2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

Just found out that the BBC's theme is called 'Rainbow Nation' by The Dallas Guild World Cup Team. It's on iTunes and Amazon, and all the rest.

Think it is most effective in the full promo, but I've only ever seen the shorter titles version on screen. A shame really, as that longer promo builds up really nicely.

Also, I do rather like the BBC's 'ANALYSIS' wooshy graphic after matches and on the highlights. Looks awesome in HD.

I believe ITV's is available too, there's a link to it from their website.

Both are excellent themes, IMO.

So is HBS handling the match feed and BBC graphics during the match, I noticed when they were showing split screen, the graphics were still coming on, which suggust its HBS, but the BBC have paid HBS to use BBC branded graphics?

Think I've dealt with the graphics issue earlier in the thread, I suspect that there's a metadata feed going out to all broadcasters who want it that's being used to drive the graphic production and overlay of and for each broadcaster. (Vancouver Olympics Style), hence the simultaneous appearance on all broadcast services, albeit in different formats.

No - as I mentioned earlier in the thread - it is now common for host broadcasters to provide a data feed to allow rights holders to render their own graphics over a clean feed of the match, but in sync with the host graphics. In fact the host graphics may themselves be rendered from the same data feed.

So HBS - or whoever controls the graphics - will provide the BBC (and other rights holders) with a data feed that lets them render their own graphics on their own graphics box, in their own style, but driven by the same data that drives the host graphics.

So when a substitution graphic is triggered on the host "dirty" feed, the same data is sent to the BBC, where it will trigger a BBC-style substitution graphic at the same time, rendered on a BBC graphics box. The graphics box could be at the IBC (and these days, conceivably, even back in London)

The chances are that the BBC are generating their graphics in sync with all the matches - so that they don't have to add the graphics at a later date (which would require an expensive operator probably - and complicate any edit). Much easier to do it all live, particularly if the matches are on red button or another BBC network.

I'm grateful to the really knowledgeable people on here for explaining some of the technical aspects of graphics and transmission. Got a couple more questions though:

- How are the slo-mo action replays managed? They are almost instantaneous and take in multiple shots from different angles. How do they select the exact portion of footage and manage to get them on screen so quickly?
- Aside from having lots of experience, are there any tricks used by the camera operators to always manage to get the ball in shot? It looks like an incredibly difficult skill, esp for the guys operating the jibs behind the goals. Do these operators simply need to have very quick reactions to get the camera in the right place at the right time when the ball is flying all over the place?
- Finally, are there restrictions on using the overhead camera on wires? Surely the camera can't come down too low during play as to put off the players or disrupt the game (ie. a long ball could hit it)? Also, is there one of these for the whole pitch or two in use in most games?

Some of these are maybe unanswerable by members on here, but just some things that have struck me from watching the coverage. Thanks.

It is likely that every camera is being individually recorded as an ISO (ISOlated camera feed) into an EVS server, along with extra cameras that are running at 3xnormal frame rate but aren't used for live coverage. These cameras give you the super-smooth slow-mo.

There will be a couple of EVS operators who all know exactly what to do - and as they are watching the action they will be marking interesting points so that they can instantly jump back to them for playout. The director will then call the various replays, and they will be mixed between them.

In your head imagine a huge Sky+ recording all the cameras at the stadium, which can continue recording whilst replaying, and with lots of outputs!



The trick is just to keep following it, and to know what is going on. Also remember that the camera operators are actually in the stadium, so they can look at stuff other than what they are seeing in their viewfinder.

You also have to be good. It helps if you have an appreciation for the sport and what is important for the viewer to see.

There are also so many cameras that each camera operator will have a very specific role to play which they and the director will have agreed. This means that once the game is in play the camera operators KNOW what to do - and don't have to be continuously directed by the director.



Believe the rules for most sports covered with a wirecam like Spider etc. have added rules to cope with what happens if the ball hits it. It has happened in American Football in the US - where such cameras began to be used in the 70s or 80s.

was something wrong with the background behind Gary Lineker during the half time analysis, on the wide shots you could see the view through the window yet on the close ups of Garry it looked like there were venetian blinds behind him

Wasn't that the top of the building behind him?

Defo the Cape Town Stadium.

First to announce on TVF : England have lost the world cup 2010.

Not very surprising.