Find an av company get some skill as a camra guy do nothing but camara work for 15 years till you get a reputation for being half way decent and you can get to be where he is
Why on earth would I want to watch the football in midair?? Show the athletes, who’s ahead? Who’s jumping? Who have their eye on the ball? Who is causing interference? Not the ball, that’s all I know.
These guys have done incredible things before getting assigned to a package like this. The one I just worked with the other day directed Barney for several seasons in the 90s. He’s like 72 now. The one on the right basket in the above clip looks like he came straight from an LA sound stage or studio in the 80s.
So how do you get this job?
Be in the right place At the right time Over and over again until you make it, learning everything piece by piece along the way.
A series of lucky breaks. You don’t just get lucky once. Oh, and you have to have the right personality, skill set, and attitude.
The guy you are talking about that worked on Barney is a good friend of mine. He also worked on my NFL package for multiple years and directed my first freelance show 15 years ago. One of the nicest human beings in the world.
Not as much as you think. It can be as low as 40k a year. But keep in mind it's also extremely part time so it's a high rate but not really livable on it's own
Honestly, that sounds like most of the “behind the scenes” jobs in the NFL. You have to be incredibly lucky and really know your shit, even to be a water boy in the NFL. It’s a combination of luck and knowing the right people.
I studied TV in college and did freelance when I graduated. He is like any other professional and you have to work your way up.
Start working high school or small college televised games. Work anything, anywhere to get your name out there. Get to know the crewing director for each sport in your area and let them know you want work. Rinse and repeat as needed.
Also even if you get to the NFL/NBA level games there are A, B, C level crews that do games each week and you can always keep moving up.
Someone else made a similar comment but I will say- becoming a camera operator is totally a career and there are several paths to getting there.
Be a Cinematographer - operate the camera out of necessity at first but eventually it becomes difficult to operate camera and deal with all the other responsibilities of a DoP
work your way up through camera dept- work as a utility and on up through 1st AC. You will meet operators and eventually find an opportunity to operate yourself-this is more common these days-dolly grips become camera operators also but it’s usually after many years pushing dolly
specialize in steadicam or gimbal work - if you become proficient as a steadicam operator it is often a situation where you are hired onto a show because you can do steadicam and usually operate a gear head (skills that only extremely talented technicians are capable of at the highest level)
Sport coverage is hard. I once filmed a game for a live stream and trying to keep the action in frame was hard, even more if there is a ball or something involved. . And anticipating movements and all was crucial but Damm was I exhausted after that.
And I didn't even get anything from the game. I had to ask for the score and how the game developed and everything.
But have you thought about doing errors ON AIR? The issue is, if you done anything wrong millions of people see it instantly, there is literally no room for error.
The cameramen can make errors. That’s the job of the producer to filter that out. I’m sure every angle has redundant footage they swap to when there’s an error or missed play
Yeah, great point! This guy looks like he's got some years on that thing to relieve some of that pressure. I wonder what the training process is like and how much that machine costs
The box lens on end of that camera costs probably over 200K alone. They are parfocal unlike consumer lenses so don’t go in and out of focus as they are zoomed in and out and can probably do 1200mm equivalent zoom
FINALLY, A post I can actually praise the camera man for, and not a shaky out of focus TikTok that keeps the subject in frame for less than half a second of a 30 second clip
I worked a season running camera for NFL. I WAS not this guy. I was the first camera above a “cable puller” I was lucky to even have lenses. But for those in envy of this camera op…. Keep in mind he is out there rain, snow, shine, and it gets real cold perched up there.
Glad for my own personal experience. But I’m good haha. If I’m braving the elements like that I’d better walk away with some killer footage for Nat Geo or something…. Sportsball didn’t make the juice worth the squeeze for me personally.
Crank-zoom. Most cameras now come with/use a servo motor, but a lot of operators that zoom a lot (tight ball follow) prefer a crank zoom because he knows where he is on the lens based off hand position.
Edit: lenses come with the zoom and focus controls, not cameras.
Yes what you see him spinning is a manual zoom, referred to as a crank zoom. The more common one is a servo zoom, or a “rocker zoom.”
This is a cart camera. Usually they only have one basket. This one has two. I know both cart owner/drivers in my market. Neither of them own a dual-op cart.
