Ronen Lasry, founder and creative director of FMJ said ³I am thrilled to welcome David to our team. His background and expertise will be essential to FMJ as we expand our focus beyond virtual sets and graphics to providing complete solutions to our customers.

Dave can be reached at:
401-741-4745
dave [at] fullmentaljacket [dot] com

About Full Mental Jacket
Founded in 2002 in Los Angeles by award winning graphics designer/producer Ronen Lasry, Full Mental Jacket specializes in the conception, development and implementation of 3D Real Time Graphics, Unique Digital Creative Presentations, and Cutting-Edge Technology Systems for entertainment, news, advertising, corporate and simulation training applications. Among the company's major clients are E! Entertainment Television, FOX, NBC, ABC, FX, CNBC, MSNBC, Discovery Channel and Disney, to name just some. fullmentaljacket.com

Hosted by Maria Bartiromo

Show description and Schedule : http://www.cnbc.com/id/17169877

Full details to come.

NOTE: To view two samples of this work, please see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWiEQTzBQ5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBxyIA923g0

Working in association with its client, the Irvine, CA-based Intertainment Broadcasting Corporation (iBC), Full Mental Jacket has produced the full graphics package for "That Morning Show," including virtual sets, the main title opening sequence and on-air graphics. FMJ also provided iBC with complete broadcast on-air creative services. Most significantly, Full Mental Jacket is concurrently also producing live, 90-second, interactive segments entitled "CHASEit"(tm), which are also featured within each edition of "That Morning Show."

During these CHASEit(tm) segments, viewers watching from home have the ability (by calling into the show via telephone) to purchase gift cards from a variety of retailers/show sponsors being presented by live action TV personalities. These show sponsors include such companies as Macy's, Amazon, Zappos, Chilis, and many others. Viewers receive bonus "cash back" awards with each purchase they make during these CHASEit(tm) interactive segments, which occur four times an hour, replacing the standard twelve commercial time slots.

Jeff Rifkin, Executive Producer of "That Morning Show" and its CHASEit(tm) segments, said, "Ronen and his team at Full Mental Jacket were instrumental in helping us to produce and present a revolutionary new program in the history of live television. FMJ's contributions to bringing to 'visual life' the 'CHASEit' segments featured within 'That Morning Show' were invaluable in taking live television advertising to the next level, within a realtime digital world that can be easily changed and adapted to our advertisers' wishes. FMJ stands at the cutting edge of broadcast graphics in this industry."

Lasry said, "Quite frankly, what we have achieved with 'That Morning Show' represents the future of television. Against a green screen, we can create a diverse scope of virtual sets, which can be easily updated graphically live in real time. Our virtual sets involve no delays and no post production. Live 3D TV commercials can be presented as branded space environments, with instant home viewer feedback."

He adds, "A traditional TV commercial costs a lot of money, but as sponsors and advertisers become more and more aware of what is possible graphically in today's digital universe, they will begin to realize they can update their consumer interactions instantaneously. We have taken the dynamics of a website and turned them into a live, 3D realtime television environment. This is also the future of television advertising."

ABOUT E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION'S "THAT MORNING SHOW:"

Airing every morning, seven days a week, on E! Entertainment Television, "That Morning Show" is an upbeat and topical lifestyle show featuring both in-studio and field pieces in an unconventional new format that is fast-paced, upbeat and always fresh. Offering lighter and more uplifting fare, "That Morning Show" focuses on topics that will enhance the lives of its viewers. From the workplace to the kitchen, the world of fashion, or new environmental projects, this new series melds entertainment and information in a way aimed at making viewers hopeful, empowered and informed.

The program is being hosted by a trio of fresh faces. Mark Long, Karla Cavalli, and Chelsea Cannell welcome viewers to the start of the new day with a warm chemistry and addictive energy. The in-studio portion of the series is filmed in a state of the art studio in Orange County, CA, built exclusively for the show. The unique platform stage allows the hosts versatility and function in presenting new discussions on varying topics while keeping the flow fast and visually pleasing. The outside studio segments transport viewers to fun and exciting locales all across the country.

"That Morning Show" also features innovative interactive marketing segments, which provide viewers with a completely new way of saving money at their favorite retailers that is easy and appealing. The talented Sandra Sanchez, Carmen Palumbo and Aaron Priceman take the helm in this new frontier along with a bullpen of additional hosts, who showcase opportunities for viewers to obtain gift cards from major retailers and, importantly, receive cash back with each purchase. A ticker counts down until there are no cards left. Viewers who miss out on the action can visit the website 24 hours a day to receive their cash back.

"That Morning Show" moves the traditional talk show viewer from spectator to active participant. The viewer can see how many gift cards remain and decide to purchase as the amount of cash back increases. During the segment, some purchasers may even see their names scrolled across the screen. "That Morning Show" is produced by iBC and was launched recently. The program can be seen from 6:00-9:00am (ET & PT), coast to coast, with episodes airing seven days a week.

