Niche Sports TV - Promoting Speedway

[nw42]

34 minutes ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Nick, thank you for the link. It's always difficult reviewing first efforts like this but my comments are meant as constructive. I don't want to put you off.

Firstly, I started out ion the speedway video 'game' 36 years ago with the sport's pioneering company, KM Video and went to record about 200 commentaries for them and later the country's first Sports TV station, Screen Sport. It's been a while since I held a mic but I hope my comments can be helpful. Incidentally, I commentated and presented the video of the first-ever speedway meeting at Arena Essex in 1984. 

First, there are some technical points that you need to address:

Camera framing. There was far too much what is termed "headroom" in the interviews. The camera needs to be angled down slightly. We want to see the people, not the sky.

Sound: Riders are generally quiet. You need to get the mic right into them. It looks like you've kept the mic with the camera. It does need to be in the presenter's hand and right up to the rider when he's talking. The levels are all over the place. The action inserts and music boom, the presenter's level is fine but the riders are a strain to hear. This will also help if you do have bikes revving in the background, or planes going overhead. There was excessive wind noise on the Pottinger interview. I'd suggest tighter editing, especially where the interviewee briefly freezes or wanders off the topic.

Your presenter seems reasonably comfortable and bubbly -, good for a first attempt. The dinner party question was a little trivial for my taste, but that's just me, but it's a bit clunky to use it three times.

One key point. You have to get facts right (something even Nigel Pearson's fouled-up lately). Dudley were renamed Cradley some times ago. It grated to hear it used twice and note how Will Pottinger emphasised 'Cradley' in his answer. Cradley fans are proud people and many weren't happy with the Dudley name ;-. Preparation is essential, even on  something like team names.

You have got a foundation to build on. It's not a mess and much more professional than efforts I've seen from long-established video companies. In fact I despair to see how little progress has been made by some since my day.

I'm uncomfortable with the term 'Niche Sport'. Speedway takes minor placing in the national press and even the local press in the south east but in other parts it does get very serious non-niche coverage. I was reading the Stoke daily paper which ran a half page on the National League Potters lat Friday while tracks like Poole and Ipswich get coverage almost as equal as football in their local dailies. It all depends on where you are.

As I suspected you weren't able to show racing apart from the action montages. I take it another company still has the rights to race videos at Lakeside.

So, after the interviews the only real reference to the meeting is the statement "Lakeside have beaten Workington and go top of the table". No score even.

You need to decide what you are trying to achieve. If it is a report on the meeting then it's tough not being able to show racing. Perhaps you need more 'reaction' interviews such as asking the away team manager "So you lost tonight by 10 points, where do you think things went wrong. Did that heat 10 exclusion cost you?" (Don't forget to say what happened). Then over to Will "So, they think the ref got heat 10 wrong - what's your view".

If it's not a report on the meeting just treat it as a chance to meet the people behind the scenes. 

As I mentioned before there is another business trying this, Speedway Portal who are covering Poole and Isle of Wight. They have their weaknesses but the key difference is that they have filming rights at the Isle of Wight.

Good luck with the project. Is this a hobby or a business? If the latter, where's the revenue coming from? Take a look at Speedway Portal's work. It may give you ideas and food for thought on how you would tackle what they have. I hope you take these comments in the spirit in which they are intended. I have seen many come to the sport claiming they're going to do this and achieve that, and watched and waited for their product. You're on the ground. I hope my suggestions can help you to run. At all times you have to ask "What am I bringing to this particular 'table'?"

 

 

Other than that you're doing fine Nick.

[NickRushbrook]

1 hour ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Nick, thank you for the link. It's always difficult reviewing first efforts like this but my comments are meant as constructive. I don't want to put you off.

Firstly, I started out ion the speedway video 'game' 36 years ago with the sport's pioneering company, KM Video and went to record about 200 commentaries for them and later the country's first Sports TV station, Screen Sport. It's been a while since I held a mic but I hope my comments can be helpful. Incidentally, I commentated and presented the video of the first-ever speedway meeting at Arena Essex in 1984. 

