My UofSC Story

I got into this job by emailing the Live Production Department and inquiring about opportunities to work on games, as I'm not enrolled in the class that teaches broadcasting. The lady at the Career Center got back to me with a link on who does the games and who to message. I email everyone at live production. A Lady named Val got back to me and took me through the process.  Working alongside such amazing people and gaining excellent experience is a great opportunity.

GFX Ribbons: During my internship with UofSC Live Production, I worked at Cinch Rodeo for the first time. Unlike sporting events, this was a non-sporting event. My responsibilities included following the schedule, keeping track of the remaining time on the video, running commercials, and operating the video board. Sure, everything was good.

GFX 2: I work on graphics for UofSC baseball games. It was my first time doing Graphic 2. I ensured the videoboard was covered whenever a batter was at bat. Additionally, I had to keep track of their stats to display them on the board.

Camera Utility: I work in the camera utility for basketball and volleyball at the University of South Carolina. I have learned to use the over-under method and enjoy having a front-row seat at many games.

Camera 1: I work on camera 1. The game came on the video board side. For the WBB vs UConn on Sunday, February 11. I enjoyed this a lot the first time I ran a camera.

Replay: I have experience operating video replay systems for basketball and football games. As a replay operator, I work independently on a match on the video board, creating highlight packages and gameplay for both the Video board and the network.

I collaborate with the video board producer, who tells me which clips to play and when. I also coordinate with other video board or network operators, including the camera operator, music coordinator, and technical director. When the producer requests a clip, I send it to the video board or network and ensure it is synced with the audio and game clock. I record and archive all the clips for future use, essential for enhancing the fan experience and showcasing the game’s highlights.

Officials Review Utl: It was so much fun being on the field. I learned how to set up the Officials Review and did it all by myself in one game—running the SDI and XLR cables to the box on the field.

Audio 2: I worked on audio 2 for soccer and basketball. I connected the D12 to the server box and the D12 cables to the announcer boxes, play-by-play analyst, and spare. Connect to shotgun and nat mics. Fax everything out to make sure that Audio 1 can hear it.

Production Assistant: My job was to prepare for the upcoming sports games by setting up the cameras and cables to capture and transmit the live action from the court. I started by running the DT12 cable from the control room to the booth on the floor. This cable carries audio, video, and power signals and is commonly used in sports broadcasting. I connected it to the play-by-play, color or analyst, spare boxes, and the nat mic, a shotgun mic.

Next, I placed the monitor and hooked up the BNC cables. Then, I ran the XLR cables for the cameras on both sides of the court. These cables carry audio signals via high-quality, balanced connections and connect mics and headphones to cameras and control rooms. There were two cameras on both sides of the basket, on both sides of the court. One camera was a Video Board camera, and the other was a Network camera. Large screens inside the Arena were fed video from the Video Board camera, while the Network camera was utilized to broadcast footage on TV networks and online platforms.

After that, I hooked up the Slam Cam and the Elbow Cam to both baskets. The Slam Cam is a small camera mounted on the backboard above the rim, providing close-up views of dunks and rebounds. The Elbow Cam is a camera attached to the stanchion near the corner of the backboard, providing a side view of the basket and players. I ensured they were in focus and connected the BNC cable to the Slam and Elbow Cam.

Then, I connected the power cable for the Slam Cam and the Elbow Cam. I also ran lavalier and shotgun microphones to each of the baskets, connecting them to the XLR cables. I cable-managed all the wires and taped them down with gaff tape to secure and conceal them on the floor.

Next, I moved on to Cam 1 and Cam 2, located on the upper level of the Arena. There was Cam 1 for the Video Board and Cam 1 for the Network, as well as Cam 2 for the Video Board and Cam 2 for the Network. Cam 1 and 2 were the main cameras covering the game’s wide-angle and close-up shots. I assembled all the camera parts, including the camera body, lens, viewfinder, zoom controls, wires, handles, tripod, wheels, camera plate or tripod mount, focus controls, and power supply box. Then, I mounted them on the tripods and connected the XLR and BNC cables to the cameras and the control room.

I turned on the power box and checked the video and audio signals. Then I faxed out the cameras, which means I adjusted the iris, white balance, and black level to match the Arena’s’ lighting conditions and color temperature. After that, I was done with the set-up and ready for the game. They see my résumé on my website on my portfolio website that I did a lot with

Engineering:  I helped the technical team set up and test the reporter equipment for the upcoming game. This equipment included wireless microphones, headphones, cameras, and monitors, which allowed sideline reporters to communicate with the booth and viewers. However, I encountered issues with the audio quality and signal strength, which required me to troubleshoot the problems and replace some faulty cables. Moreover, I needed some critical equipment that was unavailable at the venue.

In addition, I troubleshot the announcer’s equipment before the game. Announcer equipment is a set of devices that enables the announcers to communicate with the audience and the production team. This broadcasting equipment includes microphones, headphones, audio consoles, cables, and other accessories. I faced some problems with the announcer equipment, such as feedback, distortion, and interference. Therefore, I had to troubleshoot and fix the issues before the game started.

Here are some of the troubleshooting steps we took:

- We checked all the devices’ connections and power supply to ensure they were secure and working correctly.

- We tested the microphones and headphones and adjusted the volume and equalization settings on the audio console.

- We replaced any faulty or damaged cables and connectors with new ones.

- We isolated and eliminated any sources of noise or interference, such as electrical appliances, wireless devices, or metal objects.

- We used gaff tape to secure and conceal the cables on the floor and prevent tripping hazards.

Apart from that, I also learned to solder XLR cables. I ran and terminated a CAT-6 Cable from the XPression to Trackman at baseball. I did that to get the Trackman data into the switcher to measure home runs, distance, angle, and exit velocity. Furthermore, I also learned to terminate SDI cables. I checked the connection between LC to LC Fiber and LC to ST Fiber.

Video:  I managed picture quality by adjusting irises and balancing cameras. I learned about different colors such as Red, Green, Blue, Black, White, Yellow, Cyan, and Magenta during my job. Achieving consistent color across various cameras is crucial, and it is done by adjusting irises and balancing the cameras. White balance is essential to ensure accurate colors under different lighting conditions. In post-production, colorists manipulate the colors to enhance or stylize the footage, evoking emotions or creating a specific look. For instance, they can improve the green grass on a soccer field. I will have to check the camera’s front and back focus.