I’m curious as to how a ref will blow their whistle and get instant replay footage within seconds. Can someone explain this process to me?
In: Technology
It is a system called EVS. Oddly enough it is a program created for architecture and drafting but that’s another story.
The EVS machine takes feeds from 4 cameras and has 2 output channels (it can take in more or put out more depending the configuration but 4in 2out is prob most common configuration). There can be as many EVS machines as you want and they all work together on a server called Xserve.
When you see something that looks good or is a good play you “clip” it but spinning a wheel that moves the playhead forward and back. You mark an in and out point and save the clip. You can then push the clip to the server if it’s a really good one.
Now, any machine on the serve has access to all the other machines clips and can make a playlist. So, you simply grab all the clips you want (throw in a aux clip with audio at the top of you want it to music) pick the speed you want and transitions you want and when the director calls for it you hit play (or push your speed bar up to the top… Kinda looks like a speed shifter from a boat)
This whole process is done by working with the producer or AP and filling whatever is called for in the runsheet. So, it’s easy to plan what you want ahead of time and have it ready to go.. but a skilled replay op can have one made in seconds… Like a rollout to commercial.
Also there is jobs in the truck called r/o (replay only). They do JUST instant replay. So they clip things and have replays ready but don’t make playlists. This helps give the other EVS ops time to make the fancy packs while letting the r/o have whatever just happened at the ready for the director
The EVS outputs get named GOLD, SILVER, BLUE, RED and so on. This makes it easy for a director to call out directions on what output is going to air next.
Example of EVs chatter:
(After a home run)
Director “going to red for the replay. Who has a good look at the bat flip”
r/o1 “I got it on green”
Director “ok, green next”
r/o2 “great picture reaction on blue”
Director “thank you, blue next then back to gameplay”
EVS “can you push (send) those clips to my machine of the flip and pitcher react” … He then proceeds to put them into his bumper to break and plays it as announcers throw to next commercial break.
Hope that lays it out clearly for ya
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