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BBC Outside Broadcasts' Post Cam short-listed for award

BBC Outside Broadcasts' remotely-operated 360 degree panning camera Post Cam has been short-listed for The Cable & Satellite International Product of the Year Awards 2005, held at IBC.

Post Cam was developed by BBC Outside Broadcasts' Special Cameras team with BBC Sport Innovation, to enhance BBC Sport's rugby coverage and provides the production team with exciting shots of the game from a unique angle. The wireless, compact, remote controlled camera is gripped to the post above the safety padding and gives complete panoramic footage of all the action, whether that's players in view or the crowds' reactions in the stadium. It debuted at the Six Nations Championships 2004 and was the first camera able to capture such close-up views of action within the field of play.

The data control and digital link vision for Post Cam is wireless so as not to interfere with the ground or play. It is a robust device designed to take impact from a ball and can withstand adverse weather conditions, plus it has its own lens cleaning device. It is operated remotely using a remote camera control system also designed in house.

Post Cam can be cut to live by a director and is particularly useful for re-plays and analysis. As well as giving an additional angle of the ball in play, it also provides extra pictures to enhance coverage, for example shots of the defending side standing behind the try-line holding a team talk while the conversion is attempted.

Post cam follows a long line of innovations from BBC Outside Broadcasts' Special Cameras team , headed up by Paul McNeil . It builds on recent successes such as 'crowd-cam', used extensively on football and rugby matches, and 'halibut-cam', which tracks the underwater movements of swimmers as they cover the length of the pool.

Ken Burton , Senior Producer BBC Sport, said: "We've used Post Cam on both rugby union and rugby league and have captured some fantastic footage. It's enabled us to help explain the game better through different angles of play, and has really helped bring the audience closer to the action."

Now in its third year, the Cable & Satellite International Product of the Year Awards show case the best in broadcast innovation and technology. There were a record number of entries this year, with 173 nominations for 16 categories. The 23-strong judging panel included current and former senior engineering managers from network operators across the world, respected consultants and analysts. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony on Sunday 11 September at IBC.

For further information, please contact:

Georgie Hollett, Head of Communications, BBC Studios and Post Production
Tel: +44 (0)20 8624 9495
Mobile : +44 (0) 783484 5612
Email : georgie.hollett@bbc.co.uk

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