By now we all know the weather channel is desperate for attention. The infamous clip of a reporter faking the effect of the force of the wind during Hurricane Florence. However, what they have brought into the studio might be significant for future broadcasting television.
The rise of new media has a significant effect on traditional cable networks. TWC, the weather channel has brought in the big gun, beefing up their studio with augmented reality into live broadcasting. It has rendered some amazing results.
The technology behind it came from Unreal Engine. In short, it will take a lot of money to get the results. You would need a special effect studio, a fast computer to be able to render the live footage from the cameras and mixed with pre-rendered animation broadcast live, and a camera system that could triangulate the camera position in the virtual space.
The studio looks almost like a Hollywood special effect studio, with green screens filling on the floor and walls. In the case of the video you’ve seen above, it would also take a warp green screen. The reference points on the walls would help the engine to render the light and track the motion of the broadcasting camera.
The camera would need a system that works similar to a VR headset, so it would recognize any camera movement and adjust the pre-rendered animation accordingly.
It could signify a new era for broadcasting television, to set itself apart in the time of DSLR, where all you need is about $1,000 to go out and shoot similar footage to a broadcasting studio.
