TV sports specialist Obvious C delivered a cinematic production for the skiing World Cup using Blackmagic cameras and gear, despite freezing temperatures and live integration challenges.
TV sports specialist Obvious C, based in Montreal, broadcast the 2025 Stepup Stoneham FIS Freeski Slopestyle World Cup relying on its own mobile production unit. Despite February temperatures well below freezing, with snow and wind, the video production company delivered a polished live broadcast and live stream to more than 21 countries.
“The Stoneham Slopestyle event was a FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) competition, and we were the host broadcaster,” said Obvious C Founder and Technology Producer Alexandre Casabon. “That meant we had to manage several critical aspects of the production.” Tasks included handling camera coverage for the entire venue, producing the final broadcast with all necessary elements, integrating a host and a sports specialist for the qualification live stream, and coordinating with the FIS director, starter and graphics team.
“We also had to create a custom feed for the judges separately, so it didn’t impact on the creative style of the main program,” Alexandre said. “Since it was an outdoor winter event, we had no pre-existing cable paths, Faced with unpredictable weather, we had to tackle last minute setups, long days and constant changes. On top of that, it was the event’s first ever video edition, so there were plenty of unknowns.”
Fibre Throughout
As a first step, the Obvious C team laid down fibre throughout the event site, establishing a few main fibre paths leading to distribution hubs, which then branched out to smaller hubs closer to the cameras, monitors and networking equipment. From these hubs, they ran a dedicated multi fibre cable to each device.
“Our fleet of cameras included eight manned URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2s, some paired with Video Assist 7in 12Gs, three fixed Micro Studio Camera 4K G2s for our creative angles, since we needed the smallest footprint possible while still maintaining good quality, and two Studio Camera 4K Pros for general wide shots,” Alexandre noted. “We use cinema cameras and cinematic studio cameras in our broadcasts because of their depth of field and their ability to cope in low light, as well as the options they give us in terms of lenses, all of which creates a distinctive, cinematic look.”
All camera SDI feeds were converted to fibre using mounting kits that Obvious C designs and 3D prints. “We do a lot of 3D printing to make our setup as plug and play as possible,” he said. “All fibre connections led back to our mobile unit, where we had two ATEM Talkback Converter 4Ks and a lot of Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12Gs.”
Cameras, Switchers, Routers, Converters – and More
The Talkback Converters can be used for SDI talkback via embedded audio channels 15 and 16, as used on Blackmagic Studio Cameras. They handle up to eight cameras each, supporting 12G-SDI for SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60. BNC connections are supplied to each camera, with push-to-talk buttons, support for regular aviation headsets and a built-in speaker.
The mobile unit also housed ATEM 4 M/E Constellation HD and ATEM 2 M/E Constellation HD live production switchers, Blackmagic Videohub 40x40 12G, Blackmagic Videohub 10x10 12G, Smart Videohub 40x40 and Smart Videohub CleanSwitch 12x12 routers, and HyperDeck Studio HD Pro and HyperDeck Studio HD Mini broadcast decks, which handled video and graphics playback and clean and dirty feed recordings, respectively. A satellite signal was handled by a Teranex AV to convert to 1080i 59.94.
The compact 6G-SDI Smart Videohub CleanSwitch router is also interesting. It has built in re-synchronizers on its inputs to allow clean switching between video sources of the same video standard. It is useful as 12 re-synchronizers for automatic re-timing of SDI feeds – that is, 12 inputs and 12 outputs in virtually all SD, HD and UHD video formats. Multiple formats can be supported on the same router at the same time, clean switching between multiple formats that match the reference frame rate when the switching is between the same video standard.
Going to Extremes
“We were pleasantly surprised at how well the gear functioned despite very extreme weather conditions. We faced -30°C temperatures, snowstorms and intense wind, yet not a single camera failed. We pushed the equipment to its limits, and it delivered,” said Alexandre. They even helped the local organising committee build structures just so they could set up their equipment properly. The first qualification day was very tough, but by the second day, they had everything dialed in.
6G-SDI Smart Videohub CleanSwitch router, with built in re-synchronizers on its inputs.
He said, “Another challenge was the presence of industry veterans, people who have judged, organized, and worked on major events, including the Olympics. We knew they had high expectations, and in the end, they were beyond impressed with our work. Thanks to them, the event was also a huge success for the athletes and the Quebec community.”
“We’re in the process of building a bigger mobile unit that will support workflows like 4K and SMPTE 2110. However, we will always prioritize making high quality broadcasts accessible to give smaller events and productions the coverage they also deserve. That’s why Blackmagic Design is the backbone of our workflow. We can use our expertise and the technology to keep costs down while delivering professional productions.” www.blackmagicdesign.com
