Check out the Teleprompter on the C100!
It’s April, 20th, 2013. I get a call from Seth at Diesel Films (http://www.dieselfilmsinc.com). It’s a last minute, late night shoot at the NFL Hollywood Studios for NFL AM (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-am) host Mark Kriegel (Follow him here : https://twitter.com/MarkKriegel).
April 21st, Midnight. We’re setting everything up. It’s getting late, we’re tired, but we press on. Seth, the director is getting last minute details laid out. Camera and lighting are deciding on the best angle, the best shots, and the best lighting. The ENTIRE stage is ours, so awesome! Yes, I was wandering around the set, going upstairs and checking it out. I’m a professional but cool is still cool!
Turns out that NFL AM is shot in LA, but airs at 6 AM on the East Coast. These guys have some crazy sleep schedules! Either way, we get set up, everything is tested. What do you do when that happens? Rest? No. Relax? No. Chit Chat? Maybe a bit. I like to check, and re-check my system. I know where my spares are, where my connectors are, double check the balance of the camera on the slider.
NFL AM Host Mark Kriegel
Finally, 3 AM rolls around, Mark Kriegel steps in. He’s a little taller than we had imagined. So we go through the process of raising the slider, changing some of the lighting, and double checking the script. We are moving fast! (Side note, always know how tall your talent is gonna be, minimizes down time). Everything gets bumped up to his height, and framed in. Director calls to roll…and the Teleprompter is dead! My jaw hit the floor like a ton of bricks. Everything was working fine, what happened? I check my connections. Everything is solid. Power is going where it needs to, my software is running.
Ok, Tech 101. Power cycle. I shut down my system, and my Display, and bring it back up. Meanwhile, the director is going over the script with Mark. Everything comes back up and…no image on the display! Starting to get worried. Ok, switch out all the cables. Video cables get swapped, power cables get swapped, connectors get switched out for brand new units. Nothing. Ok, getting concerned, and the talent is getting a bit impatient. 5 minutes has passed. Suddenly, the display springs to life! We roll, camera slides left and…display dies. Taking a cue from our DP, I check the main connector that is built into the display. 1 pin is off! We correct the pin, re-align the connectors, join them together, and gaff tape the heck outta that thing! (Duct tape has NOTHING on Gaffers Tape)
Either way, production goes off without a hitch. Shots look great, talent is on point! Just goes to show, no matter what you do, know your gear. To my DP that night, Austin Ahlborg, and the Gaffer, Lucas Pitassi, THANK YOU! You guys rock so hard, you make Diamonds look soft.
Check out the Video Here! http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap2000000163138/Back-in-83
NAILED IT!