[AMA] I'm a TV Director (Mostly Sport) - Ask Me Anything

Lenzso on 25/10/2017 - 19:03

Hi guys

I've been a TV director for 17 years, lots of genres but mainly sport right now. Almost always live stuff. Live TV directors decide what gets shown on screen and how it's shown. We travel all over the country as there are not that many of us to go around, and usually work as "guns for hire" rather than full-time with a particular network. We don't have to enjoy watching the content we're directing, so long as the content is interesting to direct (if that makes sense!) - there is a difference.

It's a great job and I don't have any desire to do anything else.

Feel free to ask anything!

Introduce Yourself

closed Comments

  • imtahir7 on 25/10/2017 - 19:09
    +9

    how difficult is it to spot the hot chicks and put them on screen?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:37

      Very easy - but it's frowned upon now. It's all about families having a great time

    • jelko on 27/10/2017 - 01:26

      I've noticed that there are always a few nice looking women being shown on screen before the A League matches :)

      • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 07:23

        A League is slow to catch up. A while ago sports administrators and tv execs realised there wasn't much of a future for their sports if only blokes were watching. They want kids and women. Most women don't want to watch a bunch of blokes leering over a couple of girls in bikins. Having said that you can still get away with a "1 for them 1 for us policy".

  • oscargamer on 25/10/2017 - 19:13

    does Debbie do Dallas?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:47
      +1

      That's not my genre sadly

      • bobbified on 26/10/2017 - 00:33

        Why not? It's still "sport"… "bedroom sport"!

  • activ8newbs on 25/10/2017 - 19:13
    +1

    How much do you get paid?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:39

      Depends on the job, how you're hired and how much of the year you want to work. Most decent, steadily employed directors would earn between $120k-$180k per year. A full-time director with a network earns less than a steadily employed freelance one.

      • bobbified on 26/10/2017 - 00:36

        Wow, I would've thought that such an important role would involve a higher income. How does the pay in Australia compare to the equivalent in the US? Given that their industry seems much bigger.

        • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 07:15
          +3

          There's not a heap of money in off-camera, technical roles in TV. It's easy to make more if you work harder, but that's the average. Don't know what pay is like in the US.

  • chumlee on 25/10/2017 - 19:15
    +1

    Does bruce mcavaney give you the shits?

    • imtahir7 on 25/10/2017 - 19:20
      +1

      basil zempilas is the worst.

      • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:51

        They both have unique attributes. Basil is huge in WA

  • Diji1 on 25/10/2017 - 19:28
    +1

    Do you think a computer program could do your job now or in the future using AI?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:40
      +1

      "Automation" as it's called has been introduced into newsrooms around the country and is very effective for structured, format television. Sports TV couldn't be automated - as least not in my lifetime - as there are too many variables. A director will always have to make the decisions, however how those pictures get on screen could be automated in some way.

  • ajh on 25/10/2017 - 19:44
    -1

    how much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:46
      +2

      42

  • ninetyNineCents on 25/10/2017 - 20:08
    +1

    WHich "aussie" sport do you think is dying, eg test cricket ?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:42

      Test cricket is certainly struggling and will never return to the heights it previously enjoyed. I've lost count of how many times Australian Basketball has been relaunched. I'm fascinated to see if the recent appeal of women's big bash and AFL is sustained, or if it's short-lived

      • JetLi on 26/10/2017 - 15:09

        Would have thought 50 overs cricket be struggling more than test cricket due to Twenty20.

  • BigglesKDH on 25/10/2017 - 20:37

    Do you get flights and accommodation etc as part of each contract?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:46

      Almost always yes. Sometimes if the employer skimps on travel (3 star hotels, Jetstar flights etc) you might do a deal to look after your own travel and add some $$ to the contract, but most employers have pretty decent travel policies so they look after it.

  • JetLi on 25/10/2017 - 20:56

    if you don't enjoy watching the content you direct, how do you direct it in a way that keeps genuine fans happy?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 20:58
      +5

      It's not the content that needs to appeal, it's the task at hand. I find motor racing pretty boring to watch, but it would be absolutely intense to direct. Golf bores the pants off me but is one of the most difficult sports to direct. So long as you can respect the sport and the task, understand the rules and appreciate the nuances, whether or not you enjoy the sport is irrelevant. Directors continually ask themselves "what does the viewer want to see". That's the key.

  • Bonsaichop on 25/10/2017 - 21:35

    Strangest / Most Interesting thing you have directed outside of sport?

    • enzso on 25/10/2017 - 21:56
      +1

      Most interesting would have been living in Asia for a month working on the launch of a new music TV channel. Haven't really done anything I'd call strange.

  • AlienC on 25/10/2017 - 22:01

    Joke post: Why do you always cut off the good parts and yeah why no more hot ladies?

    Also isn't it hard to not make a mistake? What was your biggest stuff up or have you been pretty good lately?

