Christopher Harvey

I love discovering ways of being more efficient. TD’s spend lots of time programming their switchers to trigger animated transitions with all sorts of timed switcher commands. Some of these transitions have very specific cut frames which can take time-consuming adjustments to get just right, even requiring recording the transition and playing back frame by frame to ensure accuracy. Rather than building a timeline on your switcher that requires getting the timing perfectly matched up, why not leverage the timeline on the clip to control the switcher instead? XPression Clips has an “Events” track that allows users to place Rosstalk commands at specific frames on the clip. You can even create sub clips to have multiple versions that send different Rosstalk commands. With this setup, a TD can build a few Custom Controls on their Ross Production Switcher for XPression to trigger (Cut / Key states / Etc.) and then build some custom controls that simply fire a clip on XPression without all the extra stuff. It also allows for live recalls of transitions in the case one was missed or is rarely used, a TD could just fire a transition directly in XPression that would still run perfectly. More Flexibility, Faster Programming, and Better Accuracy! #LiveProduction #RossVideo #RossXPression

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Audio standards/spec question: RIFF/WAV wFormatTag WAVE_FORMAT_IEEE_FLOAT is apparently known in the software industry to have +1.0 as 0dBFS and -1.0 to be silence. However the original reference "Microsoft Resource Interchange File Format, RIFF" appears gone, and existing Microsoft documentation "WAVEFORMATEX structure (mmreg.h)" mentions IEEE float but does not specify the 0dBFS/silence ranges. Is there any extant specification on these ranges? Or does some org need to issue a specification defining these?

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Just wanted to share a simple productivity tip for folks. Just about everyone I know uses at least 2 e-mail address, some people (like me) have way more. - Work - School - Personal - etc. In an effort to stay organized, most people setup separate browser profiles to keep their e-mail and data organized. The challenge is that you invariably have to click on a link and it opens in the profile that was most recently in focus, instead of the profile that you want it to. There is a way to fix this! On a mac you can get OpenIn https://lnkd.in/gGQxeWg9 on windows you can get BrowserTamer https://lnkd.in/gRujnyn4 Basically, when you click on a link, it will ask you which browser + profile you want to select. Or if you're savy enough, pre-program which domains or apps send links to which profiles. There are many others apps that do the same thing. You're welcome.

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Is cloud production hard? Not anymore. On the contrary - setting up your switching in the cloud means: - no dedicated hardware - instant access to production ready machines - access for your entire team - tools like SRT, multi steaming and NDI ready to go And so much more. I’ve been using vMix in the cloud for daily productions and doing it on my Mac. With my local Stream Deck controlling everything. Team members have the same access as me. Remote guests come in from everywhere. And when I’m done? Shut down and I’m ready for the next show. I’m no longer limited to where I produce from. I can do it in a web browser, on a Mac or from an Airport lounge and hotel room (yes, I’ve done it). *this is not a paid endorsement* and I say that because it will surely sound like it :) How? Thanks to Michael Lange and his Cloud Studio Masters courses. I’m a big fan of leaning on the experience of others to learn and hit fast-forward on my learning. This was by far the best investment of the past five years and has allowed me to open the door to whole new type of client and production. Now he’s made a production ready machines click away in the AWS Marketplace. One less step in getting going. Very cool Michael Lange - keep it up!

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Two great teams focusing on a real-world solution to a common pain point: unlocking AI value from Avid environments without massive reinvestment. Well worth a look for anyone running production at scale.

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ATSC (B2X) Multicast Broadcast Neutral-Host O-RAN System Architecture First paper to be published IBC 2025 https://lnkd.in/eRyCBMza ABSTRACT ATSC 3.0 is the most advanced digital broadcast standard. This paper introduces Broadcast-to-Everything (B2X), a new physical layer Radio Access Network (RAN) standard being developed by ATSC. B2X enables multiple users to share multiple radio frequency (RF) carriers in various IMT and broadcast bands (ranging from 5 MHz to 50 MHz). B2X is optimized for battery-powered devices. B2X builds on ATSC 3.0's Layer 1 (L1) and Layer 2 (L2) protocols where applicable and includes new L1/L2 control signalling. It operates within a Neutral-Host shared Open RAN (O-RAN) system, supporting a variety of services such as wearables, IoT, and Smart City applications with flexible Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) sizes of 128, 256, 512, and 1024. To ensure reliable and scalable performance, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) is used, breaking the physical layer into Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs), each containing 24 subcarriers spaced 3 kHz apart. A scheduler allocates PRBs based on service needs, with Virtual Bandwidth Parts (VBP) assigned to each application. B2X is designed for efficient multicast and broadcast with carrier aggregation to increase capacity. It enhances mobile performance using intelligent Single Frequency Network (SFN) topologies, allowing content delivery over a wide-area SFN or cloud-based edge networks. For 5G/6G interworking and traffic offloading, B2X uses the O-RAN F1 interface to encapsulate the 5G/6G-PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) layer 2. The data is transmitted via B2X baseband over O-RAN fronthaul to SFN transmitter sites for emission. Dual-connected user equipment (UE/UBE (User Broadcast Equipment)) retrieves and passes the PDCP layer 2 to the 5G/6G UE PDCP buffer, completing the offload process.

