SCN: How long have you been with this company, and what are your responsibilities?
Ulrich Voigt: I joined Vizrt over three years ago and am leading the product management and product marketing of our extensive broadcast graphics and live production product portfolio, which I am also representing in the executive management team of the group.
SCN: Based on Vizrt’s recent employee engagement survey, it seems that good video communication is critical for today’s hybrid workforce. How is that research impacting Vizrt’s R&D for corporate AV solutions?
UV: We understand that our corporate customers want to communicate in the most effective way possible with their workforce, who often live in different parts of the world or work from home. We have been supporting our customers in that segment for many years with our TriCaster portfolio of integrated live production systems. Recently, we have simplified for corporate customers what we know best: stunning interactive graphics and an engaging virtual studio.
[Executive Q&A: Talking Points]
Now, Vizrt has put these features in a box. Pre-configured and ready-to-go, Viz Virtual Studio Go combines AR graphics and virtual sets for the ultimate corporate presentation. It brings an array of options for the corporate presentation to be more dynamic and memorable, so whichever corporation uses it can easily create engaging presentations without losing brand identity or tone of voice.
SCN: Vizrt purchased NewTek back in 2019. What prompted the decision to retire the NewTek brand last year, and what’s new in your TriCaster integrated production switcher line?
UV: With the convergence of Broadcast and Pro AV, and a rise in demand for solutions that respond to the needs of any-sized creator, we wanted to create a better, more unified experience for customers, partners, and collaborators. A unified ecosystem of products strengthens and simplifies the access to the entire Vizrt product portfolio. All our channel partners can certify as experts with new courses on Viz University, Vizrt’s learning platform, and offer more solutions to grow their business. For the end user, Vizrt’s entry-level solutions are embedded with broadcast-quality technology, offering sophisticated solutions in a more accessible price range, such as the recently introduced, software-only TriCaster Mini S.
SCN: In a pretty crowded PTZ market, what makes Vizrt’s PTZ cameras unique?
UV: Vizrt’s PTZ cameras aim to elevate while simplifying the creation, capture, and connection of content, as an integrated solution with our live production, AR, and lecture capture systems.
As the originators of NDI, we are always innovating in that space. With the latest release, the PTZ3 PLUS line (also sold in UHD) includes production-enhancing features, such as AI presenter tracking and the world’s first FreeD tracking data embedded via NDI|HX, which makes AR setups simpler. With AI presenter tracking, initial face detection intelligently tracks presenters even when they face away from the camera, and blackboard detection locks the camera in place during presentations—so the presenter can focus what they’re doing, knowing that the camera will focus on them. On top of that, the sleek design blends into the space, so presenters and creators aren’t distracted by the presence or movement of the camera.
[NDI Reigns over AVoIP Protocols]
This is key to delivering a dynamic presentation, which is a demand we’re seeing from all verticals of Pro AV: Education institutions want to engage students better, employers their workforce, and anybody their audience. Technology that enables a seamless visual experience is integral to that.
SCN: Is cloud-based remote production here to stay, and what’s the appeal for the Pro AV space?
UV: Cloud-based productions have proven to bring diverse benefits to a production. They remove distance constraints, which allow the best people to be hired for a job, not just the closest people. Cloud production also makes the work-life balance of teams much healthier, as they don’t have to be constantly on the road and away from their families to work.
There are many appeals for the Pro AV space, but an important one is in how quickly a team can turn around a production. This enables more freedom to create more, however you want—there is less time spent moving around and installing the system in a new place.
Another appeal is that, with the move to more software-based platforms, the easier it is to upgrade the technology, so your production can evolve as you evolve as a producer.
SCN: Of course, I can’t let you go without talking at least briefly about graphics. While Vizrt is known for its broadcast graphics, what solutions can you provide for the Pro AV space?
UV: Vizrt provides solutions for content creators of any size. We know that video connects everyone globally, so we’re bringing broadcast-level solutions to every type of creator, from corporations to independent productions to small studios. Non-broadcast content providers are striving to create content that matches the broadcast experience. Broadcasters need to simplify their production workflows and create more content more efficiently. With our heritage in broadcast and Pro AV, we are in a unique position to address those increasingly blended needs.
[Integrated Production Switchers: Doing More with Less]
For example, there are the latest introductions to the TriCaster family. TriCaster Vizion is built to respond to the evolving needs of media production. The TriCaster user community is heard loud and clear, and the result of these conversations is a live production system that combines cutting-edge AI, advanced IP connectivity, and industry-leading graphics with the versatility to meet any production demand.
Non-broadcast content providers are striving to create content that matches the broadcast experience.
The TriCaster Mini S is Vizrt’s new entry-level, software-only model, available through subscription and the creator’s choice of hardware. It brings down the burdens of budget or experience, with live production features including live video switching, virtual sets, special effects, audio mixing, recording, social media publishing, web streaming, and more.
The two brand-new TriCasters boast graphics powered by Viz Flowics as standard. With Viz Flowics, the cloud-native platform to create and manage interactive graphics, creators can enhance viewer engagement for their live stream with real-time data visualization, interactive content (such as polls), and social media integration.
With the latest introductions, we’re strengthening our delivery of future-proof integrated production systems, designed for creators of all levels.
SCN: Where do you see the Pro AV industry heading?
UV: The latest innovations in the Pro AV industry have proven that not only can everyone communicate with video, but there is an appetite to create the best possible production—whether it’s for an internal audience or various people tuning into a live stream. Adding AI into the mix, there will be even more ways to assist the user, be it a creative or an operator, in the creation of professional live video content.
[It’s Here: NDI Launches NDI 6]
With the increasing availability of broadcast-grade tools, video creation is taken to another level. Nowadays, there is no need to be a video expert to deliver broadcast-quality results. Looking at the products and solutions introduced in the past year that attend to the emerging broadcast AV market, I believe we will see creativity truly flourish with smaller creators.
