Lake Forest High School, located outside of Chicago, IL, has adopted the HyperDeck Shuttle HD recorder/player from Blackmagic Design to enhance the live broadcast of school sporting events. The device is being used for replays, adding a new dimension to the production process.
New Media Instructor Details Integration
Steven Douglass, the new media instructor at Lake Forest High School, manages live streams for basketball and volleyball games as well as stage performances. He employs student crews for all aspects of production, including camera operators, announcers, technical directors, and support staff, with teachers providing guidance.
Douglass relies on a comprehensive suite of Blackmagic Design equipment, featuring multiple Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 digital film cameras to capture live footage from up to eight angles as needed. The student technical director uses an ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher for transitions, along with the HyperDeck Shuttle HD for playback duties.
Benefits of HyperDeck Shuttle HD
“We were looking for a cost-effective solution that could handle instant replays,” Douglass explained. “The HyperDeck Shuttle HD fit our needs perfectly.”
The HyperDeck Shuttle HD, designed as a desktop device with a large search dial, offers quick and easy navigation through recorded footage. It connects to the ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher, receiving a program out signal, and uses SD cards, UHS-II cards, or USB-C external disks for storage.
“The ability to replay the program feed has greatly improved our announcing team’s performance and audience engagement,” Douglass noted. “It also enhances accountability in our productions.”
Challenges and Future Improvements
Incorporating the HyperDeck Shuttle HD into their live production setup has added complexity, presenting challenges to student announcers and crew members, especially during timeouts. Douglass acknowledges that students need more practice with playback systems like this one.
“During timeouts, we often face issues with inexperienced commentators giving too much personal commentary,” he said. “The replay system helps us fill downtime and provides valuable highlights to the audience.”