NBCUniversal Television Distribution Recruits The Video Call Center for Remote Production of Maury and The Steve Wilkos Show

NBCUniversal Television Distribution announced a partnership with The Video Call Center, LLC (VCC) to bring virtual guests to Maury, and The Steve Wilkos Show, for the 2020-2021 season. With the VCC’s Caller Cloud solution, the production teams can reach more people and expand the range of the stories they tell, while maintaining safe, remote practices.

The VCC Caller Cloud enables long-duration, natural conversation between the individual show hosts, Maury Povich and Steve Wilkos, and their respective guests, for compelling and personal interviews that can be done right from the guest’s home. The VCC’s Caller Cloud service provides hyper low latency video return and IFB mix-minus that enables interaction with dynamic, real-time banter using only their smartphones and standard video chat apps.

“The VCC is thrilled to work with the very talented teams at Maury and The Steve Wilkos Show,” says VCC CEO Larry Thaler. “The combination of their energetic production teams, the expertise of VCC call producers, and the one-click simplicity of our StageDoor VIP acquisition solution makes it possible to engage with upwards of 20 compelling remote guests, located anywhere in the world, during every production day and to achieve it all without added travel risk or cost. At the VCC we are proud of our ability to give producers a palette of tools that enables their creativity to shine at all times.”

The VCC’s 2-way remote technology by smartphone is a flexible and green option that dramatically reduces reliance on flights, satellite links, and complicated logistics to engage guests located anywhere in the world. The VCC’s StageDoor feature enables remote VIP guests to join the production simply by clicking a texted or emailed hyperlink. VCC then delivers broadcast-quality ISO feeds of all interviewed participants that can be used for a Director’s line cut or in the post-production process.

“As a result of this unprecedented Global Pandemic, SMC, like many other production operations, was faced with the daunting task of reimagining its production in order to produce shows without a live studio audience, a reduced technical crew, smaller studio/facility footprint and COVID-related guest travel restrictions.” says Stamford Media Center’s Vice President and General Manager, Vinnie Fusco. “Our team began researching remote technologies with the goal of providing transmission of virtual guests and audiences with little to no latency and with the consistency and quality that our shows require. VCC’s 2-way remote technology was the perfect solution based on its ease of operation, technical superiority and the experience of their highly trained staff.

In addition, “Maury” show producers are now using the VCC’s new CrowdView technology, which makes it possible to display video and audio communication between live virtual audiences, Povich and his guests. CrowdView recreates the full in-studio audience experience for fans, the show host, guests, and the show’s production team. All the reaction shots and cheers that fuel a live show can now be recorded while maintaining safe, remote protocols. Thanks to patented technologies from the VCC, audience reactions are delivered to air with virtually no lag to ensure a natural, free-flowing interactive environment.

Typically, Maury and The Steve Wilkos Show are taped in front of a live studio audience at the Stamford Media Center in Connecticut and are produced and distributed in the U.S. by NBCUniversal Television Distribution.