Hollywood Center Studios has created a WebCast Stage on its lot in Hollywood that can be used to create live network-style programs for webcast or broadcast. Designed for talk shows, interviews, news shows and similar programming, the new multi-format capable resource has the ability to place talent into a virtual set for live streaming over the internet. The WebCast Stage also has the ability to patch an external camera feed into a screen on the set so that a show host or interviewer can interact with third parties located anywhere in the world over the Internet, employing private networks, or public networks such as Skype.
“Our WebCast Stage is a great resource for television and web producers who need to create high-quality programming quickly and at relatively low cost,” said Hollywood Center Studios Executive Vice President and COO Tim Mahoney. “It is an excellent alternative for producers from outside Los Angeles, for example, looking for a venue to record celebrity interviews, and who might otherwise have to use a hotel room or other make-shift shooting locations. Our solution will save them time and money, and result in a more professional product.”
Hollywood Center’s WebCast Stage includes all of the resources necessary to produce a live show including lighting and three HD cameras. The studio’s technology offers a choice of dozens of pre-rendered virtual sets to suit programs of different types and styles. It is also possible to create customized virtual sets. The system has the ability to incorporate graphics, live titling, audio mixing and multi-channel video effects. In addition to live streaming, programming can be recorded for later webcast, broadcast or archival purposes, or streamed to a remote projection system.
Although simple to implement, the virtual set technology has sophisticated features that allow it to be used like a practical set environment. They can be used with either a sitting or standing host and can accommodate multiple camera angles and shooting distances from close-up to wide angle.
Now celebrating its 90th year, Hollywood Center Studios features 11 sound stages suitable for all types of production, including HD.
