Viacom installed a new studio for the Argentinian television channel TELEFE with 100% ARRI LED lights.
With the acquisition of the public broadcasting channel TELEFE, international media company VIACOM made a strong bet on the Argentinian market. The move gave them control of one of the country’s main television channels. Even though TELEFE already boasted strong infrastructure, the aim was to take the company to the next level by transforming it into a multimedia hub with 11 studios and a scenographic workshop at their current facilities located in Martínez, province of Buenos Aires.
“Viacom TELEFE is in a process of structural growth. The new broadcasting and news building contains a 600 square foot studio,” explains Gustavo Capua, SVP Finance, Technology and Operations Viacom / TELEFE who was in charge of one of the major projects - the studio’s relocation from the Federal Capital. It was at this juncture that environmental sustainability concepts began to come up while building out the studio’s features -- themes like efficient lighting became ever more relevant.
Hernán Winnik, commercial director at BVS, ARRI’s integrator and distributor, had a leading role in the initiative. He explains, “TELEFE was moving its news studios and wanted to concentrate the entire studio and editorial department in a new building in Martínez. We have had a relationship with the company for many years and this project arose from the possibility of accompanying them through one of the predominant challenges they faced: relocating their news studio and possibly outfitting it completely with LED lighting.”
“Everything was designed to conserve energy not only by utilizing LED lighting, but also by minimizing heat dissipation. This resulted in the lowest possible electrical consumption by air conditioning equipment," says Capua.
With this goal in mind, BVS knew exactly what to recommend. ”When TELEFE was considering the need for a state-of-the-art studio, with the main priority being the implementation of high quality light, we immediately thought of ARRI LED fixtures," affirms Winnik.
“Those of us who have been developing projects in this media for many years now have known ARRI for a long time. They are known for their high quality products. BVS approached us with all the necessary information for the new studio with ARRI as the standard,” adds the SVP Viacom / TELEFE. “The requirements were quality and reliability with the versatility afforded by new technologies, along with financial and environmental sustainability. ARRI fulfilled all these requirements.”
“It was clear that LED lighting was the answer to the needs and demands of a channel of this magnitude. LED lighting for studios in Argentina has been growing dramatically in the last two years. The cost of electricity in the country has increased in such a way that conversion from traditional fixtures to LED luminaires is much more attractive due to the technology’s inherently low energy consumption,” comments Esteban Umana, ARRI’s Latin American technical sales representative. “In addition, the versatility of our lights cuts costs and work time. All of these factors have helped popularize the use of LEDs in Argentina.”
Great Allies
To undertake a project of this magnitude, the relationship between the client, the brand, and the distributor was fundamental. It had to be a strategic alliance where every detail would be addressed. “The biggest challenge in this endeavor was to develop and cultivate the working relationship between the three companies. But at the same time this challenge was the most pleasant and fruitful part of the job, once the relationships were formed,” says Umana.
"From the moment the project was proposed, we at BVS made ourselves available to the network to help with anything they needed, for example the design and outline of the quantity of LED lights that would be needed, the execution of demos, and the calculations of savings they would achieve when using LED lights instead of halogen lights. For TELEFE, it was the opportunity to launch a completely renewed broadcasting studio and we were present to help them achieve that goal,” says BVS’s commercial director.
Even though it was an in-house installation of the TELEFE engineering and installation team, BVS’s assistance and guidance was key. "They always helped us make the best decisions, they joined the project right from the beginning, they were part of the same team," remarks Gustavo Capua.
“I believe TELEFE’s relationship with the distributor impacted decisions in a very positive manner. Seeing the exceptional support and knowledge that BVS has of our products, over the years, makes customers feel comfortable and at ease. They know their needs and expectations will be met,” says ARRI’s Umana. "The most important factors for the success of this project included the technological understanding of our products, knowing how to communicate this to the client clearly, and resolving any and all questions.”
100% LED
"Energy efficiency is the principle achievement of new LED lighting technology, with electrical consumption approximately five times lower than that of halogen lamps. In addition LEDs do not generate heat like traditional luminaires and offer important savings in air conditioning. This is achieved through products of high quality with features that align with the needs of the audiovisual industry,” details Winnik.
“Overall efficiency is realized through energy savings as well the versatility of the equipment made available to the artists. The set supports four daily newscasts and we’ve been able to ensure that each one gets its own distinct lighting set up. By utilizing control of only RGB, we establish a different lighting mood for different artistic treatments, without spending too much time or having to relocate the equipment," adds Capua.
In this case, BVS recommended the implementation of ARRI’s L7-C and L10-C LED Fresnels, (equivalent to 1000 watt and 2000 watt halogens, respectively), and for the replacement of soft lighting SkyPanel S60-Cs were utilized. “All the luminaires we recommended have very comprehensive features that can be controlled with DMX 512 and RDM protocols. This allows communication between lighting control equipment and the light sources themselves".
Concerning this choice, Winnik mentions, “After an exhaustive analysis of the lighting market, along with numerous trials, tests, and calculations with different brands and models, ARRI stood out as the only one capable of meeting all of the customer’s requirements, both in terms of light levels and data transmission for control. After the implementation they were very satisfied with the performance.”
BVS’s executive attests that TELEFE was very satisfied with the products, both the quality, and the performance. So much so, that they are thinking of duplicating them in other studios. "They were also able to verify the energy savings in lighting and air conditioning, the efficiency of this type of light source, and other benefits provided by LED technology such as RGB + W colors, which make them very useful for other studios. In addition, with future increases in energy costs expected, the use of LED in television studios, for live broadcasts and fiction television, becomes more attractive.”
Why ARRI
ARRI’s technical sales representative in Latin America affirms, “Through several tests, exercises, and extended usage in their studios, the client realizes why ARRI is the world standard in lighting. Once all the other alternatives are examined, clients and users prefer ARRI."
At no time was the TELEFE team alone in this venture. The brand and the distributor ensured that TELEFE was given all the tools and know-how necessary. "We held a three-day workshop on lighting controls and communication protocols for this system. Approximately 30 technicians from TELEFE participated. We also sent them a spare parts kit at no cost so they could solve problems quickly in case they arose,” adds Umana.
And he concludes, "I think that several facilities in the region have taken note of what we have done at TELEFE and will be using this as a reference when it comes time to convert or equip their new studios with lighting."
For more information on ARRI LED Lighting, please visit http://www.arri.com/lighting/led/
BVS: https://www.bvstv.com/
Telefe: https://telefe.com/
