As more and more information needs to be displayed on screen, character generators (CGs) are taking a more prominent role in today's TV production. Not only does more information need to be displayed, but it needs to be displayed quickly and with up-to-the-second accurate information.

Character generators are primarily used in the broadcast areas of live sports or news presentations; given that modern character generators can generate high-resolution, animated graphics on the fly for use when an unforeseen situation in a game or newscast dictates an opportunity for broadcast coverage.

Operating CGs has evolved from a single operator typing in text to today's CG, which is a product of a complete workflow that includes different content contributions from across the TV station. While traditional CGs are based on flat 2D graphics, CGs are now expected to offer a far richer 3D display, which in addition to conventional graphics, will support the playback of video clips, integrate live video sources, and be able to embed audio.

Types

Hardware character generators. Hardware character generators are used in television studios and video editing suites. A desktop publishing-like interface can be used to generate static and moving text or graphics, which the device then encodes into a high-quality video signal, like digital SDI or analog component video, high definition or even RGB video. In addition, they also provide a key signal, which the compositing vision mixer can use in an alpha channel to determine which areas of the CG video are translucent.

Software character generators. Software CGs run on standard off-the-shelf hardware, and are often integrated into video editing software such as nonlinear video editing applications. Some stand-alone products are available, however, for applications that do not even attempt to offer text generation on their own, (as high-end video editing software often does) or whose internal CG effects are not flexible and powerful enough. Some software CGs can be used in live production with special software and computer video interface cards. In this case, they are equivalent to hardware generators.

Powerful 3D graphics

3D models, along with their geometry, lighting, textures and animations, are created in modeling software, including Maya, 3DSMax and Cinema 4D, and are imported into the system. In a similar manner, Photoshop files are imported on a layer basis so that each Photoshop layer automatically becomes a layer in the CG solution.

Playback of video clips

New solutions offer the playback of multiple video clips in different codecs and resolutions, and also integrate live video feeds into the system and support embedded audio. Based on texture mapping technology, videos are easily assigned and mapped to any object in the graphic scene. Any animation that is applied to the object will automatically affect the mapped video and thus allow complete freedom in creating 3D and 2D DVE effects. Equally important is that regardless of the number of videos used, the system retains a constant two frame delay.

Free flowing workflow

The CG is no longer an isolated element in the production workflow, but needs to integrate with many other systems in the production chain. New CG solutions seamlessly integrate with newsroom systems based on the MOS protocol. They support all commonly used newsroom systems including AP ENPS, Avid iNews, Dalet +, Octopus, Norcom NCPower, Annova OpenMedia, Sobey, and Dayang, allowing multiple journalists to add CG graphics into their stories from within their newsroom client. In a similar manner, the solutions offer the ability to integrate with non linear editing (NLE) systems. This functionality promotes the concept of sharing the graphic templates between real-time and edited stories, and therefore increases the production efficiently while sharing the same graphic look between post and real-time environments.

Easy to use

The solution is based on a smart logic concept. It allows creating a logical condition between the different graphic elements in the graphic templates so that the behavior of one element automatically affects the other. In addition, multiple databases can be easily connected to the system, and feed it with real-time information. Both the system's logic and the linkage to the databases are based on a wizard style user interface, negating the need for programming and scripting.

The character generator development never ends, and the distinction between hardware and software generators begins to blur as new platforms and operating systems evolve to meet live television consumer's expectations.

In India, graphics for entertainment channels were traditionally taken care of in post-production. Rendering in post-production included such common themes as coming up next, and Saturday night's movies. With the advent of advances in CG technology, this process has become both automated and dynamic. Suddenly one can get real-time bar charts for polls and election results.

News has never been post-produced, so the CG needs were dictated by the needs of producers and journalists. Today however, it is all about monetizing every inch of space one has on a screen. News channels tend to have lots of text on screen, with tickers and the like, especially in India. But more and more broadcasters are realizing that simple information is not in their interest. They want to increase the monetization of these available areas with varying content, rather than just pumping in text of one sort or another.

In entertainment, until now, graphic design has been the prerogative of the designers as well as the OAP department. However, nowadays, it is moving to a state where graphic designers and the OAP must interact with the marketing department. For example, a lower third could be sponsored by a drinks company, thereby having the content governed by a business interest, rather than just channel branding or even creativity for its own sake.

Today's buzzword is squeeze-back, whereby the video is being squeezed into an L-shape on the screen, thereby freeing up a far larger portion for paid sponsorships. This allows a more independent course of action for the sales department. It has engendered a sea of change in the way the entire concept of graphics and character generation is perceived and managed by both broadcasters, and by extension, the viewing public.

For news, the aim is to generate further interest in gaining more information, and therefore for users to seek out the broadcaster's branded content on other media, such as the Internet and mobile devices. Admittedly, this market is in its infancy in India, but as trends in other countries have shown, the growth potential is nothing short of exponential. It is generally accepted that this is the viewing paradigm of the near future.

Also in news, in the past, graphics that were created were placed in a rundown and played from the PCR (program control room). Today, graphics are evolving toward greater interactivity. The basic graphic is fired from the PCR, but the progress of the graphics' animation is controlled by an intelligent anchor, who actually controls the graphics onscreen.

Today it is all about virtual sets as well. The new trend is the modification of the traditional virtual set. Virtual graphics are immersed into real environments. Graphics can appear anywhere from the table to the wall,. The camera behaves the same way, but the anchor can actually control and move around virtual objects. A great example of this is CNN/ITN's coverage of the recent UK elections and US midterms.

CG in India has evolved from a paradigm of channel promotion or journalistic necessity to being commercially driven, interactive and immersive. India has been in step with the rest of the world in many senses. However, the thrust will be when more channels move to HD as well as when 3D stereoscopic TV becomes a reality. At that point, if the past is any indication, India will leapfrog into having technical setups that not only rival, but in many cases surpass those of more mature markets.