The Catalyst was specified by Neil Breakwell, the show's executive producer. He sought a flexible, cost-effective method to giving the show high production values and a contemporary, feel that provided an interesting background. He also wanted to be able to quickly introduce light, shade or other visual moods to the show whilst integrating with the music bed. Catalyst was initially recommended to him by TV LD Chris Rigby.
Breakwell approached PID to advise on and supply the Catalyst software, and they also provided a customised Macintosh computer to meet their exact requirements. He comments that PID were extremely helpful, knowledgeable and informative, and ensured the entire exercise went smoothly.
The presenters move around the set - designed by Julian Healey - as the show progresses. The oval shaped projection screen is built into one of the set pieces and rear projected onto with a 12000 ANSI lumen Sanyo projector fed by the Catalyst.
PID also supplied four sets of Beacon digi gobos and arranged for Catalyst expert Hugh Davies Webb to visit Granada Studios in Manchester where Make Your Play is recorded, and train up members of the production team who would also be operators. Another important consideration on the practical level explains Breakwell, was that they wanted a solution that didn't need very specialised technical staff to programme and run it.
It's being controlled as a mouse driven stand-alone media server rather than via a DMX lighting desk, and this is proving an ideal solution.
With four and a half hours of show, it's vital to keep the graphics and visuals rolling. The show's content and animations have been created from a combination of the Beacon material and from some Digital Juice sources,. They have a dynamic stash of backgrounds that can instantly be pulled up onscreen at any time, plus a Make Your Play logo sequence.
They are maximising the real-time capabilities of the media server by changing the backgrounds frequently, quickly and sometimes on-the-fly as the show unfolds, to match changes in the tempo, mood and music explains Naomi Taviner, one of the Catalyst operators.
There's special looks for certain times, for example when they're taking a lot of calls from the public, they currently use a glittery "Turbo Round" effect; or and when there's a winner on the line, fireworks appear on screen.
In addition to that, being able to modify and adjust the existing effects or create totally new content quickly, is very useful for a show like this, the ambience of which relies to a large extent on sometimes unpredictable 'flow' factors.
(Chris Henry)
