Manager, Playback & Test Systems

Description

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment experiences.  The Company presents or hosts a broad array of events in its diverse collection of venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, CA; and The Chicago Theatre.  MSG Entertainment is also building a new state-of-the-art venue in Las Vegas, MSG Sphere at The Venetian, and has announced plans to build a second MSG Sphere in London, pending necessary approvals. In addition, the Company features the original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces the Boston Calling Music Festival.  Also under the MSG Entertainment umbrella is Tao Group Hospitality, with entertainment dining and nightlife brands including Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, Beauty & Essex and Cathédrale. More information is available at www.msgentertainment.com.  

MSG Ventures was created to advance MSG’s goals of creating the “venue of the future,” along with immersive experiences that revolutionize the way fans, artists, and events engage and connect – both in and out of the venue. Ventures will explore and create technologies that redefine the limits of connectivity, video and acoustics, and content distribution, with the ultimate goal of creating immersive experiences that take place before, during and after an event. MSG Ventures will strategically invest in and partner with companies and institutions developing next-generation technologies that redefine the live entertainment experience.

Role:
MSG is looking for a Playback & Test Systems Manager to join a groundbreaking post-production department based in Los Angeles. As the content delivery team for the MSG Sphere projects, we strive to create world-class content at an unprecedented scale on the largest LED screens ever made. 

The Playback & Test Systems Manger oversees a team with a multi-stage mission: an initial research and discovery phase to establish the optimum architectures and frameworks for Sphere content playback and a second phase focused on the setup, testing, and integration of all hardware required for Sphere content creation and final exhibition. This team will liaise directly with the Capture department and every aspect of post production to establish content creation protocols and support the creation of review systems to aid in adhering to final playback requirements. 

This role requires a deep understanding of both production and post production field processes. The ideal candidate must demonstrate real world experience and proven track record of ability to apply those processes within the walls of a fast-moving creative environment. 

Specific Functions/Activities: 

• Define and oversee playback and testing project scopes, schedules, estimates, and technical needs for MSG Sphere Playback systems. 
• Establish and lead staff of Test Systems engineers, Playback Producers and Audio Technicians across simultaneous productions. 
• Collaborate with hardware and software suppliers to establish playback solutions.  
• Maintain and operate MSG test suites, workshops and other testing facilities. 
• Introduce proven hardware technology solutions and specifications ensuring the highest level of production quality to deliver content to MSG locations ensuring maximum efficiency. 

• Maintain a deep technical understanding of past & present playback techniques including media servers, high speed networking, SAN’s, GPU’s LED processors and signal flow.  
• Determine project risk and insurance needs for both the company as a whole and as it applies to specific projects. 
• Identify and develop industry leading playback technologies and futures. 

 Qualifications:

• 8-10 years of previous experience managing teams running live event media playback or similar role. 
• Experience with multi-canvas, large format/CG/360 content playback as system architect or in a similar management role. 
• Expert knowledge of playback workflows, pipelines and project management from concept to final delivery.  
• Disguise (D3), 7th Sense, Pandora, or Hippo experience required. 
• Experience in managing a team and collaborating with other departments. 
• A confident, professional, and persuasive communication style with senior leaders and team members. 
• A passion for creative problem-solving and strategic thinking. 
• Expertise in IT networking and storage solutions a plus. 
• Ability to remain flexible and calm in high-pressure situations and adjust as multiple moving parts consistently change.