The world of live production technology is in a constant state of evolution, with each passing season bringing forth innovative changes. From cutting-edge mobile production units to remote solutions, the industry has come a long way. One driving force behind this transformation is MTVG Cloud Control — a game-changing technology that reshaped the landscape of live production in 2020.
Cloud Control: A Catalyst for Change in Live Production
In an era where distance is no longer a barrier, Cloud Control has emerged as a transformative tool for regional sports production. It enables regional sports production teams to produce every event from their home city, regardless of whether the team they’re covering is 300 feet away, or 3,000 miles away with the production team remoting-in from a Cloud Control room.
This technology not only revolutionized the way live production professionals work but also became a standard asset for nearly 90% of all regular season games in MLB, NHL and NBA.
Meet the Cloud Control Engineers: The Backbone of Regional Sports
While the industry has become familiar with Cloud Control, none are more intimately acquainted with the technology than MTVG’s Cloud Control Engineers. These engineers serve as the ultimate line of defense against in-game disruptions, ensuring seamless transmission of broadcasts to all stakeholders, including the viewer.
Dakota T. is one of the Cloud Control Engineers at MTVG, and his importance to the live production ecosystem can not be overstated. While players, broadcasters, and live production personnel are typically involved in one game per day, Dakota is responsible for anywhere between four and 12 games per day, delivering an abundance of regional sports coverage to fans all over the country on a daily basis.
Setting the Stage for Success
Technology is only as good as the people behind it, and MTVG’s Cloud Control Engineers play a major part in the success of every Cloud Control production. Between communicating with Engineers-In-Charge (EICs) and clients, overseeing invaluable performance indicators, and being ready to address an unforeseen challenge at a moment’s notice, these engineers are vital to the live sports landscape.
MTVG Cloud Control Engineers are all former EICs, so they’re incredibly familiar with the ins and outs of on-site and Cloud Control productions, and what it takes to deliver stunning results to the client. However, a key difference between being an on-site EIC and a Cloud Control Engineer is that Cloud Control Engineers need to rely on on-site personnel to accomplish the physical aspects of troubleshooting or setup, instead of fixing it themselves. This places heightened importance on communication.
Beyond the management of personnel, monitoring real-time quality indicators for multiple productions is a necessary and vital part of the Cloud Control Engineer position.
Two of the most important aspects of a high-quality broadcast are latency and resolution, and Cloud Control Engineers are responsible for ensuring both come through in production. The perfect balance between the two is essential, and each production poses a different set of conditions for Cloud Control Engineers to address.
Cloud Control Engineers are trusted problem solvers who are prepared and equipped to jump into action at a moment’s notice.
“You have to have a cool game face and take everything in stride,” said Dakota. “If you let the stress of everyone else get to you then the problems will only take longer to solve. Thankfully, show interruptions are very rare, but when they do present themselves, you have to be ready. I must admit, I live for the adrenaline rush of such a fire drill. It happens so infrequently though, I might need to take up skydiving.”
For Cloud Control Engineers, failure is not an option, and success in their role is defined by high-quality live events that reach each customer’s audience every time their team takes the field, ice or court. Regional sports are so accessible because of revolutionary technology, and gifted professionals, dedicated to bringing fans every single game from an 82 or 162-game regular season.
In a world where technology continually reaches new heights, it’s the people behind the scenes who make it all count. Every day in live production presents new trials and uncertainties. But with Cloud Control Engineers who prepare meticulously, communicate flawlessly, and wield the power of MTVG technology, extraordinary live productions are delivered to customers, and their viewers, without so much as a hiccup.