149th Kentucky Derby: NBC Sports Boosts Marquee Broadcast With Roaming Cinematic Camera, Remote Production of Pre-Race Show Senior Producer Lindsay Schanzer aims to build on 2022 debut By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - 1:27 pm
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With horse racing's greatest spectacle, the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby, at iconic Churchill Downs this Saturday, NBC Sports is back in the saddle with an armory of 51 cameras (including a new cinematic version that will roam the grounds); onsite support from NEP Group; a completely remote production of the pre-race show from NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, CT; and a production crew prepared for multiple possibilities at an event known for delivering dramatic moments.
After a string of unpredictable Derby Days, we know full well that anything can happen on the first Saturday in May, says Lindsay Schanzer, senior producer, NBC Sports. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we can't wait to find out what this year has in store.
Cinematic Look: ARRI Camera Adds Extra Flair to Broadcast Complement Covering every possible angle of the 147-acre campus is a tall task. With 170,000 spectators expected to be on hand for the showcase race this weekend, the broadcaster is poised to spotlight not only areas accessible to fans but behind-the-scenes areas reserved for owners, jockeys, and horses. One camera in the private areas is an Atom One POV in the stewards room.
From left: Keith Kice, John Roch , and Tim DeKime inside NEP ND1 at Churchill Downs
In public spaces, NBC Sports will deploy a cinematic ARRI camera that will be amongst the crowd during the lead-up to the race as well as on the track as the horses make their way to the starting gate. The equipment will be used by local camera operator Eric Girgash with assistance from NBC Sports Director, Digital Workflows, Kamal Bhangle.
It's going to be roaming from different parts of the track, says Keith Kice, senior director, technical operations, NBC Sports. [The video feed] will be fed to the compound and used live on the broadcast.
From a production perspective, the camera is expected to supplement the broadcast with a different flair from previous iterations of the Kentucky Derby.
For the most part, we're looking for it to cover the fashion, notes Schanzer, all of the color that makes this race one of the greatest events in American sports. We expect to pepper it through the broadcast to give you the flavor of the venue.
As for coverage of the actual race on the 1 -mile track, five cameras will feature super-slow-motion capabilities, including a handheld Sony HDC-5500 and four hard Sony HDC-5500's (one at Turn 1, one past the finish line, another outside the finish line, and one inside the finish line). Also being deployed are a Sony HDC-4800 in 4K, seven handheld Sony HDC-5500's (one operated by Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Ken Woo), six hard Sony HDC-3500's, five Sony HDC-P50's, five Sony RF HDC-2500's, three Sony F-55's, two Sony HDC-4300's, and two Sony HDC-1500 Clock Cams. Out of the 51 cameras, 38 will have Canon lenses: nine 122 x 8.2, eight 24 x 7.5, eight 11 x 4.7, five 111 x 8.3, five 14 x 4.3, and three 95 x 8.6.
From left: Keith Kice, Tim DeKime, and John Roch at the pre-race studio set near Turn 1.
In the compound, the network is opting for a hybrid production model. NEP Broadcast Services, spearheaded by Technical Manager and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer John Roch , is supplying ND1 A, B, C, and D units. A Broadcast Sports International (BSI) trailer will be parked as the main hub for all RF cameras and workflows. And an office trailer will be on hand for editors working onsite.
Offsite, a control room in Stamford will handle production of the pre-race show on USA Network. A transmission kit will send the video feed from the onsite set to the facility 800 miles away. Five editors will be working from Stamford or their respective homes.
Aerial View: Winged Visio, Live Drone Hover Over the Track A sport that can take particular advantage of aerial angles is horse racing, and that fact was notable after Rich Strike's run to victory in the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Racing at 80-1 odds, the horse was the second-biggest long shot in the event's illustrious history. Tapping the Winged Vision airplane that captured footage from the sky, a replay immediately after the race's conclusion demonstrated how far Rich Strike traveled to work through the pack and into the lead down the home stretch. Leveraging the iso track system that identifies each individual horse from this high angle, this combination of technologies will be available at a moment's notice.
We knew that people paid attention to it and liked it, says Schanzer, so one of the things I'm thinking about is spending a little bit more time up in the air on race replays. It's a different look that people aren't used to seeing, and it shows the perspective of the field and how moves are made.
Also in the air during the race will be a live drone. Used for generic scenics of the environment, it'll fly at a safe distance above the infield. Beverly Hills Aerials Chief Aerial DP Caleb Descognets will operate the drone, which carries a Sony HDC-P50 camera.
We're trying out some different lenses for more cinematic looks shown on various elements of our show, notes Kice. In our third year, [Churchill Downs] has definitely become accustomed to having us around with a drone.
On the ground, two live JockeyCams will be in play for the main event. Debuted in 2021 and deployed last year, the RF wearable devices will display what the jockey is seeing from atop the horse during the sport's most famous gallop.
Second Year in Charge: Schanzer Remains Prepare
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149th Kentucky Derby: NBC Sports Boosts Marquee Broadcast With Roaming Cinematic Camera, Remote Production of Pre-Race Show Senior Producer Lindsay Schanzer aims to build on 2022 debut By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor 