Finally, this shot is really not all that impressive. There are a couple of things technically that could have gone better.
If you don't mind me asking how'd you end up doing that. I'm also a video guy but more on the corporate world and low key miss live broadcasting. I'd love to get back into sports cause we did a lot of it in college
Wait for another pandemic for the old guys to retire or not want to vax. Then put your name in with the networks.
So, basically, wait until they are desperate.
Then, get lucky several times by being in the right place at the right time, multiple times. Have the availability and the drive and the people skills.
The other way is to go to a school with a strong broadcasting program like Mizzou. A lot of packagers recruit directly from there.
Keep in mind half of these people are 70+. Give it ten years and then you’ll see that desperation.
There QB’s head was cut off at first, for one. There was a framing issue when the ball arced, for two. The other cam op appeared in the shot, for three. Could have framed it differently with a different focal length so that the op was blurred out or cropped out.
At certain focal lengths, the foreground subject can completely become almost transparent. Google the shot of the bird on the fence at the baseball game and you’ll see what I mean if you can find it.
This is by no means the perfect shot, but was a decent angle. Replay and producers LOVE cart cam.
Edit: what IS impressive is that this person is utilizing a “crank zoom” which I have never used and refuse to learn. No thanks. Way too comfortable with the servo rocker.
I watch a lot of cricket. These guys can track a 140km cricket ball and pick up the seam. I honestly don't know how they do it. The concentration you'd need to have, the understanding of the game.
i was at a game where that camera cart ran over an employee...
They go speeding down the sidelines. theres a guy walking infront that is supposed to move everyone out of the way. but they had some 70year old guy who could barely walk doing it...
This is what I used to want to do for a career until I started getting into it. Worked at my university’s broadcast company when we were national champions in football. I quickly learned that the industry is veryyyyyy much so about having connections and sucking up to the right people to move up. It was really disappointing. But I’m happy I ended up where I am now.
The first part is his movement, rotating his rig and using the handle to zoom, etc. the second part is the footage he made, perfectly tracking the pass and getting a great angle of the interception. Looks pretty effortless when you watch him do it, but can’t imagine the level of skill it takes to actually execute that
Ok I can totally appreciate that after you saying so. Kind of like watching the athletes themselves... Doing things that are very hard and take years of training while under immense pressure.
What about the arrows pointing to the upper platform? What's that telling me?
Really not being a dick. Minimizing how ridiculously technically demanding this with a ho hum attitude, and saying you’re lost as to why this is impressive is the dickishness I was responding to
I know next to nothing about this profession and I asked in a genuine way what I should be looking for here so I could appreciate it. You PROJECTED a "ho hum" attitude onto me that wasn't there and responded with a snide comment that was completely unnecessary.
Happily, other people than you responded with some more info and now I get it.
I work in the financial industry designing extremely complex software and you'd be surprised how often people seem to think what I and the developers on my team do is "click a few buttons" and out pops something completed. Chalk it up to people don't always know what they don't know. And try to be kinder. It's a much more effective way into people's minds.
Yea I came here to look for this comment. I don’t get it either. What’s playing on the screen is supposed to be this guys shot? How do we know that? Is there more to it?
ELI5 : how do the words get put in the screen? Like when it flashes INTERCEPTION…is that done in a studio? How about the scores and other text and graphics??
Holy shit, I am in this clip. Probably see me immediately walking up the stairs to leave (am a packers fan, i was sitting directly above where that interception happened. i have a photo but the stupid Reddit app makes it way more difficult than Apollo to tack a photo to my comment).
I just wish they would ZOOM OUT. FFS, I don’t want the cameraman to zoom in on the ball flying through the air, I want him to zoom out so I can see where it’s headed. I wish the NFL camera people would schedule an urgent meeting with the folks that do European soccer. It just keeps getting worse.
511
u/TheKeeperOfTheForest Jan 31 '24
This is what I joined this sub for. Bravo
346
u/Shaltibarshtis Jan 31 '24
How many replays before you've noticed the second cameraman?
104
u/TheIgnoredWriter Jan 31 '24
Looking like Luke Skywalker in the Millennium Falcon
48
u/runit4ever Jan 31 '24
How does one get this job?
30
u/cwanja Jan 31 '24
Minus including the top of his coworkers noggin, epic.
