Toronto, Ontario, Canada – July 27, 2011… In one short season, Dutch mobile recording specialist Cinevideogroup has used its Lawo-equipped triple expander OBV to record 3Dand HD video productions for musical superstars from 3 nations. The mc²66 digital audio console is one of the reasons why Cinevideogroup’s flagship OB14 truck is booked for the biggest and most complex music projects in Europe.
Cinevideogroup sent the largest vehicle in its OB fleet, the OB14, to record the concert of Dutch superstar Marco Borsato, simultaneously in 2D and 3D. Staged in the Netherlands’ biggest concert hall, the Gelredome, in Arnhem, this was the country’s first major concert to be recorded entirely in 3D. Using more than 38 cameras in total, the project was carried out in a completely tapeless environment, running all camera, video, and audio signals on fiber optic cables, using 128 channels of multitrack audio on the 56-fader Lawo mc²66 console.
After Arnhem, the OB14 went to Italy to record local megastar Ligabue in 3D in front of a crowd of 120,000. The same OBV then went on to the spectacular Castello Scaligero in Villafranca di Verona, to record a rare concert from one of the world’s legendary rock bands, Toto. The 6-piece line-up, featuring original band members Steve Lukather, David Paich and Steve Porcaro, plus Simon Phillips (drums), Nathan East (bass) and singer Joseph Williams, was being recorded in HD video for DVD and Blu-ray release. The video shoot, which used 8 HD cameras, was under the control of British director Nigel Dick.
In OB14, Cinevideogroup senior audio engineer and recording sound supervisor for the project, Huub Lelieveld, with colleague Koen Bredael, was mixing incoming signals to create a temporary mix and monitoring the incoming signal quality. American music producer CJ Vanston would handle the final DVD mix.
“It was a relatively simple job, Toto being a straightforward rock band, so we were using just 48 tracks,” says Huub Lelieveld. “To squeeze as much out of the applause and sing-alongs as possible, I put out 12 audience microphones, 10 shotguns, and 2 cardioid microphones for crowd ambience.”
Lelieveld ran a fiber cable from OB to stage, where a 56-mic input Lawo stagebox was placed next to the monitor position to take the splits. “We used power from the PA system to feed the two (redundant) power supplies of that stagebox. Because we remained completely electronically separate from the PA, we didn’t need transformers or an active splitter.”
“With a live concert, my job is to capture the instruments and performers as accurately as possible, and the accuracy of the Lawo preamps and converters is perfect for that. The extremely short analogue cable runs (just 2 meters of XLR patchcords) and the lack of transformers or additional preamp stages of active splitter systems, together with the accuracy of the Lawo preamps and converters, made for an extremely pristine audio signal, 100% free of buzzes and hums.”
Huub Lelieveld was recording the live show to not one but three multitrack systems. Leaving no room for error, three separate optical MADI outputs from the Lawo console were connected to a Merging Technologies 128-channel Pyramix multitrack system, a Protools system and a PC with RME MADI cards running Reaper.
Cinevideogroup now has four OBVs carrying Lawo mc²66 digital audio consoles, the first of which was installed five years ago. OB14 is its largest vehicle, designed for big music events and sports productions. All onboard routing is handled by a Lawo Nova 73 HD router that offers 96 kHz operation.
About Cinevideogroup
Cinevideogroup -a United Broadcast Facilities company, part of Euro Media Group - is a specialist in Outside Broadcasting. Cinevideogroup makes high-quality footage of numerous (international) sports and musical productions, TV shows, talk shows, game shows, soap operas, cultural programs, dramas and show programs. Cinevideogroup supplies crewing, (digital) facilities, studios, and mobile television units. The outside broadcast units operate in the Netherlands as well as other countries.
About Lawo
Lawo is a manufacturer of digital audio networking systems and consoles for a wide range of applications from small to large scale audio production in television and radio, post production, and live sound. Established in the 1970s, the company’s manufacturing center is located in the Rhine valley town of Rastatt, Germany. For additional information on all Lawo products, visit the company online at www.lawo.ca.
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Photo Info: Huub Lilieveld (l) and Koen Bredael (r) with the mc²66 in the OB14
