Winter Olympics 2022

[The AD]

When NBC's chosen ones wash out it seems like they don't even know what to do: "oh shit, Shiffrin is out. Let's show a replay of Nathan Chen instead of continuing to show a live medal event."

[4matic]

I rolled the Peacock highlights this morning to watch SB. Everything is there.

[Dantheman]

When NBC's chosen ones wash out it seems like they don't even know what to do: "oh shit, Shiffrin is out. Let's show a replay of Nathan Chen instead of continuing to show a live medal event."

Same as it ever was.

[BmillsSkier]

When NBC's chosen ones wash out it seems like they don't even know what to do: "oh shit, Shiffrin is out. Let's show a replay of Nathan Chen instead of continuing to show a live medal event."

This is exactly what happened here.

[Dee Hubbs]

It's almost like the Chinese (who admittedly have near-zero winter-sports experience on this level) looked at how they can make everything the camera shows be the most glowing rendition of the host nation and venue, and the actual fucking sports were an afterthought. I've never seen bumps viewed from the side of the skier giving you zero reference of how the turns are going. I've never seen halfpipe coverage stay on the athlete with zero reference to where they are in relation to the coping/bottom of the pipe.

I hope the tourism board is pleased though.

Do you really think they have some random Chinese Director who has never worked on winter sports, directing a bunch of local cameramen?
All the best directors in the sports industry are there working, seasoned camera men who shoot nothing but ski racing, or ski jumping all season are there working.
OBS, the Olympic Broadcast Service has been working on the project for 6 years planning the operations, the camera placements, the shots.
The directive to include landscape and local culture and elements is the same at every games, but to speak like it’s local workers who don’t know what they are doing shows the ignorance on your part.

[The AD]

Same as it ever was.

Yep, we've been through this many times before.

4matic: I agree she doesn't owe us anything, but I fear that if she withdraws from the rest of her events here she may just hang it up entirely. I think we all would like her to continue and get back on top.

[4matic]

it’s local workers who don’t know what they are doing shows the ignorance on your part.

It's not ignorance....

[4matic]

Yep, we've been through this many times before.

4matic: I agree she doesn't owe us anything, but I fear that if she withdraws from the rest of her events here she may just hang it up entirely. I think we all would like her to continue and get back on top.

If she's happy to hang it up I'm happy for her. She never seemed like the type that seeked celebrity.

[JimmyCarter]

This is exactly what happened here.

Not exactly, first they kept the camera on her for an uncomfortably long time to make sure they documented her break down, THEN they cut the ski feed.

Fucking monsters. Fuck NBC

[BmillsSkier]

Do you really think they have some random Chinese Director who has never worked on winter sports, directing a bunch of local cameramen?
All the best directors in the sports industry are there working, seasoned camera men who shoot nothing but ski racing, or ski jumping all season are there working.
OBS, the Olympic Broadcast Service has been working on the project for 6 years planning the operations, the camera placements, the shots.
The directive to include landscape and local culture and elements is the same at every games, but to speak like it’s local workers who don’t know what they are doing shows the ignorance on your part.

Nope not at all. I know they hired the best and brightest.

It appears the best and brightest got overruled in some aspects of their camerawork though. Explain to me the side view tracking shot of the mogul skiers. Explain to me the tight shots of the halfpipe riders with no reference to the coping or bottom of the pipe. Those are neat for replays, but not for the live action shots, and there's good reason they've never been filmed that way before. I will unequivocally defer to the TV and camera professionals working the games expertise, but that doesn't mean that they're right.

We've had shitty camera views in other sports because the experts wanted them too. Behind the basket floor level view in basketball, the early days of the camera hanging from the cables in NFL, and shitty tech too like the puck tracer.

[4matic]

Don't judge the NBC coverage by the summary feed. There's so much more available. Entire events including quals.

[From_the_NEK]

Do you really think they have some random Chinese Director who has never worked on winter sports, directing a bunch of local cameramen?
All the best directors in the sports industry are there working, seasoned camera men who shoot nothing but ski racing, or ski jumping all season are there working.
OBS, the Olympic Broadcast Service has been working on the project for 6 years planning the operations, the camera placements, the shots.
The directive to include landscape and local culture and elements is the same at every games, but to speak like it’s local workers who don’t know what they are doing shows the ignorance on your part.

I think it is likely a combination of things:
What is different about this games is that the Chinese government likely has a tight grip on everything that is shown and is looking over the shoulders of those directors and camera operators to ensure venues are framed how they want to be seen.
There also may be a director or two that are trying to do more "experimental" views of some competitions instead of the tried and true shots of past events. You know.. "because the Olympics is special and progressive" there has to be a new twist to what we are watching.

[SumJongGuy]

It's difficult, but I'm ready to just stop focusing on Mikala and let her do (or not do) what she believes is best for her.

Looking forward to the other events with zero expectations and hoping for surprises, GOOD surprises!