First, there are some technical points that you need to address:

Camera framing. There was far too much what is termed "headroom" in the interviews. The camera needs to be angled down slightly. We want to see the people, not the sky.

Sound: Riders are generally quiet. You need to get the mic right into them. It looks like you've kept the mic with the camera. It does need to be in the presenter's hand and right up to the rider when he's talking. The levels are all over the place. The action inserts and music boom, the presenter's level is fine but the riders are a strain to hear. This will also help if you do have bikes revving in the background, or planes going overhead. There was excessive wind noise on the Pottinger interview. I'd suggest tighter editing, especially where the interviewee briefly freezes or wanders off the topic.

Your presenter seems reasonably comfortable and bubbly -, good for a first attempt. The dinner party question was a little trivial for my taste, but that's just me, but it's a bit clunky to use it three times.

One key point. You have to get facts right (something even Nigel Pearson's fouled-up lately). Dudley were renamed Cradley some times ago. It grated to hear it used twice and note how Will Pottinger emphasised 'Cradley' in his answer. Cradley fans are proud people and many weren't happy with the Dudley name ;-. Preparation is essential, even on  something like team names.

You have got a foundation to build on. It's not a mess and much more professional than efforts I've seen from long-established video companies. In fact I despair to see how little progress has been made by some since my day.

I'm uncomfortable with the term 'Niche Sport'. Speedway takes minor placing in the national press and even the local press in the south east but in other parts it does get very serious non-niche coverage. I was reading the Stoke daily paper which ran a half page on the National League Potters lat Friday while tracks like Poole and Ipswich get coverage almost as equal as football in their local dailies. It all depends on where you are.

As I suspected you weren't able to show racing apart from the action montages. I take it another company still has the rights to race videos at Lakeside.

So, after the interviews the only real reference to the meeting is the statement "Lakeside have beaten Workington and go top of the table". No score even.

You need to decide what you are trying to achieve. If it is a report on the meeting then it's tough not being able to show racing. Perhaps you need more 'reaction' interviews such as asking the away team manager "So you lost tonight by 10 points, where do you think things went wrong. Did that heat 10 exclusion cost you?" (Don't forget to say what happened). Then over to Will "So, they think the ref got heat 10 wrong - what's your view".

If it's not a report on the meeting just treat it as a chance to meet the people behind the scenes. 

As I mentioned before there is another business trying this, Speedway Portal who are covering Poole and Isle of Wight. They have their weaknesses but the key difference is that they have filming rights at the Isle of Wight.

Good luck with the project. Is this a hobby or a business? If the latter, where's the revenue coming from? Take a look at Speedway Portal's work. It may give you ideas and food for thought on how you would tackle what they have. I hope you take these comments in the spirit in which they are intended. I have seen many come to the sport claiming they're going to do this and achieve that, and watched and waited for their product. You're on the ground. I hope my suggestions can help you to run. At all times you have to ask "What am I bringing to this particular 'table'?"

 

 

Rob, I sincerely appreciate your comments even given the long winded nature!

It's a hobby / fan channel. No business interests here.

We are aware of mistakes made as i said and will be rectified next time. 

I dont agree with all of your points but that's the beauty of opinion.

But please keep up with suggestions as i find them good food for thought.

[RobMcCaffery]

Long-winded? I'm trying to HELP you. 

Okay, here's an alternative:

Poor, amateur effort with many errors but I've seen worse. Other are already doing it better. Don't see the point. 

There, is that better? 

You know best. Exactly how does this promote speedway? 

 

Edited June 7, 2018 by RobMcCaffery

[Orbiter]

Is this available on Sky Tv if so what channel?

[The Doctor...]

3 hours ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Long-winded? I'm trying to HELP you. 

Okay, here's an alternative:

Poor, amateur effort with many errors but I've seen worse. Other are already doing it better. Don't see the point. 

There, is that better? 

You know best. Exactly how does this promote speedway? 

 

It was long-winded.  The fact you were trying to help isn't diluted by that.  Still long winded tho. 

Not sure why you got so touchy.

