BBC Post Production is supporting Big Cat Live with a tapeless workflow set-up designed to help the show's editors and web producers prepare and transmit content simultaneously whilst on location.

The week-long live TV event, currently airing on BBC1, Cbeebies and bbc.co.uk, is exploring the hidden side of Kenya's Masai Mara Reserve.

It features daily coverage of lion, cheetah and leopard families and then nocturnal broadcasts, provided by specially designed remote cameras capable of broadcasting at night.

The interactive website contains multiple live streams of footage provided by the remote cameras and webcams.

BBC Post Production Birmingham is supporting production in their 24 hour surveillance operation and output to a number of platforms.

It is providing and supporting a tapeless workflow set-up that was supplied, integrated and supported by Hiring Post and is installed at Governor's Camp in Kenya.

The science bit

The system is based around an Avid Unity server with 8TB storage with Avid Interplay asset management system.

Two Avid Airspeeds and Avid Command are controlling transmission output. Three Media Composer Adrenaline systems and four laptops running Avid Media Composer are being used to bring to life the stories of the big cats in the Masai Mara.

Ingest from the specialist remote cameras, which capture up close and personal behaviour of the wildlife, are being handled by a further two Avid Airspeeds and ingest is being controlled on laptops running Avid Interplay Assist.

BBC Post Production Bristol carried out the finishing and the sound work for the inserts, ready for transmission from the Masai Mara Reserve and is also providing the editing crew out on location.

Credit where credit is due

Big Cat Live is being made by BBC Vision Productions. The Series Producer is Nigel Pope and the Producer is Colin Jackson.

Big Cat Live will air until 12 October 2008. For more on the series go to www.bbc.co.uk/bigcat

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