Enhancing Productions: Lessons from a Decade at Quickchannel

As I kick off this series of articles sharing my 10-year journey at Quickchannel, with nearly a thousand productions under my belt, I want to tell you a fascinating anecdote that shows how, in the world of production, anything can fail—and not necessarily due to human error.

The Curious Case of 4,096 Votes

Imagine it’s 2003 in Schaerbeek, Belgium. During the elections, one candidate mysteriously received an additional 4,096 votes. This error wasn’t due to human oversight but rather a bit flip caused by cosmic rays. These subatomic particles from space struck the voting machine’s chip, altering a bit. The flipped bit, corresponding to

2
12
2^{12}
12 in binary, added exactly 4,096 votes.

Lessons for Production

In my years at Quickchannel, I’ve learned that anything can go wrong in a production. From technical failures to unexpected issues like cosmic rays, this incident highlights the importance of having verification and redundancy systems in place. It’s a reminder to be prepared for the unexpected, even when everything seems under control.

The bit flip story is a perfect example of how external influences can affect our most reliable systems. As we move forward with new productions, it’s crucial to remember that preparation and adaptability are key to handling any challenge, even those from outer space.

Production Anecdotes

Alongside this peculiar case, I’ll share other experiences from my career:

• Cables failing unexpectedly: Imagine being in the middle of a live broadcast and a crucial cable stops working.
• Public events: At one event, attendees entered unauthorized areas, knocking over essential technical equipment.
• Unplanned computer updates: What to do when your computer starts updating during a critical production without warning.
• High-security internet connections: How to handle a production when the internet connection’s security measures prevent video transmission.

I hope you enjoy this series of articles where I will delve into more experiences and lessons learned over a decade at Quickchannel. Stay tuned for more stories and tips!