Ministerial Meeting Barcelona: A Remarkable Endeavor in Event Management

Our scope of services encompassed the provision of comprehensive audiovisual solutions, audio and video recording of the sessions, and seamless signal transmission between rooms. Let’s delve into the details of each room’s setup:

In the main ministerial room, designed with grandeur, we installed four 60″ monitors at the center to allow ministers to view presentations. Additionally, we placed four more 60″ monitors strategically around the room. A state-of-the-art sound system was deployed, complemented by 55 conference microphones—one for each minister—and 130 digital receivers to facilitate interpretation services for any minister or delegate requiring language support.

To ensure seamless interpretation, we set up three ISO 4043:2016-compliant double interpreting booths for English, French, and Spanish, and an ISO 4043 triple interpreting booth for Arabic interpreters. Each booth was equipped with a Bosch digital interpreting console, while the entire room was radiated with IR Bosch radiators, guaranteeing crystal-clear interpretation signals throughout.

Furthermore, the four interpretation signals (English, Spanish, French, and Arabic) were transmitted outside the room to two other areas: the listening room, where delegates from all countries could access video, audio, and interpretation signals wirelessly, and the press waiting room located on another floor. This wireless transmission was achieved through a PLS 350 Analog Way mixer, and the video signal was distributed to all monitors using an HD/SDI distributor.

To enhance the video experience and facilitate interpretation, we employed a Gimbal DJI camera positioned at the center of the imperial setup, remotely controlled by a technician. This camera allowed us to focus and zoom on any minister addressing the gathering. Its footage was utilized for video recording purposes, transmitted to other rooms, and provided interpreters with a direct line of sight to the speakers through 24″ monitors placed inside the interpreting booths, ensuring high-quality interpretation. Additionally, a fixed camera with a wide-angle shot was seamlessly switched to whenever the Gimbal DJI camera changed focus between speakers.

Within the same room, we incorporated a Roland VR50 HD multi-format AV mixer to blend PC and camera signals, a Black Magic signal converter, a WDP323 three-phase power splitter, and a digital mixer along with an audio expander, forming a comprehensive technical setup.

Adjacent to the main ministerial room was the “Listening room,” where delegates from all countries congregated during the ministerial meeting. This room allowed delegates to access video, audio, and interpretation signals. To facilitate this, we positioned four 60″ monitors around the room and four 90″ monitors for delegates to view the signals wirelessly transmitted from the ministerial room. A sound system was also installed to ensure the floor audio signal could be heard clearly. Additionally, delegates in need of interpretation services were provided with 165 digital receivers, while the room was radiated with IR Bosch radiators. The video signal was received and transmitted using a PLS 350 Analog Way mixer and distributed to all monitors via an HD/SDI distributor.

In close proximity to the main ministerial room, we established the Press Conference Room, equipped with a separate system that did not transmit signals to or from the room. Within this space, we set up four ISO 4043-compliant interpreting booths—three double booths and one triple booth—to facilitate simultaneous interpretation. All necessary equipment for interpretation, including a CCU, interpreting consoles, audio expanders, and radiators, was present in the room.

The Press Conference Room had two distinct setups: during the first part of the day, it hosted several debates and panel discussions on the topic of job creation. This configuration included two 60″ monitors, two 40″ reference monitors with speaker support, and two 20″ monitors.

After the main ministerial meeting concluded, the attendees moved to the Lunch Room, where they continued their discussions while enjoying a meal. Audio and video signals from this room were transmitted to the Listening Room. To facilitate effective communication, we installed 25 conference microphones to amplify the ministers’ voices, which could be heard through the sound system within the Lunch Room or via the infrared receivers (50) provided to each minister requiring interpretation. The interpreters, due to limited space, were positioned outside the room. To provide them with a visual feed of the lunch and the minister currently speaking, we installed a CCTV system. A Gimbal DJI camera, coupled with a Sony Anycast mixer, was remotely controlled by a technician to relay the video signal to 24″ monitors inside each interpreting booth (comprising three double booths and one triple ISO 4043 booth). Similarly, a fixed camera on a tripod and a recorder SDD Atomos were utilized to capture and record the live-edited video from the lunch session.

As mentioned earlier, the audio and video signals from the ministerial meeting were wirelessly transmitted using a Matrix 6G SDI 20/20 Black Magic Smart Video Hub to both the Listening Room and the Press Waiting Room, situated two floors above. In the Press Waiting Room, journalists had access to five 60″ monitors displaying the video signals, which had passed through a Matrix 6G SDI 20/20 Black Magic Smart Video Hub. Similar to the Listening Room, the Press Waiting Room was radiated, and interpretation signals were received using 100 digital receivers. The floor audio signal was audible through a sound system arranged within the room. To manage audio signals (floor/English/Spanish/French/Arabic), an Audio Signal System AVIOM + 300 was employed, with four press patch boxes featuring over 70 outputs to provide journalists with the language-specific signals they required.

The complexity of this setup was undoubtedly a challenge, but witnessing the end result brought immense satisfaction. The countless hours and dedicated effort invested in this endeavor yielded exceptional outcomes. We take great pride in delivering comprehensive solutions that ensure the seamless execution of high-profile events, and this ministerial meeting in Barcelona stands as a testament to our commitment to excellence.