The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a global sporting phenomenon, captivating millions with its high-energy matches, celebrity ownership, and extravagant spectacles. As one of the world’s most popular cricket leagues, the IPL has become a cultural touchstone.
Photo credit: Clickspring Design
To revolutionize their IPL broadcast, Viacom18 sought to create a metaverse-inspired virtual campus, called the JioCinema Sportsplex. Combining traditional studios with expansive, virtual environments, the goal was to immerse viewers in a digital world centered around Viacom18’s Mumbai headquarters.
Photo credit: Sequin AR
The Challenge
Sequin AR, a Connecticut-based 3D studio, was approached by Clickspring Design, an award-winning experiential design firm based in New York City, specializing in Broadcast Design, Consumer Branded Environments, and Events & Entertainment Design, to build a massive virtual studio system for Viacom18's IPL broadcast. The challenge was to transform their complex 3D designs into a fully realized virtual environment within a demanding eight-week timeline. This was compounded by the simultaneous construction of the physical studio, limiting testing and on-site coordination.
Photo credit: Clickspring Design
Sequin AR received the design from Clickspring Design in full 3D form. The process of bringing in a virtual campus at that scale into Unreal Engine took about 3 weeks for a dedicated team of artists, along with making the virtual set run at the required frame rate. Functionalities for both media playout, AR interactivities, and crowd system were implemented and AR elements that required live data streams were designed as flexible templates. They also needed accommodations for multi-language broadcasting.
As Viacom18 built their new studio space, a purpose-built seven studio facility made up of four green screen studios and three studios equipped with LED walls, the Sequin AR team raced to finalize the virtual world.
They utilized UE5’s nanite and lumen workflow with meshing instancing and virtual shadow map to bring the FPS up. The team leveraged Unreal Engine 5's advanced tools to optimize the virtual environment's visual quality, as well as many other UE5 exclusive features to create dynamic event systems for the broadcast programming.
To seamlessly integrate on-set talent with the virtual world, Pixotope's compositing workflow was employed. The project's scale necessitated a seven-studio facility. A total of 36 Pixotope engines were employed for virtual production, virtual studios, and set extensions.
Photo credit: Sequin AR
The Solution
To tackle this monumental undertaking, Sequin AR harnessed the power of Unreal Engine to construct the vast virtual campus. By leveraging features like Nanite, Lumen, and mesh instancing, the team optimized performance and created a visually stunning environment. Sequin AR’s efficient workflow, optimized for the project’s tight timeline, ensured timely delivery without compromising quality.
Pixotope played a pivotal role in seamlessly integrating the virtual world with the physical studio. The platform’s compositing tools enabled the creation of a cohesive and immersive experience for viewers while enhancing the virtual sets for the live broadcasts.
The live production Integration involved setting up cameras and ensuring proper chroma key, using an in-house control application for real-time adjustments. This enabled the streaming of the event to include the real-time graphics overlays and augmented reality elements applied during the live shows.
“We partnered with Pixotope solutions for the TATA IPL 2024 to enhance the viewer experience with real-time graphics and augmented reality. It enabled us to deliver a one-of-a-kind lean-in experience to viewers for TATA IPL 2024.”
Siddharth Sharma, Viacom18 Sports head - content, production and digital.
Photo credit: Sequin AR
Results and Impact
The JioCinema Sportsplex was a resounding success, captivating audiences with its immersive and interactive experience. The virtual campus featured iconic elements of Indian cricket history, fostering a deep connection with fans. The IPL’s opening day saw a staggering 51% increase in digital viewership compared to the previous season, with over 111 million fans tuning in to JioCinema. The platform generated an impressive 590 million video views and amassed 6.6 billion minutes of watch time during the opening match.
Photo credit: Viacom18 and Clickspring Design
The success of the JioCinema Sportsplex demonstrated the immense potential of virtual production to enhance fan engagement and create new revenue opportunities. Sequin AR’s expertise, combined with the power of Pixotope, redefined the possibilities of live sports broadcasting and stands as a testament to the transformative power of virtual production.
By overcoming significant challenges and leveraging innovative technology, the team delivered a groundbreaking project that captivated audiences worldwide.
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