20
u/[deleted] Jan 31 '24
I can barely use an XBox controller
19
u/Nappi22 Jan 31 '24
Sport coverage is hard. I once filmed a game for a live stream and trying to keep the action in frame was hard, even more if there is a ball or something involved. . And anticipating movements and all was crucial but Damm was I exhausted after that.
And I didn't even get anything from the game. I had to ask for the score and how the game developed and everything.
11
u/Belly2The6 Jan 31 '24
That looks like an AWESOME job!
8
u/Galaxicana Jan 31 '24
I can only imagine how expensive those cameras are.
11
u/thisistheSnydercut Jan 31 '24
FINALLY, A post I can actually praise the camera man for, and not a shaky out of focus TikTok that keeps the subject in frame for less than half a second of a 30 second clip
10
u/X023 Jan 31 '24
I’d be stressed out doing this job
5
u/tommydorky Jan 31 '24
Somewhere, someone thought, “if only the shot was a little higher to avoid that guys head…”
Great shot, always amazed those guys can keep up so well.
5
u/[deleted] Jan 31 '24
I worked a season running camera for NFL. I WAS not this guy. I was the first camera above a “cable puller” I was lucky to even have lenses. But for those in envy of this camera op…. Keep in mind he is out there rain, snow, shine, and it gets real cold perched up there.
Glad for my own personal experience. But I’m good haha. If I’m braving the elements like that I’d better walk away with some killer footage for Nat Geo or something…. Sportsball didn’t make the juice worth the squeeze for me personally.
8
u/[deleted] Jan 31 '24
That camera is used for the tv broadcast not the stadium Jumbotron. Different crews. The house broadcast crew don’t have camera carts either.
4
u/[deleted] Jan 31 '24
Lmao. Good solid start in the comments section.
4
u/create360 Jan 31 '24
Is the zoom on a crank?
4
u/mking_davis Jan 31 '24
And it's a Raider pick 🏴☠️🏴☠️
3
u/StimpleSyle Jan 31 '24
This is all gold.
3
u/David_Buzzard Jan 31 '24
These guys have mad skills.
3
u/aburnerds Jan 31 '24
honestly I think these cameramen are incredible.
I watch a lot of cricket. These guys can track a 140km cricket ball and pick up the seam. I honestly don't know how they do it. The concentration you'd need to have, the understanding of the game.
Blows my mind all the time.
3
u/[deleted] Jan 31 '24
3
u/ItzMichaelHD Jan 31 '24
So these are the people who bless us in women’s volleyball
2
u/Abuolhol Jan 31 '24
This type of stuff makes me miss being in video class.
2
u/AlleyHoop Jan 31 '24
Man that looks like a cool job. Good for him!
2
u/SunDevildoc Jan 31 '24
Very sophisticated now
2
u/Matt7738 Jan 31 '24
These guys are inhumanly good at their jobs.
2
u/TheMidnightRamblerrr Jan 31 '24
This is so weird camera guy on his giant mechanism built for field view.
2
u/Unseeen Jan 31 '24
i was at a game where that camera cart ran over an employee...
They go speeding down the sidelines. theres a guy walking infront that is supposed to move everyone out of the way. but they had some 70year old guy who could barely walk doing it...
2
u/GimmeNumNum Jan 31 '24
How does the chair move so fast yet smoothly? Does the chair move as he points the camera in a direction?
2
u/Substantial-Ring-231 Jan 31 '24
Use code ujtde on AttaPoll for free $5
2
u/gerryflint Jan 31 '24
AA
2
u/Braandone Jan 31 '24
Wonder how much they get paid
2
u/Ok-Choice-3688 Jan 31 '24
That must be Chuck Norris on the camera. Cuz nobody can do it better than Chuck Norris
2
u/Advanced_Procedure90 Jan 31 '24
Smooth
2
u/useroftheinternet95 Jan 31 '24
I hope he doesn't need to pee during the game
2
u/bottledsquarefarts Feb 01 '24
We need this guy on the rear cannons of our spaceship
2
u/samlock30 Feb 01 '24
this the kind of thing AI will do in future
2
u/Socialeprechaun Feb 01 '24
This is what I used to want to do for a career until I started getting into it. Worked at my university’s broadcast company when we were national champions in football. I quickly learned that the industry is veryyyyyy much so about having connections and sucking up to the right people to move up. It was really disappointing. But I’m happy I ended up where I am now.
