Production Dilemma #12 & 35

Let's return to a subject touched on a few months ago: what to do when some idiot runs on the field/court or does something from the stands that interferes with the game.

One argument calls for the talent to vaguely state what is or has happened but not to show it for fear that giving camera time to the culprit(s) glorifies that act and gives the idiots the attention they want.

The other side would prefer showing the person, with emphasis on what happens to them once they're caught (& beaten up by security), in the hopes of causing embarrassment and deterring future incidents.

On Thursday (2/28), ESPN went out of their way to expose a disgruntled fan who threw a water bottle on the court near the end of USC's victory at Arizona.

By the way, great job by the tape op (or producer) for instantly spotting the bottle being thrown in the background of the reverse free throw shot.

Using the telestrator, analyst Jay Bilas almost circled the correct person.

Thanks to Breitbart.tv via SbB

CBS' Black Eye Turns Kentucky's Balls Blue

When CBS mistakenly cut away from Saturrday's (2/23) Kentucky - Arkansas game in the final minute, you would think that they would have at least tried to make it up to their viewers, especially those in Lexington who complained first to local affiliate WKYT and then to the network itself.

Not so much.

CBS regularly posts previews, reviews and highlights of games they air on both CBS.com and YouTube but Wildcat fans got no satisfaction again, as the game's highlight clip ended as UK took a 57 - 55 lead with 1:15 remaining.

We would have posted the highlights, but CBS doesn't allow clips they post to be embedded on other web sites.

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Even if the so-called "switching error" somehow prevented the game's final minute from being recorded at CBS master control in New York, the truck at Rupp Arena certainly had multple angles of everything that transpired in Kentucky's 63 - 58 win. Even if the melt wasn't fed down the line, it would have taken minimal effort to include at least some of the unaired footage.

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WKYT Executive Sports Producer and Senior Sports Videographer (chooses stories then shoots them?) Steve Moss blogged:

CBS Sports made a monumental gaffe on Saturday. With the Kentucky-Arkansas game winding down, and nearing 4:00 p.m., the network switched viewers throughout the South from the UK game to St. John’s vs. Duke.

It sent the Big Blue Nation into a frenzy. Some of the phone calls and emails to our sports office were inappropriate.

WKYT’s General Manager, Wayne Martin, said the unfortunate error was made in New York, by the network. WKYT was supposed to be provided a “constant” feed of the UK game.

We provided callers with the phone number to CBS and apparently many voiced their opinions. The CBS mailbox was full in a matter of minutes.

Big Blue Nation had their feelings soothed by the victory, but will no doubt be a little wary of CBS' feelings towards them for a while.

Kentucky Affiliate Casts Evil Eye At CBS

Someone or something at CBS master control in New York really screwed up near the end of today's (2/23) Kentucky - Arkansas game.

WKYT, the CBS affiliate in Lexington was having none of it. They were quick to finger the network itself for the error and encouraged people who phoned and emailed WKYT with complaints to take it to the next level. And they even provided the phone number.

LEXINGTON, KY - With 47 seconds left in the game between U. K. and Arkansas the Network switched away from the game and then switched back after 17 seconds.

The final score was 63-58. U.K. WON! WKYT-TV called CBS immediately after the mistake was made and had it switched back.

CBS is trying to find out where the error was made.

CBS New York's phone number is 1-212-975-3247. Hundreds of outraged fans have called and scores have e-mailed WKYT-TV and have been referred to the network number to register their complaints.

Kentuckians sure love their basketball and heaven help anyone who gets in the way.

(Thanks to Awful Announcing for the story)

Player Puked (Hokie Hurled) - Crew Choked?

Sports By Brooks posted a clip yesterday from Wednesday's Raycom ACC basketball game between Virginia Tech and Maryland.

Virginia Tech's Dorenzo Hudson, (far side, top of key) could be seen struggling to keep himself together from the game camera. However, Hudson's pregame meal of steak, mac 'n cheese, and mashed potatoes (mixed with Gatorade) was hurled onto the court during the second of two free throw attempts.

A lengthy and rather humorous delay ensued as the affected area was given the hazmat treatment.

Brooks though was unhappy with the camera coverage of the incident. It sounds as if he wanted something a little more graphic than what was seen from the game cam angle.

We got a chuckle as several cam & tape ops agreed that they have seen more than enough of each other throwing up so there was little incentive to put forth great effort to document anyone else doing it.

