Two thumbs up for the dressage video crew

[DownYonder]

As disappointed as I was that the NBC live stream failed during the freestyle, and with the USA Network commentators constant chatter so I couldn’t hear the music, I have to say that I thought the video camera operators and producer/director did a fabulous job. They always followed the horse, and cut from one camera to another as the horse moved around the arena, so viewers had a clear view of each horse and rider no matter where they were in the arena.

I did hate the camera set on the rail at C during the GP/GPS, but I guess they had a lot of negative comments about it, because I didn’t see any shots from that angle during the freestyle.

Does anyone know if those camera operators are experienced dressage videographers? Or do they all work for NBC sports and just happened to be assigned to do dressage? If the latter, they were probably thinking WTF?, but they did a great job nonetheless. Who needs to go through the expense and hassle of actually going to the Olympics to watch, when we can get such great viewing from the comfort of our own living rooms? :encouragement:

[hoopoe]

Probably the Olympics has a technical department that gathers television skilled staff from around the world and they provide the master feed which the network can then grab and re-feed.

this would account for the time delay between the live score sheets and what was on the camera.

Each global network could not have their own staff gathering these images. They have camera people and talking heads doing interviews and up close things.

Dressage and show jumping are popular television events in Europe, I imagine they have an equestrian TV division that gets the images. The BBCs coverage of the London 3-day was really well done. I bet they use european television crews who are experienced in these type events. I know I have seen an interview sometime back in the dawn of time talking about the producer for a 3-Day feed and them knowing 3-day and where the best camera positions were for the best shots.

the kind of questions I sometimes wish they would cover as “interest stories” .

[Where_sMyWhite]

[QUOTE=hoopoe;8799961]
Probably the Olympics has a technical department that gathers television skilled staff from around the world and they provide the master feed which the network can then grab and re-feed.[/QUOTE]

This. Can you imagine how many cameras there would be if each country did their own??? :eek:

I suspect this is the same for all sports. Rio provides the TV feed, still camera work is done by individuals. Seen the boxes at the swimming and track venues full of photographers with to-die-for telephoto lenses???

Very common for any sport anywhere that the world would be interested in. Cycling has a single TV camera crew provided by the country/event. Country dictates when the world live feed starts and all the other countries re-broadcast.

For the Rio Olympics, many of the less popular sports commentators are in Connecticut, not Rio, watching TV just like you are …

[netg]

[QUOTE=Where’sMyWhite;8800260]
This. Can you imagine how many cameras there would be if each country did their own??? :eek:

I suspect this is the same for all sports. Rio provides the TV feed, still camera work is done by individuals. Seen the boxes at the swimming and track venues full of photographers with to-die-for telephoto lenses???

Very common for any sport anywhere that the world would be interested in. Cycling has a single TV camera crew provided by the country/event. Country dictates when the world live feed starts and all the other countries re-broadcast.

For the Rio Olympics, many of the less popular sports commentators are in Connecticut, not Rio, watching TV just like you are …[/QUOTE]

The equestrian ones are. Which makes me wonder why for dressage they couldn’t get a dressage rider. Have Axel Steiner or Hilda Gurney do it, for cripes sake!

But then again, we all got to learn about all the bounce and suspension the piaffe is supposed to have from MST. I thought I misheard her and she meant passage the first time she said it. But she kept repeating it.

On a positive note, I agree that they did a mostly good job with the camera work! I didn’t love the extended trots straight at the camera (couldn’t necessarily be helped in freestyle, but in the other phases) but it did give us a different angle than usual and did capture the power involved in the international GP trots…

[Foxtrot_s]

No doubt, the coverage and shots were the best ever in my view.

Now, if they could do that at Spruce I’d be a happy camper. I like shots of the head, tack, movements, aids…can take a lot home from that. Feel like writing a letter!

[Beentheredonethat]

Just a note, I was watching at least three different streams–they were all showing the same thing, so clearly Rio was doing the camerawork for everyone.

I didn’t listen to any of NBC, but I know some people who did. We clearly have people who are experienced in commenting on rides live, like Axel, and do a good job. It’s ridiculous to have non-dressage riders comment on Olympic dressage.

[MissAriel]

Also kudos to the film crew - they captured beautiful rides, and I loved the little close up clips at the end of each ride.

The commentators, on the other hand were awful. Even my totally non-horsey husband and son were on them. Especially when Randy Moss asked about the horses anticipating movements a few rides after they had discussed how little they practice the complete ride to music because the horses anticipate.

[tm1]

The camera work was terrific. I believe that this was the best visual coverage that dressage has every received. We watched it all on live stream, so never had to listen to uninformed commentators.

John Lyle, who commented on the live stream, did a great job. While I’m fortunate to have my very own 5* personal commentator :winkgrin: in the living room with me, I would have loved to have been listening to Axel via the broadcast instead!

[Anonymoose]

[QUOTE=MissAriel;8800656]
Also kudos to the film crew - they captured beautiful rides, and I loved the little close up clips at the end of each ride.

The commentators, on the other hand were awful. Even my totally non-horsey husband and son were on them. Especially when Randy Moss asked about the horses anticipating movements a few rides after they had discussed how little they practice the complete ride to music because the horses anticipate.[/QUOTE]

Did he ask it again in the freestyle? I heard him comment on that during the eventing dressage. Even I, at the little low-level dressage experience I have, knew he and MST got it wrong!

[netg]

[QUOTE=Anonymoose;8801070]
Did he ask it again in the freestyle? I heard him comment on that during the eventing dressage. Even I, at the little low-level dressage experience I have, knew he and MST got it wrong![/QUOTE]

More than once during the freestyle.

[Velvet]

I love that in dressage and figure skating they’ve stopped doing close ups. I mean, who cares about their face and expressions??? They’re athletes, not actors or models. I’m happy we are back to seeing the horse and rider!

[DownYonder]

[QUOTE=Velvet;8801497]
I love that in dressage and figure skating they’ve stopped doing close ups. I mean, who cares about their face and expressions??? They’re athletes, not actors or models. I’m happy we are back to seeing the horse and rider![/QUOTE]

They are still doing occasional close-ups in dressage. There were numerous instances during the slo-mo playbacks after rides, of the camera focusing on the rider’s hands (which meant their crotches were also in the picture - LOL). And some close-ups of the horse’s feet.

[DownYonder]

[QUOTE=MissAriel;8800656]
Also kudos to the film crew - they captured beautiful rides, and I loved the little close up clips at the end of each ride.

The commentators, on the other hand were awful. Even my totally non-horsey husband and son were on them. Especially when Randy Moss asked about the horses anticipating movements a few rides after they had discussed how little they practice the complete ride to music because the horses anticipate.[/QUOTE]

I didn’t mind him asking if the horses should ignore the music (so they didn’t anticipate), but what I thought was funny was that Melanie didn’t really know how to answer him. It seemed really obvious that she didn’t know the real answer to that question.

[DownYonder]

[QUOTE=tm;8800693]
The camera work was terrific. I believe that this was the best visual coverage that dressage has every received. We watched it all on live stream, so never had to listen to uninformed commentators.

John Lyle, who commented on the live stream, did a great job. While I’m fortunate to have my very own 5* personal commentator :winkgrin: in the living room with me, I would have loved to have been listening to Axel via the broadcast instead![/QUOTE]

Can you share him during the next Olympics?