3D graphics on ESPN with Vizrt

The college football championship broadcast by ESPN HD has its own 3D graphics based on Vizrt technology.

ESPN 3D viewers in the United States have been able to follow the final of the Discover BCS National Championship Game in stereoscopic.

The intention of ESPN HD, which broadcast this college football competition in 3D, was to offer viewers a unique high-definition experience. For this, ESPN 3D had its own graphics produced with Vizrt.

Matt Sandulli, senior production coordinator at ESPN, has assured that “you want to do things differently because it has a more dynamic 3D presentation.”

According to Sandulli, ESPN 3D produces more than 137 events each year in 3D, but the 3D and HD broadcasts of league games operate as two independent productions in Miami, rather than the production model used in conjunction with 5D for expanded college league coverage this season.

5D's workflow allows the two shows to share ESPN's cameras, mobile units, equipment and other resources, rather than operating as two independent productions. However, the scale of the BCS Championship is so massive (a total of more than three dozen 2D and 3D cameras) that ESPN chose a stand-alone 3D production, with dedicated trucks, 3D rigs and its own staff.

ESPN used nine Cameron Pace Group 3D cameras (including wireless cameras). Stereoscopic production was carried out from an additional unit deployed by NEP, designed specifically to support ESPN 3D and featuring an MVS-8000X mixer. Sony. The broadcast's technical director, Seth Madway, says it is the ideal mixer for this type of event due to its 3D capabilities and encoding layers.