TINKERLIST x DPG Media
For our automatic liveset, which was then running on our own ‘Shotbox’ GUI, we needed another control tool. One that allowed us to produce more complicated news shows. Again, fully automatically, without any technical crew, only controlled by a news anchor. That’s how we set out talking with Tinkerlist. Tinkerlist offered a solid content production collaboration platform. Mainly used for talk shows and entertainment, but not so much for news. And at the time, they only offered limited hardware control.
Tinkerlist is now in everyday production for HLN Live: journalists build rundowns with studio talks, playout, graphics, lower thirds, live crosstalks, Hangout calls, … using the Tinkerlist ‘cards’ concept, it is very easy for them. In each card they are only offered the relevant and needed information for that type of rundown-event.
For example: in a ‘Hangout’ card, they only need to fill in the name of the remote guest (required), his location and function (optional), while in a card for a ‘live feed’, they need to choose the correct video source (with a live video preview in the browser), and the location where the feed is coming from. We never ask them to make any technical choices. With that kind of info put into the Tinkerlist cards and the rundown, the Tinkerlist Cuez software which they use in the liveset, gives our automation all the necessary info to do its ‘automatic director’ magic. Using the right double-box effects when needed, muting/unmuting and levelling microphones and other audiosources, setting up mix minus routings, ...
Since we integrated and delivered Tinkerlist for our HLN Liveset, journalists daily create shows. Easily 10 or more a day. These range from a short remote interview with a Hangout guest, to full blown productions with studio guests, live feeds and playout of news items. An example being the recent Mars-landing of the Perseverance spaceship.
