Bexel (www.bexel.com) has once again teamed up with Lock & Key Productions for the ninth season of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Together they've created and provided a number of networked production systems, including engineering support, custom microwave management systems, production trailers, wireless systems, cameras, frequency coordination and other high-quality production gear.
The show, produced by Lock & Key, entails two production teams working simultaneously, each at a different production location. This allows for setup in one location, while the cast and crew tear down and rebuild a custom home in seven days in the other location.
Throughout the week, the neighborhoods are filled with hundreds of crewmembers and volunteers — creating a production campus as the community comes together to build the new home.
A reoccurring section of the show is when host Ty Pennington surprises the unsuspecting homeowner and family with the design team's presence. In order to ensure this moment is captured in real time, Bexel built two custom 24ft x 8ft x 8ft trailers to house the director, executive producer and story producers.
In addition to the production trucks, Bexel provided 40 channels of wireless microphones, RFX diversity microwave systems, Sound Devices 788T digital recorders, Lectrosonics wireless ENG systems and Sony PDW-F800 XDCAMs for each team. Frequency coordination was developed for each city visited during the taping, requiring Bexel's expertise, as lead times were typically short.
Bexel is a worldwide provider of broadcast services including video and audio equipment rentals, fiber services, new audio sales, used equipment sales and repairs/maintenance.
