June 4, 2026
Written by: Nathan Holley
The Kouman team envisioned a highly adaptable studio environment that would support on-the-fly set changes and allow talent to move freely between sets while maintaining seamless video, audio, and lighting coverage. This flexibility enabled the creative team to produce high-quality content quickly and efficiently.
The primary goal was to create a professional studio that could operate without lighting technicians, camera operators, video switchers, or audio techs. We delivered a self-sufficient studio solution that the team could confidently operate on their own.
To achieve this, we designed and installed a comprehensive system that included an overhead LED lighting grid covering all sets, seven fixed and mobile camera positions, and multiple strategically placed boom microphones.
Putting creative freedom first and then using technology to enhance the workflow
The lighting system was designed for both performance and ease of use. We deployed nine Aputure Nova P300C panels with soft boxes for key and fill lighting, complemented by twelve Dracast LED Fresnels to illuminate individual sets and provide backlighting. Additional Aputure fixtures provided accent lighting to the walls and enhanced on-camera appearance.
All fixtures were mounted to an overhead grid, eliminating visible cabling on set and maintaining a clean environment. The entire system was controlled via an ETC DMX lighting console, with pre-programmed scenes for each set and full studio configurations. This allowed users to easily switch between setups or make adjustments on the fly without technical expertise. We also provided foundational training to ensure the team could operate the system independently.
Each camera feed was routed to a central BNC patch panel at the rear of the equipment rack. From there, signals were connected to HyperDeck Pro recorders, and loop-through feeds were sent directly to the ATEM switcher. All video was recorded on SSDs, enabling quick and easy transfer to post-production.
The ATEM switcher enabled the option to live stream directly to YouTube and provided live switching capabilities. A multiview output gave real-time visibility of all camera feeds for both talent and operators. This multiview signal was distributed throughout the studio via a distribution amplifier, ensuring visibility from multiple locations.
The audio system was designed to provide consistent coverage across all sets. Several boom microphones were suspended from the overhead grid, capturing audio throughout the talent’s movement areas and providing more focused coverage in primary dialogue zones.
The on-screen talent wore Sony wireless lavaliere microphones, and the receivers connected directly to the primary Sony FX6 camera. Audio was embedded in the video signal via HD-SDI and routed to the HyperDeck recorders. Additional boom microphones were positioned near the main desk to provide redundancy and ensure no critical audio was missed.
To streamline post-production, we implemented a shared storage system with multiple workstations in a dedicated editing suite on another floor of the facility. All video channels could be recorded directly to the system, giving editors immediate access to footage and enabling rapid turnaround for publishing content.
The shared storage system also serves as a secure archive, utilizing a RAID configuration that provides both high performance and data protection.
