London 2012 Olympics

[Flashback]

great pics, bout time some Australia won something else then the 1. What's the opinion like in the media over there of the Aussies for these games? As you'd know they're getting a blasting here in the press for their poor achievements

To be honest I've not heard anything about it. All I've heard about is all the gold Team GB are winning...

 

[cove]

Just saw Sally run in the hurdles. It is a tough gig to win any medal for yourself and your country so the media should try to compete one day!
We are following the water polo girls and the men in the hockey. Each game is a hard act that's for sure.
Coming over??

 

[nlagalle]

great pics, bout time some Australia won something else then the 1. What's the opinion like in the media over there of the Aussies for these games? As you'd know they're getting a blasting here in the press for their poor achievements

We just missed on the trap.. Diamond missed it and lost in the bronze shootout. Actually the guys here are a bit deflated. Naturally they like to report winning gold, but it's been frustrating as we've come oh so close so many times. Mind you at the end of the day it's still an amazing achievement to make it to the Olympics, to win a medal is even better. Perhaps as a nation we expect too much?

 

[nlagalle]

Just saw Sally run in the hurdles. It is a tough gig to win any medal for yourself and your country so the media should try to compete one day!
We are following the water polo girls and the men in the hockey. Each game is a hard act that's for sure.
Coming over??

I'm going to try and visit the hockey later on.. Womens game is on.

 

[mella2007]

We just missed on the trap.. Diamond missed it and lost in the bronze shootout. Actually the guys here are a bit deflated. Naturally they like to report winning gold, but it's been frustrating as we've come oh so close so many times. Mind you at the end of the day it's still an amazing achievement to make it to the Olympics, to win a medal is even better. Perhaps as a nation we expect too much?

Personally I don't care either way. Australia is too sports orientated and sports people elevated to legend status for doing what they love (AFL Footballers I'm talking about you). I think it's great however that the entire world is supporting so many different cultures and opening up their eyes to more than what is in their own backyards.

 

[cove]

Yes Nick It is a world competition so we are 23 million out of 6 billion. Just to make it to the Olympics to represent your country is a huge,huge achievement. Your pictures are really excellent.

 

[whatmeworry]

Can't believe Diamond didn't at least medal. Disappointing channel 9 didn't show the trap Gold medal shoot off?

 

[nlagalle]

Can't believe Diamond didn't at least medal. Disappointing channel 9 didn't show the trap Gold medal shoot off?

He was in front up til shot 145 I think then dropped 2 in a row.. So disappointing after shooting 125/125 and being a shot in front.

 

[Must...Fly!]

He was in front up til shot 145 I think then dropped 2 in a row.. So disappointing after shooting 125/125 and being a shot in front.

You're telling me

Had a sizable wager on him go begging...brutal. Shooting is such high pressure, you can understand it when the nerves kick in

 

[mel-world]

Just found this thread as I have been a little busy at the Games. As per the original poster, nlagalle, I am working for the media in London but for the host broadcaster, Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS), so my role is somewhat different and I do not get to any of the venues or see any events, except on TV. Mind you, I do get to see every event as all signals come through the area I work in. As this is my 9th Olympics, I was fortunate to come from MEL on SQ in J but not until a few days before the Games with a couple of days to rest in SIN on the way. I came up from MEL on SQ 238 and then to LHR on SQ308 which conveniently arrives mid- afternoon.

I enjoyed the SQ service that is really special on their longest flights as has been covered by others on numerous threads. I do not mind the day flight and can usually get a little sleep as well as enjoying the personal service and the IFE on SQ's second oldest 380 but one that is still in excellent condition, unlike some of their 777ERs that are showing their age (already).

The accreditation validation, immigration and luggage collection was the quickest I have ever encountered at LHR so I was on the Heathrow Express within 25mins to Paddington but had a slow ride to my accommodation right next to the Olympic Park at Stratford. Here is a genuine view from my hotel room at the Staybridge Suites above the Holiday Inn at Westfield Stratford - sorry to all of you travelling miles everyday to get to the events. I get a good 20 min work to work early in the morning and a 30 min walk back amongst the crowds each night.



I had a senior role with the Host Broadcaster in both Sydney in 2000 and then spent 4 years in Beijing for the Games in 2008 but this time I am employed for only 3 weeks monitoring all the feeds in an area called Production Quality Control (PQC). Even if you are watching the coverage on NINE, FOXTEL, the BBC or NBC, you will be watching the basic host broadcaster pictures from OBS except for any broadcaster's add-on cameras in the studio, in commentary positions or in the 'Mixed Zone' for the after event interviews. NBC will add a lot more cameras to cover their athletes and NINE may have individual cameras at a few venues to cover the Australians but if you have just watched Anna Meares win gold all that coverage will have come from the HB (Host Broadcaster) with Phil Liggett adding his commentary track-side.

To give you some idea of the scale of the event, OBS produces 5600 hours of coverage with over 100 individual HD and 3D feeds from every sport including 91 cameras just at the main stadium and 1000 cameras overall. There are 1275 commentary positions at the venues and a 24/7 Olympic News Service amongst the other services provided to 147 broadcasters who own the rights to the Olympics. Some of these have no presence in London at all - they take the 10 HD 'channels' (similar to the FOXTEL offering) available around the world and containing every gold medal performance. FOXTEL are doing their own packaging in London.

