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Show - THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Thursday, August Television Exposure Helps 30, 1984 PageMA BYU S uccess A Lot - ft"-- - .ft1- More Than Passing each other. The football season for a television producer begins in May or Editor'! Note: Mike Hemingway, the Daily Herald's Outdoor Correspondent, it 1m the iporti director at KBYU-TV- . Here, he five a beaiad-tke-iceae- s look at what goea into televising the BYU football games. ' Herald Correspondent L "Quiet on headsets." "Tense up.. .this is it." "Stand by to roll tapes. Roll and record. Tell me when you have speed." "Speed." a voice shouts back over the headset. "Stand by to roll the opening. Roll the opening...5...4...3...2...1." "Come up on it. Stand by, Jay." Exciting music, great plays and flashy graphics lead across the TV screen and we begin another football season. For the next 44 months, millions of Americans will attend hundreds of games in stadiums across the country. Millions more will settle in front of their television sets to watch their favorite teams play live or on a tape-dela- I , v-- 'ft v jr4v. Id'- y. - I ''-i- n i f- -' 1 if: I happen to be in a unique position in sports television because I cover the BYU Cougars. Even more unique is the fact that my crews are not made up of network and freelance professionals, but are staffed by students who are gaining valuable work experience while they learn. If you had to design a sport t2L specifically for television, the With his headset on, Hemingway directs action behind the scenes at a BYU football game in Cougar Stadium. game would be football. It has time between each play to show replays. There is lots of exciting action and plenty of sideline color to add to the production. Football and television were made for it: WW - F , Being a cameraman can be a chilling profession 1 9 d. time is b As the eason approaches, formats are planned and contacts and interviews are made with players and coaches. When game day finally approaches, crews are assigned and equipment is moved. At KBYU, our crews are made up of advanced communications students. They are selected and trained as camera operators, video tape operators, technical directors, engineers, audio persons and grips. We probably have the only network-quality student crews and facilities in the country. By kickoff on game days the crews have put in 5'2 hours setting up equipment. After the final gun, the crews will strike the on a V nity. Hundreds of people work behind the scenes to make the television job easier and more professional. The final product, the game the viewer watches, serves to purposes. It gives the fans a chance y to watch the Cougars by every home game. It also allows them to see selected road games. While showing the Cotape-dela- Coaches Show for KSL-TIt is not uncommon to put in 12 to 14 hours on game day. It may take as many as 40 people to get the game on the air. Everyone's talents are channeled into a unified production by the director. He is the man behind the scenes who selects the ugars at their best, it gives hundres of students the opportunity to receive live television experience and to work with visiting professionals who come to cover BYU football. When the final gun sounds at the end of each game, over the communication headsets worn by all crew members, will come this comment: 'Good game. Let's get wrapped up and head for the Coaches Show." As the crowds race for the parking lot, a group of dedicated students will finish the show and pack up the gear. They are sharing a unique opportunity to learn while they work and to cover the one of the most exciting teams in the country. camera shots, chooses the replays, directs the talent and keeps the show going. The final product that is shown on the air is a series of split second decisions made by the director. Working with a great deal oi equipment and many people is not always without incident. Anyone involved in remote productions has his share of war stories. Last year, when BYU played Air Force, the truck we had rented developed serious prob wsfej A ground crew power supply KBYU-Treceives tremendous support from the coaches, the Athletic Department, the Cougar Club and the university commu- equipment and produce the , a game, switcher blew up. We ended the game with coverage only from a camera in the end zone In spite of cold, ram, snow, sunshine, heat and dust, the game goes on, and so does the telecast. It takes some great engineers to keep the equipment running and the show on the air. Even with the pressures and problems, television coverage of sports is a great experience. June. Throughout the summer schedules are set, production facilities are arranged and satellite - By MIKE HEMINGWAY 1 lems. In the last quarter of the k readies a camera on the field. |