Coverage of World Championships

[Craig]

I'm in the middle of planning our coverage for the 2006 World Championships coming up in September in Turin, Italy. We'll have photos provided by FencingPhotos.com and a reporter on site to write up some articles and get interviews.

Since we haven't settled in on the editorial schedule or topics besides the recaps, please post here or PM me with what kind of topics, features, or interviews (who and potential questions) you would like.

You don't have to limit it to the US fencers, as we'll have access to most of the teams.

Also, would you prefer all of the updates to come in just on the web or would you want to sign up for daily features via email?

Thanks,
Craig

[rcmatthews]

Can I be the onsite interviewer?

[sabreur]

Just out of curiousity, when are is the Madrid sabre DVD going to be available?

And does anyone know yet about Eurosport coverage of the WCs?

[AAAI]

.....

[sabreur]

In terms of the fencingpictures coverage, I'll offer the following suggestions:

1. Get a camera position as close to the midline as possible, and either level with, or slightly above the strip (just high enough to keep the director from blocking the fencers--with a raised strip this should not be a problem). The perspective from the end of the strip is pretty lousy.

2. If possible, provide audio that tells what the director decided--it can be a simple parse of the hand signals--attack from the right, No, riposte from the left,.... If you can't find someone to provide really good analysis, don't provide any at all.

3. Try to get the full final round of 8.

4. I could care less about interviews with the athletes. Show fencing. The interviews with the US mens sabreurs were silly.

5. Do post-production and have the DVDs available within two weeks of the competition.

[oiuyt]

2. If possible, provide audio that tells what the director decided--it can be a simple parse of the hand signals--attack from the right, No, riposte from the left,.... If you can't find someone to provide really good analysis, don't provide any at all.

Or even just icons of the hand positions that match the referee's call but can be added in a lower corner after the touch. Something that's visible. Speaking as someone who likes to use video for refereeing improvement seeing what call was made live would be very helpful and is rarely possible currently.

-B

[Capt. Slo-mo]

I'm thinking you are confusing Guillermo's one-man-band video operation with a full fledged video production company.

In many of these events, if I'm not helping with a second camera, he's doing it all by himself, including the postproduction. Asking for the edited DVDs of the full World Championships in 2 weeks seems like a pretty unrealistic turnaround.

We've been experimenting with ways to get audio from commentators and the directors on tape. In many of the venues, the director is on the house audio system, which may or may not be accessible to (or compatible with) the camera system.

But that's a good goal to shoot for...finding a way to at least get clear audio of the director's call on the tape.

If the FIE would increase Guillermo's funding by a 1000%, he'd have some better chances to jack up the production value.

[rcmatthews]

Maybe just have someone there writing down what the director called. It would be a big help, since most times you can't hear the director or see his calls on the video. I also would rather dispense with the interviews and see more fencing. Maybe a little of the preliminary pool bouts, anything really.

[fencerbill]

But that's a good goal to shoot for...finding a way to at least get clear audio of the director's call on the tape.

Take wireless mikes that go to a recorder. I expect the referees will be cooperative since this is FIE official. The audio can be dubbed to the tape in post production.

[KD5MDK]

Are officials at the top level bouts hooked up to a PA system anyway? Just take a line-out from there and plug it into a line-in on the camera, if you have one. I suppose that might take out the other sounds you'd want to hear, depending on the system.

[oiuyt]

Are officials at the top level bouts hooked up to a PA system anyway? Just take a line-out from there and plug it into a line-in on the camera, if you have one. I suppose that might take out the other sounds you'd want to hear, depending on the system.

Might not be possible:

In many of the venues, the director is on the house audio system, which may or may not be accessible to (or compatible with) the camera system.

-B

[Timacheff]

Regarding still photography, FencingPhotos.com will have a booth at the championships and I'll be doing my normal series of daily photography of semi-finals, finals, and other shots. My goal is to get top images posted on the site within a day.

If you have any special requests for photos of specific types (people, etc.), please email me or post them on this forum on Fencing.net.

One idea and something about which I've been curious about: Is there interest in us obtaining and offering autographed photos of various fencers? Which ones?

[Mr Epee]

Might not be possible:

-B

I'm sure that's what they said about TV time-outs in football..

Back in the Day...

[KD5MDK]

Might not be possible:



-B

Indeed, but if it is not accessible to the camera, it should hopefully still be accessible to a recorder of some sort.

[KShan5[PrFC]]

One idea and something about which I've been curious about: Is there interest in us obtaining and offering autographed photos of various fencers? Which ones?

I would much rather see a variety of posters over autographed pictures.

[Timacheff]

I would much rather see a variety of posters over autographed pictures.

Do you mean a variety of posters of photos that we have, or posters from various world events? If you mean posters of our photos, do you mean single action-shot posters, or poster that are more highly designed? (The latter is more costly and time-consuming.)

Thanks for the input...

[KShan5[PrFC]]

Posters like the one of Sada and Mariel and the new poster that you made right before nationals.

[fencerbill]

Take wireless mikes that go to a recorder. I expect the referees will be cooperative since this is FIE official. The audio can be dubbed to the tape in post production.

On further thought doesn't have to be wireless. Put a microcassette recorder in the ref's pocket and pin on a lapel mike. Dub it in afterward.

I am visualizing our one man filming crew and what he can reasonably accomplish.

[Craig]

In terms of the fencingpictures coverage, I'll offer the following suggestions:

I'm specifically asking about the coverage (stories, photos) on fencing.net as fencingpictures runs separately. (Though I'm sure they appreciate the feedback.)

Thanks,
Craig

[Capt. Slo-mo]

On further thought doesn't have to be wireless. Put a microcassette recorder in the ref's pocket and pin on a lapel mike. Dub it in afterward.

I am visualizing our one man filming crew and what he can reasonably accomplish.

Actually, the most elegant way is to have a wireless mike, put it on the director before the bout and then have the receiver hardwired into the camera. That way the audio is already on the tape, in sync, without any need for post production dubbing (and post production second guessing: "Is this the call that goes with the second point, or did I not roll the camera on that one?")

The reality: unless someone from the FIE gets to the directors and tells them to put the mike on...it's tough for a one man band to set up the camera, fire up the instant replay system, chase down the revolving cadre of directors and make sure they're wired.

You can sometimes park a wireless transmitter on the house audio system and take their feed (if the input/output jacks match up)...but the quality of the audio is often sketchy to unusable. At last years worlds, the house mike system was not very good.

For Italy, I'll bring one of my wireless systems, if Guillermo thinks he can utilize it.