These pictures (taken in very low light) will give you an idea of the area where all the signals are managed.



We work long hours in PQC monitoring all these feeds to ensure that nothing is missed by the producers and directors who come from all over the world to originate the HB coverage. An Aussie crew always cover all the Aquatics (Swimming, Diving, Water Polo and Sync Swimming) with a crew from Finland and Sweden doing the Athletics and a crew from CCTV in China providing the host broadcast of all Gymnastics. If you want to watch 5 feeds of every minute of Fencing a Hungarian crew have provided that coverage.

The production plan is rather conservative and concentrates on unbiased television so all athletes are treated equally while they are competing but then we celebrate with the winners - the victory ceremonies always look the same no matter the venue, for instance - so that commentators at the venue or in their home country know what to expect. You would be unhappy if you did not see the Aussies over the line in the Triathlon even if they were down the field and did not win medals. We do not get it right all the time but in London, like Sydney, the broadcasters have generally been happy.

We are ready to handle any weather delays, late changes to the complicated schedule or any 'incidents' or failures that happen at the venues.

Although I have not been to any venue, I do get the impression that the atmosphere is much the same as in Sydney - everyone is having a good time and not getting too worried about the crowds or the long wait for the trains. It really helps that the Poms are winning more than even they expected. I am getting heaps from my English colleagues in PQC.

I hope thus gives you a little flavour of the resources needed to bring the Games to you at home or watching in some airline lounge somewhere in the world.

 

[nlagalle]

Great brief there! I was lucky to get a tour of that very room in Beijing and it was awesome.. Amazing behind the scenes work to bring it to the tv!

 

[simongr]

The production plan is rather conservative and concentrates on unbiased television so all athletes are treated equally while they are competing but then we celebrate with the winners - the victory ceremonies always look the same no matter the venue, for instance - so that commentators at the venue or in their home country know what to expect. You would be unhappy if you did not see the Aussies over the line in the Triathlon even if they were down the field and did not win medals. We do not get it right all the time but in London, like Sydney, the broadcasters have generally been happy.

We are ready to handle any weather delays, late changes to the complicated schedule or any 'incidents' or failures that happen at the venues.

Although I have not been to any venue, I do get the impression that the atmosphere is much the same as in Sydney - everyone is having a good time and not getting too worried about the crowds or the long wait for the trains. It really helps that the Poms are winning more than even they expected. I am getting heaps from my English colleagues in PQC.

I hope thus gives you a little flavour of the resources needed to bring the Games to you at home or watching in some airline lounge somewhere in the world.

Re the bolded items - interesting that PEK is conspicuous by its absence in those statements

Great insights into the behind the scenes stuff.

Interesting that you mentioned 3D feeds - shows how far behind Australian broadcasters are that we have such limited 3D coverage

 

[blackcat20]

Naturally they like to report winning gold, but it's been frustrating as we've come oh so close so many times. Mind you at the end of the day it's still an amazing achievement to make it to the Olympics, to win a medal is even better. Perhaps as a nation we expect too much?

I'm a bit mixed on this. Our silver medalists are being called poor sports for being disappointed at missing out on gold, yet no athlete sets out to come second at the Olympics. If I worked my butt off for four years I'd be a bbit miffed too. But in the other hand, any medal is an achievement and they should be proud of themselves.

Loving all the pics

 

[nlagalle]

Re the bolded items - interesting that PEK is conspicuous by its absence in those statements

Great insights into the behind the scenes stuff.

Interesting that you mentioned 3D feeds - shows how far behind Australian broadcasters are that we have such limited 3D coverage

I do believe the 3D coverage is very limited and as a trial. I did spot a camera at the Aths tonight though. They certainly aren't broadcasting the whole thing in 3D.

 

[nlagalle]

I'm just on the bus back to the hotel after watching Sally in the 100m hurdles final. OMG what a race!

Credit also should go to Anna Meares who pulled a brilliant final to win the sprint. She has an amazing story

 

[jetlagger]

Wonderful work.. Appreciative of your efforts to share with us.. Thanks

 

[mel-world]

Re the bolded items - interesting that PEK is conspicuous by its absence in those statements

Great insights into the behind the scenes stuff.

Interesting that you mentioned 3D feeds - shows how far behind Australian broadcasters are that we have such limited 3D coverage

Beijing suffered for a couple of reasons by comparison to both SYD and LON. Most of the local tickets for PEK were awarded to local administrators and officials so the venues were empty except when the Chinese were competing and likely to win. The Olympic Park was restricted to accredited personnel and those holding tickets for that day so empty most of the time and therefore lacked atmosphere unlike London.

From a HB point of view, there were major challenges working with the Chinese system until the last few months when everything suddenly got easier when the senior politicians realised that the event would be an excellent opportunity to show off their administration to the local population and to the world. Some modern specialist stabilised camera equipment used to film from helicopters (supplied by the Chinese Army), cars and boats could not be used in China as they contained the same gyro technology used by the US military so could not be imported into China for the event.

However the Beijing Games were still a resounding success for a number of other reasons - especially in Australia for the Seven Network.