AY Productions, a specialist in audio and intercoms, provides television networks with a talented team of communication engineers for the setup and operation of intercoms for a range of major sporting events. Since AY Productions first started using Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom Wireless Intercom System, the company hasn’t looked back, deploying CrewCom for a range of live productions on major networks, such as the AFC Championships, the Super Bowl and the NFL Combine, among many other large-scale live sporting events. As these types of productions have become more massive and technical, AY has expanded its CrewCom inventory, now carrying a total of 42 CrewCom CRP-44 Radio Packs (RPs) in addition to several CrewCom Radio Transceivers (RT), Control Units (CU) and SmartBoom headsets from Pliant Technologies.
Long-time Pliant users and AY Productions Audio Engineers Max Muehlen and Sean Weathersby praise the system. “CrewCom is a great wireless intercom system to work with,” says Muehlen. “It’s the programming for me – being able to go ahead of time, build out the system and implement it once you’re there, is invaluable.” Agreeing, Weathersby adds, “The versatility and the flexibility of the system has been super useful in so many ways, and it helps keep us at the forefront of quality as our standards and our client’s expectations continue to increase for these significant shows.”
Now with enough CrewCom RPs for nearly any production, the two are pleased with the recent expansion of Pliant gear. “One of the main goals of AY Productions is that we are a one-stop shop for coms,” explains Weathersby. “With the additional RPs, we’re able to meet the needs for any size production we’ve encountered or may encounter in the future.”
One notable example of this being AY Productions taking on the NFL Combine. “The Combine was a big task, because at the same time, the NFL Network was doing multiple shows. Sean was swinging from studio to studio and CrewCom followed – the system was able to delegate that really well,” says Muehlen. “The ease-of-use of the RPs was also an important aspect here. Many other beltpacks can often be complicated for users, and we used to get a ton of questions about how to work the gear, but with the CrewCom RPs, it’s completely simplified. On top of that, the audio quality is great.”
The robust design of CrewCom products has also been a standout feature in recent events. “With all the Pliant solutions, but specifically with the RPs, we’ve noticed how sturdy and resilient they are, even after being put through such demanding productions,” says Muehlen. In addition, the audio engineers admit the battery life is exceptional. “It’s better than anything else we’ve had in the past,” says Weathersby. “We’re traditionally good for an entire show.”
Looking ahead, Muehlen and Weathersby have high hopes for the use of Pliant for future productions “CrewCom has been a consistent, rock-solid solution for us and our clients,” says Muehlen. “The Pliant headsets and radio packs have consistently been the most requested by clients, and I’m sure that will likely be the case for a long time,” adds Weathersby.
More information about Pliant Technologies is available at www.plianttechnologies.com.
