Yesterday's telecast was one of the most memorable shows I have ever been involved with. I have been a part of over 2000 Major League baseball telecasts since 1984 and, in that time, I have never experienced a show like the one we had yesterday between the Phillies and the Cardinals.
Three things happened during our telecast that contributed to the uniqueness of this show: 1 – fifteen seconds before we returned from the commercial break to start the bottom of the third inning, the switcher crashed. The ONLY source of video that we were able to send out to the viewers was the tight center field camera (camera 6). The technical director (TD) and I both called for the engineer in charge (EIC) of the truck and alerted him of the problem.
Meanwhile, we are covering a Major League baseball game with one camera! This situation had never happened to me during any sporting event – ever. I instructed the camera operator to follow the ball. “You are game camera, Kenny!”
I asked our play by play announcer to tell our viewers about our “one camera” situation. He alerted the viewers and the first pitch of the inning was thrown.
Wouldn’t you know it - the first batter of the inning hit a home run.
In a normal situation, camera 6 has the responsibility to follow the batter around the bases. But, in this situation, a situation that was new to every member of the crew, camera six did an exceptional job of panning with the ball into the right field bleachers, then panning back towards the infield to watch the home run hitter round the bases and enter the dugout. The next batter singled. Camera six followed the ball and set up for the next pitch by including the runner at first base with the pitcher/batter shot. Remember, with the switcher down, we did not have the luxury of replays. We were on one camera and one camera only. During the following at bat, the EIC informed me that the mini router at my station was operable. So I began cutting cameras trying to follow the action. In this scenario, there are only “takes”, there are no dissolves. This wasn’t pretty, but it was better than one camera.
The next batter popped out for the first out of the inning.
During the next at bat, the EIC informed me that the switcher was nearly operable. The EIC asked, “What camera are you on with the router? I answered, “Four” as the batter struck out. The EIC set the switcher to camera four and we were good to go.
As the late, great Jack Buck once said, “I don’t believe what I just saw.” Well, I didn’t believe what I just saw as no sooner was the switcher up and working, the batter hit a home run! We did our first replay of the inning on the home run. Our lead EVS (replays) producer told me he had a package of the first home run of the inning ready to go and we replayed that as well. The EIC solved the problem in a timely fashion and the lead EVS operator was prepared when we were back to 100%. These two members of our crew should be commended for their great work.
I stated that there were three things that occurred during the telecast that made this show one of the most memorable, if not the most memorable of my career.
The second occurred in the top of the ninth inning. There was a horrific collision at home plate between a Phillies base runner and the Cardinals’ catcher. It was such a violent collision that the catcher lay prone on the plate for about fifteen minutes. Amazingly, he held on to the ball. He was put in a neck brace and carted off the field.
This moment was memorable because of the force of the collision, but collisions at home plate occasionally occur. It was what happened after the collision that caused this telecast to be the most memorable for me.
This was one of those moments during a telecast where the Producer and the Director can take the time to plan the next move. “Do we replay the collision? How many angles do we show? When is the proper time to replay the moment at home plate?
During this time, some of the most memorable shots I have ever had the opportunity to make occurred. While this popular player and team leader was on the ground, the look on the faces of his manager, teammates, fans, and opposing players told the story. The announcers were quiet obviously understanding and feeling the moment. While the video was very telling, it was the audio that created the third most memorable moment.
THERE WAS NO SOUND FROM THE FIELD.
The effects microphones were open and the announcers’ microphones were open.
There was just an eerie silence.
I will never forget that moment.
Three things happened during our telecast that contributed to the uniqueness of this show: 1 – fifteen seconds before we returned from the commercial break to start the bottom of the third inning, the switcher crashed. The ONLY source of video that we were able to send out to the viewers was the tight center field camera (camera 6). The technical director (TD) and I both called for the engineer in charge (EIC) of the truck and alerted him of the problem.
Meanwhile, we are covering a Major League baseball game with one camera! This situation had never happened to me during any sporting event – ever. I instructed the camera operator to follow the ball. “You are game camera, Kenny!”
I asked our play by play announcer to tell our viewers about our “one camera” situation. He alerted the viewers and the first pitch of the inning was thrown.
Wouldn’t you know it - the first batter of the inning hit a home run.
In a normal situation, camera 6 has the responsibility to follow the batter around the bases. But, in this situation, a situation that was new to every member of the crew, camera six did an exceptional job of panning with the ball into the right field bleachers, then panning back towards the infield to watch the home run hitter round the bases and enter the dugout. The next batter singled. Camera six followed the ball and set up for the next pitch by including the runner at first base with the pitcher/batter shot. Remember, with the switcher down, we did not have the luxury of replays. We were on one camera and one camera only. During the following at bat, the EIC informed me that the mini router at my station was operable. So I began cutting cameras trying to follow the action. In this scenario, there are only “takes”, there are no dissolves. This wasn’t pretty, but it was better than one camera.
The next batter popped out for the first out of the inning.
During the next at bat, the EIC informed me that the switcher was nearly operable. The EIC asked, “What camera are you on with the router? I answered, “Four” as the batter struck out. The EIC set the switcher to camera four and we were good to go.
As the late, great Jack Buck once said, “I don’t believe what I just saw.” Well, I didn’t believe what I just saw as no sooner was the switcher up and working, the batter hit a home run! We did our first replay of the inning on the home run. Our lead EVS (replays) producer told me he had a package of the first home run of the inning ready to go and we replayed that as well. The EIC solved the problem in a timely fashion and the lead EVS operator was prepared when we were back to 100%. These two members of our crew should be commended for their great work.
I stated that there were three things that occurred during the telecast that made this show one of the most memorable, if not the most memorable of my career.
The second occurred in the top of the ninth inning. There was a horrific collision at home plate between a Phillies base runner and the Cardinals’ catcher. It was such a violent collision that the catcher lay prone on the plate for about fifteen minutes. Amazingly, he held on to the ball. He was put in a neck brace and carted off the field.
This moment was memorable because of the force of the collision, but collisions at home plate occasionally occur. It was what happened after the collision that caused this telecast to be the most memorable for me.
This was one of those moments during a telecast where the Producer and the Director can take the time to plan the next move. “Do we replay the collision? How many angles do we show? When is the proper time to replay the moment at home plate?
During this time, some of the most memorable shots I have ever had the opportunity to make occurred. While this popular player and team leader was on the ground, the look on the faces of his manager, teammates, fans, and opposing players told the story. The announcers were quiet obviously understanding and feeling the moment. While the video was very telling, it was the audio that created the third most memorable moment.
THERE WAS NO SOUND FROM THE FIELD.
The effects microphones were open and the announcers’ microphones were open.
There was just an eerie silence.
I will never forget that moment.
posted by Cutting The Game at 3:31 PM
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