During the summer, Drake continued promoting his new album Iceman by live streaming the second and third episodes of a series of cinematic short films.
The productions combined narrative elements, track premieres and real-time audience engagement. LiveU supported streaming partner Groovy Gecko with reliable delivery of the live broadcasts to Drake’s YouTube channel.
Production Workflow and Creative Requirements
Groovy Gecko worked with YouTube and production company Canada Canada to design a hybrid format combining performance, live visuals and scripted scenes.
LiveU technology enabled the crew to capture footage across multiple moving and indoor locations. According to Patrick Hanlon, Online Video Solutions Specialist at Groovy Gecko, the goal was to produce a live cinematic short film across a network of venues while maintaining high production quality.
Episode 3: Milan
Episode 3 streamed live on 4 September from 12 locations around Milan. The production used 40 LiveU LU800 and LU300 units, supported by five return servers, 19 cameras and drone feeds. Peplink and Starlink equipment ensured stable connectivity in demanding areas.
The team highlighted the quality of the footage captured from moving vehicles. The episode reached 1.9 million live viewers and gained more than one million on-demand views in the first five hours.
Episode 2: Manchester
For Episode 2, the LiveU units supported 12 fixed cameras and two Steadicams positioned throughout the city of Manchester. All feeds were sent wirelessly over 4G and 5G to Groovy Gecko’s production center in London. The stream gathered over one million live views and 1.2 million on-demand views during the following weekend.
Connectivity Approach
Groovy Gecko used a mix of wireless and hardwired transmission depending on location. In Manchester, the entire workflow relied on the LiveU units, with LU300 feeds routed into LU800 devices in DataBridge mode.
Hanlon noted that flexibility was essential, as the creative plan continued to change up to the last moments before each live stream.
Collaboration and Support
LiveU provided logistical and technical support in advance of the Milan production, preparing and sending units from multiple European locations. The teams referenced a long-standing 14-year working relationship built on previous projects.
LiveU’s Perspective
Matthew Stringer, Sales Director UK at LiveU, stated that the project demonstrated the scalability and adaptability of the LiveU infrastructure. He noted that the global deployment capability and mobility of the units supported Groovy Gecko’s ability to work across varied locations for high-profile events.
