Next time you think you have the best seat in the house, think again, that title belongs to WTAMU’s Live Crew. They have three cameras with which they capture content. From their control room located in the Live Crew trailer, the team controls all of the content displayed on the jumbotron for both WT and Canyon Independent School District.
Since 2006, the Live Crew has streamed on the jumbotron, the live stream on Buff Athletics website and on WTTV.
This fall they have been controlling content at the WT football games, but they also broadcast basketball games and special events like the Freshman and Centennial Convocation.
Live Crew is a partnership between the communications department and the athletics department.
“The communication department’s partnership with athletics has been very successful,” Randy Ray, a faculty adviser, said. “I have spoken at a number of broadcasting and sporting conferences on how creating these cross campus partnerships can be an incredible opportunity for students and a great benefit for the University.” Starting two hours before the game, the live crew team arrives at the field to start setting up cameras and microphones around the field.
“I run the audio for Live Crew,” Austin Bagwell, audio engineer, said. “I have to set up the microphones on the field and make sure that all the cables are gaffed and out of the way and such.”
Broadcasting the game is hard work and the team is made up of many dedicated individuals. One of those individuals, Michelle Pardo, is the first female technical director/crew chief since Live Crew’s creation.
“I take everything and put it all together, sort of like a giant puzzle,” Pardo said. “You have your cameras, commercials, instant replays, and CG’s which all come together to make the final picture of the Buffs rocking it on the field.”
She said that the pictures that are on the jumbotron all happen live.
“Football is a brilliant sport but when it comes time to start it’s like a show and it’s our job to make the show spectacular,” she said.
It takes many different jobs to create an entertaining broadcast. Inside the trailer the Technical Director/Crew Chief, Instant Replay/DVD Recording, Computer Generator, LVS Machine Operator, and the Audio Engineer. Outside three camera operators, the high 50 above the press box, the end zone camera, and the wireless camera. There are also two production assistants that help through the game.
The live crew members are definitely a team and must work together to ensure their broadcast runs smoothly.
“I love everything about live crew especially how there is something for everyone,” Pardo said. “Being a part of live crew is more than just a job, it’s about becoming a team.”
She said that everyone must contribute to make a successful broadcast.
“This year we had an amazing staff filled with brilliant students, each one of them unique and dominating in their position,” she said. “We all pitch in to make a masterpiece that will forever define the season of 2010.”
