Gravity Media, a production, content, media services and facilities company, is collaborating with Focal Point VR, Ateme, Bluebell Opticom and Blackmagic Design to demonstrate a live immersive media platform at IBC2026, which runs at the RAI Amsterdam from 11 to 14 September 2026.
The collaboration brings together technology and operational expertise across the live immersive production chain, from capture and production through to encoding, delivery and headset playback. The partners said the workflow is intended to help rights holders, broadcasters and event owners deliver high-fidelity VR experiences for live sports, music and entertainment.
The demonstration follows a series of field-based proof-of-concept tests carried out by the partners, including live immersive production work at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Esports World Cup and Formula E in London. The partners said these tests moved the workflow beyond laboratory validation, demonstrating itso integrate with professional broadcast workflows
In the platform, Gravity Media contributes live production expertise, engineering infrastructure and broadcast systems. Focal Point VR supplies high-resolution stereoscopic immersive camera systems, a real-time processing workflow, its Segmented Fidelity Streaming technology and headset viewing applications; its camera rigs use broadcast-grade 8K camera systems from IO Industries. Ateme provides broadcast-grade MV-HEVC encoding and delivery, supporting high-fidelity immersive playback for headsets including Apple Vision Pro. Bluebell Opticom supplies high-bandwidth fibre connectivity for transporting immersive video, audio and control signals in live production environments. Blackmagic Design’s URSA Cine Immersive camera brings dual 8K stereoscopic capture into a single Blackmagic RAW workflow, covering immersive production from acquisition through to post-production.
The partners said the market for live immersive media is reaching an inflection point, with headsets such as Apple Vision Pro raising audience expectations for image quality, depth and realism. They said broadcasters and rights holders need workflows that can deliver the required fidelity, reliability and operational scalability within live production environments.
Immersive viewing differs from a traditional broadcast feed in that it lets viewers choose how they experience a live event: audiences can be placed close to the action, move between curated immersive viewpoints, and watch supporting programme feeds and graphics.
Focal Point VR’s Segmented Fidelity Streaming technology uses attention-weighted optimisation to preserve image quality in the areas of an immersive picture that matter most, while reducing the bandwidth needed for live delivery, according to the company. Used together with Ateme’s MV-HEVC encoding, the approach is designed to make high-resolution live immersive media practical across broadcast and streaming infrastructure. The end-to-end workflow is broadcast standards compliant and modular, allowing capture, connectivity, processing, encoding and playback components to be selected according to the requirements of each event, venue and production model.
“This work is about understanding how immersive viewing can become a practical and operationallyical innovation officer at Gravity Media
“Live immersive sport has been discussed for years, but achieving the image quality, reliability and workflow integration required for professional broadcast has remained a major challenge,” said Jonathan Newth, chief executive of Focal Point VR.
“Delivering immersive video in real time requires more than high image fidelity, it also depends on efficient MV-HEVC compression, low-latency delivery and the reliability broadcasters expect from professional workflows,” said Jan Outters, director of technology and standards at Ateme.
“Reliable connectivity is a critical part of making immersive broadcast experiences work in real-world environments,” said Anil Parmar, sales and marketing director at Bluebell Opticom.
“URSA Cine Immersive was designed to make immersive capture more practical by bringing stereoscopic acquisition into a single Blackmagic RAW workflow,” said Craig Heffernan, director of EMEA at Blackmagic Design.
“We’re thrilled to see our cameras used in this innovative workflow, and to see how this multi-partner integrated solution is pushing forward the cutting edge of immersive media,” said Andrew Searle, product manager at IO Industries.
IBC2026 visitors will be able to see the workflow demonstrated across three stands:
Hall 10 Stand C27(Gravity Media)
Hall 10 Stand A10 (Focal Point VR / Bluebell Opticom)
