1st February 2013. Well known in Italy as well as at international level, tv production company Euroscena owns 15 vehicles with circulation permits in the historic centers which are involved in major sporting events since 1985, the year of foundation.
Richard Petrucci is the technical manager of some events and recently was in charge for boxing matches, within the Italian Boxing Championship.
"It airs on Italian TV network Sport Italia"-he says-"and for such events that we consider of average complexity we usually move a 12 cameras in SD OB-Van, even if something simpler could be used, but we like to propose a "maneuvering space" a bit wider. The shots are made in SD even though we have HD cameras, Grass Valley LDK 6000 and 8000, with 72x lenses, 82X and even 101X."
The various events for boxing in the Italian Championship were held in various towns such as Celano, Avezzano, Italy, Frosinone, Rome and others. The setup on the field is held the same day and starts at 14h. The preparation starts immediately and the event is aired live at 20.30 with the shooting of several matches in a row. Then the main match usually goes on air, always in direct, at 22.45 and at about 23:30 the event closes.
Petrucci describes: "Of all the cameras available two are placed directly on the main seated area at the top, center. The first shoots long focal images, by 72x, or 82x. The second camera records wider perspective shots. On the right of the ring at 90 °, sometimes to the left instead, another camera, also with long focal optics, joins two other hand held cameras that usually operate in a "dangerous" position ie at the corners of the ring where the cameramen also are likely to be punched (!). Here hots are rather narrow to describe the fatigue of the boxers. Another camera called a "beauty shot" is installed in the upper right on the lights rig just above the ring and can make shots of the of the whole set, the so called "establishing shots".
The audio is very important in boxing matches with microphones placed on the main camera and plus an additional stereo setup XY positioned just below the ring. Some radio microphones on special rods shoot the boxers in the most challenging corners, while a journalist on the sidelines is using a handheld microphone for interviews.
In the OB-mobile unit are installed two machines EVS replay, operated by two professionals, each machine with four inputs. Seven people operate on board: the director, the coordinator of the journalistic area, the video mixer, the two operators devoted to slow motion, a control camera and a technical manager.
Euroscena with this mobile unit produces the international signal and at the same time also the custom tv feed thanks to the journalist in charge for Sport Italia and a dedicated graphics workstation positioned just below the ring. The interviews are also part of the customization. All camera cables are triaxial, while the graphics workstation is connected to the fiber connection to the Ob-van, using one same link which also handles intercom signals.
All camera signals are endlessly recorded together with the clean feed and the program, and this allows to produce also the highlights and also some small clip inserts of a few seconds, used for indenting from advertising.