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HDR is 10 years old. My question is, are we not monitoring HDR enough on set because the next time any stakeholder sees HDR is during the grade? 90% of all Best Picture and Editing Categories at the Oscars and Emmys are cut in Avid Media Composer. How do we create an environment where editorial is HDR friendly? - Aces 2.0 template at the start of the project and the ability to upgrade your project at any point. - All input transforms should be hidden from the editor so it happens under the hood and applied outside the timeline and not applied as an effect. - 2 output transforms 1886 and P3D65 but for the editor, this is labelled as SDR and HDR - A scene referred Show LUT - AMF passed from set all the way to DI. Again this would need to applied outside the timeline, at source, after the input transform, before the output transform. All this needs to not impact the editor’s experience but allow for colour consistency throughout the entire workflow so when you land in the Dolby Vision grade the stakeholder is familiar and confident with what they are presented with. What else could we do that would help with colour consistency from set to screen but not impact the editor’s experience?

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I’ve been seeing a lot of recruitment postings lately for “AI Artist,” “AI Creative Specialist,” and “AI Generalist.” They often seem to mean more or less the same thing. However, the wide pay range gaps — sometimes even within a single listing — reflect the uncertainty many studios and post houses are facing. The questions: Our client is asking us to use AI on the next project… who should we hire, and what’s a fair budget to spend? After studio‑hopping a bit over the past few months and speaking with a handful of lead creatives navigating these changes, I’ve gathered a few takeaways for leadership and project management teams just start looking to staff up on the AI front: - Pure AI content: If you’re creating purely AI‑driven work without constraints from traditional agency/brand clients, you’ll want someone with a robust creative portfolio who can deliver the visual quality you need, and can work solo. - Junior hires: If you’re planning to bring on a junior AI artist with little other experience than generating AI content, make sure someone senior on your team has a solid understanding of the AI tools and platforms being used. Without that, proper communication and supervision will be difficult. - Hybrid Post+AI workflows: If your clients want control but can allow some flexibility, hire someone with a strong post or design background and real production experience. Skills like DMP/Photoshopping (or equivalent image manipulation) are essential, and compositing experience is highly valuable for understanding how elements and layers fit into the final workflow. 3D generalist experience can also help when building off previs scenes. In many cases, one AI artist with strong post‑VFX experience can consolidate multiple roles into one person — for example, photoshopping starting frames and rotoscoping subjects to provide clean compositing layer elements without needing to involve additional people. - Pixel‑perfect expectations: If your clients expect full control over every frame and every pixel, don’t use AI. That bratty child is not going to listen 100% when you need it to. - Long‑term integration: For sustainable AI adoption, the entire team should have at least a basic understanding of AI. Becoming proficient with AI is practically a full‑time job, and even then, what you master this week may be outdated next week. The person you hire to work with AI needs persistence, patience, flexibility, and a willingness to constantly train and share knowledge with the rest of the team. There’s no standing still if you want to stay in the game. If you’re interested in chatting more about workflow and team‑building challenges that studios are facing in this volatile time, let’s connect. #AIWorkflow #CreativeLeadership #GenerativeAI #AIArtist #CreativeSpecialist #AIGeneralist

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I don’t write scripts for these. I ask questions and listen. The story reveals itself in the interviews - the pauses, the unexpected answers, the moments someone says something they’ve maybe never said out loud before. That’s where the real film lives. This video for WTS Puget Sound was built that way. Real conversations. Real people. Shaped into a story that makes you feel something, and understand why the work matters. Because the most powerful stories aren’t manufactured. They’re discovered. When organizations try to “sound polished,” they often lose what makes them human. My job is to find the human part - and build a narrative around it that connects. If your organization has something meaningful happening inside it, there’s a story worth telling. You just have to be willing to listen long enough to find it.

