IBC: How to make the beginning of the school year unforgettable

How I came at IBC

Annually, in our university of Cinema and Television in St.-Petersburg there takes a place an international conference and competition among the graduated and non-graduated students, where the main award is an opportunity to visit a tremendous exhibition - International Broadcasting Convention (IBC). I submitted the application as soon as I had heard about this competition.

Was it scary? Of course, but not enough to refuse my application. For a long time, I was thinking about the topic of the report for the conference, because I wanted to present the work that would be interesting for a reader as same interesting as for me. After all, I dedicated my report to developing technologies in the industry of sports media. This project helped me to get the main prize - a grant for a trip to Amsterdam for IBC 2017.

Having heard my name among winners, I could not believe that I got so lucky. Martin Salter, the director of the IABM Educational Foundation, shook my hand with many congratulations. At that moment, I couldn’t stop smiling from overflowing emotions. And finally it's September and all the lucky winners are flying to the long-awaited exhibition and conference IBC 2107.

IBC through student’s eyes

What is IBC? This is the largest event in Europe, which is devoted to the most advanced developments in the media industry. At huge exhibition complex "RAI", the participants of the conference have a possibility to visit dozens of sessions with discussions between specialists of digital technologies.

A few words about RAI: this exhibition complex is so huge that in one day it is not possible to pass over it entirely. The exhibition reminds a little bit the labyrinths, even though all the stands are thematically divided and signed by numbers depending on the zone.

The program was very rich: every day coming early in the morning, I and other students were leaving the IBC only late at night, because day after day throughout this week you found something new to yourself that you had to listen to or that it was necessary to see with your own eyes.

For a week on IBC I managed to visit 10 different sessions and a lot of master classes at the stands, but now I would like to tell you about the most memorable. One of the first sessions I attended was about eSports with Michiel Bakker. Of course, some of the facts I already knew that, for example, that even the BBC channel have longed eSports content. But I completely agree with everything that Michiel said, because this sphere is really a new experience for television in general, and the audience grows every year. I hope that this promising sphere will attract new sponsors and channels, because there are all the prerequisites for this.

I can not ignore the session "Broadcast is about to be transformed". This session also paid some attention to eSports, in addition, the speakers noted the great impact of developing IPTV and the Internet, because television is involved in the Internet more and more, but interpenetration brings only positive experience for both sides.
Huge attention this year has been paid to the developing IPTV,  as well as changes in the field of television broadcasts, that was especially interesting for me to listen.  Speakers talked about what awaits the whole area ahead, what problems are now and how they cope with them in their companies.

I want to say a few words about the session "Beyond live: new tech pushing the boundaries". It was a great honor for me to see the speakers: Dan Miodownik (Deputy CEO and Chief Content Officer - Host Broadcast Services), David Shield (SVP - Global Director of Engineering & Technology - IMG Media), Sotiris Salamouris (CTO - Olympic Broadcasting Services). They talked about the specifics of conducting television broadcasts, paying attention to the future Olympic Games and the 2018 World Cup. The speakers told about the arrangement of the cameras, in which format they shoot. Dan Miodownik even managed to talk about a special program for students, thanks to which everyone can become part of a huge company Host Broadcast Services.

By the way, at IBC you have a unique opportunity to ask all your questions directly to the leading specialists, and no unanswered questions will be left aside!

Television from a new point of view

Probably, only on IBC you can look at the entire structure of the television broadcasting system from within. Moreover, you can pay your attention to any aspect of television, and on this issue you will definitely find an interesting stand or session with a well-known representative. At IBC, you can find the latest developments in all spheres of TV and radio broadcasting and electronic media as well: the best stabilization systems, the latest optical systems, cranes, cameras, sound equipment, editing programs, satellite and network technologies - and this is only a small part of it!

Perhaps, the opportunity to approach any stand without any embarrassment was the most pleasant thing for me. You could try everything that previously you could only see on the Internet. In addition, there was a possibility to have a conversation in person with people who developed these technologies.

In my report at the conference at the institute, I talked about the use of the Nokia OZO camera in the sports media industry. Even knowing its parameters, I imagined this camera much larger in size, so for me it was a little discovery that it is so compact and small. I did not even notice it at once in the corner of the stand!

I managed to communicate with representatives of Tellyo. Tellyo is a special platform that allows you to conduct streams where you can create and add the necessary graphics, video transitions and much more right during the airtime. Since I'm earning a job in the Student Football League (SFL) to get primary skills in my profession, I was particularly interested in hearing about similar platforms, because in SFL we regularly conduct online broadcasts of football matches. However, the platform we use is very specific, while Tellyo was remembered by me for its simple and user-friendly interface. I hope I can work with this software in the nearest future.

Because shooting is an integral part of my profession, one of the most interesting stands for me were those where cameras and optical systems were presented: Sigma, Arri, Canon, Panasonic, Sonya and others. I cannot convey in words this amazing feeling when you have the opportunity to touch the camera of your dreams and try it out in work.

In addition, I was fortunate to meet representatives of Easyring. Their system of stabilization looks like a backpack with a "hook", to which the camera is attached. But thanks to this system, the whole camera even in 17 kilograms is redistributed so that the entire load goes from the hands and shoulders to the lower part of the trunk. I would never have thought that a girl of my physique could easily lift, carry and control a camera with such a seemingly simple thing.

Of course, I paid attention to the stands of Google and Vimeo. Despite the bright and stylish design of their stands, I unfortunately did not learn anything new, as it was mainly about interface management, although this was possible because I visited only part of their master classes.

Besides, I have attended a master class for girls from the HBS Company, where I could feel myself the director of air and the director of the replay. I think this experience will be definitely useful for me in the future, because I'm already working on a part-time job related to sports. We saw the arrangement of the cameras during the broadcast, we were able to try ourselves in work on the equipment. I really looked at the broadcast on the other side. It turned out to be much more complicated, because besides the fact that you need to monitor the game through 20 cameras, in time to press the necessary buttons, you should remember that the broadcast of the match is like a storytelling.

Do not miss your chance

It was nice to meet Martin Salter again and, of course, to meet William T. Hayes (president of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society). These are amazing people who inspire you not to be afraid to step into the unknown and try something new. This is really valuable, because somewhere in the depths of your soul you are afraid of something, and realizing that once all started from the same point as you are now, and after that you want only to work harder on yourself and study even more diligently. I whole-heartedly want to thank these people, thanks to whom I had an opportunity to see IBC with my own eyes.

In addition, I would like to express my special thanks to the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society for the opportunity to visit the IBC conference and exhibition.

Everyone who does not dare to apply for various reasons, I wish to be more courageous. Thanks for the trip to IBC, as I did not learn only about a lot of new things, but also practiced my English by taking part in the sessions and visiting the stands. Finally, I got the insight of what do I want to do in the future after the graduation. This is a colossal experience that can’t be compared with anything else. I wish good luck to everyone next year - do not miss your chance.

Student of St. Petersburg State University of Film and Television
Tell: +7 (911) 957 00 48
Email: tim.lovett[at]mail[dot]ru