The Producer Report: OB/Live events
mixers: “Compared to other systems I have used that up for five days – that’s a lot of pressure.”
they are very logical and reliable – you switch them With the cameras stationed some distance away
on and they work.” There are other benefits, too, from the action, long lenses are crucial, says Berger:
he adds: “In particular I like the colour and racking “Our cameramen have to follow a ball that’s four
of the Sony products. You get a lot more vibrant inches in diameter all day. With cricket there are a
colours out of the Sony matrixes which give you lot of close ups and very few wide shots these days,
more vibrant colour on LE and festivals, which so our crews have to cover it properly so that when
means your video doesn’t look washed out.” it’s offered as a replay over EVS it’s a good shot.”
First class cricket is an ideal sport for showing
CAPTURING THE ASHES high performance HD cameras at their best, says
If there’s one sport that makes regular and heavy Berger. “It’s so bright and well lit that you can really
use of the latest OB technology it’s Sky’s cricket see the outstanding pictures the cameras offer.”
coverage. This year’s Ashes series was one of the
major events in the satellite broadcaster’s summer MUSIC TO YOUR EARS
schedule, with OB company CTV bringing a XL Video’s decision to upgrade its fleet of standard
complicated game to life for viewers with a range def OB cameras to HD-capable kit is a clear
of high performance HD cameras. vindication of Sony’s decision to extend the benefits
A typical test match line up includes 12 Sony of HD acquisition to more modestly budgeted
HDC-1500s kitted out with long lenses to capture
all the action in close-up and five Sony HDC-3300 What the HXC product range is doing
SuperMotion cameras, which can slow the action
is offering an affordable solution for
down as well as being used as normal speed HD
cameras. But that’s not the end of the specialist
high definition. It’s a natural progression
camera technology at the disposal of the Eamonn Dowdall, md, Gearhouse Broadcast
production team. One regular feature is Hawkeye
– the 3D tracking system that enables the productions with the launch of the HXC-100. XL
production team to reconstruct the position and Video has taken delivery of 15 of the triax based
path a ball took, which needs carefully setting up cameras, which have already been used on a range
and calibrating. Plus there’s the miniature HD
“
of concerts including Elbow at Wembley Arena
”
cameras in Stumpcam, which also need to be and the recent Sonisphere at Knebworth in July.
plumbed into the OB. At Sonisphere, it used five HXC-100s – two
In addition, CTV installs 11 EVS replay systems mounted on a track and dolly, two handheld on
and two Hi-Motion cameras capable of shooting stage and one at the front.
at up to 600fps for extreme slow motion replays, XL Video’s project manager Chris Saunders
and HD radio cameras for pitch-side commentary. explains that rock gigs provide any new camera with
Adam Berger, general manager at CTV, points a tough baptism: “It’s an exceptionally loud and
out that shooting test match cricket these days very punishing environment. At a festival the kit is
requires almost as much concentration and right in the front line. When you put a camera on a
stamina from CTV’s 60-strong technical crew as track your kit and cameramen become the target
the players on the pitch: “We are on air all day from of projectiles. They get wet and battered with sub-
10am for match coverage and then there’s the base and covered in beer and Jack Daniels. It’s a
highlights shows. Our camera teams have to keep hostile environment for cameramen and cameras.”
On Sight offers everything you need to succeed in the tapeless environment - including high-end cameras, experienced DITs,
post-production equipment and lab services.

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Autumn 2009 theproducer 33
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