#boombasketball stream success!

boomsatsuma managed a successful (inaugural) live-streamed virtual basketball game, bringing two Bristol school teams and 485 viewers together, promoting teamwork and comradery through lockdown isolation, 18.05.2020.

Mark Curtis, director of boomsatsuma, enthuses:

“We’re very proud that our course students brought together the players and so many people across Bristol at this very challenging time. We are used to interacting with the communities we live in, but this was a very different platform for us. We have received thanks and praise from across the board from everyone involved, which gives us the impetus to build on this success.”

All of the technical and creative elements enabling the NBA2K20 game between u16 national basketball champions Bristol Metropolitan Academy and the (victorious) Alumni team were produced by boomsatsuma level 3 students, as part of their lockdown home-learning.

boomsatsuma creative project managers Lyndsay Davies and Luke Fazackerely co-ordinated multiple elements taking the idea from concept to realisation, with Bristol Metropolitan Academy head of PE and Bristol Met Basketball coach, Tom Hooper, the lynchpin between the players.

Luke Fazakerley explains:

“On the technical and logistical side, we ensured that all players had access to PS4 gaming consoles, which we provided if they didn’t, also making sure all had the necessary internet connectivity. This was a ground-breaking challenge, working across ten locations, adhering to strict COVID-19 lockdown safety procedures and being sensitive to each students’ circumstances.

“Our Games, VR and VFX students coordinated the use of Twitch, setting up the live stream technical aspects of PS4 console to PC connectivity and Steam Labs OBS to enable a seamless live broadcast, along with motion graphics

“We hosted a practice session the week before to ensure all players and ourselves were familiar in this unfamiliar virtual environment.”

The creative input for the visual elements of the live stream were all produced by boomsatsuma students, in-keeping with the ethos of students working on materials that bring.

Lyndsay Davies states:

“We’re delighted by the high quality of assets created to give the live-stream very professional production values. Sports Media students created digital assets, including ‘top trumps’ style cards for each of the players and took over the output of our social media around the game.

“Our Dance students created stunning in-game entertainment from isolation and recorded them on their phones, introducing highly entertaining interludes between the digital on-court action.”

Plans are underway to extend the reach of boomsatsuma into the virtual e-sports spectrum with other sports and more Bristol Met games being scheduled.

If you missed it on the night, you're able to re-watch the stream in full at the link below...

boomsatsuma.education/boombasketball