Equipment hire company HotCam is making the multi-camera custom studio rig that it devised for The X Factor available to other television producers.

The Mobile Broadcast System (MBS) uses temporary vision and lighting galleries, rackmounted fibre connectivity and either tape-based or tapeless PSC camcorders to allow productions to shoot in otherwise difficult-to-film venues.

HotCam managing director Trevor Hotz said: “Rather than shooting with a conventional OB truck, we’re offering producers the chance to use camcorders that can easily be used in a PSC style or hooked into our custom fixed
rig. This gives a production the flexibility of a classic multi-camera rig but with the benefits of ISO recording on each machine.

“This can also aid editorially with the cut of the show as it provides complete flexibility in terms of which camera or angle to use in the edit.”

The MBS inventory will be supplied in a handful of secure flight cases and includes TeleCast CopperHead fibre systems and up to 15 HD or SD camera channels.

It took three months to design and develop and was first used on the auditions, boot-camp and judges houses stages of The X Factor series 7 which is currently airing on ITV.

The MBS will be marketed to factual, reality, music and comedy producers.

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