As the largest content creator and national media network in Singapore, Mediacorp operates a suite of TV channels, radio stations, and multiple digital platforms. Year after year, Mediacorp assumes the role of the central hub for the country’s biggest celebration of content and talent in the local entertainment industry.

This year’s event, the 28th edition of Star Awards, was themed “Beyond | Celebrations,” and was re-imagined as a star-studded concert. It featured an exceptional lineup of Singapore’s finest talents and regional superstars, joining forces in electrifying performances for an unforgettable night of glamour, excitement, and celebrations like never before. Oceanus Media Global (OMG) worked with Mediacorp to create the opening segment and after-credit scene for the award ceremony using their next-generation Futurealistic Studio, with a high-tech LED volume powered by Brompton Technology LED processing.

Founded in 2020, OMG is a unique creative media tech company that represents a new multi-disciplinary intersection point in the industry. It comprises six partner companies: Resolute, AP Media, Anomalyst Studio, AP Academy, Scion Technik, and Grayback Esports, all of which are experts in their respective fields. These companies have joined forces with the primary objective of leading the way in the utilisation of immersive media, virtual production, and creative tech in the media industry of Southeast Asia.

The LED setup at OMG’s Futurealistic Studio includes a 4K curved LED screen comprising broadcast standard P2.6 LED panels from ShowHo, measuring 11m long by 6m deep and 4m high. The screen is powered by 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors, offering a wealth of features, including HDR and Dynamic Calibration, as well as Extended Bit Depth, PureTone, ChromaTune, Dark Magic, Genlock, allowing for unrivalled creative and colour management capabilities.

“When we established OMG, we aimed to combine the creative, media, and tech domains in a single space to enable convergence,” explained Nick GC Tan, CEO of OMG. “Our team comprises multiple experts such as producers, immersive multimedia tech specialists, studio personnel, audiovisual teams, light specialists, and more. Many people think that the concept of immersive media is just simply an LED volume, but it’s so much more than that. It also covers live streaming, e-sports, virtual production, immersive media, the metaverse, and virtual avatars. Our Futurealistic Studio is a one-stop shop for all those disciplines, creating unforgettable XR, MR, and AR experiences.”

OMG established a partnership with Mediacorp more than a year ago when Mediacorp commissioned the agency to animate a virtual tiger avatar and allow it to interact with real-life celebrities in front of an LED screen as part of the Lunar New Year celebration.

Tan elaborated: “By combining the AR tiger with live performers, we created a whole new dimension to shows, demonstrating that virtual characters and humans can coexist on stage. We were thrilled to provide a fresh virtual spin on the Lunar New Year festivities and seamlessly integrate live broadcast with augmented reality.”

According to Tan, the latest project with Mediacorp involved a three-day shoot for the Star Awards 2023 opening and after-credits video, which was a seamless and collaborative process. “It was a lot of fun. The team at Mediacorp had some ideas for the over-arching concept, and then our producer and director came up with the visual concept,” he stated.

“We discussed how it would be filmed and how the LED stage would be set up. Mediacorp loved the idea, and we proceeded to shooting, which was stress-free and seamless thanks to the high-quality equipment in our studio and the expertise of our team.”

Tan emphasised that Brompton was the obvious choice for them when it came to selecting LED processing equipment for the project.

“Brompton was the clear choice for us when we opened the studio last year, and it remains our top choice today,” he said. “The lifelike and ultra-realistic colour reproduction that Brompton provides is unmatched and exactly what visual effects supervisors are looking for, making Tessera LED processors a gold industry standard for virtual production studios. The straightforward usability of the Tessera software is also a major factor for us, as it streamlines our workflow and enhances our productivity. Ultimately, it’s the combination of colour quality innovation and user-friendliness that makes Brompton our go-to brand for LED processing. Thanks to the SX40, we can deliver stunning and professional-looking productions, which gives both us and our clients peace of mind and confidence in the final output.”

After the massive success of the Star Awards 2023, Tan revealed that Mediacorp was exploring other forms of projects to be done in a virtual production setting.

“We strongly believe that while immersion can occur in various settings, creating an environment that is hyper-immersive truly captivates the audience, enveloping them in a world of visual wonder,” he shared. “We are thrilled that Mediacorp was satisfied with their experience at our studio, and we look forward to collaborating with them on future projects that leverage our technology to create these types of unparalleled experiences.”

“OMG is a prime example of how companies can come together to form an alliance that is incredibly powerful, both in terms of resources and expertise,” concluded Luke Hurford, business development manager, APAC at Brompton. “We are grateful to the OMG team for placing their trust in Brompton LED processing to create stunning live visual experiences such as the Star Awards 2023 that captivated virtual audiences across the globe. It’s truly inspiring to see OMG riding an unstoppable wave of growth, and it’s great to join them on this exciting journey!”

Brompton Technology