BBC Resources launches consultancy service with a sports flair

By Kevin Hilton

SVG Europe correspondent

The Post Production division of BBC Resources is launching a new
consultancy service for independent and commercial producers. Media
Solutions will allow programme makers outside the BBC to take advantage
of the combined expertise of 12 of BBC Post Production’s top staff. Leading
the Media Solutions team is Malcolm Cowan, who devised the tapeless HD
workflow for the BBC’s coverage of the 2006 World Cup. The team is made
up of editors and engineers with experience in putting together major
television productions. As well as the World Cup the members of Media
Solutions have worked on the production of this year’s Live Earth
concert and the 2005 series of documentary programme Trauma.

“Whilst
we can support those launching grand projects we also know that there
are production companies out there who just need to give their set-up
an overhaul,” commented Malcolm Cowan. “They might have purchased
various bits of kit over time and know they are not getting quite as
much out of it as they could. We can come in and give it an MOT and
suggest ways to improve performance and output.”

Among the
services offered are advice and guidance on creating workflows from
ingest to play-out, as well as technical support and dealing with
different delivery platforms, designing systems and installing
equipment.

The director of BBC Post Production, Lesley
McMahon-Hathaway, said, “It’s the right time to harness the potential
of our very best people and make their expertise available to a wider
market.”

The launch of this new service comes at a time the UK
market is waiting for the announcement of the companies bidding to buy
BBC Resources.