March 25, 2026
VERVE
SKAARHOJ in Action: Full Control on a Live Reality Show
About Verve Film
Verve Film is a UK video production company specialising in branded reality content, corporate films, and high-volume live productions for major brands including Footasylum.
Project: Locked In
Locked In is a YouTube reality series produced by Verve Film for Footasylum. 10-12 influencers, one house, no phones, two weeks — filmed and released daily to millions of viewers.
The production runs a mixed camera fleet throughout the house: Panasonic UE70s, UE150s, HE40s, Sony FX9s, and Z-Cams.
The Challenge
Filming the Locked In series in a private house rather than a controlled studio creates production challenges. The team must overcome several hurdles:
Lighting: Despite professional lighting setups, natural light fluctuations throughout the day create inconsistencies in footage quality.
Control: Managing a mixed fleet of cameras and ensuring smooth integration with other devices demands highly customizable and efficient control solutions.
Time Constraints: The rapid production schedule requires seamless workflows and tools that minimize operational complexity.
The PTZ Extreme adds the level of customization our operators love, with the ability to create multiple custom preset buttons and control pages for quick access to favorite settings. On original panels, this would take considerable time navigating menus.
- Will Ford, Systems Engineer, Verve Film
Why SKAARHOJ
To address these challenges, Verve Film turned to SKAARHOJ’s PTZ Extreme controllers and Blue Pill. Unlike standard Panasonic controllers, SKAARHOJ’s solutions offered advanced customization features that significantly enhanced the efficiency and adaptability of the production team.
The Setup
For Locked In, Verve Film deployed the following SKAARHOJ products:
2x PTZ Extreme Controllers: Used to manage a mix of cameras across the house, enabling precise adjustments and rapid response to environmental changes.
1x Blue Pill: Functioned as a custom Streamdeck control panel, providing operators with tools to create preset camera and lighting positions. Additionally, the Blue Pill served as a routing panel controller for the AJA Kumo 64x64 matrix.
The PTZ Extreme controllers also communicated seamlessly with the Blackmagic Atem Constellation 4K switcher, allowing operators to preview and switch feeds efficiently.
Key Benefits of SKAARHOJ Products
Customizability: The ability to design tailored control workflows directly on the panels or through the Blue Pill saved time and reduced the complexity of operations.
Integration: SKAARHOJ’s Blue Pill eliminated the need for additional bridging tools like Bitfocus Companion, streamlining the production pipeline.
Reliability: Built-in system logs facilitated quick troubleshooting, minimizing downtime during the fast-paced production schedule.
The Blue Pill built into the controllers solved all my issues. Unlike external tools, it supports the wide range of equipment we use, including Arri Cameras. It’s one less point of failure in the workflow.
- Will Ford, Systems Engineer, Verve Film
Locked In: Delivered.
SKAARHOJ's solutions have become indispensable for Verve Film, transforming the way they approach large-scale productions like Locked In. The PTZ Extreme and Blue Pill have become a cornerstone of how their team operates. Freed from thechnical limitations, the Verve Film team could focus on what they do best: creativity and storytelling. With SKAARHOJ behind the scenes, Verve Film elevated the quality and control of their productions.