post

Building (and filming) a Car Clinic research event

Irwin Video provide filming and AV services for many types of market research events, including car clinics. On a recent UK car clinic for a premium car manufacturer, we supplied a high resolution, 7 metre wide LED video wall, which was used to show real-size video animations of current and future vehicle designs. The LED video wall can be built to any size, sits directly on to the floor and offers a vivid, high definition image which, unlike projection systems, delivers uniform brightness across the whole screen.

We made this timelapse film for Promotor Events, who set up the car clinic on behalf of Northstar Research Partners (UK).

In addition to the video wall, we also provided several camera operators to film multiple streams of focus groups and one-on-one interviews, as well as portable translation systems for focus group interpreters, and wireless multi-channel headsets for attending clients.

Filming focus groups and IDIs at a car clinic.

Camera operators were completely mobile and able to wirelessly follow focus groups and IDI respondents around several vehicles in the hall. Respondents, sometimes up to 8 in a group, wore radio microphones which transmitted audio directly to the mobile camera.

We also provided iPads with video clip logging software which enabled listening-in researchers to note interesting customer quotes and easily locate these video clips after the event.

We continued on to provide our AV and filming services for this project in the USA, China and UAE.

post

Car Clinic Filming and AV across the world

Irwin Video have been very busy with car clinic filming this year. We have been as far east as Shanghai and as far west as Los Angeles. In June, we worked on our first car clinic filming project in the beautiful city of Copenhagen. The departure board in the picture shows just some of the trips we’ve made this year. Of course, being based in England, the majority of projects that Irwin Video support are here in the UK.

For those who have not heard of car clinics, they are market research events, commissioned by a car manufacturer, where suitable respondents are invited to provide their opinions on new and forthcoming vehicles.

The event is often held in a large venue, such as a an exhibition hall or film studio. Focus groups and in-depth interviews are often conducted as part of the project.

Unlike focus groups in viewing facilities where the entire discussion takes place around a table, respondents at car clinics are invited to walk around, getting in and out of several different vehicles. With clients eager to hear what everyone thinks of their new automotive ideas and researchers keen to capture valuable killer quotes for their post-fieldwork presentation, it is our job to make sure that we film and record high quality video and audio of all respondent reaction. Not only film, but also transmit the video signal to a client viewing room tucked away somewhere in the venue.

Our Car Clinic Filming and AV Service

We provide a fully HD service, from the cameras to the large screen TVs or projectors in the viewing room. For safe mobile filming we use encrypted wireless video transmission.

We use high grade, long range radio microphones and sound desk equipment for excellent sound pick-up.

Clients listen using digital, wireless headsets. For projects where a translator is required, we provide simultaneous translation equipment. Listeners can easily tune their headsets to listen to their preferred audio channel.

Our camera operators have wireless talk-back headsets so instructions can be passed quickly from clients via our AV desk.

Whilst our master video recordings are of high quality, we also make a compressed version, so clients can quickly take away the video files at the end of clinic, not having to wait for large file transfers.

We offer a secure live video web-streaming service, so clients can watch the focus groups remotely.

And for projects which involve drive tests, we provide professional grade in-car mini cameras and microphones. In addition, we provide a unique live-link service from the moving vehicles so clients in the viewing room can watch the drive test as it happens.

Contact us for more information of our car clinic filming and AV service.

post

A Busy Month of Car Clinic AV

The Irwin Video crews have been very busy this month providing car clinic AV services. This weekend we have been working on two car research events, one in London and one in Düsseldorf. This totals five car clinics for us this month, including one crew flying out to work on an event in Dubai.

Car Clinic AV Services

Our car clinic AV services include:

  • Operated or Static Camera HD Filming of focus groups and depth interviews
  • Secure wireless mobile filming, useful for filming around vehicles in a car clinic setting
  • High quality radio microphones for all respondents and moderator
  • Audio / Video link to Clients Viewing area: Large screen HD TV monitors and multi-channel digital wireless headphones
  • Simultaneous interpretation equipment for projects requiring live translation
  • Professional grade in-car mini cameras
  • High quality MP4 video recordings and MP3 audio recordings delivered on site
  • High specification HD TVs and projection systems for displaying 2D stimulus
  • Secure, low cost video web streaming

Car clinics are an effective means of conducting automotive research, both quantitative and qualitative, in a controlled environment. Irwin Video have been providing car clinic AV services for over 10 years. The majority of projects that we work on are in the UK, but we have also travelled to other countries to provide AV technique for car clinics. These include France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Russia, USA, China and UAE.

Car clinic AV

Irwin Video crew Eddie and Andrew visit the Burj Khalifa during a recent project in Dubai

post

Translation Equipment for Research Projects

In addition to our usual filming for research services, Irwin Video also provide translation equipment, including interpreters consoles and multi-channel delegate headsets.  A recent car-clinic event in France gave us a chance to unveil our new simultaneous interpretation console, which will only enhance our reputation for providing interpreters with good quality sound.

Whilst the majority of our research filming services are for projects in the UK, we have worked on many overseas projects requiring simultaneous interpretation, in countries including France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and China.  Occasionally, research projects in the UK also require translation equipment when respondents are flown in from abroad, or when clients from overseas would like to listen to simultaneous interpretation of the focus groups in their native language.

Irwin Video provide professional grade microphones, William Sound IC-2 Interpreters Consoles and William Sound Digiwave wireless headsets. The Digiwave system can accommodate up to 14 channels of audio. Using our wireless digital audio headsets, clients and researchers watching in the viewing room can choose to listen to the live sound in the local language or alternatively listen to the simultaneous interpretation.

Whether you require translation equipment for a research project or simultaneous interpretation equipment for any other type of event, please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information or a quotation.