The Manchester-based event is co-hosted in collaboration with Women In Film & TV, VERSA Studios, Side Street Studio and MRMC Broadcast.
As a follow on from the Thursday Sessions launch in December, Gravity Media, the world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, is hosting a second networking night to bring the industry’s broadcast, film and TV community together at their Manchester home in the centre of town at the ABC Buildings, Enterprise City. This first Gravity Media Thursday Session of 2023, in collaboration with Women In Film & TV, VERSA Studios, Side Street Studio and MRMC Broadcast, takes place on Thursday, 2nd February from 6:30 to 10pm.
The evening kicks off with a special WFTV In-Conversation Interview with Sally Lindsay, the Coronation Street actor, writer and Creative Director of the award-winning Manchester-based production company Saffron Cherry Productions. Sally will be discussing her career in the industry so far and what she has learnt along the way. This event will be hosted in ABC Buildings’ Side Street Studio with welcome drinks from the VERSA Studios team. After the talk, there will be networking drinks in the Gravity Media Production Centre.
The newly launched Gravity Media base has been carefully designed to meet the high-grade technical specification needed by Gravity Media to service their broadcast clients, as well as a new base for their dedicated local equipment rental team. The Manchester site features three off-tube commentary booths, two Avid Media Composer edit suites connected to the edit core for a full suite of edit services, a dedicated audio control room and two multi-suite, three-tier production galleries designed with the flexibility to integrate next-generation cloud-based, GPU-powered workflows, including the likes of MAVIS and GVAMPP. There is also a large production office and meeting area. The ABC Buildings also offers a flexible workspace, café and bar, outdoor terrace, cinema and other communal areas.
The event will also showcase a special multi-head remote platform demo from MRMC Broadcast, featuring the high-payload PTA-2b, designed to take large box lenses, with pan-bar control, and the QRS-1 quiet rail system, powered by MRMC’s Polymotion Chat automated subject tracking system. Attendees will also be able to see live remote control of MRMC’s AFC head between Manchester and London, further demonstrating how production teams can increase creative output using advanced robotics.
Recent work highlights include the team helping to relocate and set up the five-camera studio for BBC Studios working in collaboration with VERSA Studios, which enabled the broadcast of the popular daytime show, BBC Morning Live, as well as, the Barclays WSL pre-season media content day, the FA Community Shield Preview Show and most recently, the FA Cup Rounds.
Women in Film & TV (UK) is delighted to be co-hosting this event with Gravity Media, Versa Studios and Side Street Studio at their Manchester home at the ABC Buildings. For WFTV’s first event in the city this year we are excited to bring together our members and industry colleagues to celebrate northern talent, hear from screen icon Sally Lindsay and showcase the high-grade production opportunities here in Manchester at Gravity Media and Versa Studios.
Katie Bailiff, CEO of WFTV (UK)
Remote acquisition and motion technologies such as robotic camera heads, subject tracking automation and rail systems allow production teams to easily increase the number of camera angles captured to make the production more dynamic, whether that be with exceptional speed, precise and repeatable moves, or remote control and operation. MRMC has partnered with Gravity Media on many projects in the live production space and appreciate the opportunity to be able to work with them for this session.
MRMC Broadcast
We are delighted to open our doors for another Thursday Sessions media industry event, bringing together the region’s broadcast, film and TV community to socialise and share their stories. Being able to play host to a large group of like-minded people across our amenities, in ABC Buildings’ Side Street Studio and Gravity Media Production Centre, shows the versatility of the ABC Buildings. We can’t wait to hear about Sally Lindsay’s rise to fame and her latest endeavour as Creative Director on the night.
Nathan Wrigglesworth, Events and Programming Manager for All Work & Social and Side Street Studio
To RSVP and hear about future events, email event@gravitymedia.com.
