Eastenders Tackles HD

A top BBC 'soap' is joining the HD revolution and pushing the boundaries of technology.
BBC Studios and Post Production (BBC S&PP), the BBC's commercial facilities arm, is taking EastEnders into high definition (HD) this autumn.
The award winning BBC One drama - which scooped a record breaking 10 awards at the British Soap Awards in May - currently broadcasts on BBC One four times a week, with repeats on BBC Three and an Omnibus on Sundays.
Now, as more than half a million viewers saw ITV1's Coronation Street air its first broadcasts in high definition last night, BBC S&PP is introducing new HD and tapeless workflows and working with Dega Broadcast Systems to carry out a major technology refresh of the Eastenders galleries and studio areas at its Elstree studios to support the move.
On foot of positive figures that showed the first instalment of Corrie was watched by 292,800 (1.44%) on ITV1 HD at 7pm, while the second episode entertained 520,800 (2.05%) at 9pm - according to figures from Attentional - new equipment includes Sony HD cameras and monitors, Ikegami CRT HD monitors, Avid HD edit suites and Unity storage, Protools sound desks and a significant investment in low energy lighting are to boost the BBC soap.
It is also deploying the new multi-camera ingest technology INGEX, which removes the need to digitise and enables material to be logged simultaneously at the point of capture.
Sony HSC-300s studio system cameras were selected because they met the production's key requirements.
They are digital triax based, so can be used to shoot both on the lot and in the studio without having the additional expense of upgrading the existing infrastructure to fibre.
The location camcorders are being upgraded to Sony’s tapeless PDW-700 XDCAM HD422 camcorders. Both the systems camera and the camcorders are fitted with common CCD sensors, vital to minimising the time it takes to grade and finish programmes.
BBC S&PP (formerly BBC Resources) has been the preferred partner for EastEnders production since its inception in 1985, providing the studios, crew, technical equipment and all the post production facilities and staff.
During the 25 years it has worked with EastEnders, BBC S&PP has helped the programme move to widescreen and stereo sound.
In February BBC S&PP staffed and engineered the delivery of the award winning live episode, to mark the 25th anniversary of the show.
BBC S&PP also supports the online spin-off drama series E20, which sees life in Albert Square through the eyes of four teenagers.
Eastenders will join Holby City, The One Show, The Apprentice, Weakest Link and QI who will all be moving to HD by the end of the year.
Other BBC1 shows including Songs of Praise, Casualty, Match of the Day, A Question of Sport and Blue Peter will also eventually be shot in HD.
The BBC is aiming to have the majority of BBC1's evening schedule available in HD in time for the launch this autumn, the "vast majority" of the network's output to be in HD by 2012.
BBC1 HD is to be available on Freeview, Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
(BMcC/GK)