TDC drives game show and reality TV boom across Australia

TDC is powering a wave of television productions with full-spectrum technical services, supporting some of the country’s biggest formats while localising global IP for Australian audiences.

The announcement:

As demand for game shows and reality content hits a new high, TDC – Technical Direction Company is driving a wave of television productions across Australia. TDC is offering services from technical planning through to live broadcast, pilot builds, automated studio control with TDC LiveVIEW custom game engine design and development along with LED screen integration.

With over two decades of experience as a strategic creative partner, TDC is supporting the country’s top formats and helping to shape both the look and delivery of Australian television. From format giants like Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, The Voice, Weakest Link, The 1% Club, All Together Now, and Australian Idol, TDC has mastered the art of adapting global IP tailored for Australian audiences, while delivering technical precision, brand cohesion, and visual polish.

From Pilots to Prime-Time: A Full-Stack Studio Partner

TDC has carved out a reputation for making complex technology accessible. While others step back from high-risk technical challenges, TDC leans in to deliver robust solutions while informing and supporting clients throughout every stage of production.

That mindset proved essential on The Hundred with Andy Lee, one of the most technically ambitious shows on Australian television. The format required managing 100 simultaneous Zoom feeds integrated live into a broadcast studio. This was an idea that most traditional suppliers dismissed as too fragile or unworkable. TDC not only took on the challenge but delivered a stable, scalable solution that has powered seamlessly over seven seasons.

“A dynamic, data-driven studio interface was crucial to making the show feel natural and fluid on air,” says Drew Ferors, head of innovation and training at TDC. “Our team designed and delivered the full technical hardware and gaming system, covering everything from LED screen control to video processing and content playback. We built the game engine from the ground up, collaborating closely with the producers and Andy Lee to create a reliable solution. By automating the lighting, audio, and video cues, we gave producers seamless control. With The Hundred, we didn’t just take on a challenge—we set out to prove it could be done, and done exceptionally well.”

The Engine Behind Australia’s Biggest Shows

As a full-spectrum technical partner, TDC provides integrated services across:

• Game show design and creation
• Camera systems (multi-cam, HD/UHD)
• Real-time graphics (AR/VR-ready pipelines and custom overlays)
• Automated studio environments with centralised control for lighting, playback, and switching
• Video switching and routing, vision mixing, and playback servers
• Studio control room build-outs and on-site integration
• Pilot, test shoot, and R&D support for new IP and format adaptations

“TDC has supplied the screen technology for us on more broadcast events than I can remember. To deliver hundreds of flawless hours of recorded, and most importantly, live television requires the best equipment, technicians and support teams. This is what TDC has supplied for many years. From large complex screens and control systems to a simple monitor in a wall TDC has always delivered,” said Ian Anderson, technical producer.

“TDC has developed automated studio link systems that allow for faster show control, smoother integration, and reduced setup time,” Drew Ferors notes. “Whether it’s cueing multiple visual displays or linking lighting effects to gameplay triggers, automation makes it happen in real-time.”

With experience spanning terrestrial broadcast, commercial networks, and OTT streaming, TDC powers some of the most-watched content in Australia, often invisibly, but always critically.

“Our team is at the core of this success and includes some of the best technical minds in the country,” says Drew Ferors. “They’re working across live show environments and experimental pilot tests, delivering reliability, speed, and visual excitement. And we do love a new challenge. We have found that with TDC LiveView, the time spent is the studio is reduced, rehearsal times are minimised with system automation ensuring all the cues are preprogrammed, when budgets are tight this is a gamechanger.”

Australia’s Game Show Boom: Why Local Matters

Recent trends across Nine, Seven, Ten, SBS, and ABC, as well as platforms like Netflix and Stan, make one thing clear: Australians prefer content that feels home-grown, even when based on international IP. Localised language, tempo, humour, and gameplay cues have become essential components.

Drew Ferors adds, “Australians love watching shows that reflect our own energy, humour, and true game sportsmanship. At TDC, we’ve built a legacy around reimagining global game show formats through a distinctly local lens, whether it’s a big shiny moving floor show or a sharp-witted studio quiz. It’s more than translating content, it’s engineering audience connection.”

TDC excels at blending global format standards with distinctly Australian cultural nuance from localised graphics, audio branding, humour-driven game mechanics to LED screen design, animation, and studio layouts that reflect Australian pacing and production styles.

“We don’t just plug in someone else’s format,” Drew Ferors concludes. “We rebuild it to feel like it was made here, from the LED lighting tone to audience engagement, to brand flow. That’s what connects.”

Source: Tinka Works