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 06:55

      It's very easy to make a mistake but the directors who do don't get much work! Fortunately I haven't had any howlers. Worst error was when I was an editor and forgot to remove a retake from a show - so you saw the cast reset and go again.

  • tp0 on 25/10/2017 - 22:06

    Is Seven's AFL coverage terrible because of demands placed on the Director and technical team by 7 or do they just employ bad people to do it? (eg: replays cutting into live play, massive PIP boxes showing useless crap)

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 06:56

      Seven have some very good people working for them. They just have their own ideas about what looks good.

      • tp0 on 26/10/2017 - 10:53

        Fair enough. This is why I'm a fan of subscription TV. They do so much they don't really have time to develop a style or bad habits. They just keep it simple and show the sport.

  • Peace Maker on 25/10/2017 - 22:13

    Were you responsible for directing the MotoGP at Phillip Island last weekend? Reddit/r/motogp was far from impressed. Terrible work.

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 06:57

      Didn't see it sorry. I don't do motorsport.

      • Big Trev on 26/10/2017 - 08:31

        I suspect this would have been Dorna's folks.

  • railspider on 25/10/2017 - 22:31

    What are your most and least favourite sports to direct?

    What's the typical delay for a "live" sports broadcast (how long am I seeing that match winning goal after you)?

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 05:59

      Favourite is a good game of 20/20 cricket.

      Least favourite is tennis, specifically women's tennis. Only two players, match play contained in a single shot, few storytelling opportunities to tell. Often just standing at the baseline slugging it out. No defined match duration. Yawn.

      Typical delay is 5-7 seconds.

      • jelko on 27/10/2017 - 01:31

        I want to throw shit at my television set whenever I see Nadal play. Each time he serves he does that annoying OCD thing where he adjusts his shirt (both sides), wipes his eyes (both) and his nose (both sides) and other things that I've blocked from my memeory. If you ever direct any of his matches at the Australian Open, could you PLEASE not show it every single time.

        • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 17:41

          You know those shots they do with the camera down on the ground and the player's bag in the foreground with his security pass artfully positioned and a racquet and a couple of balls sitting nearby? They have do those so they don't all go f*****g insane working on tennis.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/10/2017 - 00:14

    Was it Warne or Joe the cameraman in can'tbowlcan'tthrow gate?

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 06:00
      +2

      I know Joe. He looked pretty guilty.

  • 17833 on 26/10/2017 - 00:20

    Was wondering how difficult it is to integrate ads and their length into live TV such as football or cricket and how it gets decided if one or two ads can be squeezed in. Have seen in the cricket sometimes an ad overruns over the first ball of the over, in cricket, or the ad stops halfway to show the start of the action. Thanks.

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 07:01
      +1

      Depends on the sport. In AFL for example it's a very precise 40 seconds from a goal being scored to the next centre bounce and the umpire gets a signal when time's up. In cricket it usually takes at least 30 seconds to change ends. If the bowler is ready early and the director sees it he can ask the umpire to hold play. If he doesn't notice then either the ad or the first ball gets cut! Worst thing that happens is you miss the first ball and it's a wicket ball.

      Many sports including cricket allow the director to cue the commencement of play. AFL is one that doesn't

      • 17833 on 26/10/2017 - 08:17

        Thanks, that is fascinating. I would never have thought the director would have a direct line to the cricket umpire.

  • 17833 on 26/10/2017 - 08:20

    With the advent of live streaming of many sports, does this affect your decision making regarding what vision is shown, for example would you insist on a particular angle or level of zoom to optimise viewing on a tablet or phone etc.

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 10:32
      +1

      Not really. Many sports are shot wider now than they were 30 years ago with the widespread uptake of large screen TVs - so I guess the direct opposite of what you want for iPad. Streaming hasn't really effected how we direct yet.

  • Slippery Fish on 26/10/2017 - 08:22

    Why do I find watching sport on tv so super boring but I could play it 24/7.

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 10:29

      Some sports translate poorly to TV.

  • fwdcelica on 26/10/2017 - 09:23

    Casting couch :do they exist in Aus TV ?

    • enzso on 26/10/2017 - 10:33
      +1

      It's quite possible, but I have no direct evidence.

      • Oz8argain on 26/10/2017 - 14:09

        soon, soon..

  • papachris on 27/10/2017 - 01:08

    Do you notice commentator bias at all? Or channel bias? Do you ever receive instructions (from commentators or execs) to line up certain replays and not others that make you wonder?

    • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 05:22

      I've never been involved in a broadcast where I've been instructed to treat the coverage in a particular way that may be seen to favour one team over another.

      In my experience any commentator bias I've noticed is for the underdog, because commentators always want a close game.

      Commentators very rarely ask for replays. Replays are at the discretion of the director. I did once have a run-in with a player who was a prick and didn't know I did the TV coverage. After that whenever I directed on any of his games any mistake he made on the field was always replayed. Twice.

