Case Study: Live Dungeons & Dragons Show at Wintrust Arena
The production was a multi-camera event, capturing both the cast performance and audience reactions, as well as animated graphics and complex, 44-channel audio mix with ISO records, all in the high-energy environment of Wintrust Arena. The final product needed to be live, immersive, and broadcast-ready for VOD.
Equipment
Flypack converged in Chicago with the kit being driven from New York, and the crew flying in from various locations to work with our trusted local crew. Our fully outfitted 22-foot Sprinter van was packed with everything needed to deliver high-end results to any venue.
Camera Package:
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Panasonic UC4000s and PLV100s for high-quality front-of-house angles
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Three Fujinon UA46x lenses, along with Duvo 85–300mm and 24–300mm, for range and precision
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UE160 robotic cameras positioned on the flanks to capture crowd reactions and stage dynamic
Production Systems:
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Switching managed on a Blackmagic Constellation 4K 4 M/E, with a second installed for full redundancy
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Video recording synced via FS4s and fed into a dual AJA KiPro system for redundancy, to capture all camera ISOs and program
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Graphics powered by Millumin for in-venue displays and overlays, on top of feeding animated graphics and audio for the line-cut
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Yamaha DM7 was the mixer of choice to handle all audio via Dante
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JoeCo Blackbox and Nuendo were used to record ISOs of all the audio for edits and to use for other media formats (podcasts, etc.)
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Clear-Com Arcadia provided seamless communication for the entire crew, spanning the entire length of the arena and the back-of-house green rooms
Versatility
We packed a full traditional control room into a 15' x 9' space beneath the arena bleachers, fully interfaced and integrated with the venue. From load-in to show-ready in just under five hours, a timeline made even more impressive given the staggered crew call times put in place to manage overtime constraints.
This event demonstrated Flypack’s ability to deliver broadcast-level quality for live performances, even without a live stream. From cross-country deployment to arena execution, the Flypack team brought reliability, creativity, and technical expertise to every moment of the show from start to finish.
Crew
Flypack’s success on this project was powered by our core crew. This crew consisted of an experienced, tight-knit team that brings precision, adaptability, and calm under pressure to every production. At the heart of this event were engineers Andy Lu, Eric LaDonna and Jason Gillet, who led the technical execution on site. From configuring camera routing and lens setups to managing comms, switching, and recording systems, their expertise ensured every piece of gear worked from load-in to wrap.
We were also happy to collaborate with our talented group of local Chicago crew members once again! Their knowledge of the Wintrust Arena and strong production experience were essential in helping us deliver a high-quality show. Their support and professionalism made this new venue feel like home.
Backed by support from Flypack's production and logistics team, the crew brought the same dedication to detail and quality that defines our work in every city we roll into. You could say we had a "critical role" in this event!
