201 Productions Invests in Panasonic AK-UC3000 and AW-UE70 4K Cameras for Live, Multi-Cam Coverage of Major Music Tours/Events
NEWARK, NJ (November 8, 2018) – 201 Productions (Clayton, MO), specialists in multi-camera live coverage of major music tours, festivals and corporate events, has invested in 10 Panasonic 4K cameras (five AK-UC3000 studio/field cameras and five AW-UE70 pan/tilt/zoom cameras). The cameras are performing as integral components of 201 Productions’ new 4K mobile fly-pack system.
Since building the mobile system in May, 201 Productions has completed the first two legs of a cross-country tour with the legendary jam band Phish that will continue throughout the winter (including four performances at Madison Square Garden for New Year’s Eve and three nights in Mexico). 201 Productions' chief assignment for the band is live production, but the company is also tasked with providing a feed for live webcasts on LivePhish.com, as well producing performance videos for the band’s YouTube page and archiving each concert.
201 Productions’ principal Trey Kerr explained that, having decided to upgrade to an all 4K mobile system, he opted for the Panasonic cameras based on his longstanding use of the company’s HD PTZs. “I have an established relationship with Panasonic and have experienced first-hand the reliability of the PTZ cameras,” Kerr said. “Consequently, the 4K PTZs were an easy choice for us and, that decision made, it made sense to complement those with the UC3000 4K camera systems and CCUs.”
“As expected, the cameras have been completely road-worthy, reliably up to the challenge of four-hour set-ups and one-hour break downs in totally divergent performance venues,” he added.
Kerr shoots and archives the Phish tour in 4K, 3840 X 2160 29.97. The UC3000s are outfitted with Fujinon XA99x8.4 ultra-wide 2/3” field production lenses and 22x telephoto zoom lenses (11.5-253mm). At most venues, he uses one UC3000 each in the pit, handheld on stage and stationary at the front of the house mix position, with two deployed in various ways contingent on the layout of each space. Four UE70 PTZs are always used on stage (left, right, on the drum kit and upstage center), with the fifth reserved as a “bonus-cam” for interesting aspects or angles.
“The cameras performed very well with exceptional reliability, as anticipated,” Kerr said. “These benefits are particularly noteworthy on a Phish tour, with the band improvising a different set-list
at each and every performance. The fact that each unique show was archived facilitated our posting select 4K song segments to the band's YouTube page throughout the tour.”
Kerr said that recent assignments for the 4K mobile system also included Greensky Bluegrass at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. For more information about 201 Productions, contact Kerr at [email protected].
About the AK-UC3000 4K Camera System
Targeted at studios and productions requiring high-end functionality at an affordable price, the UC3000 (with the AK-UCU500 CCU unit) outputs a UHD signal (3840 x 2160 at 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 29.97PsF, 25p, 25PsF, 23.98p, 23.98PsF), while also delivering superb picture quality in HD. High dynamic range (HDR) is also possible for either HD or UHD images and there are no additional licensing fee requirements for UHD or HDR. The camera’s B4 mount accommodates the gamut of existing 2/3-inch lenses to maximize customers’ return on their investment in existing lenses, and allows a wider and more economical choice of glass for sports, concerts and similar applications.
About the AW-UE70
The UE70 integrated 4K pan/tilt/zoom camera delivers 3840 x 2160 resolution images at 29.97p/25p via HDMI, and is also capable of 4K IP streaming and in-camera 4K recording. The UE70 offers genlock, Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S), and remote switchable ND filters.
For more information about Panasonic professional video products, visit http://business.panasonic.com/products-professionalvideo or contact Panasonic at 877-803-8492.
About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading technology partner to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and leverages its strengths in Immersive Entertainment, Sustainable Energy, Automated Supply Chains and Connected Solutions to provide secure and resilient integrated solutions for B2B customers. Panasonic was highlighted in Forbes Magazine’s Global 2000 ranking as one of the Top Ten Best Regarded Companies for 2017. The ranking is based on outstanding scores for trustworthiness, honesty with the public and superior performance of products and solutions. Learn more about Panasonic’s ideas and innovations at Panasonic.com.