We do know of a clip that may be more to Brooks' liking. It may take a while to dig up, but we'll post it when we do.

At Least Bloggers Know Their A-B-C s

Two weekends ago, a misspelled name on the starting lineup element slipped by an entire ESPN on ABC college basketball production team.

(Thanks to Ballsiest.com)

Last weekend, it was an NBA crew's turn to air mistakes made during preproduction.

(Thanks to Ballsiest.com)

We don't want to see what they come up with this weekend.

But Ballsiest.com does, and if they find something we'll pass it on.


UPDATE
Not long after this entry was posted, we received an email claiming that the freelance ESPN graphics operators referred to above recently worked for a sign company as well.



See you in hell.

An ESPN clip without Chris Berman!

In this behind-the-scenes look at an ESPN college basketball broadcast from Murray State, producer Major Howe explains how it's done.



Major says he would pay to see many events that he gets to work on.

Good luck getting that raise.

Redefining Lights Out Coverage

UPDATE FROM PREVIOUS POST

Under a glare of skepticism regarding arena lighting, ESPN2's coverage of Monday night's St. Mary's - Gonzaga game began as scheduled at 11:00 PM EST.

Play By Play announcer Terry Gannon immediately called McKeon Pavilion dark, resulting in a "really unique setting."

The tip was delayed because of lights, but not the arena's. One of the shot clocks was so dark, it looked like it wasn't working at all.

But that made sense because it wasn't.

The delay wouldn't have been very lengthy, but arena personnel aren't very well versed in over and under. Uncoiling an AC cable took longer than it should have.

Now back to those arena lights.

It was obvious earlier in the day that the sheets of opal gel didn't quite do the job on their own. So when ESPN met with campus officials to discuss the problem, the only solution available to reduce the intensity and glare was to physically remove some bulbs from fixtures.

In order for a cherry picker to reach all the lights that needed removal, the wooden stands had to be pushed back and folded against each wall. That meant that the cameras had to be taken apart and brought down. And if that wasn't enough, the announce table had to go too.

We don't know where the blame lies, but forget about the glare on the court for a minute. This place had no chance from the start.

Removing the same number of bulbs from each side of the court decreased the light level, but didn't improve how players looked. Why? The near side of the arena didn't have the same number of fixtures as the far side. Something like a 25% difference.

You go figure that out. We've given up.

The net result was that the court was hit with much more light from the near side than the far.

The ESPN2 production team felt compelled to at least mention the unusual conditions. With this view shooting back toward the near side, Gannon all but said, "Don't adjust your sets at home."

But the pictures spoke in terms far stronger than what Gannon chose.

We were actually rather taken with the images of shooters from the line, and felt we had somehow seen this look before.

It took a while, but it finally came to us:

So the lighting wasn't unacceptably awful then. It was an homage to a classic work of photography.

Pity anyone who saw it differently.

Monday's final tally:

- St. Mary's officials and Musco probably have some things to work out.

- McKeon Pavilion did not burn to the ground. Campus personnel were assigned to look at the lights all night just in case.

- The St. Mary's theater department did not get the assist. But at least they now have to beg for funds to replenish their stock of opal gel.

- And Keith Buttelman, the V-1, left Moraga, CA no more insane than when he arrived.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS

Those of you who hadn't planned on checking out tonight's Gonzaga - St. Mary's hoops game on ESPN2 (11:00 PM EST / 8:00 PST) may want to reconsider.

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At least for a minute.

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St. Mary's College has recently installed new lights inside McKeon Pavilion, home of the WCC's Gaels. None other than industry leader Musco Lighting did the job, per St. Mary's College's specifications.

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Here's the result:

Uh, not exactly TV friendly to put it mildly.

We're told that when St. Mary's complained to Musco about the glare, Musco washed their hands of the project, saying the work was done as ordered.

So, with a national audience tuning in to see the 23rd ranked Gaels host the rival Zags tonight, the St. Mary's staff turned to the college theater department for help.

The hope was that gelling the lights with sheets of full opal would cut the glare while maintaining an acceptable light level.

We haven't heard if the Moraga, CA Fire Marshall has been clued in.

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Will McKeon Pavilion burn to the ground?

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Will the theater department be credited with an assist?

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Will the V-1 go insane?

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Tune in tonight and find out!