World Chase Tag Uses Blackmagic Replay
Replay solution enhances fast turnaround highlights for social media and broadcasts.
Blackmagic Design today announced that World Chase Tag® (WCT) is using an acquisition, control and delivery workflow for both broadcast and streaming, built on Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 cameras and ATEM 2 M/E Constellation HD live production switchers.
Founded in 2012, World Chase Tag® (WCT) has grown from casual gatherings into a worldwide phenomenon. In a typical match, two teams compete in a best of 16 chases format. Each 20 second chase pits a chaser against an evader, with the winner staying on as the evader in the subsequent chase. With each chase pushing athletes to their limits, the sport’s fast pace demands an equally agile broadcast solution.
Loic Ascarino, WCT’s global licensing manager, explains how this sport’s unique requirements led to broadcast events worldwide.
“It’s a uniquely fast paced sport with a rapidly growing fan base. Our YouTube channel alone has more than one million subscribers. With traditional broadcast also a consideration, we needed a production workflow capable of supporting both streaming and broadcast,” he begins. “To tackle this, we developed a software solution that integrates seamlessly with a Blackmagic hardware backbone.”
WCT developed a production workflow built around Blackmagic Design hardware to address the need. “We aim to showcase athletes in an accessible, thrilling way while delivering a top tier live experience,” explains Ascarino.
Our biggest events utilize up to three URSA Broadcast G2 cameras paired with B4 box lenses and SMPTE fiber converters to provide power, video, and communication over a single cable. On the control room side, the production relies on an ATEM 2 M/E Constellation HD live production switcher, HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro broadcast decks for recording and the Blackmagic Web Presenter for encoding and streaming.
WCT’s production process is multifaceted, involving the management of multiple live streams in different languages, realtime creation of short form content, and broadcast deliverables. The content is distributed across more than 35 countries, including the USA, France, the UK, and Australia, ensuring a global reach for the sport.
Content for television and streaming is produced in 1080p, while behind the scenes footage and social media content are all captured in 4K. “This approach balances quality with cost efficiency, though moving to 4K live broadcasts remains a future goal,” notes Ascarino. Adopting DaVinci Resolve Studio has further streamlined post production, enabling rapid content turnaround across platforms.
Blackmagic Replay is the latest addition to its workflow, which enhances WCT’s ability to create replays and fast turnaround highlight packages for social media and live broadcasts. “It’s an accessible, cost effective solution tailored to our needs,” explains Ascarino.
At a recent event in Woodstock, Georgia, the replay setup included an ATEM Mini Extreme ISO live production switcher, Micro Converters HDMI to SDI 3G, three MacBook Pros running DaVinci Resolve Studio, and an UltraStudio 4K Mini capture and playback device. “Adding a DaVinci Replay Editor allowed our production team to trim clips, add stingers and broadcast replays in under 20 seconds,” concludes Ascarino. “It integrated seamlessly with our existing tools and exceeded our expectations.”
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