Game Creek Video’s Maverick Takes to the Streets

Maverick, Game Creek Video’s latest remote-production unit, recently rolled out as a replacement for Yankee Clipper, the venerable unit that debuted more than 10 years ago and will now be taken off the road and given a refresh.

Maverick’s front bench includes a Grass Valley Kayenne production switcher.

Maverick’s front bench includes a Grass Valley Kayenne production switcher.

“Maverick is a true clone of RiverHawk,” says VP of Design and Technology Jason Taubman. “The whole purpose is to have a double-expando unit that does not need a B unit but is capable of having nine EVS operators and 20 cameras. It is a workhorse truck, and any of our engineers can run it.”

The 53-ft. expando has a working area that measures 64 x 24 ft. It is also hitting the road without a contract, as client demands continue to grow.

“We really needed another truck that was in the RiverHawk class,” Taubman notes.

Being a true clone helped Maverick hit the road quickly: it was out the door in only eight weeks, two weeks less than a usual integration.

Equipment found in Maverick includes a Grass Valley Kayenne K-frame production switcher with 4M/E and 96 inputs and 48 outputs. An Evertz EQX router (396×684) and an EMX audio router help tie all the gear together, including the EVS XT2 servers, the Calrec Artemis console, and a ChyronHego Mosaic XL graphics system.

Maverick’s audio room is centered on a Calrec Artemis audio console.

Maverick’s audio room is centered on a Calrec Artemis audio console.

There are also 10 Sony HDC-1500 cameras aboard, along with 11 Canon lenses (six of which are 75X) and camera support gear from Vinten, Miller, and Matthews. Mics include Sennheiser headsets and stick mics, EV stick mics, Beyerdynamic shotgun mics, and Sony lavalieres. An RTS Adam intercom system and Motorola radios ensure that everyone can keep in touch.

“Now that Maverick is out,” Taubman explains, “we can take Clipper off the road and turn it into another Gemini- or Discovery-level truck.”

The past 12 months have been very busy for Game Creek Video. RiverHawk, Encore, Peacock, Discovery, and Maverick all hit the road, which means that 12 individual trucks have been rolled out in a year.

“We’re going to take a little bit of a breather,” says Taubman. “But we have lots lined up in the next couple of years.”

Password must contain the following:

A lowercase letter

A capital (uppercase) letter

A number

Minimum 8 characters

;
SVGLogoHR_NOTAG-200

The Latest in Sports Video Production & Technology
in Your Inbox for FREE

Daily Email Newsletters Monday - Friday