Monday night marked a new chapter for digital-3D company PACE. Following the success of Saturday night\u2019s 3D broadcast of the semifinal games from the Final Four, PACE CEO Vince Pace made his way to Augusta National Golf Club to prepare for his next event, the Masters in 3D. In his stead, he left the industry\u2019s most capable 3D trio to run the show. President Patrick Campbell and Vice Presidents of Sports & Entertainment Deena Sheldon and Jeff Zachary presided over Monday night\u2019s broadcast of the NCAA men\u2019s basketball championship game, allowing PACE to continue to expand its reach in the world of 3D sports.<\/p>\n
During the production, the PACE team \u2014 including Campbell, Sheldon, Zachary, and the convergence operators \u2014 was situated in the company\u2019s Fusion 3D truck, while the CBS production team worked out of NEP\u2019s Supershooter 9. Two cables were run from each of the six 3D cameras, with one sent to each truck. Although communication was enabled between the two mobile units, both teams shied away from the intercom.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try not to interrupt the director,\u201d Campbell explains. \u201cBut if there\u2019s something that needs to be said, we can say it. Most of the time we\u2019re interacting with the convergence operators here, to make sure that they\u2019re doing their job right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Intuitive Process<\/strong> \u201cThe idea is that they are experts in getting the shot that they need to get, so, by utilizing their talents with our equipment, we get the best product possible,\u201d Campbell says. \u201cWe look very closely at the different configurations of cameras and try to mimic that. My biggest challenge is to make sure that the controls and equipment are as user-friendly and familiar for these guys as possible. That way, they\u2019re not concerned as much about the 3D as doing the job that they\u2019re supposed to do, and they can go back to their instincts.\u201d<\/p>\n Training the Trained<\/strong> \u201cWe take them all through a training session where we show them the cameras and controls, explain how we try to let the images breathe, and then we take them into the truck and show them footage we\u2019ve already shot,\u201d Sheldon says. \u201cThen, they go out and shoot some footage, we bring them back in, and we help them correct each shot.\u201d<\/p>\n Those training sessions are designed to help the team think more about composition and the elements of the image in a frame. For example, if there are two people of interest, the PACE team explains, instead of using two cameras and cutting tight to them, the 3D operator should widen out and show both individuals, which will help tell the story.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all learn a lot from that, even after years and years of doing it,\u201d Zachary says. \u201cYou sometimes have to reset and see what that foreground is doing to that shot. It\u2019s very helpful, even for us.\u201d<\/p>\n A Short Wish List<\/strong> \u201cIf we could have gotten higher on the low slash, we could have gotten a little bit above the students\u2019 heads,\u201d Zachary says. \u201cIf the camera didn\u2019t block those valuable seats there, that would have been ideal. But we\u2019re certainly fortunate to be here in the building with the great positions we got.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheldon says the coordination between PACE and CBS was nearly flawless. \u201c[CBS EVP of Operations and Production Services] Ken Aagaard has really made everything very accessible for us. From fibers to positions, we\u2019ve gotten everything we needed inside the stadium.\u201d<\/p>\n Best Seat Outside the House<\/strong> \u201cNow we\u2019re giving that seat to the folks in theaters,\u201d Sheldon says.<\/p>\n Adds Campbell, \u201cThis production basically gives you everything. It gives you the feeling that you\u2019re there, the sense that you\u2019re almost on the court, and the 3D playback in slo-mo so you get to see the good stuff all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n Just Another Link in the Chain<\/strong> \u201cThe equipment is there, and we\u2019ve proven the formula,\u201d says Zachary. \u201cWe can roll in with a truck, set up shop, and shoot the event. We just want to blend in with the 2D guys now. We don\u2019t want to come in with white lab coats anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n In Indianapolis, the 3D team may still have the black glasses, but the white coats \u2014 and the uncertainty about the viability of 3D \u2014 are certainly gone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Monday night marked a new chapter for digital-3D company PACE. Following the success of Saturday night\u2019s 3D broadcast of the semifinal games from the Final Four, PACE CEO Vince Pace […]\n More<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[69,1413,302],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13756"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13756\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.sportsvideo.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSince the camera operators are the best at their craft in 2D, Campbell tries to make the 3D production process as intuitive as possible, which includes conforming his camera rigs to 2D operating standards.<\/p>\n
\nOne thing that is not instinctive, however, is the wide framing that is necessary for 3D. To prepare the operators \u2014 and the producer and director \u2014 for that challenge, PACE put on a 3D 101 clinic for the entire production team.<\/p>\n
\nWorking in a football stadium like Lucas Oil Stadium has allowed the PACE team to get some lower camera positions that may not have been possible in a smaller space. The only position that would have made the Final Four shoot better, the PACE team says, is a higher angle on the slash camera overlooking the student section.<\/p>\n
\nFans who bought tickets to the 3D presentation in movie theaters across the country were privy to a view usually enjoyed only by a network camera operator, a referee, or a player.<\/p>\n
\nWith Vince Pace finalizing plans in Augusta, the PACE team is proving that 3D productions can run almost as smoothly as their 2D counterparts.<\/p>\n