Even as the world stumbles slowly out of the coronavirus pandemic, some COVID-era changes to our way of life are here to stay. As a production company based in New York City, the original national epicenter of the virus, we had to pivot our business model to stay afloat during the many months when in-person events weren’t feasible.
We began offering more remote services, particularly live streaming via Zoom and other video conferencing platforms. This way, our clients could stream studio-quality video directly to hundreds or even thousands of people around the world, opening up new avenues for sales, connection, and more. How did we do it? With a unique device that can be linked to camera and audio equipment and fed through a single cable into a computer, which delivers the signal directly to the livestream. This setup creates a new world of opportunities for live streaming — instead of being limited to a single webcam, clients can stream high-quality live video from multiple cameras, including drones, with no editing required.
One area where this system shines is wedding videography. Now, guests who can’t make the big day in person can watch a high-resolution live stream of the ceremony from numerous perspectives, including aerial drone footage. Better yet, the live stream can be recorded and delivered as part of a complete wedding video package, preserving the celebration for years to come. Our wedding clients love having a remote option, and we love having the ability to capture these precious moments for couples and their families, no matter where they’re watching from.
Live broadcasting has also proven incredibly valuable in the fashion and retail industry, particularly when it comes to product demos. When we worked with Line Studios on an
Instagram Live fashion showcase for the beachwear brand Saint Holiday, it felt like the future in action.
As models presented their products in real time, viewers were given an on-screen option to purchase each product. Our clients Signal Brands, Nine West, and REV’IT! took a similar approach to debut their new product lines, recording live demos that they streamed to consumers directly through Zoom.
The possibilities don’t end with fashion and weddings — live broadcasting will unlock a world of remote collaboration, allowing us to transcend borders and time zones to create better, more exciting content. We recently had the privilege of working with Swedish company All We Need Is Live to film and stream remote interviews with the famous actors. In both instances, Björn Sjönell and Mathias Näslund were able to ask questions directly from Sweden, but viewers didn’t have to deal with the low-resolution video and audio lag of typical remote video conferencing. Instead, they were able to watch the interview play out with studio-level production quality.
On perhaps our favorite recent project, we live streamed a GoKart race on a local track, capturing several perspectives with one stationary camera, one mobile camera, and GoPros attached directly to three carts.
We’ll never forget the tragedy and hardship of the pandemic, but two years of remote living have taught us to innovate in remarkable ways. We’re grateful to offer production and videography services to clients around the world, helping them reach as many people as possible using state-of-the-art technology. Every cloud has a silver lining, and studio-level live broadcasting looks to play a huge role in the future of video production.
- pictures by Katie Tom & JP Kathoefer