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Reports & Services | 3D Graphics

3D Graphics for the Hockey Night in Canada

CBCs Hockey Night in Canada has led hockey coverage in Canada for nearly six decades, and at the end of 2010, the program undertook Canadas first 3D hockey telecast. The broadcaster used two HyperX3 on-air graphics systems from Chyron to package its hockey graphics for the 3D environment, integrate them successfully into the broadcast workflow, and provide a visually striking 3D viewing experience for audiences across Canada. Chyrons New York facilities to help identify the type of graphics required and ensure that they could be delivered in stereoscopic 3D through Chyron systems. Among the graphics that CBC wanted displayed in 3D was the score bug. Because this bug normally is created through another system, Chyron delivered a plug-in for our Lyric PRO 8 software that yielded that same capability, supporting not only the score and game clock, but also Lyric PRO 8 enabled us to create engaging 3D graphics. Planning the actual incorporation of 3D graphics into the live 3D sports event presented us with a less-familiar challenge. Watching a sport like hockey televised in 3D is almost like watching an actual game through a window. Adding 3D graphics to this scene takes some practice and knowledge. Understanding this, the network hired a stereographer from 3ality Digital, and we worked with him to place different types of graphics correctly in 3D space to ensure the viewing experience was superb. Placing 3D Graphics in 3D Space | The look and feel of graphics floating in the Z space is critical. If a handheld camera is in a low position while shooting hockey players on the ice, and a fans head comes into the shot, it shows depth. If, however, the operator puts a super, such as the players name, on screen at the same time, it doesnt look right. To the human eye and mind, it seems that the graphic should be between the head in the foreground and the player on the ice. Avoiding this kind of situation requires care on the part of camera operators and graphics operators, as the sudden intrusion of elements in the foreground can really throw off the viewer. We found that adding graphics to shots in the commentary box also required special attention. Due to the space constraints of the booth, the play-by-play guys were shot at close range with a wide-angle lens, with the large expanse of the arena behind them. Each commentator had his hands crossed on his lap, and we saw that when we added a super such as a commentators name it looked as though the graphic should be positioned between the commentators hands and his body. Controls in Lyric PRO 8 allow operators to make those changes, so it was an easy problem to fix in rehearsals. When the announcers were put on air during the game, their name supers looked perfect in front of their hands.

The hockey matchup between the Montreal Canadians and the Toronto Maple Leafs, longtime rivals in the NHL, was aired live from Torontos Air Canada Centre on Dec. 11, 2010. The Chyron systems allowed the CBC to incorporate a dynamic 3D score bug and other graphics with 3D objects and animation in this landmark broadcast. The Score Bug | CBC planned for the event well in advance, sending its lead operator to

shots on goal, power play timers, out-of-town score updates, promos, and other stats. While the Chyron HyperX3 system already supports graphics playout in 3D, we helped CBC redesign its existing graphic elements into 3D elements and then reconstructed the networks messages in 3D. The resulting realtime 3D object animations, lighting, and textures really enhanced the graphical look and impact on-air.

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If done well, the positioning of graphics in the Z space makes for a great effect when shown in the 3D environment. They positioned cutouts of hockey players and other objects in the Z space against an animated background, and the combination was striking when animated in 3D.

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Phil Carmichael was a Chyron operator and designer for the CBC in Calgary and Edmonton from 1982 to 1995. He worked very closely with CBC Sports in providing on-air graphics for many sporting events such as Hockey Night in Canada, the CFL on CBC, and the Winter and Summer Olympics. He joined Chyron in 1995 as a product specialist for the iNFiNiT! line of products and now is vice president of product marketing for Chyron. Although his main job today is in marketing, he continues to work closely with news and sports broadcasters across the industry.

In a 3D Broadcast Graphics have to float In contrast to HD productions that use edgeto-edge graphics and score bugs, the CBC 3D production very purposefully did not use these types of graphics. The on-screen positioning must allow graphics to float, rather than anchor to one side of the screen or another. Knowing these issues, we helped CBC change some of the graphics accordingly. Because the scorebug is on the screen almost all of the time, we adapted it to float at the top of the screen. Lyric PRO 8, combined with the scorebug application, provided a great deal of freedom in enhancing animations. In fact, CBC was able to add elements to the scorebug just before the start of the game. They brand their telecast with the CBC logo on the bug, so when it is off-screen during replays and other promos, the network branding is lost. With this being

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Canadas first-ever 3D hockey telecast, the CBC wanted to maintain its brand presence on-screen at all times. With that goal in mind, the CBC team made a small change just prior to the game, adding a transparent CBC logo that would appear when the scorebug animated off. This kind of flexibility was an added bonus for CBC, and the extra bit of branding throughout the broadcast helped to reinforce the CBC identity not only for Canadian viewers, but also for those in the United States watching via Comcast cable services. One HyperX for Playout of the Scorebug and one for Full-Frame Graphics | CBC was able to integrate 3D graphics playout into its usual hockey broadcast workflow without making any real changes to operations. For the playback operator, the shift to a 3D telecast had a negligible impact on workflow. The operator recalled scenes the same way he does for regular HD broadcasts, and when he played to graphics to air, the Chyron software did the work in producing the 3D stereoscopic display. The network used one HyperX3 system for stereoscopic playout of the scorebug and a second system for all full-frame graphics and lower-thirds. Thanks to advance planning and our experience with live 3D broadcasts in the United States, as well as the flexibility of our Lyric PRO 8 software and the powerful real-time playout capabilities of the HyperX3 system, we were able to support CBCs successful 3D hockey broadcast. The network pulled off the first in what promises to be a long series of 3D hockey broadcasts in

Canada. At the Heritage Outdoor Classic at McMahon stadium in Calgary on Feb. 20, 2011 CBC carried out the second 3D broadcast where the Calgary Flames hosted the Montreal Canadians.

Within many broadcast facilities the Chyron HyperX3 on-air graphics system plays a key role, and our work with CBC demonstrates that those broadcasters already working with the system have

the means through a simple change to their hardware settings to launch stereoscopic graphics playout when the time is right for them.

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