The magic number for the home team to win the Division is 5.
The club is 1 ½ games ahead with 5 games and a possible make-up game remaining on the schedule. The home team has lost seven games in a row, and the second place team has won seven in a row.
Needless to say, this is a very important game.
A person came up to me in the press lounge before the telecast and said, “You must really be pumped up for a game like this.” I admit that being a part of a telecast covering an important game can be exciting, but a Producer and a Director must deliver the same kind of performance for every telecast. Be it May 9, August 5, or September 27, the same effort must be made. A Producer or Director cannot give more of an effort because the event is more important. Turning an effort on and off can lead to too many bad habits and will affect the performance of the Producer/Director team. The same effort and intensity must be given for every telecast in order to insure the quality of every telecast.
The same argument should be made for the whole production team.
There were two memorable moments in tonight’s telecast. One of these moments was created by excellent camera work, and the other moment was created by the game.
The first memorable moment occurred in the top of the eighth inning. The score was 1 – 1, there were runners on second base and third base and there were two outs. The pitch hit in the dirt, bounced off the catcher’s shin guard, and bounded towards the first base dugout. The runner on third base scored easily. The catcher did not know where the ball was and the runner from second base was trying to score. The catcher recovered and the runner was out at home on a very close play.
The live cut of this situation showed the wild pitch from the centerfield camera (Camera 4), the runner from third scoring from low first base (Camera 5), the high home camera (2) showing the catcher racing to the ball in front of the first base dugout while the runner from second rounded third and headed for home. I stayed on camera 2 for the completion of the play.
The replay sequence showed the wild pitch (Camera 4), the ensuing play, the runner from second base, (Low first base – camera 5) and the play at the plate. (Again, camera 5 and a second angle from mid third base – camera 3)
The success of both the live camera cut and the replay sequence occurred only because of the great framing by the high home camera operator.
This excellent shot showed the pitch, the frantic catcher, and the determined base runner, and the play at the plate. The viewers saw the complete play unveiled right before their eyes. If this operator does not “feel” the situation, this shot would not be made. The shot could have been too tight on the ball and this memorable moment would have been lost.
The second moment, the moment created by the game, occurred in the bottom of the eighth inning.
During the seven game losing streak, the home team had lost each game in the seventh inning or later in each of the games. With the visitors scoring in the top of the eighth inning, it looked like this terrible streak would continue.
There were two outs with runners on first and second. At the plate was the player most consider to be the best player in the game. A relief pitcher was brought into the game. The same relief pitcher had struck out the same batter in a tight situation in last night’s game.
As I stated in an earlier blog, the game gives the Director the script and the Director, with the help of the production team, writes it.
What a script!
It was most important game of the season.
It was the most important moment of the game.
“Camera 6….batter….Take 6”
“Camera 1….runners….Take 1”
“Camera 3….pitcher – tight….Take 3”
“1….wide, pitcher…batter…with crowd….Take 1”
“6….batter – tight….Take 6”
“Ready 4 (Centerfield camera)….Take 4”
The pitch is made, the crowd is ready to explode, the batter swings, the ball is struck, and the moment the ball leaves the bat, it is a sure home run.
Camera 4 pushes to the batter, who knows the ball is gone. I wait for this reaction, cut to camera 2 (High Home) for the ball to leave the park and land in the upper deck, and now the fun begins.
“Take 6.” (6 – A wide shot with the batter rounding first base and the crowd behind him going crazy. Camera 6 pushes to the batter as he nears second base).
“3….Start tight on the batter and pull back to the crowd…Take 3”
“5….Batter’s face….Take 5”
“Ready 4 (already wide with crowd and batter in shot) Take 4”
“5….Bring him into the dugout…Take 5”
“1…Double Decker” (Both upper and lower decks down first base line for crowd going crazy) “Take 1”
5 - still in the dugout. “Take 5”
“1…5…Watch for the curtain call.”
“Take 1” The curtain call occurs.
The replay sequence is unbelievable.
The first three angles are all normal speed. This means that the Audio engineer tracks the sound. The sound of the bat crack and the deafening crowd reaction was incredible.
A total team effort was made in seizing this moment. Cameras, replays, and audio, all combined to deliver this special moment in the telecast.
Creating a memory through skill is very gratifying.
Capturing a memory with teamwork is extremely rewarding.
The magic number for the home team is 4.
I can’t wait to televise tonight’s game with our production team.