The world of film, television and broadcast robotics may finally be on the cusp of breaking free from proprietary silos, thanks to a new initiative led by one of the industry’s most decorated innovators. Fresh from scooping an Emmy®, the team has joined forces with fellow award-winner SMPTE to push forward a bold vision: open protocols for robotic camera systems.
From Silos to Shared Frameworks
For decades, the robotic toolkit of broadcasters and filmmakers—dollies, cranes, arms, heads and tracking systems—has been powerful but fractured. Each vendor carved its own ecosystem, leaving creative teams juggling workarounds, locked into walled gardens, or sacrificing efficiency for compatibility.
The new initiative aims to change that. Instead of isolated protocols that compete, the proposal is for a shared framework in which systems play nicely together. True interoperability means more freedom for creatives and more flexibility for productions—a future where equipment choice is guided by artistic intent, not technical limitations.
A CTO with a Standard-Setting Pedigree
Driving the project is newly appointed CTO Mat Hubbard, a man with serious form in making disparate systems speak the same language. Hubbard’s career includes shepherding the automotive sector through its own standardisation journey—a world where vehicle networks had once been a patchwork of incompatible solutions. His task now is to bring that same discipline and foresight into entertainment technology.
Building Momentum, Industry-Wide
Although still in its infancy, the initiative is already gathering momentum. Conversations are under way with several robotics companies who recognise the value of common ground. But the message from the team has been clear: this can’t be built in isolation.
This isn’t about one company dictating the rules, it’s about inviting the industry to shape the standard together, so that dollies, cranes, arms, heads, tracking systems—all the moving parts of production—are singing from the same hymn sheet.
First Stop: IBC2025
The first public step came at IBC2025, where the company used its presence on stand 12.A21 to open the conversation. Across the four days in Amsterdam, engineers, vendors and production specialists dropped by to discuss what a collaborative future might look like.
The booth buzzed with questions: How quickly could a draft protocol emerge? Would legacy systems be supported? What role would SMPTE play in governance? While definitive answers will take time, the dialogue itself marked a significant shift.
Visitors left with a sense that something bigger than any single company was under way.
The Road Ahead
With SMPTE’s weight behind it and Hubbard’s expertise steering the technical architecture, the initiative has the makings of a landmark moment for broadcast robotics. The prize is enormous: a marketplace where creative teams can mix and match the best tools, confident they will integrate seamlessly.
The hard work lies ahead—drafting specifications, securing consensus, and proving the value in real-world workflows. But if the reception at IBC was any indication, the appetite for collaboration is strong.
Broadcast robotics has always been about precision and control. Perhaps its next chapter will be about something more powerful still: freedom.
