Virtual Newsroom - In The KNOW

Comes complete with two avatars as professional anchors

Interactive avatars serve up news in VR newsroom

The 'In the KNOW' Show

Imagine an entire TV newsroom, complete with anchor news professionals, contained on the hard drives of two laptop computers – now, it’s a reality. Working in 3D virtual worlds allows us to create any type of newsroom set, complete with graphics, camera angles, lighting and even the talent, in their appropriately stylish wardrobe and flawless down to the last button. It’s all computer-generated, which means you can take it with you anywhere.

Chester Broadstreet for Mede

TV STUDIO GRAPHICS THAT CAN BE REBRANDED IN MINUTES

It’s flexible and purposeful, telling the whole story from a virtual newsroom occupied by our virtual characters, Digital Dan and VirtuaLibby, who can interact with each other and the audience in real time. Whether they are appearing on a big projection screen or on a web clip, this pair of journalists is ready to go, literally at a moment’s notice.

It’s the first newsroom without the staff of director, cameramen, wardrobe and makeup personnel, lighting and stage crew and we are able to get it up and recording in a matter of a minute or two, literally. Because there is no need to assemble the right people, put them in their places, give them their scripts and all that, this is probably the most efficient newsroom as well.

Our two characters interact with show attendees from their TV set, while the performers work somewhere hidden in the booth. Maybe you can tell where – the attendees we talked to couldn’t! It is a new experience for everyone.

Digital DanThe anchorpersons or “talent” are digital. Digital Dan has a full range of facial expressions, as well as some upper body movement, which means he can be just as lifelike as a real newscaster. His non-verbal skills, or body language, are finely tuned and “puppeteered” from the control booth, and he can interact with either live or online guests in real time.

VirtuaLibby anchors KNOWVirtuaLibby is known for keeping cool under pressure, but you can see she has a heart of gold. Ok – she doesn’t really have a heart, but she does have emotions. You can see those in her face. And you will never see a look of contempt or disappointment – those kind of judgments just aren’t welcome in the newsroom.

It’s easy to integrate other looks and sets into the KNOW newsroom. Our 3D designers simply construct another one and it is ready in a few days. The newsroom video includes pre-produced videos from the field, B-roll and other production elements to the storytelling process. And we can add lower-third titles and animated video foregrounds, with our overlay channel.

The KNOW Studio is useful for infomercials, and presenting other types of content in an editorial or newsroom format. Our talent can handle tough interviews, natural disasters and feel-good stories with the best of them, and never have to worry about a hair being out of place. They are consistently good-looking and they can be owned by a station, so there are no contract negotiations to worry about. It is worry-free professional journalistic talent at its best.