During an IBC Super Session on HD production, Hill said one of the most
challenging aspects of HD production was teaching camera operators how
to frame shots for both 4:3 and 16:9 television audiences. After much
consultation, Hill said his head team settled on an approach pioneered
by Hollywood films of the 1950s, which rang true to many of its
employees. In February of this year, Fox produced Super Bowl XXXIX,
telecast in widescreen 720p HD, with a single crew. Previously, other
networks produced two separate, yet simultaneous broadcasts.
Q: How did Fox crews satisfy both 4:3 and 16:9 widescreen viewers with the same 720p camera?
A: There was no book or user manual for shooting HD. We were basically
working from the seat of our pants. I knew the difficulties, but I knew
our engineers would get it done. They always have. And sometimes under
the most difficult circumstances.
HD totally re-energizes the TV experience for viewers with a 33 percent
larger screen. We had to get all of our camera operators on the same
page. When HD was first considered, I got all of my directors together
for a workshop on how creatively we were going to tackle the 16:9
[aspect ratio]. I wanted to make sure that we didn't in any way deprive
our SD viewers of any of the live sports experience.
One of our directors said we should follow the words of [famed
Hollywood western film director] John Ford. Back in the 1950's, movies
went from 4:3 to 23:9 aspect ratio. But most of the theaters still had
4:3 screens. Ford told his camera operators, "Always keep the
stagecoach in the middle of the frame." Those words of wisdom still
apply today. So if a camera operator keeps the auction in the middle of
the frame, he can't go wrong.