OPPS Remote Production Workflow

Rhode Island-based On-Point Presentation Services (OPPS) enables in-person and online meetings & events for clients ranging from global enterprises to world-renowned universities. Since its founding in 2010, OPPS has produced more than 1,100 events and streamed more than 2 petabytes of video. Traditionally, the lion’s share of its work involved in-person events involving hundreds and even thousands of attendees, but in 2020 COVID necessitated a pivot to virtual production – and fast. OPPS needed a partner to help shift their business model from on-premises events to cloud-based ones, and subsequently to both virtual and hybrid gatherings at multiple sites. Gallery, maker of the Sienna Processing Engine, recommended Alpha on the basis of our considerable cloud experience. In fact, when OPPS contacted Alpha in the fall of 2020, we had already deployed 20-30 cloud production solutions for organizations ranging from the NFL, PGA, ABC/Disney, Riot Games and to companies similar in size to OPPS.

Prior to contacting Alpha, OPPS had already started on a transition to cloud production, believing they could implement it on their own, but the company quickly encountered challenges in delivering the flexibility of services their clients demanded. Moving quickly to facilitate the company’s pivot, Alpha conducted an initial discovery meeting led by integrated systems sales specialist Bryan Nelson to fully understand OPPS’ needs and familiarize ourselves with their desired timeline, budget parameters, and other details. This led to a demonstration with a sales engineer and was followed by the issuance of a proposal. The next step involved system remote commissioning, including configuration and setup. The result was a Gallery Sienna PE-based solution that complimented OPPS’s virtualized remote production for corporate events. Alpha’s proposal also included comprehensive support, including ongoing consultation, issue remediation, and additional training as needed.

The Gallery Sienna PE gave OPPS exactly what the company needed, including virtually unlimited scalability, a simple yet comprehensive interface, and hundreds of utility features to meet each client’s unique demands. One of Sienna’s chief strengths is that enables centralized monitoring of the entire range of virtual desktop computers. OPPS typically produces events using up to – and beyond – 100 virtual machines, and Sienna provided the capability to monitor all of them. Sienna also controls a wide range of primary products, ranging from audio mixers to video switchers, serving as the “glue” that brings them all together. Nearly three years after the implementation of its cloud production solution, OPPS is surer than ever that it made the right choice to partner with Alpha.  Says OPPS president Michael Voccola, “Alpha has a knowledgeable staff capable of assisting in the selection, implementation, and support of cutting-edge technology.”  Not only that, “They gave us a highly scalable remote-production business with minimal capital expenditure.”