IMDb

Broadcast Management Group was contracted to provide live production support, production staffing, and technical management to support IMDb Live at TIFF – 3-days of interviews at the Toronto International Film Festival. IMDb rented the top floor of a luxury hotel in downtown Toronto, which was converted and transformed into the “IMDb Studio at the Visa Infinite Lounge.”

Leading up to IMDb Live at TIFF, we participated in weekly production calls and meetings with the IMDb team to discuss technical and creative items related to the live production. Because we were booking an international production crew, and bringing in our own production equipment, we had to ensure all necessary production permits and travel documents were in order. The event was initially going to take place at a TIFF-affiliated theatre, so all pre-production planning was based on utilizing that location. At the last minute, we were forced to change venues, which required us to modify and update much of our production planning.

The live production took place at a luxury hotel in downtown Toronto, just a few steps away from where the Toronto International Film Festival was taking place. This proved to be an ideal location as it was convenient for celebrities and guests to come and go. The hotel was still under construction at the time of the production – some of the walls were being painted the day we setup our equipment. While this didn’t impact the overall live production, some amenities were unavailable during the event. The biggest challenge was the lack of a hardline internet connection. The only connection available was via the hotel WiFi, which was slow at best. While we weren’t producing a live stream, the bandwidth availability was problematic in being able to upload content in an efficient manner. We ended up booking space at a nearby community office center so that we could utilize a larger internet circuit for uploaded content.

All technical production staff and support personnel were hired locally in Toronto. Broadcast Management Group’s CEO and EVP of Production filled the rolls of Executive in Charge of Production and Production Manager.

Broadcast Management Group provided all camera, audio, and lighting equipment to support the live production. Additionally, Broadcast Management Group secured and installed all set elements, included a custom backdrop, custom carpet, IMDb-branded directors chairs, and a step-and-repeat wall. IMDb Live at TIFF consisted of 15+ interviews over the 3-day period. All cameras were ISO recorded along with a line cut of each interview. All footage was then transferred to IMDb’s editors in Los Angeles where all footage was cut and posted on the IMDb website.