[The AD]

Not exactly, first they kept the camera on her for an uncomfortably long time to make sure they documented her break down, THEN they cut the ski feed.

Fucking monsters. Fuck NBC

That sucked. And then they had to interview her later. Just painful to watch.

[From_the_NEK]

That sucked. And then they had to interview her later. Just painful to watch.

It was painful.
I'm glad they didn't pull another "did the recent death of a family member influence your failure" like they did with Bode a couple Olympics ago.

[BmillsSkier]

That sucked. And then they had to interview her later. Just painful to watch.

NBC did leave the day-old analysis of Chen's skate to cut back to that incredibly painful interview (props to her for even giving it) and I was full on expecting a moment like when NBC's own Christin Cooper drove US skier Bode Miller to tears in a cringe-worthy interview after his bronze-medal win in the men’s super-G at the Sochi Olympics.

Whoever did the interview did repeat the first and only question he asked, which she answered, "what are you processing"? but then thankfully let off.

[Dee Hubbs]

99.9 percent of the viewing population watching the mogul events have never skied before. The camera angles and cuts are designed to appease the lowest common denominator. These are people who watch a skiing event every 4 years.
We are critical of how the skiing/snowboarding is being produced as we are self proclaimed experts in the sport.
I watch the skeleton events and think it’s great, while my sliding buddy who works in the sport thinks all the camera angles suck. I only watch sliding every 4 years and can’t really tell a difference.
Any weekend I can turn on a World Cup Alpine ski race, and within 2 racers tell you who the TV director is, based on their style. Working in the industry I can be super critical of the camera placements, the shots and cuts because I know, and can see the differences.

[BmillsSkier]

99.9 percent of the viewing population watching the mogul events have never skied before. The camera angles and cuts are designed to appease the lowest common denominator. These are people who watch a skiing event every 4 years.
We are critical of how the skiing/snowboarding is being produced as we are self proclaimed experts in the sport.
I watch the skeleton events and think it’s great, while my sliding buddy who works in the sport thinks all the camera angles suck. I only watch sliding every 4 years and can’t really tell a difference.
Any weekend I can turn on a World Cup Alpine ski race, and within 2 racers tell you who the TV director is, based on their style. Working in the industry I can be super critical of the camera placements, the shots and cuts because I know, and can see the differences.

And as I said in my previous post, I defer to your expertise.

And I realize that the Olympics tv coverage is catering to a larger, different crowd than the one who tunes into the World Cup stops, but again, it doesn't make the angles/shots suck any less.

And I can say this authoritatively, because, as you accurately point out, we are the experts on this sport.

[sirbumpsalot]

99.9 percent of the viewing population watching the mogul events have never skied before. The camera angles and cuts are designed to appease the lowest common denominator. These are people who watch a skiing event every 4 years.
We are critical of how the skiing/snowboarding is being produced as we are self proclaimed experts in the sport.
I watch the skeleton events and think it’s great, while my sliding buddy who works in the sport thinks all the camera angles suck. I only watch sliding every 4 years and can’t really tell a difference.
Any weekend I can turn on a World Cup Alpine ski race, and within 2 racers tell you who the TV director is, based on their style. Working in the industry I can be super critical of the camera placements, the shots and cuts because I know, and can see the differences.

I didn't like the constant sideways feed for moguls, but I did appreciate that angle to see how fast they were going and the steepness of the course. Can't get that just from a straight on view...all I see there are knees. POV shots great too especially on the jumps...gives you a perspective of the landing.

Need to mix it up with constant switching shots perhaps.

[ill-advised strategy]

That sideview is cool, I just wish they would use it for replays and post run analysis instead of the main live view during the run.

[SumJongGuy]

And as I said in my previous post, I defer to your expertise.

And I realize that the Olympics tv coverage is catering to a larger, different crowd than the one who tunes into the World Cup stops, but again, it doesn't make the angles/shots suck any less.

And I can say this authoritatively, because, as you accurately point out, we are the experts on this sport.

And those average Joes were probably thinking Hannah K must be an idiot and know nothing about judging during the Men's Medal round. Rest of us were saying, ya she nailed that for sure!

[Benny Profane]

Tell me you've never worked your whole life for something and failed in front of a global audience when the world expected you to succeed without saying you've never worked your whole life for something and failed in front of a global audience when the world expected you to succeed.

No, it isn't the failure part. It's the fact that, by participating in this shit show, these athletes are enabling it.

[Benny Profane]

When NBC's chosen ones wash out it seems like they don't even know what to do: "oh shit, Shiffrin is out. Let's show a replay of Nathan Chen instead of continuing to show a live medal event."

It's the same thing with WC coverage. It's as though she's the only worthy female alpine skier in the world, and every other competitor is triple AAA level, lucky to beat her.

[4matic]

MS will be well rested for the next event. Never under estimate the heart of a champion

[Pseudonym]

MS will be well rested for the next event. Never under estimate the heart of a champion

Well rested, because she has only skied 6 gates in the past two events..... Too soon?