Switcher Studio: The Best Production Studio is the One You’ve Got in Your Pocket…Literally…

Being a partner in iOgrapher is an incredible experience for me. In a couple of short years, I’ve been witness to some amazing developments in iOS video. The iOgrapher aside – which is a groundbreaking device – the response from every corner of the industry has been nothing short of amazing. And the innovations that this movement has inspired is even more amazing. I’ve witnessed production costs and requirements plummet – enabling essentially anyone with an iPhone and an internet connection to create and share quality content.

Apps like Filmic Pro – for a mere $9.99 – transform an iPhone’s camera giving you amazing controls over settings, like frame rates, image quality, audio controls.

And thanks to my experience with iOgrapher, I also met the team from Switcher Studio. Simply put, this app blows me away.

The team at Switcher Studio has been flying somewhat under the radar, but steadily building a following of enthusiasts who are creating professional, multi-camera productions using their iPhones and iPads. And they’ve recently announced a new feature called Director Mode that lets you now record in broadcast quality HD. Amazing.

Brian King is a director at Lucid Potato, a production company in LA, and recently shot a live concert event in Boston. Brian is an industry veteran, and has an impressive roster of projects he’s worked on. He knows the landscape, he knows the gear and he knows the workflows inside and out. But this time, for this concert, he wanted a better way. He wrote about it here. His story is incredible.

So if you haven’t heard about Switcher Studio yet, but are curious as to how these apps are enabling anyone to create some high caliber content, you need to check them out.

There’s a saying that the best camera is the one you have on you. With Switcher Studio, there’s a new saying floating about – the best production studio is the one you’ve got in your pocket. Literally.

Here are some of the details from Switcher Studio’s announcement.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Switcher Studio for iOS Brings Broadcast Quality Multicam HD Recording to iPads, iPhones with New ‘Director Mode’ Features

Switcher Studio Director Mode Adds Fixed Frame Rates, 1080p HD Multicam Recording, Integration with Apple FCPX, All from iOS Devices

LOUISVILLE, KY (November 17, 2015) –  Swticher Studio (www.switcherstudio.com) today announced the launch of Switcher Studio Director Mode, a new feature update that brings broadcast quality multi-camera HD recording capabilities to Apple iPads and iPhones. Switcher Studio is an iOS app that enables anyone with an iOS device and an Internet connection to capture and deliver multicam events to online audiences – and now with Director Mode, record broadcast quality HD content that meets stringent, professional broadcasting standards.

With the new Director Mode capability, users can now assign fixed frame rates, record 1080p HD broadcast quality from multiple angles using iOS devices, and export their compositions directly to Apple Final Cut Pro X for final edits and finishing. Switcher Studio Director Mode elevates iOS video to broadcast quality, and is already in use by broadcast television stations to deliver content to new audiences online.

Matt Schuster is the executive director of TV Santa Barbara, a nonprofit community media center that prides itself on empowering people to ‘make media that matters.’  By providing community members knowledge, resources, and tools to create and distribute their own original programming content, TV Santa Barbara is incorporating new technologies to help people share their stories and produce media about their communities. In a shift from standard definition production gear to the new Switcher Studio system, Matt had this to say about the evolution of the studio:

“TV Santa Barbara is eager to add Switcher Studio to our production tools available for community use. The simplicity of the system will greatly expand our ability to provide coverage of community events, and expand our community training programs. I haven’t seen a group of people as excited about learning how to use production equipment, as when we introduced them to Switcher Studio.”

The Switcher Studio Director Mode Workflow; How it Works

Using the new Director Mode in Switcher Studio, users can disable the built-in camera on the primary device and sync up to 4 additional iPhones or iPads by pairing with a router or hotspot. Tapping “Rec +Broadcast” within the app triggers a recording on each connected device so users have access to full quality video from each angle regardless of any hiccups or glitches on the network. Users can then switch between sources and make edits while an event is in progress.

When the user stops recording, video from each connected iPhone or iPad is composited on the primary switching device with all cuts and transitions made during the event. This results in a fully edited HD video that can be immediately uploaded from the device or exported directly  into Final Cut Pro X to make additional tweaks and adjustments (*requires Media Manager BETA). Director Mode also allows the user to assign a fixed frame rate for the final composition.

Director Mode also enables users to broadcast directly to a streaming video platform like YouTube or Ustream. If bandwidth is limited, users can stream at a lower quality while still capturing a 1080p HD video. This way, content can still be uploaded afterwards for on-demand viewing with higher quality HD imagery. Switcher Studio’s built in speed test will check the user’s internet connection and automatically adjust the resolution and bitrate for a live video stream.

During a production, users can also insert photos, graphics, and overlays or use the Switcher Cast screen sharing app to bring a computer in as a source and share PowerPoint and Keynote presentations with multi-view and picture-in-picture effects. The app requires no special hardware or gadgets, all a user needs is an iPhone or iPad and an internet connection – simply sync the devices to the same router and use it as a hub for communication between cameras (no internet connection required if only recording).

Pricing and Availability

Switcher Studio is available immediately on a monthly subscription model and is priced at $25.00 USD per month, or for an annual rate of $299.00 USD. There is also a 7 day free trial available at www.switcherstudio.com.

About Switcher Studio

Switcher Studio was started by a team of people who love creating and delivering great content – from anywhere and from any device. The app was born from a passion to democratize what was once an incredibly complex and expensive experience, to one that enables anyone – from a high school football coach to a wedding videographer to a professional television station – to create a multi-camera production studio experience with nothing more than some iOS devices and an internet connection and instantly stream live video to services like YouTube and Ustream. For more information or to start creating amazing multicam streaming events, please visit www.switcherstudio.com.

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