The game is in the top of the ninth.
The score is 2-0 in favor of the home team.
This game is as close to a “must win” game as the team has had all season.
The closer has struggled recently. In fact, he gave up a walk-off home run in his last outing.
The count goes to 3-2 on the first batter.
In this situation, for effect, I do not dissolve from shot to shot. I cut from shot to shot.
Camera 3 is my pitcher shot from mid-third base.
Camera 6 is my batter camera from tight centerfield.
Camera 1 is staying with the home manager from the left field corner. (This is called isoing)
Camera 7, the robotic on the backstop, is showing crowd.
Camera 5, inside the first base dugout, is also shooting the right handed batter.
Camera 4 shoots the pitch from centerfield and camera 2 is the high home camera that follows the ball after it is hit.
The call went something like this:
“Ready 3…take 3
5…start on a waist shot and tighten…take 5.
1…manager…ready 1…take 1.
Ready 4...take 4. (A fly ball is hit to centerfield)
Take 2.
3…Pitcher…head to toe…then tighten to a waist shot…take 3.”
(The next batter is a left handed batter)
“1…Give me the batter…ready 1…take 1…
Ready font (graphic)…font…..lose it.
Ready 3…take 3.”
(The pitcher goes into the stretch)
“Ready 4…take 4.”
(A foul pop up his hit down the third base line near the stands)
“Take 2.”
(The third baseman, shortstop, and centerfielder are all converging on the ball at the same time. As the ball comes down, the third baseman and the shortstop bump into each other and the ball hits the third baseman on the arm and bounces straight up. Despite the fact that the centerfielder is now closing fast and the shortstop is somewhat tangled up with him, the third baseman reaches up with his bare hand and snatches the ball out of the air for the second out. Just a fantastic play.)
“5…Crowd….Take 5.
3…Tight on the third baseman….Take 3.
1…Manager….Take 1.
Ready 3….take 3.”
(The producer now gives me the replay sequence. “Red then A then B.”)
“Ready to fly Red…Fly Red……Ready to dissolve A….Dissolve A…..Ready to dissolve B….Dissolve B…..Ready to fly back to 3….fly 3.”
(The replay sequence chosen by the producer was perfect. The first angle, from mid third, showed how far the players had to run to get to the ball. The second angle, from centerfield, started tighter and really showed the mayhem at the end of the play. The third angle, from the left field corner, had the players running toward the camera and really showed the concentration of the third baseman. The most beautiful aspect of all these replays, in my mind, was that each replay included the crowd in the background and captured their elation as good as a moment in a game can be captured. Kudos to the camera operators of this sequence that they did not go too tight thus losing the total effect of the moment.
As I have noted in earlier blogs, memorable “moments” of a telecast do not happen often. But, when they do and the production team “nails” it, it's a great feeling.
Oh, and by the way, the closer struck out the next batter and the home team won.