A brief analysis of the lighting scheme of 4K all-media news studio center - taking Guizhou Radio and Television Station as an example

[Abstract] This article introduces the overall planning of Guizhou Radio and Television Station’s 4K ultra-high-definition all-media news studio center, the design concept, design plan and lighting

method of the lighting system.

[Keywords] 4K ultra-high definition; full media studio; lighting system; design scheme; lamp selection; lighting characteristics

Article number: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8239.2020.12.003

In order to promote the development of deep media integration, popularize the production and broadcast of high-definition TV programs, and accelerate the application of high-definition and 4K ultra-high-definition television technologies, Guizhou Radio and Television Station transformed the original No. 2 studio into a 4K ultra-high-definition all-media news broadcast center. After the renovation is completed, the studio center can be used for simultaneous live broadcasts of the current affairs and people's livelihood channels, meeting the needs of new media program production, interview program production, and green box virtual background program production.

This article mainly explains the lighting scheme of Guizhou Radio and Television Station’s 4K ultra-high-definition all-media news studio center from the perspective of the overall planning of the all-media studio center, lighting system design, and lighting methods.

1 Overall planning of the all-media studio center

The 4K ultra-high-definition all-media studio center has a total area of ​​511 square meters, is 27.8 m long, 18.41 m wide, and 13.3 m high. The stage design meets the requirements of panoramic, full media and interactive reporting. While planning and designing the studio center, full reference was made to domestic and foreign advanced news production processes, job design and other factors. Based on the original building structure, program application scenarios from all angles of the studio center were reasonably set up to make each area unique. However,

It can also form a unified and coordinated whole. Through the blending of scenes and the combination of reality and reality, the utilization of space is maximized, and scenes can be quickly changed according to the positioning of the column and broadcast needs. The overall stage design shows the news communication characteristics and aesthetic effects of the combination of new media and traditional media in the new era. At the same time, combined with the design of the control room and the visiting channel, a production and broadcasting platform is created that integrates the gathering, production and display of all-media content. It can realize the appearance of multiple hosts of the same program, the combination of multi-screen projection, and the viewing of multiple scenic spots. It can meet different production forms such as seated broadcasts, stand-up broadcasts, and interviews. Through the integrated presentation of lighting, large screens, program packaging, etc., it ultimately presents an overall visual effect that is highly integrated with technology and art.

The full media studio center is divided into two floors (Figure 1 and Figure 2), and a spiral staircase is used to connect the two spaces. The first floor is divided into two studios, namely the current affairs area and the people's livelihood area, which are mainly responsible for the daily news live broadcast and program recording of the integrated media center and the public life channel. They can live broadcast and record at the same time without interfering with each other. In order to ensure that the two studio areas do not interfere with each other during recording, transparent soundproof glass is used to separate the middle of the studio center, and a visiting door is opened in the social media area and interview area to open up the two spaces and achieve an overall plan that not only meets the

Figure 1 Planning area on the first floor of the all-media studio center

Figure 2 Planning area on the second floor of the all-media studio center

but also integrates them into one. The second floor is the new media area and visiting area, which is mainly used for webcasting, interviews, program recording and green cloth background keying.

Among the current affairs and people's livelihood areas of the studio center, current affairs area 1 and people's livelihood area 1 are fixed anchor stations, mainly for sit-down broadcasts; current affairs area 2 and people's livelihood area 2 are movable anchor stations, which are used in a combination of sit-down broadcasts and standing broadcasts. The social media area is mainly based on station broadcasts, while the interview area and new media area are used in a combination of sit-down broadcasts and station broadcasts. The difference is that both the interview area and the new media area can be used as green cloth background keying, virtual scene packaging, etc.

2 Lighting system design of the all-media studio center

Compared with traditional studios, the lighting design of the all-media studio center not only involves the design of character light, but also requires the design of ambient light according to the stage shape and function. To this end, the internationally leading lighting system design concept was introduced to conduct unified planning for the stage, lighting, background, etc. of the all-media studio center to present unique visual effects of news programs of Guizhou Radio and Television Station.

Equipped with advanced lighting equipment and lighting network management and control system to meet the lighting system requirements of various program production scenes such as broadcasts and interviews, a multi-functional and automated studio center is formed. It strives to meet the principles of safety, science and efficiency, combined with the stage design of the studio center, to achieve the characteristics of "high definition and full media" of the studio center, to better create a sense of interaction and diversity of programs, and to present traditional news programs to the audience in a fresh mode. In addition to visual presentation, the structure of the lighting system and the safe operation of the system are also key points that cannot be ignored during the live broadcast and program recording process.

2.1 Lighting system construction goals

Based on the actual situation and the efficiency of program use, the lighting system design pursues practicality, safety and stability while complying with relevant national and industry standards. Taking into account future technological progress, the system architecture is required to be advanced, flexible and scalable, compatible with other devices, and capable of system upgrades. It also facilitates management and maintenance, and enables IP-based control through network visual management technology.

