JazzAid Live at the Banyan Bowl is an eight concert jazz series streamed live from the Pinecrest Gardens’ Banyan Bowl Amphitheater in Pinecrest Gardens, FL between October 2020 – April 2021. The concert series is a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen. Midtown Video is supporting the production of these concerts with live-streaming technology from NewTek using NDI® technology and related support services.
The primary challenges of this production include working with COVID-19 safety protocols for performers and production staff and supporting a mix of technologies and cameras for a seamless visual and audio experience for the viewing audiences.
Midtown Video addressed these challenges by working with Production Director Daniel Sell on upgrading and enhancing his capabilities. Using a NewTek TriCaster Mini HD, Daniel was able to integrate a combination of Sony broadcast cameras and NDI®-controlled BirdDog cameras sourced by Midtown Video.
Newtek provided tech support during pre-production for the NDI® integration. Daniel was able to enhance the production quality by pre-programming camera moves sent via NDI® to the Bird Dog cameras through iPad-triggered macros in the TriCaster. This allowed for very close camera work with the performers without the need for an operator to be on the stage – digital distancing through technology.
Daniel was able to call the show live with the TriCaster, control exposure and camera moves via NDI®, and balance inputs from 7 different cameras while maintaining social distancing and safety protocols.
This project would not have been possible without the help of Jesse Miller and Midtown Video. Not only because of their generosity as a sponsor of the event, but because of their help making sure that equipment arrived on time and connecting me with manufacturer’s representatives who provided additional technical assistance. That’s the value of working with a local company.