  • jelko on 27/10/2017 - 01:13

    What happens to all the extra footage that is recorded from the 10 or so cameras filming a sporting match? Is it archived indefinitely or is it thrown out?

    • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 05:18

      The highlights are kept until the end of the season and the rest is deleted.

  • jelko on 27/10/2017 - 01:17

    How many cameras would be typically used to shoot the following sports?
    1. AFL Aussie Rules Football
    2. A League Soccer
    3. NBL Basketball
    4. NRL Rubgy League
    5. 20/20 Big Bash League cricket
    6. Australian Open Tennis
    7. Ashes Test match

    • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 05:37
      +1
      1. 20-25
      2. Around 10
      3. 6-8
      4. Don't know
      5. 30-35
      6. 3-10 depending on the court
      7. 30-35

      Most of the sports with more than 10 cameras have no more than 10-12 following play and the rest covering stuff around the venue, like dressing rooms, coaches etc.

      • 17833 on 27/10/2017 - 13:58

        May I ask why more cameras are required for cricket than AFL? Thanks.

        • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 14:46
          +1

          They both have a similar number of cameras following match-play (around 10-13) but because a cricket match is generally a bit more of an "event" than an AFL game (except a final of course), more production ($$) goes into cricket. If cricket ran as long as an AFL season they would wind up with a similar camera count. Also cricket can run an entire day, while AFL is 3 hours, so more resources are required to keep the coverage entertaining.

          So cricket generally has a flycam or helicopter, cameras on hats, additional super-slo cameras, additional studio/commentary position cameras, plus the cameras required to help officiate the game - including stumps, runouts and strike zones (LBW).

  • jelko on 27/10/2017 - 01:23

    Are there plans to start recording any Australian sport in 4K?

    • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 05:41

      No. Given how recently HD has been adopted no one is looking to go 4K yet. There may be elements of 4K in a telecast (a 4K camera system can shoot a locked-off wideshot of a field and any part of that frame can be zoomed up for an HD-res replay) but no plans to broadcast 4K.

  • beany155 on 27/10/2017 - 15:14

    How do you get into commentary because i think if they added a normal viewer to the action, you would get more viewers.. I could mention a few commentators that should be taken out the back and….

    • enzso on 27/10/2017 - 17:39
      +1

      Well the first step is to join the queue behind all the other guys on the couch who think they could commentate better than those already on air.

      Then record yourself on your phone commentating something - to actual vision. Then watch it back. If you think it doesn't suck, get someone who will tell you if it sucks or not to watch it. If they agree with you then send it to a network and….you never know.

      Good luck.

  • [Deactivated] on 28/10/2017 - 21:44

    What are the cutaway rules for onfield: 1) deaths 2) gruesome injuries 3) streakers?

    • enzso on 29/10/2017 - 08:23
      +1

      It comes down to the individual director but generally if a player is unconscious we avoid close ups and just show the medical staff attending. If it's a gruesome injury I'd replay it once only. Once the player has regained consciousness I'd show tighter shots of his face but avoid showing legs and ankles bent out of shape.

      Generally the sports bodies and networks prefer we don't show pitch invaders as they think it gives them their moment of fame and encourages others. I'd agree with that. I might show the back of a pitch invader as they're led off the ground. That said I once had a bloke run on in mankini. Had to show that!

      • jelko on 29/10/2017 - 16:13

        I don't mind if the director chooses not to show a streaker, but what gets me mad is when the commentators completely ignore it and don't even mention the reason for the holdup in play.

  • chillybags on 02/11/2017 - 07:54

    When are we going to see all the stations as HD channels. In particular AFL on 7 mate in NSW. It’s very frustrating that the technology is out there but only partly taken up some of the time.

    It was good when 7 mate was in HD and then they switched the HD channel to broadcast 7HD!

    • enzso on 03/11/2017 - 07:56

      For 7 mate to go HD again 7 would have to switch off one of their other channels. I doubt that'll happen. Unless the broadcasters get more bandwith I can't see secondary channels going HD anytime soon - which sucks I agree.

  • Chubbsmcfatflabs on 03/11/2017 - 13:50

    I really despise the top down shots from the Blimp or "spider" cam. Channel 7 uses these too much on the AFL coverage. I want to watch the game as I would if I were at the game. IMHO the top down shots add nothing to the coverage.

    Also How much direction do you get from the sporting Administrators in relation to how you broadcast the sporting event ? eg if a player is say playing against his old club and he left in acrimonious circumstances…or is that left to the producers to pump up the "drama"..?

    • enzso on 03/11/2017 - 20:16

      Broadcasters get no direction from administrators about how to broadcast a sport. Administrators may indicate a preference for something but it's up to the broadcaster if they follow through. Pumping up drama is entirely the broadcaster's doing!

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