Case Study – The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
Background and Brief
When The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) approached us with a brief to create a polished, studio-style livestream for AgriLeader Live, we were all in. We are delighted to be involved in supporting the vital work that the AHDB does to support the agricultural industry.
This livestream was the culmination of six months of project work where we followed four farmers from the AgriLeader Forum event back to their farms to see the adoption and impact of AgriLeader techniques, producing case study films. These farmers were then the focus of this livestream project.
However, the brief wasn’t going to be straightforward. Their challenge to us was that the studio needed to be in a remote farm location. Without the infrastructure of. a studio setting, this was going to test every ounce of our creative and practical skills. Challenge accepted.
Approach
The first rung on the ladder was to locate a farm building to fit the brief. Fortunately, the AHDB’s extensive network of farms gave us the opportunity to consider everything from tents to barns. Eventually we found a great rural location in the form of a spacious grain store in the Midlands that was available after harvest.
Location acquired, we gathered key crew members and had a recce to scope out important logistical factors such as internet connection, power supply and setup complexities. With no studio we had to implement everything from the ground up, so pre-production had to be detailed and spot on.
A 3D mock up of the set and stage helped us work out the infrastructure and lighting setup, including a secondary ‘social corner’ where questions from viewers could be answered live. We approached the set by embracing the raw, industrial look, with the truss and diffusion frame in full view but also softened by the lighting, which gave the key light a professional, studio-quality look. We were pleased with the overall lighting effect; not bad for filming at 7pm in October!
To get high-speed streaming into the grain store we had to get creative. We decided to run an ethernet cable in, backed up by bonded units, the latter combining the ethernet feed with multiple 4G networks, meaning should any failover arise, the stream is maintained. Our on-site gallery trailer housed our talented producers, show director and vision mixer, where they worked their magic into the filming action on the day, ensuring the live feed didn’t falter.
Execution
Despite the high level of planning, the weather didn’t take notice, and it poured with rain. We weren’t hoping for the sound of a continuous drum roll to overpower the conversation and luckily our excellent sound engineer had flagged this issue during the initial recce. Sound blankets were at the ready to deaden the noise. Fortunately a break in the rain coincided with the live stream itself.
The meticulous preparation had paid off. Our 3D model of the set sped up a seamless/smooth studio set up process and by the time we went live, the grain store-turned-studio looked nothing like its former self. The live stream ran flawlessly across multiple platforms and accounts, engaging audiences and delivering on the client’s vision. All in all, it was a testament to the power of preparation, creativity, and a healthy dose of can-do attitude.
Key takeaways
This project enabled us to showcase two of our cornerstone passions and skills; our agricultural expertise and livestreaming expertise. We were able to bring in the right kit, people and know-how to bring the ambitious project to life.
Whether it’s a barn, a tent, or a corn grain store, the secret to success in remote location production lies in planning, ingenuity, and experience. It’s not just about bringing the right kit; it’s about knowing how to use it, and having a team on site that can turn a logistical headache into a broadcast triumph.
Client testimonial
“Cande Group’s professional approach, can-do attitude, and deep understanding of the UK rural/agricultural sector have been invaluable in creating fantastic AHDB AgriLeader content. Their work has helped us grow our community, engage a wider, more diverse range of UK farmers, and support them in leading themselves, leading their people, and leading their businesses. They’re a pleasure to collaborate with, bringing creativity and expertise from project conception through to delivery. We look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Mark Campbell, AHDB
