Fremont, CA, USA - Blackmagic Design today announced that FIRST Long Island, a nonprofit organization which provides a space for students K-12 to practice STEM initiatives, is using ATEM SDI Extreme ISO and ATEM Mini Pro live production switchers to power its competitions. FIRST Long Island produces upwards of 14 events each school year, spanning more than 100 schools and over 1,500 students who are on a path to become leaders in technology related industries.

Ryan Pfister, a cybersecurity student at SUNY Farmingdale State College and longtime participant in FIRST Long Island programs turned AV volunteer, currently helps run the behind the scenes technical aspects of the organization’s events, which consist of robotics competitions from LEGO® builds through metal robots up to 120 pounds depending on age group. Pfister has been using Blackmagic Design since 2018 when the organization purchased an ATEM Television Studio. Identifying an opportunity to streamline and update its live production workflow, Pfister replaced the ATEM Television Studio with his current setup.

Four cameras, two on each competition field, are input into the ATEM SDI Extreme ISO, which feeds into a video wall. Displaying close up shots of robot matches, match scores, and show rankings for in person spectators, the video wall consists of four TVs mounted to form a rectangle. The ATEM Mini Pro supports feeds from cameras in other event spaces, such as the auditorium for closing ceremonies, to ensure remote viewers are seeing all areas of activity.

“We really like the compact size of the ATEMs, as now we are taking up minimal space while enhancing our workflow with newer features,” said Pfister. “For example, the ATEMs’ direct streaming capability allows us to bring competitions directly to Twitch and YouTube for families and students watching from home.”

Pfister also uses a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K digital film camera to capture audience reactions during competitions, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. “We chose this camera because it works well inside our Blackmagic Design ecosystem, of course, and the MFT mount allows us to use a variety of lenses for each specific application,” he explained. “We can use it as a studio camera paired with the ATEMs or on its own to capture unique moments during competitions. It’s extremely versatile and flexible.”

“We have 25 to 30 volunteers at each event, two or three of which are running the live production and stream, some of whom are the student competitors themselves,” noted Pfister. “It’s extremely easy to train all our student volunteers, so simplicity is key. But at the same time, the ATEMs are full featured and professional tools. It’s a great opportunity for the kids to continue their learning.” FIRST Long Island was founded more than 30 years ago with a vision to create partnerships between schools, businesses and community organizations and to embrace school curriculums that inspire students to pursue careers in technology, engineering and science. Since its inception, FIRST Long Island, through its strategic partnerships, has set students up with more than 30,000 internships and jobs. The organization currently has robotics programs across nearly every school district on Long Island, New York.