Q-SYS platform chosen for BAFTA AV refurb

AV consultant Charcoal Blue selected the Q-SYS platform to provide fully integrated AV and control for the ongoing redevelopment of BAFTA’s HQ at 195 Piccadilly in London.

In 2022 The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is to relaunch its year-round learning and talent development programme, engaging over ten million learners online and equipping eighty thousand people per year with the tools to develop a career in film, games and television via events, competitions and initiatives. In addition, year-round support will be given to four thousand talented individuals through initiatives including BAFTA Breakthrough, BAFTA Crew, Young Game Designers and newly-developed initiatives to help talent realise their potential.

The expansion is made possible by the ongoing redevelopment of BAFTA’s headquarters at 195 Piccadilly. Due to officially open in 2022, 195 Piccadilly will be a creative centre for film, games and television and the central hub for BAFTA’s UK-wide and global learning and talent development programme. The redevelopment will give BAFTA its first-ever dedicated learning space, as well as state-of-the-art technology and increased revenues to enable it to fulfil its charitable remit for years to come: investing in the next generation of talent, helping to build a more inclusive and diverse industry; and increasing public engagement.

BAFTA partnered with AV consultant Charcoal Blue for the redevelopment work and together, they selected the Q-SYS Platform to provide fully integrated audio, video, and control, as well as Q-SYS Cinema products for the theatre itself.

“The AV system at 195 Piccadilly must deliver the highest quality experience for members and guests,” says Charcoal Blue Consultancy. “We worked with the BAFTA team to identify a scalable technology partner to evolve from the previous solution, and the software-based structure of Q-SYS provided the right fit. The platform offers an alternative to the need for constant hardware additions, and this was crucial to our goal of creating a system that we can build upon for years to come.”

The new BAFTA solution is split between two systems. First is a dedicated Dolby Atmos cinema with a Q-SYS Core 510i integrated processor, which the AV team uses to orchestrate the audio and control processing throughout the theatre space. Accompanying this are QSC DPA-Q Series network amplifiers and QSC Reference Monitor System as the chosen behind the screen solution, as well as QSC SR-1020 surround speakers for the auditorium. The theatre technicians also have access to projector and room audio controls via a Q-SYS TSC Series network touch screen.

The second half of the solution services the remainder of the BAFTA building, encompassing all of its public spaces, multi-use spaces, meeting rooms, and the private members’ bar. Again, at the heart of the system is a redundant Q-SYS Core 510i integrated processor setup that handles all of the audio, video, and control processing. Each space offers Q-SYS user control interfaces via iPad to allow for users to setup a room for a specific use, while Q-SYS CX-Q Series networked amplifiers and a selection of the QSC AcousticDesign Series loudspeakers were used across the wide variety of room types and requirements, including the background music distributed throughout.

But the new BAFTA facility is not limited to audio - several Q-SYS NV Series network video endpoints have been deployed to distribute video content throughout. These devices also provide the additional benefit of allowing local laptops to be connected via USB to integrate with web conferencing applications when rooms are being used as meeting spaces.

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