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The Olympics


Robert Edge

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It's safe to say all video. Motion picture media went filmless first, and then still photography followed. It's really a shame that the standards have gone backwards in terms of the quality of the final product. I doubt that the coverage will even be all high-def this time around, despite the current technology being around for a decade now. On a brighter note, I have heard that NFL films does occasional work for MLB, so maybe they'll share some of their expertise now that the Superbowl's done with.

 

Regards.

 

Karl Borowski

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Does anyone know if there are media, sport or goverment organisations that will be shooting 35mm or 16mm film at the Olympics, or will it all be video?

Most news organizations still shoot on Betacam SP, CBS has switched over to XDCAM, and some use DVCPRO or P2. The Olympics on NBC is usually always supported by mostly Pannasonic equipment.

 

"The Torino Olympic Broadcasting Organization has selected Panasonic as its supplier of standard and high-definition recording equipment for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

 

According to the agreement between the Organizing Committee of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, Panasonic?s DVCPRO P2 solid-state memory, DVCPRO HD and DVCPRO50 recording equipment will be used for the games.

 

The video equipment will be used during the 2006 Games at the International Broadcasting Center and throughout the various athletic venues. "

 

I would be surprised if they use Panasonic cameras for the live feeds, since NBC is 1080i and because I don't know of a Studio or EFP style HD Panasonic camera.

 

No doubt the P2 will be used alot for NBCs news, and D5 & DVCPRO HD will be used for the live broadcasts.

 

 

 

I do imagine there will be people shooting film,just not for news.

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I'd say that its a bit difficult to get the gear required to do complete HD broadcasting from an event like the olympics. With my limited knowledge i came to the following conclusions...

 

With the number of events at different locations you would be looking at probably 15-20 OB units, then another at least 30 Broadcast Units for tv stations of the major countries for their individual broadcasts(updates, news desks etc).

 

Say there is an minimum of 5 cameras at each event(more likely more than that), 3 OB and min. 5 ENG cameras per individual country's broadcasts.

 

That brings the count to at least 50 Broadcast Units and 340 cameras that have to come out of normal operations for the month of the games.

 

Then look at the post production logistics of it, where I know for a fact that both HD and SD VTRs and Avid Suites from Australia, and im assuming the rest of the world, were shipped to Athens for the games.

 

I honestly dont blame them for not going full on HD.

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Are you saying that you think that there aren't enough cameras to go around?

I'm sure if they wanted to go HD for the whole olympics they could.

 

Im not saying that they couldnt go full HD, but as it stands at the moment, logisitically it is a lot easier and cheaper to just mix SD and HD rather than trying to pull together the HD resources. Thats my theory.

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Does anyone know if there are media, sport or goverment organisations that will be shooting 35mm or 16mm film at the Olympics, or will it all be video?

I don't know how ONE person could possibly know what all will be shot unless that person is in charge of credentialling the press. There will be 1000's of press credentials doled out and probably numerous others who are not working press but have film/art projects. If you have a need to know, you could contact the press office of the Int'l Olympic Committee:

 

http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/media_centre/index_uk.asp

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I'm not sure if they're still doing it, but in the past the Olympic Committee would commission a motion picture film of the games to be shot and edited with the intention of releasing it to theaters. The two that they were most unhappy with, Riefenstahl's "Olympia" and Ichikawa's "Tokyo Olympiad", turned out beautifully. If I remember it correctly, these films were commissioned well into the era of live television coverage. I'm not sure if whether they're still doing this, but I'd be surprised if there isn't somebody rolling film on the games.

 

I've also heard that it was at the Olympic games in the early 80's that the Soviets were first exposed to the early Moviecam cameras (Super Americas?), a design they were to "draw upon" in creating the Kinor 35H.

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