Take a detailed look behind the scenes at Eurovision 2024. We have compiled all the geeky info we know you love to read. The three live shows are expected to attract 162 million viewers.
The production team consists of approximately 1.500 people. Only 250 of these work on the broadcast itself on stage, camera, lighting, video and sound.
BROADCAST
NEP are the provider of the outside broadcast facilities. This is the fifth year in a row NEP are providing the services.
The world feed remains in 1080i 50 after an assessment by the EBU found there was not sufficient demand for a 4K UHD HDR (or even a HD HDR) production among its public service broadcaster community.
The broadcast looks more filmic than normal this year. This is because it's being broadcast in 1080i50 PSF mode. What is PSF we hear you cry? PsF stands for "Progressive Segmented Frame". It's where a camera sends a progressive video format (such as 1080p29.97 or 1080p30) as an interlaced video signal.
This gives it a more filmic look.
Another little bts look at NEP Sweden and the camera operators using LiveEdit.
The show is mixed live in two outside broadcast vans. All the broadcast graphics which will include the voting graphics are powered by an open-source, broadcast graphics system.
This can take HTML, JavaScript, and CSS feeds.
There is plenty of redundancy in place should anything happen with the live broadcast as you would expect on a broadcast of this size. These include three in-sync backtrack layouts, another two OB trailers, and multiple uplinks distributed to the various broadcasters. Two teleports including one in Geneva are used.
VISION MIXING
All the camera shots for each act are pre-programmed in some software called LiveEdit. In previous years they have used CuePilot. LiveEdit is an automated camera vision mixing system. It automatically changes the shots within the vision mixer. It means the show can be frame accurate. The camera operators use tablets to keep track of their shots and they can also add notes for each shot themselves.
See LiveEdit in action below.
CAMERAS
There are 26 cameras on the show. Seven of these are wireless RF cameras. Three are handheld and there are four Steadicam rigs.
Some lovely behind the scenes video of the camera operators and Steadicam ops below.
The op on the French entry is first class.
STAGING AND LIGHTING
This year the designers have created a 360-experience which both the arena and TV audiences can enjoy using movable LED cubes, LED floors and video. Roe Visual is the official supplier of all LED kit. Creative Technology Sweden has been responsible for the installation.
It took four weeks to programme more than 2,160 light fixtures, with every single one having an LED or laser source. The stage itself included more than 1,000 square metres of LED screens in and over it. The LED floor measures 186 sq metres. The backdrop screen is around 340 sq metres.
The ceiling holds a whopping 204 tonnes of gear. This was moved via a 196 variable speed hoists.
Just six people head up the stage management team. They manage a further 36 crew. There is just 55 seconds to reset the stage between each of the 37 songs.
The backstage team have to do five minutes work in just 50 seconds. This amazing video shows them at work.
Lets take a look at the massive front of hour area captured by Avixa on Insta.
You can watch all 37 performances below.
AUDIO
12 handhelds and 18 belt packs for the head mics are used. There are more than 30 audience mics including mics on all RF cameras. 31 commentary cabins are located within the arena. Multitrack with 48 channels played out from the backtrack and mixed separately for each purpose, broadcast sound, FOH and in-ear monitoring.
DISCLAIMER.
We did not work on the show. All the info above is available in various places in the public domain.
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SOURCES:
The Wall Street Journal