Yesterday marked the debut of the second edition of MAF – Milan Audiovisual Forum, our event dedicated to audiovisual and broadcasting industry topics and professionals. We can say that the months of work paid off with an excellent turnout and an overall atmosphere of satisfaction. This multi-layered event brought together a variety of content-sharing spaces – from general topics in the plenary session and the HD Forum afternoon assembly to targeted technical insights in the masterclasses – along with a lively demo area, the highlighted by the fully functional virtual set presented by Omnio in collaboration with its partners and suppliers.
From the perspective of Connessioni readers, who are closer to the now-termed AV Broadcast themes, one of the most interesting moments was Omnio’s multi-voice Masterclass with partners Stumpfl, Roe, Mega Pixel, and Stage Precision, offering an overview of the Virtual Production world. A comprehensive reflection on VP production dynamics and workflows, impacting many aspects of content production: from timing to logistics, filming techniques to lighting, requiring color temperature settings and calibrations, even in post-production. This new production method calls for new skill sets and therefore dedicated training paths; but no need to worry, this evolution adds on rather than replacing existing roles: the “old” professions are here to stay, with the new ones complementing them.
Audio also took center stage. As Anaïs Libolt, Director of Broadcast & Content at Dolby, explained in her plenary talk, how audio bypasses the rational aspects tied to vision to reach an emotional, sometimes even subconscious, dimension of the human experience. This was followed by a joint afternoon presentation by Donato Masci of Studio Sound Service and Alberto Gaetti of K-array on designing music studios, content production, and post-production spaces with Dolby Atmos in mind. For those who wanted – and will again today – to experience it firsthand, the same room features a Dolby Atmos listening station with K-array diffusion solutions. The Dolby Laboratories station is places alongside, for a closer look at a technology that’s migrating from cinema to pure musical listening.
Throughout the day, I also spoke with and interviewed several women present at MAF, who work in the industry, often in leading roles. From Silva Bracco of Mediaset to Carla Montanari of Videe, from Natasza Chroscicki of Arri to Giulia Bondielli of Studio Sound Service. It may just be a coincidence, but perhaps not, as Silvia Bracco noted: especially in the editorial area of Broadcasting, women are well-represented – perhaps due to organizational strengths and multitasking abilities? We’ll share their interviews in upcoming newsletters.
Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing you today for the second (and final) day of MAF! Registrations are available at https://audiovisual.forum/