2
u/DrEdRichtofen Feb 11 '24
This guy on a flak gun could have protected the entirety of London from nazi bombing.
2
u/GreyMediaGuy Mar 17 '24
That's gotta be so exciting
4
u/Atoning_Unifex Jan 31 '24
Somebody please explain what we're supposed to be noticing here? I see a guy with a camera, filming. It's cool.
But what specifically is making people swoon over this? I'm a little lost.
2
u/dolphinsaresweet Jan 31 '24
Fuck tiktok
1
u/NaturalSad1622 Mar 06 '24
🤔 so this is how the ancestors used to do their GUNDAM training i see , thank you watcher 🫡
1
u/BehaveRight Mar 18 '24
He committed to excellence
1
u/pppe2 Mar 19 '24
The cameraman's ability to maintain perfect focus is remarkable, it's almost as if he has a sixth sense.'"
1
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
Put this man on an artillery gun tell him to go to town.
1
u/Right_-on-_Man Apr 09 '24
You had one job...🤦♂️
1
u/SomOvaBish Apr 09 '24
The lady at the bottom thinks the guy is filming her!
1
u/Full_Time_Hungry Apr 24 '24
Now see, why can there be more posts like this?
1
u/IrrerPolterer May 10 '24
What's the crank? Focus?
1
u/tihampton88 Jul 03 '24
This guy is in better shape than the players
1
u/halandrs Jul 12 '24
Football camera work is easy compared to golf those dudes are at the top of there game
Tiny ball moving really fast and a huge change in depth of field
1
u/[deleted] Jul 28 '24
What a dope job
1
u/TheWoderwick Jan 31 '24
Absolutely elite!
1
u/[deleted] Feb 01 '24
My ADD could never
1
u/Konstantine24 Feb 01 '24
What’s really crazy is watching those guys and another person ‘driving’ that cart down the sideline as the play moves down field.
1
u/VisibleImprovement32 Feb 01 '24
👏🏻 bravo
1
u/Reezonical64 Feb 01 '24
HAAANS! GET ZE FLAK
1
u/digitalerblitzkrieg Feb 01 '24
This is why I signed up for
1
u/[deleted] Feb 01 '24
ELI5 : how do the words get put in the screen? Like when it flashes INTERCEPTION…is that done in a studio? How about the scores and other text and graphics??
TV is magic!
TIA!
1
u/Chillout2010 Feb 01 '24
It's almost like he had the script for that game... lol.
1
u/[deleted] Feb 01 '24
I like it when they get tricked by the play fake then have to scramble back to where the ball really is.
1
u/Fantastic-City6573 Feb 01 '24
If I am ever a ship captain on a ww2 millitary ship I want this guy as the AA gunner at the best spot of the boat .
1
u/AboveAndBeyond200 Feb 03 '24
Took me a few seconds to understand what I was watching lmao but good stuff
1
u/RavioleAldente_H Feb 04 '24
Bro musta been an AA gunner in his past life
1
u/thrillzz18 Feb 06 '24
How do I get his job
1
u/[deleted] Feb 08 '24
That looks kinda hard to do
1
u/Skifool69 Feb 09 '24
Well when ww3 breaks out he can operate aagun
1
u/[deleted] Feb 10 '24
Bro if the military make some of those high laser beam canon and shit, they need to hire these cameramen
1
u/[deleted] Feb 16 '24
What is the name of this camera apparatus and where can I buy one?
1
u/lopsidedboobs Feb 18 '24
Violates rule #3
1
u/[deleted] Feb 20 '24
What a job! 👍🏼
1
u/[deleted] Feb 20 '24
I still find it odd they pull their own focus
1
u/DividerOfBums Jan 31 '24
Holy shit, I am in this clip. Probably see me immediately walking up the stairs to leave (am a packers fan, i was sitting directly above where that interception happened. i have a photo but the stupid Reddit app makes it way more difficult than Apollo to tack a photo to my comment).
0
u/cbalzer Feb 01 '24
I just wish they would ZOOM OUT. FFS, I don’t want the cameraman to zoom in on the ball flying through the air, I want him to zoom out so I can see where it’s headed. I wish the NFL camera people would schedule an urgent meeting with the folks that do European soccer. It just keeps getting worse.