Britain’s Biggest Heists indie Title Role Productions has upgraded its in-house technology so that it can produce shows in HD and without tape.

The Manchester-based factual and entertainment producer has spent £40,000 on Sony XDCam PDW-700 cameras and upgrades to its Avid Media Composer editing systems.

The company said it chose the disc-based XDCam format because it provides a tangible archive storage option, like tape, but also allows for a fast workflow.

Technical director Ian Bradshaw said: “A lot of thought and time has been spent on the way forward for Title Role, taking into account the workflow within the company before investing in any format. We are now able to log footage simultaneously and synchronise the edit facilities with the rest of the computers in the office.”

The first jobs to use the new kit are for The History Channel and the Crime & Investigation Network.

The indie is also experimenting with the use of Pro 35 film adapters and Prime lenses in order to achieve a filmic look.