GENERAL SATELLITE CORPORATION AND VALERY GERGIEV PRESENTED 3D PROJECTS TO BE BROADCAST ON A NEW EUROPEAN TV CHANNEL 3DV

  Satellite Corporation, a Russian research and production company and Valery Gergiev, Principal Conductor of London Symphony Orchestra presented the first 3D projects of the Mariinsky Theatre at an exclusive screening on 19 May 2010 at The Barbican, London. The production was developed by the General Satellite Corporation as a prelude to the launch of its European 3D TV channel, “3DV”, which goes live on Friday, 21 May 2010.
  3DV will be dedicated principally to cultural and travel programming, with key Mariinsky Theatre performances forming an important part of production plans. 3DV will be available to the audience of certain packages on Eurobird 9A.

  The presentational event and press-conference at The Barbican featured a showcase of ballet excerpts from the Mariinsky Gala Concert and Giselle performed by the Mariinsky Ballet in a special 3D format.
  The ballet gala was shot using four active 3D rigs, supplemented with a fifth rig, CAN’s own Bolt rig. Feeds from these five stereo pairs were then fed back into OB trucks where the convergence was remotely controlled via 3D boxes. CAN worked with AMP to vision-mix the images in the OB trucks, and the resultant programme was transmitted via satellite. The signal was received via General Satellite’s set top boxes and shown on 3D screens in a viewing room to VIPs within the venue itself; it was also beamed to the Russian Embassy in Paris to delegates, VIPs and ambassadors. The performances of Giselle and the clown show, which involved similar set ups (minus the live transmission), have been post-produced by CAN as ten minute executions as well as full versions, and will be broadcast by General Satellite Corporation when its 3D channel, 3DV, goes live.
  Valery Gergiev, Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre and Principal Conductor of LSO, said: “I'm sure that every company, every important opera house, will pay attention to this technology. I can say without any doubt that it will happen soon or maybe is already happening in many places. Today this technology is obviously a very strong chance for all of us around the world. It helps in our desire to ensure that the future of opera, the future of ballet is never questioned. We (meaning classical music, international opera world) should be among the first.”

  General Satellite Corporation, jointly with CAN Communicate, the 3D film and TV production specialist (UK) recently delivered the first live 3D multi-camera transmission in Russia, featuring three major cultural events shot at the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg. The production, which is thought to be the first live 3D ballet transmission in the world, featured some of Russia’s most prominent ballet dancers performing scenes from five different ballets, including Swan Lake and Carmen, a performance of the ballet Giselle, and a premiere of a clown show by world renown clown Leonid Leykin, produced by Licedei.
  Andrey Tkachenko commented: “We are among the first few companies in the world to attract investments into 3D content creation and we offer cutting edge technological solutions for the television industry. Our aim is to become as competitive in this area as Russian ballet in performing arts worldwide.”

  David Wooster, Partner, CAN Communicate, said, “It was a great honour to shoot such prestigious events for General Satellite at these amazing venues. Thanks to an extensive development, testing and collaboration period with international technical partners, we are now able to capture content with 3D zooming capability in a practical and affordable way. This 3D content can either be recorded or undergo live manipulation and correction onsite, allowing to create pixel perfect 3D content that is ready for broadcast.”

  The presentation was followed with a London Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by Valery Gergiev and a dinner with 50 guests including representatives of the Russian Embassy in London and Friends of the Mariinsky Theatre. 

  Andrey Tkachenko, General Satellite Corporation, said, “70 hours of new 3D content will be produced this year, including famous Mariinsky theatre performances in 3D format. Dance is one of a few truly eternal arts, which have delighted and enchanted people since the beginning of human history. Now the 3D technology makes it possible for viewers in Russia and Europe as a whole to be in the very heart of the performance”.

3D Channel Reception Parameters:
Satellite EUROBIRD™ 9A at 9° East
Downlink frequency: 12054 MHz
Horizontal polarisation; FEC: 2/3
Symbol rate: 27 500

  Note to editors:
  About General Satellite Corporation
  The General Satellite Corporation is a Russian development and production company which provides the international market with system solutions and advanced technology equipment of highest standards since 1991. The General Satellite Corporation is one of the leaders of digital broadcasting in Russia. The General Satellite Corporation manufactures a broad line of set-top boxes for receiving digital satellite and terrestrial television channels. Its products and technological solutions are used in several satellite broadcast projects, such as «NTV-Plus», «Tricolor TV», «Platform HD», etc. The total number of subscribers using the General Satellite technological solutions exceeds 6 million in Russia alone (covering 13% of population).

  The General Satellite Corporation carries out its own R&D projects in system solutions for digital TV: from software development and system boards production to digital content production and network development.

  The Corporation carries out development projects in:
• Satellite receivers
• Cable receivers
• Terrestrial receivers
• IP set-top-boxes
• Specialized software and hardware solutions such as EPG
(Electronic Program Guide), CAS, Service-oriented middleware
and etc.
• R&D works in the area of 3D satellite digital broadcasting

www.general-satellite.com


General Satellite Press Contact
Sergey Orlov orlov@spb.gs.ru / +7 (911) 000 32 70     

  About Mariinsky Theatre
  The Mariinsky Theatre (former Kirov Theatre) is one of the most important symbols of St Petersburg and Russian culture. For over two hundred years this theatre, the oldest musical theatre in Russia to retain an uninterrupted flow of performing culture, has played a decisive role in the development of the traditions of the Russian opera and ballet schools. The Mariinsky Theatre has given the world many great artists: Osip Petrov, the founding father of the Russian operatic performing school, served here; this is where such great singers as Fyodor Chaliapin, Ivan Yershov, Medea and Nikolai Figner and Sofia Preobrazhenskaya refined their skills and rose to glory. Ballet dancers reigned supreme on this stage, among them Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Galina Ulanova, Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov. George Balanchine set out on the road to art from here.
Valery Gergiev is Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera.

www.mariinsky.ru

Mariinsky Theatre Press Contact:
Oksana Tokranova tokranova@mariinsky.ru / + 7 812 714 41 64

  About Can Communicate
  CAN Communicate is a leading producer of 3D HD content with a passion for creating multi-format films for cross platform distribution. After filming in 3D for the last five years, CAN has emerged as one of Europe’s leading producers of Stereoscopic 3D. Last year they co-produced and post produced seven hours of programming for Channel 4’s 3D Season, including; The Queen in 3D, the Derren Brown’s 3D Magic Spectacular and T4 Live.  CAN’s innovative work has included a number of firsts, including working with BBC Sport, to co-produce the first 3D HD LIVE transmission of an international sports event, Scotland vs. England: Rugby Union -  ‘Calcutta Cup’, and Can produced the first 3D LIVE transmission of the opera ‘Don Giovanni’ for screening to theatres in Paris. Demand for 3D programming is far outstripping supply and this looks set to continue. CAN provide 3D expertise, creative solutions and technical innovation to produce 3D content with lasting value.

www.cancommunicate.com

CAN Communicate Press Contact:
Wendy Mattock, Bubble & Squeak wendy@bubblesqueak.co.uk / +44 (0)20 7287 3788