RTS Technology

Hosted at IMG Studios in Stockley Park, Uxbridge, and chaired by Keyframe Product Management’s Scott Rose, the panel featured Chandni Patel (Emotion Systems), Tim Banks (Grass Valley), James Clement (IMG Studios), Darren Long (ITV), Jennie Marwick-Evans (Manor Marketing) and Chris Evans (IABM).

AI was a recurring topic, with discussion on where it is starting to prove useful and where it is oversold. There was evidence of progress in cloud and hybrid workflows, with many vendors shifting from concepts to deployment.

This is home to Whisper Cymru, which produces Formula 1 for Channel 4 and the BBC’s Women’s Super League. The fully accessible production facility was opened ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics for the Whisper/Channel 4 production.

The event included a technical tour of the facilities, followed by a Q&A with Stuart Frayne, Head of Technical Operations at Cymru Broadcast Centre, and Whisper MD Carys Owens.

The event brought together industry leaders to share insights on the evolving landscape of broadcast technology.

Jerome Champetier from MediaKind explained the challenges of transitioning from traditional hardware to software-based workflows.

LiveWyer founder David O’Dwyer addressed misconceptions about cloud-native media infrastructure, offering advice on how to overcome barriers and find reliable learning resources.

Special guest for the evening was Harry Coventry, a former BBC cameraman who worked on MCR21 at Wembley when Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick won England the World Cup and at Churchill’s funeral. He recalled the excitement and emotion of the 1966 final, and operating a camera on top of St Paul’s overlooking the funeral procession.

First up with advice at the late-January session was trainee Miriam Sumeray, who said: “As a trainee, the thing that’s going to set you apart is your soft skills more than your practical skills.” She added that being “personable and organised” were key.

Sumeray recommended using the ScreenSkills Trainee Finder scheme, which had helped her land her first jobs in the industry.

At an RTS Technology Centre event in November, an expert panel discussed their work on sensitive productions.

Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott, who was raped while she was asleep, told her story in the BBC Three documentary Sexsomnia: Case Closed?, which followed her battle for justice after the Crown Prosecution Service wrongly dropped her case.