SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: Ian Dormer reports from IBC in Amsterdam: Vice-
president of Sony Professional Solutions Europe, Katsunori Yamanouchi, announced to
a captivated IBC press audience on Friday that following the success with stadium
rockers Muse and Serpent Productions, to produce the world’s largest scale 4K multi-
camera live concert recording, Sony will produce the final of the FIFA World Cup 2014
Brazil in full 4K, live.
“4K is not just ready to be deployed,’ said Yamanouchi, “it is actually happening. 4K live
is no longer a future vision but today’s reality.’
The Muse concert, which took place in Rome in July, used 16 Sony PMW-F55 cameras to
generate extremely high quality images that truly immerse the viewer and make them
feel like they were there on the night. This recording marks another watershed moment
in the global expansion and adoption of 4K technology outside the digital cinema
industry, driven by Sony.
4K Live Production is now readily available to professionals. Sony has also developed key
products, systems and workflows from shooting to viewing with the 4K Live Production
Solution.
The 4K live camera system employs the PMW-F55, with other major Sony 4K Live
Production Solutions, including a multi-port video server capable of 4K and HD recording
through the efficient workflow of the XAVC video format and a multi-format switcher
capable of real-time 4K signal processing.
“Today 4K video production is making impressive inroads in a growing number of venues
– from movies, television programming, ad-filmmaking, documentary production and
more,’ said Norbert Paquet, trade marketing manager, Live Production, 3D and 4K,
Sony Europe. “Countries across the globe are now taking steps towards making 4K
broadcasting a reality. As a pioneer in 4K, Sony shall continue to develop new
technologies that deliver spectacular 4K content to viewers across the globe.’
Sony successfully conducted 4K live production trials in a joint project with FIFA TV at
the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 in June, with the support of lenses from FUJIFILM
Corporation (Japan), a proto-type 4K to HD down-converter and a video routing system
from Miranda Technologies, and the world’s first purpose-built 4K outside broadcast
(OB) truck from Telegenic (UK), co-developed with Sony Professional Europe.
