To mark the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ and the Pope’s visit to Barcelona, Catalan regional broadcaster 3Cat deployed a UHD-HDR production based entirely on cinematic technology. TM BROADCAST provides an overview of this unique technical undertaking through the testimonies of some of its key protagonists

The official inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família on 10 June, coinciding with the Pope’s apostolic visit to Spain, was not only a historic milestone for Barcelona’s iconic basilica. It also served as the setting for one of the most distinctive audiovisual productions seen in Europe to date: a broadcast operation built entirely on cinematic technology.

The live transmission of the spectacle, directed by Paulí Subirà Claramunt and lasting approximately ten minutes, was conceived as a truly world-class international production, built around an unusual premise for television: making live cinema. The production was tasked with capturing a visually complex spectacle in which the illumination of the basilica, fireworks and a choreographed drone display capable of recreating the figure of Antoni Gaudí played a central role.

The project’s technical direction was led by British consultant Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran, working alongside a team from the Image Department and the Technology Directorate (IDT) of Catalan regional broadcaster 3Cat. The initiative sought to position itself at the intersection of cinematic production and live television.

Technical resources

Before exploring other aspects of the production, it is worth taking a closer look at the event’s technical deployment. The coverage was produced in UHD-HDR HLG and featured a total of twenty cameras. According to information provided to TM BROADCAST by Héctor Sierra, South Europe & Benelux Sales Head at Sony, the setup consisted of ten Sony Venice 2 cameras for primary image acquisition, seven Sony FR7 units deployed in complex positions through robotic operation, and three Sony FX6 cameras reserved for specific tracking shots and other detailed coverage.

The system was complemented by Fujinon Duvo lenses as part of a configuration designed to maintain visual consistency throughout the production through the use of Full Frame sensor-based systems and equivalent acquisition technologies.

The production also incorporated the technical integration of PhotoCine Live’s OB3 production truck. The French company, which has extensive experience in the rental of cinematic equipment, provided a mobile unit built entirely around Sony technology. It featured a Sony XVS-G1 production switcher, PVM-X2400 monitors and a 12G-SDI infrastructure designed to support all twenty cameras involved in the project.

Colour management was handled through AJA FS-HDR systems, with the option to integrate Pomfort LiveGrade into the workflow. Communications relied on a Riedel Artist 1024 matrix with Bolero wireless beltpacks, while audio production was supported by a Yamaha DM7 console.

In search of a “memorable” experience

The origins of the project date back to the moment when Paulí Subirà, Head of Image at TV3 (3Cat), was commissioned to participate in the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ as part of the events commemorating the centenary of the death of Barcelona’s iconic architect Antoni Gaudí, before the Pope’s visit became part of the equation. From the outset, the objective was to create a “memorable” experience.

Creative direction was entrusted to Igor Cortadellas, who conceived a spectacle built primarily around light as the central narrative element. The subsequent confirmation of the Pontiff’s presence at the basilica to attend the event, as part of his apostolic visit to Spain, added a new dimension to the project.

The artistic nature of the initiative ultimately gave rise to an unusual working model, based on the coexistence of two production cultures that traditionally operate separately.

“That’s where the project becomes particularly interesting, where we can begin to explore new cinematic tools in the service of storytelling — tools capable of transporting viewers into a historic moment through a visually different language, without losing the sense of live television,” Subirà explains to TM BROADCAST.

A constant interaction therefore emerged between two worlds that do not normally work in this way. On the one hand stood the artistic and cinematic side; on the other, traditional broadcast engineering.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the deployment lies precisely in this combination of knowledge and experience. This is why the project evolved into a hybrid model of sorts. TV3 (3Cat) contributed its extensive expertise in broadcast production, while the cinematic component represented a learning process for almost everyone involved, as it remains relatively new territory even for the industry itself.

The setup consisted of ten Sony Venice 2 cameras for primary image acquisition, seven Sony FR7 units deployed in complex positions through robotic operation, and three Sony FX6 cameras reserved for specific tracking shots and other detailed coverage

Inspired by the Super Bowl, but “the European way”

To some extent, the reference model for the project was the Super Bowl. There, one finds a component clearly linked to traditional live broadcasting, another associated with sport, and, between the two, a creative and artistic layer with its own visual narrative.

However, the goal was never to replicate the American model.

Instead, the intention was to explore a distinct approach to HDR, moving away from overly controlled workflows and seeking a differentiated visual identity capable of exploiting the expressive possibilities of the format without compromising the demands of live production.

Rather than reproducing an existing formula, the ambition was to establish a unique identity for this type of production in Europe — a field in which there are still very few precedents. “We wanted to do something inspired by what is done at the Super Bowl, but do it the European way,” Hector Sole-Bradshaw tells TM BROADCAST.