The lighting system of the all-media studio center includes lighting control system, lighting distribution system, lighting hanging system, lighting equipment, etc., and is required to be stable, safe and reliable.

2.2 Lighting control system

The lighting control system adopts a dual-ring network real-time hot backup architecture. The lighting control signal uses a dual-channel signal with network signal control as the main control and DMX512 signal as backup, which has a high degree of security. The two lighting control systems in the political area and the people's livelihood area can be integrated into one with mutual backup and mutual control, and can also control separate studio areas. The controlled studio areas can be quickly switched through the console knob without interfering with each other.

The lighting control system consists of 1 network management computer, 3 ETCElment2 lighting consoles, 6 24-port POE network switches, 6 4-port gateways, 44 signal amplifiers with RDM, and 2 sets of network signal cabinets. Among the three ETC Element2 lighting consoles, two are placed in the control room of each studio, and the remaining one is used as the main console. The three consoles use network cables to output network signals (main control) and DMX signals (backup) to the 1# and 2# network signal cabinet groups on the top of the studio grid. The two signal cabinets are connected by network cables. Among them, the Minsheng Studio and the New Media Studio share a set of network signal cabinets, which are equipped with 3 switches, 3 4-port gateways, and 24 signal amplifiers; the current affairs news studio shares the same set of network signal cabinets, which are installed with 3 switches, 3 4-port gateways, and 20 signal amplifiers.

Part of the control signal passes through the network switch in the cabinet and is output to the terminal equipment box in the studio through the network cable. Each terminal equipment box is equipped with 1 network interface, which can be decoded into DMX512 signal output by the gateway; the other part is decoded into 4 channels of DMX signals through the 4-port gateway in the cabinet and output to the amplifier. After being amplified by the DMX signal amplifier, the signal line is output to the terminal equipment box in the studio. Each terminal equipment box is equipped with 4 channels of DMX signal interfaces.

The lighting control system adopts Ethernet control technology and uses industrial network switches to centralize the signals at each point. The switches are connected with Category 6 shielded network cables and optical fibers to form a ring-type redundant backup network. The network system of the studio center is divided into two relay stations, the people's livelihood studio network relay station and the current affairs studio network relay station. Each network cabinet relay station is equipped with network fiber optic modules and POE-powered switches, cable management frames, network distribution frames, ETCNet3, ACN 4-port Gateway, etc. The relay station network cabinets are powered by UPS uninterruptible power supplies. Each lighting console uses dual network lines to connect to the network switch in the relay station, and is integrated into the lighting network system through line backup. All network terminal distribution boxes and boom Ethernet nodes in the studio are powered by POE, which facilitates the plug-and-play of the gateway (DMX signal decoder) equipment, and then accesses the entire network system, and can be set and changed through the network management software.

RDM is an extended version of the DMX512 lighting signal transmission protocol. It is a transmission protocol for equipment to exchange data in both directions. It allows lighting consoles and other control equipment to discover configuration, status monitoring and management of intermediate equipment and line-end equipment through a DMX512 signal line; it allows two-way communication between lighting equipment or system controllers and connected RDM-compatible equipment through standard DMX lines, and enables remote management of equipment. All lamps and gateways in this solution are equipped with RDM functions. Through the RDM function, lighting equipment parameters can be set, changed and operating status monitored on the network management software and lighting console.

The lighting control system also has a network visualization function. It can monitor the operating status of the lighting system in real time through the ETC lighting network signal system management software NET3 Connect on the network management computer, and can automatically archive the lighting system operating data. It can also quickly discover system problems through the monitoring function so that system faults can be repaired.

2.3 Lighting distribution system

The power distribution system is configured with 1 power distribution cabinet, 3 power pass-through switch cabinets, 1 mains bus and 2 UPS emergency power buses. The main switch of the power distribution cabinet uses an 800 A isolating switch, and each branch switch uses a 400 A isolating switch. Each power pass-through switch cabinet has 96 circuits. One of the power pass-through switch cabinets is connected to a third-party UPS power supply to provide emergency power circuit power for the lamps required for live broadcast programs in the studio.

2.4 Lighting Suspension System

According to the usage requirements and combined with the stage design plan, the renovated Current Affairs Channel studio consists of 11 horizontal lifting booms and 2 oval lifting light stands. And it consists of 8 fixed tracks under the ceiling on the first floor; the Minsheng Channel studio consists of 12 horizontal lifting booms, 2 oval lifting light stands, and 11 fixed tracks under the ceiling on the first floor; the new media studio area is located on the second floor, with a new square light grid frame.

2.5 Lamp selection and configuration

The studio needs to comprehensively consider the color temperature, color rendering index, illumination and attenuation of the lamps. When recording in high definition, the color temperature of the lamp must be high and the color rendering index is required to be ≥90. The picture clarity, dynamic range, color gamut and gradation of 4K ultra-high definition are significantly higher than those of high definition, and the requirements for lamps are more stringent.

