Our production team has televised 146 games the season.
We will work together on the remaining seven games bringing our total to 153 games televised.
There is no single factor more important in insuring the quality of a telecast than teamwork. The best shows of a baseball season are the telecasts where each and every member of the TV production team contributes.
It all starts with the Producer.
The Producer draws up the blueprint for the telecast. This blueprint lays out the themes of the show in what is called the format. The format answers for the TV production crew the Who, What, When, Where, and Why questions of that particular telecast/game.
Who are the most important players in this particular game?
What are the different ramifications of this specific contest as a whole and what could be the different consequences from particular moments of the game?
When can we expect certain events to happen during the game/show?
Where will different aspects of the telecast be inserted?
The necessary teamwork it takes to provide quality answers to these questions will answer the most important question of every game/telecast – Why?
Why are these combatants the most important to the game?
Why is this specific game significant and, more importantly, why is a specific moment in the game vital to the outcome?
Every single TV baseball production team tries to answer these questions throughout the show by using commentary (audio), video, and graphics.
Throughout a telecast, every single TV baseball production team answers these questions differently because the most important question asked by each team is how.
How will you answer these questions?
How will you utilize the materials available to you in the mobile unit?
How will you present these answers to the viewer?
This is where teamwork comes in.
This is where televising a live baseball game becomes the most challenging.
This is where televising a live baseball game is the most exciting.
The Who, What, When, Where, and Why questions are continually being asked during the game. The play on the field constantly challenges the TV production team with these questions.
How do we cover this?
How do we answer that?
These decisions must be made instantly. The reaction time in answering these questions greatly affects the quality of the telecast. Split second decisions must be made in order to maintain a decent flow to the show.
The quality of these split second decisions is determined by the teamwork of the crew.
The Producer lays out the game plan. The Director implements this plan through the camera shots. The graphic Producer solidifies the game plan with pertinent information. The video/replay Producer builds relevant packages throughout the show. The main audio mixer determines the “sounds of the game” quality.
Every single major league baseball TV production team has the ability to “cover” the game.
But, there is a vast difference between covering a game and game “coverage.”
Covering a game requires a couple of cameras and a replay machine or two.
Game coverage requires teamwork from every member of the production team. Contributions from every member of the team only enhance the quality of the telecast. When every member of the team contributes, memorable telecasts occur.
With 146 telecasts under our belt, the teamwork displayed by our crew is exceptional.
I can’t wait for the final seven telecasts.
Something memorable is sure to occur.