BBC Sports relies on Vizrt’s graphics solutions to create a virtual environment and brings Olympic sports to the audience

The press department of Vizrt has recently announced that is working with BBC Sport to deliver a virtual set graphics ecosystem in Salford to cover the Beijing Winter Games.

BBC Sports uses Vizrt’s Fusion Keyer, all powered by the company’s virtual set controller, to create a system that gives sports fans access to the sports action unfolding in China.

One of the challenges the BBC needed to solve with this hybrid rendering pipeline of Viz Engine 4 in conjunction with Unreal Engine 4 was to enable an easy-to-manage workflow and streamline content changes. The Viz Engine offers integration of the Unreal Engine and the Viz Arc control application.

“Prior to the summer, we converted a small studio space at Media City into a green screen area with a virtual design (by Jim Mann and Toby Kalitowski) and enhanced rendering technology to deliver an immersive, enhanced experience for audiences. The studio, with five different presenting positions that can house a variety of sports output, will be a key presentation location for BBC Sport this year, including the Winter Games for which we have added more design and development,” states John Murphy, Creative Director and Head of Graphics for Sport at the BBC.

“2022 is not just the year of sport for the industry, but it’s the year of sport for Vizrt. We’re ramping up our offering across sports to support our customers in achieving their production needs; BBC Sport is a great example of that. We were honored to participate in last year’s celebration of the UEFA Euro 2020 championships and the long-awaited Summer Games, and for us, the BBC sets the standards in sports both in looks and functionality across the market,” remarks Gerhard Lang, CTO for Vizrt.