Success Stories
SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE CHICAGO (SAIC) COMMENCEMENT
We livecast SAIC’s biggest-ever commencement ceremony, in which Kanye West received an honorary degree. We designed a webcasting solution that was flexible and scalable enough to withstand over 20x the online viewing audience vs. past SAIC commencements. The webcast was uneventful – which is our definition of success. Not a single issue or complaint. In a manner of speaking, we let Kanye finish.
The technology:
We selected Akamai – unequivocally the largest and most reliable content delivery network on the planet, as the backbone to support this mission-critical event.
We served up nearly 20K concurrent connections to the live stream over the course of 2.5 hours. Nearly 19% of all traffic originated from >5,000 miles from Chicago.
We spent several weeks modeling edge server scale and performance results leading to a carefully planned and calculated server strategy.
Several news outlets, including CNN, NBC and France24 picked up and transmitted the live webcast.
The event:
NEW BOEING AIRCRAFT REVEAL
A global event production agency working with Boeing asked us to webcast the maiden voyage of Boeing's new 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft. We developed and tested a robust webcasting solution. We shipped the equipment and a team of SureCast technicians to Washington State, where the event was to unfold across several airfields. Our webcasting solution simultaneously delivered 5 live streams (including a Mandarin version) to Boeing’s global audience – without the slightest hint of turbulence.
The technology:
Boeing’s needs led us to custom-build flight cases featuring rack-mount video encoding servers, redundant power systems, and network cards for a near 100% failsafe operation.
We worked closely with a host of technology partners in the U.S. and abroad for several weeks to ensure cohesion – a critical step in delivering a successful event.
We pioneered multiple bit rate streams for various internet connection types several years before this technology went mainstream.
NOBEL PEACE SUMMIT
SureCast was entrusted to webcast a gathering of world leaders, including The Dalai Lama, to hundreds of thousands of viewers around the world. The event unfolded over multiple Chicago locations, including the UIC Forum and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, over three days. Our thoughtfully designed webcasting solution enabled people all over the world to witness the event without so much as a single glitch. Meditate on that.
The technology:
We set up, stream-tested (at some incredibly odd hours), and delivered three days of live embedded content for 14 unique web properties across nine time zones.
We generated a custom widget to allow attendees at the live event to select between eight languages, seven of which were translated in real time by captioner/translators in on-site sound booths.
We staged and pre-wired complete back-up encoders at each event site which were successfully pre-tested to do a 100% rollover in less than 10 seconds. Fortunately, those machines never saw any action.
The event:
http://www.nobelpeacesummit.com/the-world-summit-of-nobel-peace-laureates/chicago-2012/
JB FOR GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN ELECTION NIGHT BROADCAST
Two weeks out, we were asked to hold the date. Five days out, we were told it was likely to happen. Three days out we received the contract. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with the largest networks on local, cable, satellite, and the internet, we aggregated all legal and approved audio and video signals to a single point on Facebook. We were careful to filter content, which was both legal and directed to the public, relying on planned (and improvised) safeguards to ensure a victory on the web whether or not our candidate took the W.
The technology:
We offered up a battle-tested back-up solution to an already robust internet network with a bonded cellular platform capable of data rates faster than Facebook would even accept.
We worked closely with on-site producers and technicians to effectively cordon off content through either programming equipment or routing signal paths to reduce the risk of the live event being taken “off-air” for copyright infringement.
We utilized three purpose-built hardware media encoders (two of which were dedicated back-up systems), designed specifically for Facebook Live streaming.
The event:
https://www.facebook.com/jbpritzker/videos/jb-for-governor-election-night/352595338834371/
VOLVO CONSTRUCTION CONEXPO 2020 PRESS EVENT
SureCast was engaged to assist Volvo Construction Equipment (not your Mom’s wagon) to produce a live stream from a venerable Chicago hotel to a gathering of the press locally and online. The coolest part of the engagement was being able to successfully consult with Volvo’s brand team in Shippensburg, PA to put a professional camera and mic onto a remote presenter who would then walk around and demonstrate a massive highway paving vehicle from PA to the event space in Chicago and online.
The client was thrilled to be able to switch in their master engineer seamlessly in real-time. To have the journalists ask the engineer questions as he was able to move around the vehicle was really a powerful moment.
