ESPN Camera Coverage/Angles

[Jah]

I think I read something about them not being able to film at the start line between the cars for insurance reasons, but I gotta tell ya - yesterday's coverage was sooooooo far away that I'm sure glad that I'm not a sponsor. Perhaps it was the track configuration, but on a couple of launches I actually couldn't figure out where the car was between all the team members and NHRA support staff. Forget trying to see the lights on the tree, I couldn't see the tree. If I can't see the driver's name on the car - then the camera work isn't up to snuff. If the camera guys aren't able to get to shots - get some remote cameras or boom cameras. If you can't get a boom camera, get one of those courtroom artist guys to draw a picture and distribute it over that WWW thing all the cool kids are into.....

 

[rckymtn3]

:get some remote cameras or boom cameras. If you can't get a boom camera, get one of those courtroom artist guys to draw a picture and distribute it over that WWW thing all the cool kids are into.....

if you go to the track, last thing you want is a swarm of media and camera booms blocking your view, if you're at home, last thing you want is a swarm of spectators blocking your view...

when NBC would do their Pomona shows, the crowd would boooooooo as they insisted on doing their opening comments, on the track, with the crowd behind them, and the crowd let them know what they thought of NBC making them wait for the take and retakes before first round would start....

I think ever since Dean and Main Event video pioneered "dynamic" camera work, the media industry has gone "stupid" crazy overboard....they can't seem to settle on typical angles, and feel the need to "spice" it up by adding weird camera angles that offer nothing other than a change, but then the interesting angles are usually short-lived....I'm tired of seeing the TF angle from the wing over the engine...but I haven't seen that under car tire view forever (which I found very interesting)

dumbest addition....HAS to be the crew cam helmet.....there's already tons of poor shaky camera phone videos out there....I don't need to see a weird dolphin hunt view of a pit.... show us someone doing the whole blower maintenance, clutch or a bottom end pm..... hell....show us more "at the shop back home" shots....anything....it's not the camera views they need to change, it's the stale content....this sport is won in the pits more often than on the track by a driver...so pay the respect....we aren't a typical nascar crowd.....(sorry cup car people, but I've never met such a crowd of people into motorsports that don't know a thing about motorsports)....no need to dumb it all down to make it more palatable....we don't get overwhelmed by technology or mechanical genius....it's a huge part of the allure

 

[FC138fan]

I think ever since Dean and Main Event video pioneered "dynamic" camera work, the media industry has gone "stupid" crazy overboard....they can't seem to settle on typical angles, and feel the need to "spice" it up by adding weird camera angles that offer nothing other than a change, but then the interesting angles are usually short-lived....I'm tired of seeing the TF angle from the wing over the engine...but I haven't seen that under car tire view forever (which I found very interesting)

Don't want to get pinned as a ESPN basher but I agree that I don't like alot of the new camera angles, especially the stationary mid-track or finish line cameras that show the car flash by at 300. I think you get a better perspective of speed from the wide camera angles.

Case in point:

Shelly Andersons Top Fuel Blowover - YouTube

Notice how both Jim and Shelly smoke the tires at the same time, Shelly peddles it and hooks up while Jim loses traction. Using Jim's dragster as a reference, you can see how much acceleration Shelly still has even at mid track. You can't see that when the camera is right next to the track.

I loved that start line camera at Brainerd. I think you can see just how fast they get going when they shot the starts from the top of the grandstand.

 

[mick]

agreed nick - top of bleacher cameras provide very good sense of
acceration, especially mid-track camera placement.

really miss the hand held cameras panning next to cars beginning and backing
from burnouts - those were very unique to drag racing.

the 1000/frame/sec. slo-mo cameras are incredible - lots of different
views - haven't seen one that wasn't impressive.
they fit this sport well.

also enjoy aerial shots of facility to start the show and breaking into and
out of commercials; wish they could do them for every event.
diamond P used to talk about the area surrounding the facility when introducing
the show; liked that too.

 

[Jah]

if you go to the track, last thing you want is a swarm of media and camera booms blocking your view, if you're at home, last thing you want is a swarm of spectators blocking your view...

I'm agreeing with you on that one! It's way worse if I am at HOME and can't see becuase of the spectators! When I go to the races, I'm never bothered by the gear that is (was) on the track. The other comments are spot on - need bleacher mounted cams, and the dolphin cam has to go!