BBC Training Studio
The mission was to design and build a new television studio to use for training BBC staff at their Marylebone High Street premises.
The studio forms a major part of the BBC induction and training course facility for all new BBC operational and technical staff within the UK.
When not being used for training, the BBC hires the studio to other commercial production organisations.
The complex consists of a vision and sound gallery, main studio and graphics studio that are acoustically designed and treated so the studio can be reconfigured to a large conference room at a moment's notice.
Studio Gallery
IVC Media designed the technical furniture to suit a room that can cater for a large number of students who had never been in a studio before. Though constrained to a tight budget, the gallery fit-out had to have a look and feel to it that would match any other production facility that the students might come into contact with whilst working at the BBC.
Both the FOR-A VPOS400DP digital vision mixer and the Soundcraft K1 audio mixer form the central hub of the production chain. In addition, the gallery has digital 'under monitor' displays, pixel power collage character generator, 6-channel radio microphones and a range of outboard audio equipment. Programme material can be sourced and recorded on digital Betacam, DVC-Pro and S-VHS video tape machines.
Complex digital effects, editing and track laying are done on the Fast Purple digital editor via the DV bridge.
Leitch digital glue and master generator equipment were chosen to provide the necessary interface between all equipment along with a full and flexible patching facility. Leitch 12" illuminated digital clocks that were all synchronised from the master generator were installed in both the gallery and the studio.
Television Studio
The television studio consists of four DSR-570WSPL camera heads that were fitted with a range of lenses to cater for the compact studio size. All cameras were mounted on Vinten Pro-Ped 3381-3C gas pedestals that were heavy duty enough to take any of the two teleprompter autoque displays.
Camera talkback was via the camera head to the gallery CCU whilst the floor manager communicated to the gallery via radio using two channels of DTB-2001. The Garwood System 2 was used for the presenters' IFB.
The Cyclorama consisted of a choice between chroma key blue or black velvet on split tracks. As the building's air conditioning and mains power were originally designed for office space, cool fluorescent lighting was employed.
The grid mounted video projection and screen system allowed the studio to be easily converted to conference mode.
Graphics Studio
The graphics studio is a dual purpose space used for still graphics, sound booth and viewing room. The cameras from the studio can be operated in either space thus allowing for full flexibility of all equipment.