ABOUT IBC:

Based in Irvine, CA, Intertainment Broadcasting Corporation (iBC), is a leading innovator in connecting retailers directly with consumers through interactive media. The company's new morning television program, "That Morning Show," broadcasts seven days a week, coast to coast, on E! Entertainment Television. Viewers of the show can purchase gift cards from a variety of retailers and receive a bonus "cash back" award with each purchase. iBC is backed by leading entrepreneurs and The Musser Group. For more information, visit www.ibc.tv

ABOUT FULL MENTAL JACKET:

Founded in 2002 in Los Angeles by award winning graphics designer/producer Ronen Lasry, Full Mental Jacket specializes in the conception, development and implementation of 3D Real Time Graphics, Unique Digital Creative Presentations, and Cutting-Edge Technology Systems for entertainment, news, advertising, corporate and simulation training applications. Among the company's major clients are E! Entertainment Television, FOX, NBC, ABC, FX, CNBC, MSNBC, Discovery Channel and Discovery Kids, to name just some. Full Mental Jacket is located at 4212 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90029. The phone is 323/774-1864, and the web is www.fullmentaljacket.com

From Orad press release:

“In the virtual studio concept, we saw an opportunity to reduce costs and enhance on-air presentation at our local stations, while maintaining local editorial control and high quality newsgathering,” said Carol Darling, Senior Vice President Engineering and Technical Systems of Canwest Broadcasting. “The virtual sets have not only improved the look of our most popular news show, Global National News, this approach has also enhanced our local market presence by providing consistent, high-end on-air presentation at our smaller stations.

Technical Team

Applied Electronics:
Paul Stechly, pres.;
Donnie Gallant, virtual set specialist;
Keith Treble, robotics;
Kim Edmonds, install. sys. mgr.;
Paresh Premjee, news sys.

Global TV:
John O’Connor, VP, tech.;
Gerry Belec, proj. leader virtual and graphics creation;
Glen Altwasser, proj. leader for install. oversight;
Geoff Franklin, video content interchange;
Chris Mapes, virtual set tech. advisor

Orad:
Andrew Wojdala, VP, R&D;
Ofir Benovici, VP, bus. dev.;
Arek Sliwinski, sr. R&D programmer;
Mike Paquin, tech. support eng.

Links:
Broadcast Engineering project page

Orad Awards press release

The Instigators, a weekly show that features NESN’s hockey experts debating the hottest and most controversial issues in hockey, is shot in high definition (HD) to take maximum advantage of the set. The set was designed to evoke the feeling of a sub-stadium locker room. It includes a foreground virtual desk and is capable of staging any number of different set ups and camera angles.

FMJ creative director Ronen Lasry worked closely with NESN design director Tony Saia on the set design and managed all the lighting and final implementation work of the HD set in the Brainstorm virtual studio system.

“It was great to work with the creative team at NESN again,” said Lasry. “The high impact visuals and tone of the show is tailor made for a virtual environment.”

“We had a great experience working with FMJ in the past and knew they would be the right people to help us accomplish what we set out to do for The Instigators,” said Saia.

Full Mental Jacket is the world’s leading design company creating virtual sets and real time graphics for news, entertainment, simulation and corporate training applications.

NESN is owned by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins and is delivered to over four million homes throughout the six-state New England region and nationally via DirecTV and Dish Network. The definitive home for New England sports programming, NESN is the television home of the Red Sox and Bruins and is the top rated regional sports network in the country. The network and its website, NESN.com, produce award winning content including, NESN SportsDesk a daily sports news program, over 100 NESN University college sporting events annually and distinctive Original NESN Entertainment (ONE) productions.

FMJ combined some signature hard set pieces from Suze Orman's previous sets with new virtual elements and cleaner minimal design.

New desk designed by John Casey, i.e. Design Events Inc.

Orad Hi-Tec Systems Limited (Symbol: OHT), a world-leading provider of real-time broadcasting graphic solutions, and Full Mental Jacket, a world-leading design company creating virtual sets and real-time graphics for news, entertainment, simulation, and corporate training applications, today announced an integrated solution providing captivating virtual set designs based on Orad's powerful virtual studio platforms.

The integrated solution consists of a library of pre-designed sets to be used with Orad's virtual studio solutions, thereby providing broadcasters with state-of-the-art virtual studio sets available for immediate use. Orad and Full Mental Jacket's integrated solution has already been used for headline events such as the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and by such leading broadcasters as Canada's Global Television.

Avi Sharir, CEO and president of Orad Hi-Tech Systems, said, "The integrated solution enables broadcasters to benefit both from Orad's expertise as leading broadcast graphic solution providers and Full Mental Jackets' expert design capabilities."

"Having worked extensively with Orad in the past, we're delighted to continue and strengthen our partnership," said Ronen Lasry, creative director at Los Angeles-based Full Mental Jacket. "We look forward to providing our award-winning creative services on Orad's state-of-the-art virtual studio platform to their varied customers."

# # #

About Full Mental Jacket

Full Mental Jacket is the world's leading design company creating virtual sets and realtime graphics for news, entertainment, simulation, and corporate training applications. Full Mental Jacket owns and licenses a growing library of award-winning 3D real-time virtual sets to small and large broadcast clients around the world. These sets can be highly customized and are ready to be delivered in a range of formats and systems. For more information, visit www.fullmentaljacket.com.