According to the stage design and regional planning, the all-media studio center uses three types of lamps, mainly spotlights for character modeling, imaging lamps, and PAR lamps for dyeing. The entire lighting configuration scheme uses a total of 50 LED white light imaging lights, 50 LED dye imaging lights, 68 LED threaded spotlights, 114 LED PAR lights, 4 LED canopy lights, etc. The lighting fixtures all use LED light sources, which have more advantages than traditional light sources in terms of energy saving, layering of characters and backgrounds, and performance effects. It is also a trend in modern lighting design.

3 Lighting zoning design of all-media studio center

The lighting design of the news program in the Omni-Media Studio Center is mainly based on characters, combined with clothing, makeup, modeling, stage design and packaging, to present a dignified and grand public image on the TV screen, and to give the audience a sense of authenticity, reliability and trustworthiness.

The all-media studio center is a high-definition and 4K ultra-high-definition recording standard. The lighting design must meet the on-site recording and live broadcast requirements of news broadcasts, guest interviews, real-time information, human-screen interaction and other programs, and can achieve the functions of multi-host interaction, multi-scenic spot broadcasts, and multi-camera rapid transitions. While meeting the requirements of high-definition and 4K ultra-high-definition images, it also increases the diversity of program broadcasts, improves the systematicness and integrity of news programs, and makes it meet international standards.

According to the program format and studio design, the all-media studio center is mainly divided into sitting area, standing area and interview area. Each area is individually lit, using a combination of three-point lighting method and multi-point lighting method. Multi-angle, multi-type and multi-level light sources can make the characters more prominent and serve the entire space. For the lighting design of three-dimensional scenes, it is necessary to highlight the characters' expressions and movements and emphasize their outlines while meeting the characters' opposite lighting needs. The creation of light and shadow environment is more in line with the needs of the scene and adds a sense of art, form and abstraction to the program.

3.1 Lighting in the sitting area

The news seating area is mainly where the host sits and broadcasts news in the anchor desk area (Figure 3). While lighting the characters, the lighting of the anchor desk also needs to be processed accordingly. According to the structure of the studio center and the stage design, spotlights are mainly used as the overall lighting of the characters, evenly lighting the hosts, and clearly displaying the characters and clothing details; the imaging lights are used as the main light of the characters, and each sitting point is used separately. According to the overall lamp position design and on-site conditions, two main lights are added at corresponding angles to increase the front to side light ratio, enhance the three-dimensionality of the face, and use the chin light to dilute the shadows of the host's chin, nose and eye bags. The backlight is projected at a high angle on the second floor behind the host. While ensuring the light for the characters, it also cuts off excess stray light to avoid overexposure of the anchor desk and unnecessary light spots. Backlighting not only outlines the lines and contours of characters, enhances the depth of the picture, and highlights the main characters, but also highlights the layers between the characters and the background screen, reflecting the three-dimensionality of the characters' hair accessories and shoulders.

Compared with the previously used flat lights, the light quality of spotlights and imaging lights is relatively hard, but they appear more vivid and three-dimensional in terms of character creation. At the same time, they can also reduce the impact of floodlight on the environment and the anchor station. The images presented are more layered and have a more obvious depth of field. When the illumination is sufficient, the images are more artistic.

3.2 Lighting of station broadcast area

Hosts in the station broadcast area usually leave the country with their whole body, and usually interact with the audience through large-screen materials and virtual images (Figure 4). The range of light projection is larger than that of the sitting area, and a reasonable angle needs to be designed to avoid the light area being projected on the large screen and the host's shadow being cast on the background wall. The standing broadcast area and the sitting broadcast area have the same lighting method, using spotlights for overall lighting. According to the broadcast point and the angle of the camera, it is evenly projected in 180° in front of the host, covering the whole body of the host and the range of activities, and eliminating the shadow caused by the host's hand movements, enhancing the character's sense of perspective and volume, and reflecting a pure, clean and neat character image. The imaging light serves as the main surface light and makes corresponding adjustments on the basis of the overall lighting to increase the three-dimensionality of the character, improve the light ratio between the front and the side, and refine the details of the character's face and clothing. Imaging lights are also used for backlighting, using relatively hard light quality to outline the outline of the characters, highlighting the three-dimensionality of the host, enhancing the hair quality, making the characters appear full of mental state, and highlighting the characters in the picture, enriching the layers, and enlarging the depth of field.

Figure 3 Sitting in the current affairs area of ​​the studio center

Figure 4 Station broadcast in the Minsheng District of the Studio Center

3.3 Lighting of the interview area

Interviews are different from news broadcasts. The host and the guests often have certain eye and movement exchanges. The highlight of the interview program is the interaction between the host and the guests (Figure 5). Therefore, the lighting design needs to highlight the dynamic sense of the characters, use the same lighting method as the seating area, and evenly light the host and guest areas to show the details of the characters.