PRESS RELEASE
SYDNEY, 28 October 2013: After a successful and comprehensive tender earlier this year Gearhouse Broadcast walked away with the contract to provide full production facilities and crew for one of Australia’s biggest talent shows – The X Factor. The show, still currently running nationwide on the Seven Network recently topped over 1.8 million viewers and is considered the jewel in Australia’s talent show crown.
Gearhouse Broadcast Australia GM Ray Martin explained, “We fought hard for this tender. The production company, FremantleMedia, have very high production standards and nothing short of the best is acceptable – especially when you are going out live!”
Gearhouse provides FremantleMedia and the X Factor with a 12-camera production set up that also includes a high-end EVS capture and replay solution, all run from a purpose-built control room adjoining Fox Studios Sound Stage 5 in Moore Park.
Martin continued, “This is a very important job so we started with the most important element – the people. The Gearhouse team for X Factor are all well known to FremantleMedia. They trust them to deliver and they already have the long-standing relationships that underpin this trust. Gearhouse has a long and ongoing relationship with FremantleMedia which is very much based on mutual respect and professionalism. After pulling together the right team we configured a state of the art production system.”
Gearhouse designed and purpose built a control room specifically for the X Factor that includes TBC studio furniture, creating a more permanent and comfortable environment for the production team. The cameras used include the latest Hitachi SK-HD1200 and DK-H100 HD models, the first time these cameras have been used on an Australian entertainment show. It’s also the first time a Steadicam build has used a Hitachi DK-H100 head, giving the weight, space and power savings much needed to counter the effects of adding a bi-directional Boxx RF system. Gearhouse also provides monitors throughout the venue both back stage and on stage, Evertz multi-viewers, a Sony mixer and the show’s talkback system.
FremantleMedia’s Tim Clucas said, “The X Factor is a live show so our technical and production partner had to be flexible. I’m delighted to say Gearhouse Broadcast are this and more. They work exceptionally well in a live production environment and their support and service is always excellent.”
Gearhouse, known for their innovative solutions, continue to push the envelope on shows like the X Factor live where even the Steadicam metalwork rig was custom-designed by Gearhouse in consultation with the show’s Steadicam operator Glen Steer.
Ray Martin concluded, “FremantleMedia have a very efficient production schedule for the X Factor which the Gearhouse team are a key part of. We really hit the ground running from day one only taking a week to bump in and build the control room. We also made sure we have every angle covered, literally, from the main studio cameras, to hot head cameras at the foot of the stage and our excellent, custom-designed Steadicam rig.”