SCS used for TV show "It's Academic"

[Mike Daniell]

Jim Astley of Channel 7 in Sydney, Australia, recently emailed me with details of how he is using SCS. With Jim's permission I have reproduced information from his email:

SCS has replaced an S3000 Akai sampler & an Akai DD1000 magneto optical device for music loops & FX on It's Academic.

I use SCS for dings & buzzers which are triggered from the scoring computer as midi note ons. It also runs music loops for the question component with a sting to end the loop at the end of each question.
It also plays the playons, playoffs & general music stabs to highlight different parts of the show... but it's biggest & best use is to replace the audience. I set up a 7 second audience clap with a loop in the middle. Effectively the audience will clap as long as required & when I let the key go, the sample plays out to the end giving a natural finish.

All cues are triggered via Midi note ons from either the keyboard in front of me or the scoring computer on the floor of the studio.

I'm using an RME multiface to give me 8 outputs which are configured, output 1 left ding, out 1 right buzzers ( 2 different ones), out 3/4 is claps, 5&6 are music loops & 7/8 are stabs.
Being able to stop/ start multiple events with fade outs at the press of a key, is absolutely brilliant & has saved me a LOT of grief in the heat of the round.

The show is recorded as live with edits "on the run".
I use Steinbergs Nuendo for the mic's & hi level mixes which enables me to do "Post" on the run.
It is a system that works extremely well.

Next year the production is being moved to another studio & I have to make it as portable as possible.
This has proved to be the answer to a number of prayers.... I cannot imagine doing this show somewhere else with out SCS.

On checking with Jim for approval to post the above, Jim added:
Yesterday I did the first Sat Disney at Foxtel's production centre & SCS worked a treat (as usual).

If you want more info on how Jim is using SCS, contact me and I will forward your request.