As multi-platform streaming has become the standard for live entertainment, live production professionals are leaning on simulcast workflows to deliver content to increasingly fragmented audiences. While vital for maximizing audience reach, successfully implementing simulcast workflows can prove challenging, given that teams must juggle the various video format and quality requirements of each delivery platform. 

To reduce these complexities and adapt to shifting client demands, Tokyo-based live production technology provider Nouvelle Vague Inc. has refined its simulcast workflow in the last year, with an eye on emerging technology and standards. The company introduced two AJA BRIDGE LIVE devices into its pipeline earlier this year, which support multi-channel live video contribution, backhauling, live streaming and video delivery, to answer client demand for SRT transmission and remote production has increased. 

Familiar with AJA gear after integrating two AJA HELO streaming and recording devices into workflows in early 2020 for greater stability and functionality, Nouvelle Vague opted for AJA BRIDGE LIVE to extend its workflow to support Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) and RTMP transmission in separate pipelines. 

"SRT has become increasingly popular among clients, especially those looking for an added layer of security for their intellectual property," noted Masayoshi Ikeda, VP and Representative Director, Nouvelle Vague. "At the same time, our customers also require their content to be delivered with stability on multiple platforms at high quality. AJA BRIDGE LIVE allows us to achieve this in a user-friendly way."

Most Nouvelle Vague e-sports projects, which encompass on-the-ground support, require streams that feature complicated screen configurations with upwards of 60 layers. One of the production company’s most ambitious undertakings this year was for the “RAGE” esports competition, the largest in Japan. BRIDGE LIVE proved essential on this project for simulcasting tournament coverage to YouTube, OPENREC.tv, and Twitter. On-site, four camera feeds and PlayStation 4 game sources were fed into AJA KUMO 3232 12G-SDI routers, allowing for simplified cabling, then into NewTek TriCaster video production systems. The Nouvelle Vague team distributed the output to two HD production switchers and into the BRIDGE LIVE devices for RTMP encoding, and the reception and decoding of SRT feeds. The stream was then sent to Japanese video streaming site ABEMA in 59.94i, as well as the other platforms in progressive. 

To enable NAS recording and MP4 ingest on upcoming projects, Nouvelle Vague also recently added an AJA Ki Pro GO to its equipment arsenal. The addition of the multi-channel H.264 recorder ensures a comprehensive portable fly pack that will allow the team to support clients on site from ingest to editing, distribution, and recording. Nouvelle recently supported the “FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL ’21” using the workflow and plans to also harness it to support a range of remote livestreaming projects from their studio in Shibuya when it opens.

Concluded Ikeda, "As the pandemic continues to make it difficult for people to gather together physically, remote production remains vital for maintaining operations and AJA solutions are an important part of being able to do so successfully in a streamlined manner."