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TV Production
IIn short, the TV Production unit is a
sort of television 'factory' creativity,
professionalism and technology that
support the entire production process,
so as to achieve the best results
possible and to guarantee Rai's high
quality standards.
In terms of production, 2009 was a year
characterised by particular commitment.
The events of international importance,
which required a guarantee of high
quality production standards, included:
- the Champions League Final in Rome
on 27 May. The year's most-followed
international event, with 109 million
viewers all over the world. High
Definition coverage and the
spectacularity of the final were
guaranteed by 38 cameras (with
shooting also from a helicopter), the
HD signal and stereo and Dolby
Digital sound, all controlled from two
mobile direction units;
- the international summit of the world's
eight most-industrialised countries, the
G8, held in L'Aquila from 8 to 10
July. Rai was Host Broadcaster for the
production of the multilateral signal
and for the technical-operational
support of all the broadcasters
present. Rai's overall commitment of
professional figures implicated about
110 operating units;
- the World Swimming Championship
in Rome, from 18 July to 2 August.
The event achieved record-breaking
figures (183 countries competing with
2,800 registered athletes). Two
hundred hours of live broadcasts with
HD signal, 70 cameras including
several special aerial and underwater
ones, 50 journalists and 220 technicians and assistants. In order to
guarantee adequate technical support
for Rai production (in its capacity as
Host Broadcaster) of the event, fibre
optic link-ups were developed and
implemented from the Foro Italico to
the Production Centre in Via Teulada;
- the 16th Mediterranean Games, from
26 June to 5 July 2009, held in
sports venues in Abruzzo. Athletes and
national teams from 23 countries took
part. Rai supported the Organising
Committee for the live television
coverage of the finals. Daily
availability of about 10 ENG teams
for coverage of all the disciplines (or
most significant phases of the events).
The highlights and summaries were
also broadcast on a daily basis,
included in the multilateral feed
programming.
We mustn't forget the new TGR product,
Buongiorno Regione, which was
launched on an experimental basis at
the end of 2008 in just 4 regions and is
now up and running nationwide,
involving all the regional offices.
A final mention goes to the intervention
of our production machine �
implemented immediately � to report on
the earthquake that hit Abruzzo on 6
April. This involved the large-scale use
of human resources and equipment,
which were sent immediately to the site
of the disaster to guarantee adequate
technical support for the News
programmes and Editorial structures.
Even after the initial emergency phase,
the decision was made to monitor the
situation constantly in order to
guarantee link-ups for the News
programmes to provide reports on the
places hit by the earthquake and on the
reconstruction work.
In terms of technical investments, the
most significant regarded the projects
related to the digitalisation of the News, with operations to introduce new formats
(XDCAM) and the new integrated digital
system for Rai Notizie 24.
As regards the Regional Departments,
the Campobasso offices were renewed
and will start work in 2010. There were
also numerous adaptation and
digitalisation operations to accompany
the switchover to DTT, not forgetting the
new system of generation and
publication for the Televideo teletext
service, and the preparation of new
infrastructures specifically for High
Definition signals.
On the subject of High Definition,
investments were made in two studios,
Tv3 in Rome and Tv1 in Naples, in a
new recording vehicle with 12-15
cameras (systems which will productive
in 2010). The outside filming production
lines were adapted in view of the
realisation of big sporting events in HD
(starting with the 2009 World Swimming
Championship). The entire Fiction series
production (Un posto al sole) was
converted to HD in Naples, and this
also implicated operations on the postproduction
lines.
Further investments were made in the
Regional Offices and in the Production
Centres, with a view to adapting the
systems to cope with the increasing
demand for production in 16:9 for the
DTT platform.