[BWitcher]

4 hours ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Long-winded? I'm trying to HELP you. 

Okay, here's an alternative:

Poor, amateur effort with many errors but I've seen worse. Other are already doing it better. Don't see the point. 

There, is that better? 

You know best. Exactly how does this promote speedway? 

 

Why oh why do you have to throw your toys out of the pram? . You had a polite reply after your feedback which I'm sure was found helpful.

 

[BWitcher]

I enjoyed the piece, it was something different.

I didn't mind the dinner party question, or that it was repeated, different to the standard questions used so often and stock answers we so consistently hear.

Good work, look forward to seeing more.

[martinmauger]

Can't get clip to work for some reason (so much for Win 10 which is supposed to solve everything), so can't comment directly but making a generalisation: at many tracks the roving mic person has interviewed folk when bikes are running and you can't hear a blooming thing.  Hope the new venture works out, good luck....

[Trees]

7 hours ago, The Doctor... said:

It was long-winded.  The fact you were trying to help isn't diluted by that.  Still long winded tho. 

Not sure why you got so touchy.

Maybe because he'd put a lot of thought and effort into the post, I wouldn't knock it myself, I think it was very good of him to have given advice? 

[martinmauger]

Oh and forgot manged to view the clip; a mystery as I watch speedway on Youtube all the time.  Anyhoo; not perfect, as mentioned some framing & sound issues, but a good first effort.  TV, &video filming and production is nowhere near as easy as many folk think so much to think about and remember, the OP asked for some feedback and got it, looking forward to the next one....

Edited June 8, 2018 by martinmauger
grammar

[The White Knight]

Best of luck with this Project.

[IainB]

KM Video? Wasn't that the company that used to cover Stoke? With the guy with the beard who's only "question" to riders was "you normally go well round here don't you?"

[Grand Central]

5 minutes ago, iainb said:

KM Video? Wasn't that the company that used to cover Stoke? With the guy with the beard who's only "question" to riders was "you normally go well round here don't you?"

No.

You've got the wrong company entirely.

[IainB]

34 minutes ago, Grand Central said:

No.

You've got the wrong company entirely.

ah... who did KM Video cover? the name rings a bell

I think I was thinking of B&J Video

Edited June 10, 2018 by iainb

[Grand Central]

1 hour ago, iainb said:

ah... who did KM Video cover? the name rings a bell

I think I was thinking of B&J Video

Yes you were thinking of B& J. They were one of those fairly amateur video companies of the late eighties that produced track videos of varying quality.

KM Video were producing much more professional videos from major meetings and around the tracks much earlier.
I believe they supplied the cable and satelite stations with speedway in that era.

Rob Mc can give us all the information.

[BWitcher]

On 6/8/2018 at 7:06 AM, Trees said:

Maybe because he'd put a lot of thought and effort into the post, I wouldn't knock it myself, I think it was very good of him to have given advice? 

And he was thanked for it.

No need whatsoever for him to have one of his infamous hissy fits.

[IainB]

was interesting to hear the 2 young riders interviewed that they like to hit the fast food joints after a meeting... I hope the GB speedway people don't see this!

[poppetman]

The main mistake they made was expecting speedway riders to talk about anything other than the track or their bikes.

[Grand Central]

20 minutes ago, poppetman said:

The main mistake they made was expecting speedway riders to talk about anything other than the track or their bikes.

Even on those subjects it is rare to find any rider who gives ANY meaningful insight in an interview.

This is true in most sports when there is time to fill... Shove in an interview.

It's usually pointless.

Either the interviewer used is poor and their questions facile  or the subject is poor and what they have to say is of no assistance to the viewer either.

 

[The Doctor...]

On 6/8/2018 at 7:06 AM, Trees said:

Maybe because he'd put a lot of thought and effort into the post, I wouldn't knock it myself, I think it was very good of him to have given advice? 

The chap didn't knock it tho did he ?

He thanked him sincerely - Rob just got uppity when long winded was mentioned.

The guys mentioned it was a fan project for speedway and other sports, i don't think they referred to wanting it to be a pro effort.