The main challenge: Changing the mindset

Paradoxically, the project’s greatest challenge was not related to the cameras themselves, but rather to the way of working. To explain this, Sole-Bradshaw takes a step back and focuses on the arrival of HDR in production environments. “In HDR, you start to see the seams.”

The broadcast industry has spent years optimising processes, reducing timescales and simplifying operational structures. However, the adoption of HDR already requires part of that logic to be reconsidered. While HD and SDR are relatively forgiving formats that tolerate certain operational shortcuts, HDR demands a much higher level of precision, specialisation and control.

The introduction of a cinematic aesthetic pushes this requirement even further, affecting every level of the production process: from cinematography and post-production workflows to the need for roles more commonly associated with film production, such as focus pullers and specialised camera assistants.

The cinematic look requires a complete rethink of how a programme is built. Cameras, for example, must be positioned where they perform best from a cinematic perspective, rather than where they would be most conveniently placed according to a traditional multi-camera broadcast logic.

This shift also affects the professional profiles involved, which differ significantly from those found in a conventional broadcast production. The inclusion of a director of photography becomes crucial at every stage of the project.

Domenec Gibert (AEC), Director of Photography for the project and Coordinator of Cinematography and Lighting at 3Cat, explains it this way to TM BROADCAST: “I believe the role of the director of photography in an event such as the Sagrada Família, conceived as a Cinema Live production, is an extremely transversal one that brings together different departments. On the one hand, there is lighting, because in these cases there is usually a lighting designer responsible for creating the visual concept. The role also addresses the needs of the director. To achieve this, the director of photography works with production, post-production, technical and engineering departments in order to interpret both the technical and artistic requirements of the final project. As a result, the role is shaped according to the specific project, generating different proportions of work in production or coordination.”

The involvement of post-production professionals is equally essential in defining the look of the production, which is no longer shaped exclusively within camera control. A significant part of the visual identity is also designed in the colour grading suite.

Xavi Bonet, Head of Image Post-Production, summarises it as follows: “Post-production workflows must go hand in hand with live production workflows. The experience we have gained at 3Cat through the delivery of numerous cinematic broadcast productions in the documentary field, music concerts and the ambitious theatrical production Mar i Cel has provided us with the knowledge required to tackle a challenge such as Cinema Live.”

The visual look conceived in the grading suite was the result of intensive work carried out alongside colourist Eva Parra and engineer Diego Fuentes — another clear example of cooperation between 3Cat’s Image Department and Technology Directorate (IDT).

During the installation phase, technical crews are accustomed to building conventional broadcast camera chains. Systems such as the Sony Venice, however, require professionals from the film industry who are fully familiar with how to configure, balance and prepare this type of equipment.

“For me, the main challenge has been adapting workflows, timescales and budgets. If all departments — production, directing and technical operations — do not understand this change, the project cannot succeed,” concludes Sole-Bradshaw.

A Mobile Unit designed for live cinema

The decision to work with PhotoCine Live was driven by a very specific reality: there are only a handful of operators in Europe capable of delivering a cinematic production of this nature. The French company has specialised in integrating cinematic technology into live production environments, particularly for fashion shows, music events and productions for platforms such as Netflix, among other projects, although always within SDR workflows.

For PhotoCine Live, the Sagrada Família project represents a further step forward: it is the company’s first HDR production and also its first multilateral feed with international distribution for an event of this scale and significance. For that very reason, the project generated a particularly enriching collaboration for both parties. While PhotoCine Live provided the equipment and cinematic expertise, the 3Cat team contributed the knowledge and operational procedures associated with traditional broadcast production.

“The main challenge has been adapting workflows, timescales and budgets. If all departments — production, directing and technical operations — do not understand this change, the project cannot succeed”

How do you photograph the Pope?

The search for visual differentiation also gave rise to one of the project’s greatest challenges. The team was convinced that the investment made in the production had to translate into a visual experience capable of delivering a perceptible difference for viewers.

However, that creative freedom encounters certain limits when the main protagonist is a figure such as the Pope, who was accompanied throughout the event by a Sony FR7 positioned just a metre and a half away and pointing upwards. “The Pope is a figure who has historically always been photographed in a very neutral way. And that creates a certain risk. You want to tell a story and the question immediately arises: how do we photograph him? What look do we give him? And to what extent can we apply that look without going too far?” explains Hector Sole-Bradshaw.

The issue extends far beyond the purely technical. According to the British consultant, the challenge lies in finding the right balance between the institutional dimension and the symbolic dimension of a figure who occupies a singular place within the event itself.

Achieving that balance required an ongoing dialogue between the director, the CCU operators and the director of photography. “If you don’t take risks, people will later say it doesn’t look that different. But if you go too far, they’ll also tell you it looks too different.”

A constant interaction therefore emerged between two worlds that do not normally work in this way. On the one hand stood the artistic and cinematic side; on the other, traditional broadcast engineering