TNT to broadcast the NHL from a 270º hybrid studio created with disguise

Four disguise vx 2 servers and five rx II render nodes power the new 270º hybrid set managed by Turner Sports that will be used for the TNT coverage of the NHL hockey league.

The new studio was built in late summer in just under two months with the help of Turner Sports, a disguise-certified solution provider, and Meptik, an Atlanta-based creative studio. The disguise solution combines nine projectors, two LED video walls and multiple cameras into a single workflow.

The studio set is in keeping with TNT’s style, channelling the look and feel of modern stadiums with its huge screens and lighting effects. Subtle hockey-style elements include the oval shape of the set, mirroring that of an ice rink; or the ice shard base of the presenter’s table.

As for the set’s visual assets, these are displayed both on custom-built curved LED panels and through projections that fill the rest of the visual canvas. The studio also features a diagonal LED screen and two large monitor monitors in its foreground, providing flexibility for presenters to communicate from a variety of locations. All video, images and data are integrated into the set design through the disguise systems.

Creating a set from scratch

Disguise created the visual staging of the 3D set design before the studio was built, making it quicker to set up once the integration was complete. Gideon Ferber, product manager for broadcast at disguise, elaborates: “It was absolutely crucial to be able to previsualise the studio because they didn’t have time to do rehearsals or block shots in advance during the build. The studio was actually up and running a week before the go-live date, so the ability to previs the whole setup and how the content would look, then build in animations and graphics, was imperative.”

In parallel, both disguise and MEPTIK were tasked with training Turner Sports’ in-house production team in the use of the disguise workflow for the broadcasts. Producers, creatives, engineers and operators now have the necessary skills to carry out their specific roles within the TNT ecosystem.

Phil Ventre, VP of broadcast at disguise, sums up the firm’s latest project: “We provided Turner Sports with a blank canvas for creatives to tell their best stories and engage the audience. We were so proud of being able to turn around this project in such a short timeframe and have it be such a success.”