Every year these fast paced Ignite presentations offer teaching tips and projects that bring new ideas to the Media classroom. Presentations from BEA Ignite, April 2018 in Las Vegas.

1. Christopher J.Winkler
Rowan University
MatchTV: A Practical Activity forTeaching
Multi-camera Production
BEA IGNITE

2. MatchTV
A Practical Activity for Teaching
Multicamera Production in Live Events & Sports
Presented by Christopher J. Winkler, Rowan University
for
BEA IGNITE 2018

3. Overview & Pre-Activity Lessons
• Activity designed as students’ first hands-on exposure to live multicam
production for an unscripted event in which the exact outcome is unknown
(but for which planning can occur).
• Students are previously educated regarding the STORY of an event or
competition, including:
• Details of the occurrence itself; historical context, location(s), statistics,
records
• Characters and relationships, conflicts, and potential changes during
the event
• Possible outcomes, exploration of the unknown and “what if”
potentials
• Basic coverage competencies already addressed – convey the

4. The Activity
MatchTV
it’s like the World Series…
of CHECKERS.

5. MatchTV Phase 1: Classroom-Based Pre-Production
Have the students “chalk talk” the coverage plan – camera positions &
achievable shots
Camera numbering system; shot lists / storyboard visuals; situational &
formula based coverage

6. MatchTV Phase 2: Location & Technical Preparations
Basic Setup
• Checkers board on a table between two competitors, seated, facing off
against each other
• Students decide overall orientation of coverage (360° of free space to
position cameras)
• Cameras set up at instructor’s discretion (preset or have students
unpack/build them)
• Camera outputs are wired into a switcher with MULTIVIEWER or video
village style displays
• All camera shots are visible to everyone at all times
• No separation of studio / control room – everyone in one space
• Encourage discussion – refer to established plans but examine
potential changes due to environment/practical application and
hypothesize creative solutions

7. MatchTV Phase 3: Production – Part 1
Gameplay begins.
Using established plans for
coverage and composition,
students achieve shots and
see how shot sequences
would work as play
develops.

8. MatchTV Phase 3: Production – Part 1
All students can see the multiviewer display to evaluate all shots in realtime.
Changes can be made on-the-fly and everyone sees the result.

9. MatchTV Phase 3: Production – Part 1
Students begin to realize that using the same static shots is boring and
predictably repetitive.

10. MatchTV Phase 3: Production – Part 2
Instructor suggests changes to
coverage plan
to emphasize emotion, drama,
conflict and
player insight to strategy. Ask
students to:
• Achieve CU’s of player moves
• Predict moves and player
strategies
• Adjust camera angles (low, high)
• Add motion (gentle P/T/Z) for
emphasis
• Attempt to time a P/T/Z move
from players faces to their
physical piece movement on their

11. MatchTV Phase 3: Production – Part 2
As the match winds down and the
end is near,
tell students to anticipate the last
major moves of the game, asking
how they’ll cover…
• Specific player moves (offensive
vs defensive), kings and jumps/
captures
• Player facial expressions /
reactions
• Post-game action (victory
celebration, emotional defeat,
sportsmanship handshake)

12. MatchTV Phase 3: Production – Part 3
The players will want a rematch… and your students will want to try this
again! Challenge them:
• Add a Director/TD to call shots
for a line cut
• Try making at least 1 camera
hand-held
or on a stabilizer other than a
tripod
• Add another camera, or take one
away
• Impose tighter time limits on
player moves (move the game
along much faster)
• ???

13. MatchTV Phase 4: Post Production
Lessons Learned
• Students feel they needed a solid understanding of the game itself to
cover it appropriately
• Students gain awareness of player strategies and can more easily
anticipate moves in later gameplay; attain situational awareness
• Reaction shots occur quickly and are easy to miss – the director/TD must
anticipate and act fast
• The end of the game occurs much faster than anticipated, and is more
unpredictable
• Lack of camera motion in shots isn’t interesting enough; too much motion
is worse than no motion

14. Beyond the Lesson
Students take the knowledge acquired and apply it to future work
in covering live events