Reality TV show producer Endemol USA is using the Sony XDCAM HD Professional Disc system as the originating format for "The One: Making a Music Star," a 10-week summer series on ABC.
Endemol previously used the SD version of the XDCAM system on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." According to the company, with this new show, the availability of a high-definition version allowed Endemol to acheive the same production efficiencies, while also responding to the demands for more HD programming. Specifically, the production company is using Sony's PDW-F350 HD camcorders and PDW-F70 decks.
Each week, contestants perform live with audience members voting to keep their favorites in the competition. The winner will receive a recording contract with a major record company. The show's concept centers on capturing the contestant's behind-the-scenes experiences as they prepare for their performances.
Key to the show's production plans is using the camcorder's wireless capabilities. While recording, the camcorder automatically generates a timecode-accurate 2Mbps MPEG-4 proxy that is captured to the Sony Professional Disc optical media. In addition, the high-resolution proxy material is transmitted via wireless microwave links and used as a reference for making edit decision lists. Edits are carried out without the need to ingest the high-res video.