About Orad Hi-Tec Systems

Orad Hi-Tec Systems is a world-leading provider of real-time 3D broadcast graphics solutions including news, channel branding, sports production and enhancement, elections and special events, virtual studios, and virtual advertisement. Orad's compelling solutions streamline production workflow, enhance viewer experience, and improve production value. Founded in 1993, Orad is a public company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (OHT). For more information, visit www.orad.tv.

read more about the show and the project on Broadcasting & Cable. Excerpt below:

At CNBC, Virtual Sets Move from Specials to Flagship Suze Orman Show

Tech Also Used for 'Business Nation' and 'Business of Innovation' By David F. Carr

The use of virtual sets, in which digital graphics are used to paint a set design on the screen, is becoming increasingly common at CNBC.

After being tried out on limited run series such as Business Nation, The Business of Innovation and ‘Collaboration Now,’ in 2009 the technology will be used in the production of The Suze Orman Show, said Gary Kanofsky, who championed the use of the technology at CNBC. “The headline is that the technology has matured enough that we’re using it for one of our most important flagship shows,” he said. When interviewed at the end of December, Kanofsky was preparing to leave his job as Director of Digital Production and Broadcast Technology after a decade of work at CNBC, which he joined as a producer in 1998.

Read full article here

Show times link here

Virtual Sets Finding Their Niche

Maturing Tech Wins Acceptance, Particularly for Feature Programming By David F. Carr

Adoption for local TV news programming is rarer so far, although an ambitious project leveraging virtual sets at Canada’s Global Television could catch the attention of larger station groups. For Global TV, the technology is part of a grand plan to digitize the production of a national newscast, plus 14 local news broadcasts, with control room operations centralized in four regional production centers. By placing anchors on a simplified set with a green screen background, the control rooms are able to mesh live video with unique computer generated backgrounds for each station prior to broadcast. And because it’s digitally generated, the set looks good in high definition at a lower cost than it would take to build a comparable hard set at each location.

Ronen Lasry, owner and creative director at Full Mental Jacket, which designed the virtual sets for Global Television, sees compelling economics for this setup, noting that “the cameras are all on robotics, so the cameras, the production, some of the writing, and the virtual sets are all done remotely at these broadcast centers. So all you have to have at the local station is a green screen and a desk, one engineer, and a host, with a few local stories worked in.”

read full article here

After researching their options, Fox Soccer Channel’s producer decided on a virtual set as the best way to bring their wish list into reality. "FSN is a fast paced, highlights driven sports program that caters to a soccer crazed fan base, the hour is simply jam packed with highlights, scores and news from the international soccer community. The set simply has to keep up with the content and we decided early on that Virtual was the way to go. Full Mental Jacket delivered a VR product that met these demands" said Gerry Belec Director, Technology and Design Global Television

The set utilizes numerous video screens, exciting graphics and space for live commentators to react to on field action as games and highlights are presented. FMJ Creative Director Ronen Lasry designed the space using the network’s colors of gold, silver and brown and arranged components in order to take advantage of Fox’s trademark rapid-fire graphics.

“Fox has pioneered a look that makes informational programming interesting to watch”, said Lasry. “I wanted our work for the Soccer Report to reflect that overall sense of visual urgency.”

The new FMJ set is flexible from a production standpoint, allowing anchor teams to expand beyond their traditional two and three person configurations. The set includes areas for both desk centered and stand up reportage, plus foreground elements that can be moved quickly to create dramatic shots and angles.

About FSR
The Fox Soccer Report brings you the best soccer news and analysis from across the globe seven nights a week. The Report airs Monday through Sunday at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
link

About FMJ
Full Mental Jacket is the world’s leading design company creating virtual sets and realtime graphics for news, entertainment, simulation and corporate training applications.
fullmentaljacket.com

More details to follow.

More information and show times can be found here: link.

From Tapestry International site:

In a star-studded ceremony at Lincoln Center, Tapestry International Productions was awarded an Emmy in the Outstanding Children’s Series category for “Greatest Inventions with Bill Nye.”

“Bill Nye is incredible. It is an honor to work with him,” says Executive Producer Nancy Walzog, “the Emmy is icing on the cake.”

The series was shot in Hollywood California and posted in Tapestry’s New Jersey facility. “Using state-of-the art green screen technology, we send Bill Nye to the moon, inside the human body and back in time,” relays Supervising Producer Karen Carlson. “We also showcase kid inventors to see what the future holds.”

“The show is big fun. We see how human ideas became concrete… and other molecules, as well,” adds Nye, sporting his signature lab coat and bow tie.

link to Tapestry International site

From the article:

The institute also uses the virtual set to give programs like its "Live Response" panel discussion show a network look.

Article Link

Update:
Another article on http://governmentvideo.com discusses how NTPI used virtual studio to create a highly polished and professional broadcast production despite studio size limitations.
link

More info to follow soon.