Ross Video’s XPression Graphics System Gets Social with Tweetout Integration

Users of Ross Video’s XPression real-time motion graphics system recently gained the option of integrating Bannister Lake’s Tweetout software into the system. Tweetout is an advanced Twitter filter used to engage audiences for live shows, sports events, and special event broadcasts.

“The newest phenomenon is Twitter feedback to shows and with the addition of Tweetout to XPression I’ve easily added this to the productions,” says freelance graphics operator and Ross Video XPression owner Lauara Staat. “Whether a show is on TV, the internet or closed circuit, viewers and those involved in the production, want to see how others are responding to the event at that moment. Tweetout allows it.”

Staat is hired on a show-by-show basis to coordinate, build and program graphics for playback on the client’s television broadcasts. As the demand for social-media features within graphics packages began to grow, she began searching for tools to integrate these elements into her shows.

“When I first inquired about Social Media software, Ross Video assisted in getting me in touch with Bannister Lake based out of Cambridge, Ontario,” says Staat. “Bannister’s Tweetout is great software on Ross’ XPression. Tweets are picked up on a separate computer and runs thru XPression as a page to playback.

“It’s great because it doesn’t interfere with my focus on the show,” she continues. “When the Tweets are approved, I play the page. It’s easy, It’s logical and I can show anyone around how to us the Tweetout application quickly – an asset since most productions are once a year and users have likely not had an previous experience.”

In June, Staat – who often works award and talent shows – utilized Xpression and Tweetout for the NHL Awards in Las Vegas. After contacting the graphics designers in to New York to review the parameters, deliverables, and media she could expect at the site, she contacted the script department for the lists of information to program. Once in Las Vegas, Staat compiled the elements and lists and built a graphics package for the NHL Awards show using XPression. Having incorporated Tweetout, she set up XPression with a Twitter crawl and showed the NHL Social Media Director how to use the software.

“XPression and Tweetout without a doubt passed the challenges I’ve thrown its way,” says Staat. “During the big finale of the NHL Awards, we somehow cleared our Tweets. I told the Media Director to quickly pick up some more and within seconds we got some great ones – it was that fast.”

“Ross Video and Bannister Lake combined have gone above and beyond to make sure my system and production was up and running in time for the NHL Awards,” she continues. “Using these products combined with the companies who made them have been a great experience.”