“America’s Test Kitchen” (“ATK”), a half-hour cooking show that debuted in 2001 and is broadcast by public television stations and distributed by American Public Television, employs a Clear-Com FreeSpeak II digital wireless system provided by rental production company Talamas to help the on-set crew (as well as that of production “Cook’s Country”) communicate more clearly.
“ATK” is set in a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of South Boston in the Innovation and Design building, home to dozens of test cooks, food scientists, and cookware specialists. “For us, flexibility and reliability are the true advantages in our rental business, and Clear-Com’s FreeSpeak allows us to deliver our customer requirements at any time,” explains Talamas general manager Michael Duca. “The ‘ATK’ team has been using Clear-Com now for over four years and it’s been a game changer. The intercom system allows the director, producers, camera operators, teleprompter operators, script supervisor, P.A.s, and runners to keep in close communication so everyone can focus on the same production goals. The set is busy and can get noisy, and FreeSpeak allows the crew to communicate more naturally and with ease throughout the shoots.”
FreeSpeak II provides full-duplex capability, meaning users can speak and listen at the same time. The system for “ATK” operates in the 1.9 GHz frequency band and up to 15 beltpacks are typically deployed for each recorded episode.
“On previous systems, we experienced infrastructure interference, but with FreeSpeak we haven’t had these issues,” Duca continues. “We never have to conduct a frequency study, as the system, signal strength, and stability are just rock solid. The audio is crystal clear – it even sounds like a hard-wired system.”
Keith McManus, the show’s sound mixer and audio tech, adds, “Comms is where it counts. There is nothing that can derail a production faster than not being able to communicate properly with your team. I’ve had these experiences in the past, where there are communication gaps or a pack fails, and it sends a lot of folks scrambling. But not with Clear-Com. I have complete confidence when using FreeSpeak, as it simply works!”
