Administrators at the Arden Theatre are announcing a new state-of-the-art video production and web-casting service that will help clients connect to more global markets.
The system is an invention of Edmonton based Straight Line Video Networks Inc. and features multi-cameras and 64-audio track capability remotely accessed through the Internet.
Four high definition cameras are mounted on ceilings and walls throughout the Arden hall. The cameras, shaped like a rounded sphere about the size of bowling pin, have full pan, tilt and zoom capability.
“We can do details down to fingers on fret boards,” says Straight Line founder Steven McRory.
The audio is simple – two microphones strategically placed near the stage are combined with the theatre’s audio board. The feed is transmitted to a small computer-sized server in the Arden, and data is accessed from an off-site location via the Internet explains McRory.
“We can stream it live on demand or make it available as a download, as DVD, whatever the client wants.”
Since there are no setup costs such as expensive equipment or high labour costs, each project comes in at a fraction of the cost of traditional filming.
McRory compares it to Hockey Night in Canada where mobile film trucks pull up to Rexall Place with a director, cameramen and switcher.
“In our system all the roles are filled by one person.”
Adam Mitchell, cultural facilities manager for the City of St. Albert, sees this value-added service as filling the needs of numerous groups.
“It can be used for internal webcasts and archival purposes. We’ve used it at a dance festival and provided very high quality DVDs. And it was used in a professional capacity when Maria Dunn was here,” Mitchell says.
In providing this service, one of the major considerations was that sightlines in the 500-seat theatre remain clear.
“Since it’s operated remotely over the Internet, there is no impact on the space.”
The system has been in development for six years, however it was only last year that Straight Line approached the City of St. Albert with its product.
At the time, city managers had just come out of a staff meeting that could include nearly 500 people. However, some frontline employees, about 200, such as box office attendants, were unable to attend.
“We were talking about the state of affairs and how we could do internal webcasting so staff, even if they couldn’t attend, at least could watch the webcast,” Mitchell explained.
By extraordinary coincidence, McRory approached the Arden to pitch his video services at the same time and a partnership was formed.
“It was either synchronicity or blind luck,” McRory chuckled.
McRory has since installed the technology at Sherwood Park’s Festival Place and Fort Saskatchewan’s Dow Chemical Centre. However, the Arden remains the first to launch the video service.
The third party video service was installed in March 2013. The first Intranet (closed network) production, a forum for the city, was filmed in June.
Mitchell commented that up to now, they have spent time working the bugs out of the system.
“The possibilities are endless. One of the possibilities that we haven’t experimented with yet is having an intimate show with a big name artist – something that might have international appeal and we could broadcast.”
