in onee’s crraftt. Uppon being aasked about the growwthh in cclouud teechnnoloogies leading to lessser ffuncctiooninng on seet, Hadi opines for the unddenniablle roole oof human force withhin thee industry. “MMaybe everyone willl addoptt thhe cclouud, however, they willl bee ussingg thhe cclouud for storage, filmminggoor to sttreaam. Whatever happpenns, tthe neeed foor equipment will alwways remmainn. TThis is aa human driven industrry. The nnummberr of resources mayy reduuce, buut hhumman force will stilll bee neeedeed. Onee wiill always have to vvisit thhe studdioss annd do location scouuts.. Evvenn inn a virrtual scenario, youu wiill nneedd soomeeonee in the studio to suppervvise thhe lighhting, sensors, cammeraas, eetc. Reliabble iinfrastructures IInvveestt inn 4KK ffoor 220022 TTruusst yoouurr ccraaftft stilll traansmmitttingg in HDD though. A lot of rrequuestts hhavee beeen coming in for 4K strreamming oon YouuTube. Almost 70 perccentt off the reequeests we receive currrenttly are forr strreamming in 4K on sociial mmeddia, becausee thhat is where the monney liess rigght nnoww andd it can be used for freee. HHiggh qquallity content helps attrract morre vviewwers as wwell.” CCurrentlly, Sevven Prroduction has beeen pprovvidinng tthe HDD signal to TV stattionns, eevenn if thee crew uses 4K to filmm. Clliennts aare ggiven thhe 4K recording for theem to uuse once tthey make the big swwitchh. ““Reccenttly, we used our 4K tecch ffor MBBC’s Top Chef Arabia as wwelll. WWe aalso havve tthe new Canon C3000 MMarrk IIII ccammeraa, along with a range oof ootheer hhighh-end 4K cameras. Howwevver, ttheyy haavenn’t bbeen able to use 4K for trannsmmissiion in TTV stations yet. Hoppefuully, Expo 220200 shhould be the big chaangee facctor.. Intternnatioonal companies atteendiing tthe eveent aare looking for 4K. Afteer tthe EExppo, wwe wwill be in a better position tto ggaugge tthe possibility of 4K beccommingg mainsstream within TV studdioss,” hhopees Piierrre. CCOVER FEAATURE wwww.digitalstudiome.com26 // OCCTOBBER - DECEEMBEER 20021Afteer hhaviing stuudiedd inn Lebanon and the USS, Haadi’’s firrst bbusiness in Dubai wass sett up in 11975. AA maan of numerous bussiness venntures,, thhe successful entreprenneurr haas dabbbled in a range of ddynamiically ddiffeerennt industries – fromm bbeauuty to secuuritty. Having had quite tthe jouurneey, Hadi still shines his brightest smile at tthe mention of Sevven Prooducctioon. Eveer since it was OOwwnn yyour prresseenncee estaablisheed inn 20007, Haddi and his team havve grrowwn too beecomme tthe largest live broadccastiing prodduction company in the MEENAA rregioon, working with peoople acrrosss thhe UUAE,, Saudi Arabia, Lebbanoon, FFinnland annd tthe UK. CCrafttingg aa unique presence for himmsellf inn eeverrythhingg he sets out to achhievve, Haddi tthinnks it is very impporttantt too unnderstaand the needs of yyour clliennt, aalignn wwith your team andd paartnner witth bbothh for success. An exaampple of tthis he shares, while talkkingg aabouut theeriise in drone filmmingg accross tthe reggion – “Many clieentss wweree reequeesting for drone shooots, eespeeciaally inn a city like Dubbai wheere youu haave such beautiful landscapees avaailabble..We heard andd deecidded to proocurre the best in bussineess –– thhe DDJI Inspire for them. Furrtheer, wwe saww a groowing demand for aerrial photograpphyy in the region andd deecidded to equuip aall our drones in 44K, in orderr to deliver the best servvicees. Weeccoullddo this only upoon listeeninng to ouur ccustomers and knoowinng tthe valuue oof ouur presence in the reggionn, rresppectting it, as well as connsisttenttly maiintaaining it across all ourr endeaavouurs.”” WWrapppinng uppaand all set for anootheer yyearr inn prrogrress, how can we forrget the coomeebacck of CABSAT 20221, the reegion’s leaading industry tradde shoow forrbbroaadcasting and prooducction pproffesssionnals. Quick to quip, HHadi coonclludees, ““It is fantastic that CAABSSATT is happpenning this year! Reaally lookinng foorward to it! CABSAT hass allwaays been that exhibition wheere youu caan coonnnectt with industry insiiderrs, get to knnow the latest in techh aand neetwworkk eaasily. I think CABBSAAT tthiss yeear is important, in ordder to seee peeoplle iin-person and connnecct again like tthe good old days – evven if iit iss witth mmasks on. Despite it bbeinng ssmaallerr, thheree are so many topics to ddisccusss esspeccially after the panndemmic. I hope peoople will visit nott jusst frromm the UAAE,, but also from across thee woorldd.” havve too be in pplacce. NNoboody can change the craaft and tthatt is wwhyy it is extremely impporttantt to truust wwhatt you do above all eelsee – ppanddemmic oor noot. ” he notes. CCOVER FEAATURE wwww.digittalstuddiomee.commOOCTOOBER - DECCEMBER 2021 / 27 TECH arlier this year, several broadcasters had their to-do lists dwindling in doubt, when the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced a decision to reschedule their industry- leading annual gathering. Initially slated to be held from 11-14 April 2021, the show was postponed to 9-13 October 2021, due to pandemic struggles in the U.S. In July 2021, it was announced that leading television network affi liate groups would be attending the premier event in person after a very long time. All set to get back in action, organisers began to set up stage, but troubles began with a rise in COVID delta cases. On 15th September 2021, the organisers had to fi nally give in and cancel the event. It was announced that the next edition of the NAB Show will be held from 23-27 April 2022. In a conversation with Digital Studio ME, held a few days prior to the news, Chris Brown, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Global Connections and Events, National Association of Broadcasters said, “We have seen over the course of the pandemic that the future of business is a combination of in-person and digital experiences. Online events provide fl exibility with on-demand content and can connect physically distant communities. At the same time, there is no substitute for the face-to-face networking and hands-on learning off ered at