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AV1 and Film Grain Synthesis: A Game Changer for Streaming Quality As a technical person deeply involved in video compression and delivery, I’m genuinely excited about the progress of AV1, especially its Film Grain Synthesis (FGS) feature. One key detail that stands out: FGS is a mandatory part of AV1 decoding. This ensures consistent support across platforms and simplifies adoption across the ecosystem. The latest Netflix Tech Blog explains in detail why this matters. https://lnkd.in/eDhZegSt It’s more than just an improvement in compression — it represents a significant step forward for OTT streaming from both a technical and strategic perspective. Netflix outlines several major benefits of their AV1 + FGS implementation: * Lower initial and average bitrates * Fewer playback errors * Reduced rebuffering * Faster start times * More stable playback * Higher resolution at the same bandwidth From my perspective, one of the most important benefits is improved picture quality. This is especially noticeable for content with natural film grain or cinematic texture. But the gains go beyond grainy content — traditional encoders often struggle with noise, which can lead to faulty motion estimation and unnecessarily high bitrates. FGS solves this at the decoder side by reconstructing the grain efficiently, preserving the visual intent without bloating the file size. This is a clear signal to the industry: the future of streaming is not just about compression, but about smarter visual fidelity. GPU‑Accelerated Video Noise Management with IRIS from Wavelet Beam https://waveletbeam.com/ #AV1 #FilmGrainSynthesis #StreamingTech #VideoEncoding #OTT #NetflixTech #CodecInnovation

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Live with LiveU - Stream it. Record it. Repurpose it—fast and in the cloud. ☁️ We were live from the InfoComm show floor using our LiveU field unit and LiveU Studio—and Jeff shares how they use LiveU for REMI setups, sending live feeds for remote production and quick-turn event editing. #LiveU #LiveUStudio #RemoteProduction #LiveStreaming #REMI #VideoEditing #CloudWorkflows #ContentCreation #StreamingTech #Midwich #InfoComm25 #VideoProduction #TechDemo #TechInAV #AVTech #ProAV #TechGear #TechReview #StreamingTools #VideoTech #FutureOfStreaming #AVSolutions

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For more than ten years, DI4D and @Clear Angle Studios have run parallel paths at the cutting edge of the capture industry.  We’ve partnered with @Colin Urquhart and his team at DI4D on several global productions, debuted a new approach to capturing per-frame map data at SIGGRAPH 2024, and enjoyed countless conversations on capture innovation at our Pinewood Studios HQ. Seeing this expertise first-hand is why I’m so excited to integrate DI4D’s technology and IP into the Clear Angle Studios pipeline, with @Colin joining the business as our Strategic Advisor. As a direct result of this combined 3D and 4D scanning and processing experience, Clear Angle Studios is launching TopoTrack: offering studios industry-leading mesh tracking and stabilisation for the creation of head assets. You can learn more about it here: https://lnkd.in/eNHdQFKS

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Does #MXL replace SMPTE ST 2110? NO!! During one IABM Technology & Trends Roadmap working group calls, it was clear that many of us kept hearing incorrectly that MXL (Media eXchange Layer) is a replacement for ST 2110.  While at the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) event this week in New York, I asked Felix Poulin from CBC/Radio-Canada and Vincent Trussart from Grass Valley to help clear this up. Thanks to Felix for providing a clear drawing! Help to get this detail out by reposting and sharing with your peer groups. For additional detail, figure 15 of this European Broadcasting Union (EBU) #DMF document shows the difference between streaming and exchange layer https://lnkd.in/eqsgAnxq

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Busy weekend. I just published the code of the first prototype of Diapasonix, a bass-like portable instrument and MIDI controller I'm developing. The layout of its fretboard can be set up to match traditional stringed instruments like guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, double bass, banjo, and so on. If you can play any of these instruments, you can play Diapasonix! I'm documenting the engineering process and releasing the firmware as an open source project while also including construction files so that other people can replicate it or build upon it. Source code: https://lnkd.in/eTfPrxg2 #Synth #Electronics #RaspberryPi #DIYSynth #ElectronicMusic #OpenSource

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