Yoshimoto Broad Entertainment (Yoshimoto) is a prominent entertainment and media production company in Japan. With a focus on planning, producing, and filming TV programs using cloud video software, the company collaborates closely with major TV stations and program production companies in Osaka and Tokyo. To enhance their collaboration between the announcement booth in Osaka and the control room in Tokyo, Yoshimoto sought a solution that would enable remote narration, collaborative editing, and previewing.

Matrox Monarch EDGE S1 enabled Yoshimoto to overcome these challenges by providing simultaneous encoding and decoding capabilities, as well as facilitating bidirectional communication. The Monarch EDGE S1 model was specifically chosen due to its compatibility with intercom and tally systems, which are crucial tools in the production workflow. The implementation of the Monarch EDGE S1 offered several advantages for the company, including the ability to emit a CUE lamp for narration recording.

Requirements for Yoshimoto’s Remote Production Solution

Remote narration

One of the key hurdles for Yoshimoto was finding a solution compatible with tally and talkback functionalities. An intercom system enables seamless communication between physically distanced teams, while a tally system provides visual cues indicating when narration was being recorded. These features are essential for maintaining synchronization during remote production.

Remote collaborative editing

Yoshimoto required a robust video transport solution to facilitate efficient remote collaborative editing. The chosen solution had to ensure reliable transmission of video files over the internet, enabling editors to work on the same project simultaneously and in real-time. It needed to provide low-latency communication, allowing editors to view and make edits to the content without experiencing significant delays.

Remote previewing

Lastly, Yoshimoto needed a reliable method that would enable remote previewing of their content through CDNs, while maintaining high-quality video. This was crucial for ensuring the accuracy, visual aesthetics, and overall quality of their productions before finalizing and delivering the finished content. To achieve this, they required encoding and decoding capabilities that would preserve video fidelity, resolution, and clarity across different devices and network conditions.

The Innovative Remote Production Approach with Monarch EDGE S1

The implementation of the Matrox Monarch EDGE S1 provided Yoshimoto with numerous benefits, enabling them to overcome remote production challenges and achieve their goals, including smooth communication and efficient workflows. 

Monarch EDGE S1 enabled Yoshimoto to successfully achieve low-latency intercom and video transmission between Tokyo and Osaka, facilitating collaborative editing work. Editors in Osaka and title designers in Tokyo could work together effectively, enhancing productivity. According to Teruhiko Naota, Chief Producer at Yoshimoto, “bidirectional sound communication using the Monarch EDGE S1 was incomparable to other tools such as general web conferencing services, ensuring seamless communication.”

Yoshimoto intends to continue fostering efficient work between Tokyo and Osaka, as well as with other creators living in different regions, leading to increased collaboration and regional revitalization. They plan to leverage the Monarch EDGE S1 and related equipment to create a wide range of works for the Expo 2025 in Osaka, showcasing the capabilities and advantages of remote production.