a trade show.” Sharing his thoughts on the decision taken by the NAB team, Neil Maycock, Chief Marketing Offi cer & General Manager Playout, Grass Valley expressed, “Grass Valley was 100 percent behind NAB Show and we were all looking forward to being back in Las Vegas again. We fi rmly believe in NAB’s focus and ability to deliver a safe and valuable event. However, E As top exhibitors recently announced their withdrawal from one of the industry’s biggest trade shows, COVID-19 seems to have taken several plans from RSVP to we are sorry, including the event itself. Karishma Hingorani discovers what could have been in-person conversations led by top innovators NABBED BY MIXED REALITIES given the dwindling industry support we totally understand that NAB has no option but to make the decision to cancel the October show. NAB is always an eff ective way for us to meet lots of customers and partners, and to share our latest thinking and innovations. We continue to see live trade shows as a key part of our industry engagement and are looking forward to NAB Show in April 2022.” With things not going as planned, what’s left is a virtual undertaking of the event via the organisations digital platform, NAB Amplify. Several launches were lined up to be showcased at the event. While things may have gotten stalled, the industry continues to innovate and adapt – just as it would at the event. Mixed realities seem to be a trend in 2021 and based on insights from some of the top exhibitors, it seems to be driving the fate for the industry – show or no show. In conversation with Digital Studio ME, top broadcasters and tech pioneers shed light on conversations that could have been interesting talking points at this year’s www.digitalstudiome.com28 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2021FIRST, THE DEMAND FOR HIGHER QUALITY VIDEO STREAMING IS ACCELERATING FASTER THAN EVER. SECOND, THE NEED TO DELIVER THEIR VIDEO CONTENT AS COST EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. AND FINALLY, THE GROWING CARBON FOOTPRINT OF VIDEO STREAMING IS ON THE RISE AND MUST BE ADDRESSED.” SERGIO GRCE, FOUNDER, ISIZE event, while further revealing what can go on to become a focus in 2022. SETTING THE TONE FOR 2022 Turnkey solutions in 2021 have constantly emphasised on the need for fl exibility. Cloud-fi rst workfl ows have been enabling businesses around the world to experiment creatively, while providing effi cient and scalable workfl ows. Additionally, the rise in cloud computing has supported the advent of several new trends including storage, live production and anti-piracy . “Yield per asset is a common and crucial challenge. Content is expensive to make and to buy, and in today’s dynamic media landscape, our customers need to get content to more platforms and more consumers. As such, a key commercial consideration for media enterprises is to ensure they get an adequate return on content – and that is a challenge that unites everyone. There’s been an acceleration of new workfl ows and business models, due to economic pressure from the pandemic. Cloud and IP are innovation-enablers and they underpin the future of innovation for media,” affi rmed Neil from Grass Valley. New business models including SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, etc., data have been driving ad spend for several streaming and online entertainment companies. “The benefi ts of analyzing the data at your disposal aren’t restricted to content, and its potential for advertising is substantial. Traditionally, personalization in advertising has focused on delivering a relevant ad to a consumer, but with advancements in technology, service providers can take the placement of an ad and its length into account. High-quality content remains a business imperative for broadcasters, and we predict data will be king in the next frontier of streaming,” informed Darren Lepke, Head of Video Product Management, Edgecast – formerly Verizon Media Platform before a recent acquisition by Apollo Funds. Ronan Poullaouec, Chief Technology Offi cer, AVIWEST opined for 5G technology, as a real game changer with its standalone evolution. “Network slicing, or multi-access edge computing will simplify content production with the use of 5G networks. The demand for more fl exible solutions and IP-based contribution workfl ows in general will rise. 6G connectivity will off er huge bandwidths and greater opportunities that will enable better live transmission such as uncompressed or lightweight compressed videos, ultra-low latency wireless transmitters, and network QOS,” he commented. “First, the demand for higher quality video streaming is accelerating faster than ever. Second, the need to deliver their video content as cost effi ciently as possible. And fi nally, the growing carbon footprint of video streaming is on the rise and must be addressed,” outlined Sergio Grce, CEO and Founder, iSIZE. Live programming has been facing its own set of demands including, new revenue opportunities such as wagering and gamifi cation for live events, which can only be achieved with real-time video. “The pandemic accelerated the need for more immersive experiences, particularly for live events. These innovations range from creating artifi cial crowd noises to creating co-viewing experiences, which helped make the live viewing experience more engaging, especially for sports broadcasting. We see a future where broadcasters embrace innovations that can deliver content at scale practically and profi tably,” shared Darren, Edgecast. “New real-time protocols enable 500- 1000 milliseconds round trip latency – meaning under one second from when a photon of light enters a camera lens to the time it emerges on a mobile screen anywhere in the world. Very soon, broadcast latency of six to seven seconds behind live will not be fast enough for tomorrow’s highly engaged viewers,” he further predicted. Russell Johnson, Director, Hitomi Broadcast mentioned the issue of lip-sync, “Perhaps the general trend is towards making previously complicated tasks more www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER - DECEMBER 2021 / 29 TECHNext >