Gathering more than 500 guests in a large event space presents a
range of unique communications challenges. Douyin – the Chinese video-sharing
and social media app – handled them all smoothly for its annual Blooming Night
ceremony with the help of Clear-Com’s HelixNet digital network
partyline and FreeSpeak II digital wireless intercom systems.
The company’s annual Blooming Night is the biggest date on China’s
social media calendar, a celebration of the platform’s success and its
contribution to the global social networking community. This year’s event was
held in January at the Mission Hills H‧Brothers
Feng Xiaogang Film Commune in Haikou, a space of 5,000 square metres.
Live events powerhouse Panda Dream Quan Cultural Development Company
(PDQ) was tasked to handle the communications. The company configured a system
combining the FreeSpeak II and HelixNetsystems to streamline
communications between the broadcast and live event production teams.
“We faced many challenges in building the comms system for this
project,” said Ye Lynn, PDQ’s Project
Leader.
“The total event space was the size of a soccer field, and the
stage was far from the console area. To cover this area properly, we needed to
use optical fibre and transceiver splitters for reliable transmission over such
a long distance.”
To ensure the stability of the comms gear PDQ deployed 12
FreeSpeak II 2.4GHZ transceivers for the director, camera operators, artists,
props, stage manager and executive director, with each group receiving four
FSII-BP wireless beltpacks.
The HelixNet partyline system was positioned at the console
station with separate channels for audio, video, lighting, special effects,
lasers and mechanical systems, all linked by CAT6 cable. Each channel was
distributed to the HXII-BP beltpacks which “talked” seamlessly and with low
latency to the event directors.
The event used two OB vans, one for 4K video and for audio. Each
truck’s team was connected with the on-site crews by the FreeSpeak II and
HelixNet systems. FreeSpeak II base equipment installed in the 4K OB Van was
linked to each group’s FSII-BP wireless beltpacks.
The Audio OB van was equipped with two HKB-2X speaker stations and
one HXII-BP beltpack (for audio monitoring), linked with the HelixNet HMS-4X to
the main station, the control area and the director.
“In addition to the challenge of such a
huge space, we had to plan for potential system incompatibility and
transmission interference caused by other show equipment,” Lynn said.
“As always, the Clear-Com technologies
gave us confidence and peace of mind knowing there would be no communication
issues on-site. These systems seamlessly integrate with the digital wireless
equipment of other suppliers and their transmission functionality ensures
freedom from interference. The Clear-Com technologies are irreplaceable at this
level.”