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BBC Outside Broadcasts wins RTS Awards for Live Opera from Paddington at rush hour

23 November 2005 : BBC Outside Broadcasts scooped up two Royal Television Society (RTS) Craft and Design awards last night for Flashmob: The Opera , the first live multi-camera opera to be staged at one of Britain 's busiest railway stations during rush hour. The UK 's leading outside broadcast facilities provider won a ' Lighting, Photography and Camera - Multicamera Work' award as well as a 'Sound' award at the annual ceremony, which recognises the work of professionals behind the scenes in programme production. BBC Outside Broadcasts' talent was also shortlisted for its coverage of the Grand National and the Flora London Marathon .

For Flashmob:The Opera , BBC Outside Broadcasts delivered stunning pictures and sound from Paddington mainline station, in an extremely difficult broadcast environment. The team had just four hours to rig and less than three hours of camera rehearsal. None of the station's usual activities could be stopped or altered and not a single cable could be on the floor or in a public area, so all cables had to be rigged through the roof girders. Working at height between 5am and 10.30pm was prohibited, so no cables could be replaced or added.

BBC Outside Broadcasts used twelve cameras in total: a remote controlled hot-head camera, a one-person operated jib, three digital radio cameras (two of which were Stedicams), four pedestal-mounted cameras and three hand-held cameras. A fluid camera style was evolved to match the modern nature of the setting and libretto, making full use of Paddington station visually and being sensitive to the needs of the music. Each member of the BBC Outside Broadcast crew was skilled in their own right, but teamwork was the key in interpreting and executing the shots within the framework laid down by the director.

Whilst the Steadicam operators and camera supervisor attended a one-day walk through on a film stage to get a feel for the action, nine of the twelve cameramen did not see the action until the day itself, when there was just a stagger-through and an incomplete dress-run before transmission.

The radio-camera receive-points could not be placed as accurately as desired, as rigging time was severely restricted by station security. Therefore much quick thinking and flexibility was required by BBC Outside Broadcasts' radio and hand-held camera operators to achieve the right shots, which needed to be visually sympathetic and technically feasible, as well as ergonomically safe - which was particularly important during transmission as more public gathered.

Flashmob: The Opera was also one of the most challenging programmes the BBC Outside Broadcasts sound team has ever mixed. The entire station had to be covered for sound, from the main public concourse and platforms, to the cafes, bars and shopping areas on all three levels. In this area there was a full 65 piece Orchestra, three choirs, several roving soloists and a roving presenter, as well as a stunned public who thought they had a train to catch.

A huge number of orchestral mics, chorus mics, soloist and presenter radio mics, FX mics and handheld radio FX mics were used. Loudspeaker foldback was set up for the chorus throughout out the station. The soloists were out of hearing range of the orchestra for most of the programme and when close enough to hear the timing was wrong, so different sets of in-ear monitoring were provided. In addition, BBC Outside Broadcasts sound team provided a PA system for the viewing public and foldback for the performers, whilst simultaneously dealing with the sound of trains, crowds and station announcements in the background.

Flashmob: The Opera Director, Phil Chilvers, says: "BBC Outside Broadcasts well deserves to win two RTS Awards - the crew's experience was vital to the success of the production. There was a desire not to play safe but to stretch the boundaries and really go for it. The final clinch between the two main characters at the end of the show was a perfect example of this - in which the Steadicam operator having completed circling the couple tightened the shot in perfect sympathy with the emotional feel of the moment, with the focus-puller having to achieve his job using a monitor 100 feet away and unable to see the Steadicam at all!!"

CAMERA TEAM

Vincent Spooner Camera Supervisor
James Day Cameraperson
Mike Graham Cameraperson
Adam Gohil Cameraperson
Chris Goor Cameraperson
Mark Faulkner Cameraperson
Rob Barker Cameraperson
Steve Espley Camera Assistant
Martin Mansell Cameraperson
Dave Brice Cameraperson
David Gopsill Cameraperson
Phil Nixon Cameraperson
Simon Wood Cameraperson
IanThacker Camera Assistant
Jamie Harvey Camera Assistant
Earl Rhodes Camera Assistant
Steve White Camera Assistant

SOUND TEAM

Paul Cunliffe Sound Supervisor (Music)
Julian Gough Deputy Sound Sup (Music)
John Caulfield Sound Supervisor (Pres)
Jim Longmore Deputy Sound Sup (Pres)
Steve Locking Radio Mics
Sam Swann Radio Mics
Terry Tew PA/Foldback
Colin Hassell Sound Assistant
Harry Saunders Sound Assistant
Rick Poster Sound Assistant
Miles Marchmont Sound Assistant
Andy Procter Sound Assistant
Nick Way O/N Sound Crew
Mike Conder O/N Sound Crew
Dave Mundy O/N Sound Crew

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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