Hippotizer enables real-time control on MasterChef Live show

Hippotizer enables real-time control on MasterChef Live show. Image Vue Show Design

Keeping the heat on and the cues in check, Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Media Servers make MasterChef Live a recipe for touring success as it travels across the US

At the heart of MasterChef Live’s US tour, Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Media Servers managed real-time video, camera integration and playback, all in a compact package. The system was brought to life by VUE Show Design Group and production designer Charles Ford.

Produced by TCG Entertainment, MasterChef Live transfers the well-known TV cooking competition into a fast-moving stage show. In this production, live cooking challenges, audience participation and multimedia presentations are mixed together to make an entertaining show.

Two Hippotizer Amba+ MK2 Media Servers were deployed to manage all visual playback, camera routing and time-based graphics. “The Hippotizer sits at the centre of the system, triggered from the grandMA3,” said Ford. “It synchronises show timers for the chefs, camera feeds and switching, audio cues, and lighting, so one operator can run the entire production without compromise.”

The system supports both SDI and NDI inputs, including one wireless camera for the host and four robotic cameras connected over Cat5. By processing NDI directly within Hippotizer, the VUE Show Design team reduced rack size and cabling while maintaining full creative flexibility.

The MasterChef Live workflow demanded a high level of stability and low latency. “The Hippotizer’s responsive control made it straightforward to adapt on the fly and kept everything consistent under pressure,” Ford added. This streamlined setup allowed the team to tour with a smaller technical footprint while retaining the creative tools needed.

Custom-created content, live camera feeds and lighting effects were blended to highlight the chefs’ on-stage antics. Ford noted that the flexibility to combine pre-rendered visuals with real-time sources was vital to maintaining an engaging look throughout the performance. This same flexibility has been noted on other projects, such as visuals for Electric Forest Festival 2024, showing the wide range of uses for Hippotizer.

Find out more at green-hippo.com