Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame 2022: Deena Sheldon - Camera Operator, Innovator, Trailblazer By Jason Dachman Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - 9:39 am
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In 40 years as a camera operator and technical innovator, Deena Sheldon has truly done it all. Not only has the nine-time Sports Emmy Award winner worked nearly every major sports event many times over, but her trailblazing work behind the camera has helped revolutionize the way live sports broadcasts are presented.
A simple listing of the events Deena has covered over her long career in sports TV is impressive enough and speaks to her mastery of her craft, says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and on-air talent Bob Costas, a longtime friend and mentor. What that list would not reflect is Deena's endearing personality. It could be 5 degrees below zero in Green Bay, and, even under those brutal circumstances, her ever-present smile, love of her work, and appreciation for her colleagues shine through. Deena is not only great at what she does; she is simply one of the nicest people I have ever worked with.
A R sum That Speaks for Itself On the lengthy list of events for which Sheldon has run camera are 12 Super Bowls, 17 Daytona 500s, 17 Indy 500s, 24 Triple Crown races (including two Triple Crown winners), six US Open Tennis Championships, and three Olympic Games. She spent 12 years shooting ABC's Monday Night Football and another 12 shooting NBC's Sunday Night Football in 36 years covering the NFL for various networks. Sheldon has also been part of the coverage of such iconic events as the World Series, America's Cup, NBA Finals, NCAA Final Four, The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open Golf Championship, and the Ryder Cup.
Deena is one of the most prepared and knowledgeable camera operators I've ever worked with, says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Fred Gaudelli, who has worked alongside Sheldon regularly during his 33 seasons producing NFL games for primetime. Her ability to identify players, coaches, general managers, owners, and wives is unparalleled. Her ability to get those shots prior to being asked is part of what separates her as a member of the crew. Her devotion to making the show great is on display for all to see just by observing her work.
Sheldon's accomplishments aren't limited to sports, however. She has also been an integral part of the coverage of nine presidential inaugurations and three presidential funerals, as well as countless presidential debates and political conventions.
In the trenches, she was always a step ahead, creating the right shots at the right moment and capturing the big action down to the smallest, impactful, emotional details, says legendary ABC News director Roger Goodman. She always had the shot.
In addition, she is a technological innovator who helped create multiple custom-camera systems and a pioneering 3D producer, having worked on eight 3D feature films and served as co-VP of the Sports and Entertainment Division of Cameron | Pace Group for Oscar-winning director James Cameron and Emmy Award winner Vince Pace ASC during the heyday of live 3D sports broadcasts and 3D concert films in the 2010s.
Despite working in a trade traditionally dominated by men (she is the first female camera operator to be inducted), Sheldon has proved herself not only one of the most gifted camera operators in sports-broadcasting history but also one of the most beloved and endearing figures to set foot in a production compound.
Deena Sheldon is built for this job, mentally, physically, and professionally, says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and on-air talent Lesley Visser. Have you ever seen her high-beam smile right before she goes into the middle of a postgame scrum to get the perfect shot? She's enormously talented, people love her, and she gets the job done. Those of us on this side of the camera get to thank her every time we work with her. She does everything at the highest level.
Growing Up With an Eye for Sports and Live TV Sports and journalism were at the forefront of the Groveland, MA, native's upbringing. Her father, Fred Sheldon, qualified for the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics in track and field but opted to join the Air Force instead. He would go on to become a track coach and a professor in athletic training, as well as a fire fighter and auctioneer. Sheldon's mother, Penny Sheldon, was a reporter and photographer for the Newburyport Daily News and a contributor to the Boston Globe and several other newspapers.
It was a great atmosphere to nurture whatever I wanted to explore, Sheldon says. My parents were remarkably supportive of whatever I wanted to pursue. I credit them for instilling in me the work ethic that has shaped how I approach everything: always be prepared, study, practice, and get there early. Most important, they instilled the philosophy of doing the best you can.'
In 1975, Sheldon was watching the inaugural season of NBC's Saturday Night Live when she saw camera operator Bailey Stortz flying around the studio on the crane camera. And, at age 13, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life.
Growing up, she took part in a variety of sports, from track to horseback riding, as well as dance classes beginning at the age of 3. She earned a spot on the National Ballroom Championship Formation Team, Pro-Am Division in 1977.
In addition to providing a leg up during her brief career as a stuntwoman, Sheldon adds, her extensive participation in athletics and dance during her youth helped prepare her for what would become her life's work: covering sports from behind the camera.
Learning things in reverse,' in a mirror in the dance studios, would prove to become quite useful later in my career, she says, when I was asked to operate the
