Weeks before fans fill the stands at a Bonney Field match, a small but talented group behind the scenes begins the diligent prep work for a Republic FC televised broadcast. From identifying the storylines that will be told to creating the graphics to loading in the CBS13 satellite truck, each matchday production is made possible by an Emmy-award winning crew.
Holding the reins of the broadcast is Franklin Pictures, a local award-winning video production company who oversees Republic FC’s in-stadium videoboard show, live stream and TV broadcast. The Sacramento-based company also regularly produces video content for Republic FC, including the 2016 Emmy-nominated “Live. Work. Play.” – a video short about our Indomitable City.
While Franklin Pictures leads the core duties of the broadcast, the crew is composed of production professionals from other companies as well, such as Sammco and Proshow HD Mobile Trucks, who provide camera operators and utility crew for most Republic FC matches.
Sacramento is a hotbed for some of the best directors, producers and camera operators in the industry who regularly serve on production teams for the Olympics, Wimbledon, World Cup, NBA and the Superbowl, all of who relish the opportunity to work in the place they call home.
The content, storylines and positioning of the brand is a collaboration between Franklin Pictures, the broadcast’s talent, producers, creative designers and Republic FC marketing staff.
On matchdays, the broadcast crew is among the first workers to arrive at Bonney Field and usually the last to leave. Depending on the type of production, there could be anywhere from a dozen to 40 crew members that need to arrive before noon to create the magic that will later beam into regional households.
From that point on, it’s a non-stop blur of production crews setting up cables on the pitch and in the broadcast booth for cameras and audio. The audio and utility crews arrive first, setting up all the microphones, headsets and other coms equipment needed for the crew to communicate and ensure they have the correct on-pitch visuals.
Meanwhile, Republic FC Play-by-Play Announcer Rob McAllister and Color Commentator Kevin Goldthwaite begin going over their notes and opening segment around 5 p.m. each matchday in the broadcast booth. Days before, McAllister has already created player cards for each player on the opposing team with stats and important notes on each. The cards are placed on a board with the lineup of both teams for quick reference.
The prematch schedule varies depending on whether the broadcast will be a television broadcast or an online YouTube stream. Streams begin just before kickoff with no preshow, while television broadcast matches—such as today’s match against LA Galaxy II—require more time to prepare. The opening of the show is prerecorded on the pitch about half an hour before kickoff in order to provide a better visual for viewers.
As soon as the prematch recording is wrapped, it’s a hurried walk up to the press box from the field to get McAllister and Goldthwaite on headset in time for the start of the broadcast. Both broadcasters receive last minute directions from the director in the broadcast truck and take a final look over the rundown, which breaks down each section of the broadcast to the exact minute and second it will be done.
Near kickoff, the red hat—the production team’s on-pitch contact—runs over to the player tunnel to begin coordination with the in-stadium entertainment operations crew led by Maurice Brazelton. The red hat also coordinates the team walk-out and kickoff with the broadcast to ensure timing is seamless for when the show returns from a commercial break. It is their responsibility to make sure the center official does not start the match before the director and talent are ready.
Meanwhile, in the span of time between the team walkout and kickoff, the in-stadium entertainment ops crew, must get the national anthem completed, get everyone but the players, officials and production crew off the pitch and conduct the coin toss, all while staying in-sync with the broadcast crew.
A seamless transition occurs from in-stadium presentations to the broadcast once the center official blows the whistle for kickoff. As the match gets underway, it is the theater of the game that drives the storylines, highlights and replays – all of which is orchestrated by the broadcast director’s voice through the coms set up hours beforehand.
Over the next 90 minutes of play, this crew is a seamless unit no different than the squad on the pitch, all of which wear the Republic FC badge with pride. And just as the players will watch game film later and review how to improve their own performance, so will this crew. For no matter if it is winning championships or Emmys, it all starts with the people on the team.
Weeks before fans fill the stands at a Bonney Field match, a small but talented group behind the scenes begins the diligent prep work for a Republic FC televised broadcast. From identifying the storylines that will be told to creating the graphics to loading in the CBS13 satellite truck, each matchday production is made possible by an Emmy-award winning crew.
Holding the reins of the broadcast is Franklin Pictures, a local award-winning video production company who oversees Republic FC’s in-stadium videoboard show, live stream and TV broadcast. The Sacramento-based company also regularly produces video content for Republic FC, including the 2016 Emmy-nominated “Live. Work. Play.” – a video short about our Indomitable City.
While Franklin Pictures leads the core duties of the broadcast, the crew is composed of production professionals from other companies as well, such as Sammco and Proshow HD Mobile Trucks, who provide camera operators and utility crew for most Republic FC matches.
Sacramento is a hotbed for some of the best directors, producers and camera operators in the industry who regularly serve on production teams for the Olympics, Wimbledon, World Cup, NBA and the Superbowl, all of who relish the opportunity to work in the place they call home.
The content, storylines and positioning of the brand is a collaboration between Franklin Pictures, the broadcast’s talent, producers, creative designers and Republic FC marketing staff.
On matchdays, the broadcast crew is among the first workers to arrive at Bonney Field and usually the last to leave. Depending on the type of production, there could be anywhere from a dozen to 40 crew members that need to arrive before noon to create the magic that will later beam into regional households.
From that point on, it’s a non-stop blur of production crews setting up cables on the pitch and in the broadcast booth for cameras and audio. The audio and utility crews arrive first, setting up all the microphones, headsets and other coms equipment needed for the crew to communicate and ensure they have the correct on-pitch visuals.
Meanwhile, Republic FC Play-by-Play Announcer Rob McAllister and Color Commentator Kevin Goldthwaite begin going over their notes and opening segment around 5 p.m. each matchday in the broadcast booth. Days before, McAllister has already created player cards for each player on the opposing team with stats and important notes on each. The cards are placed on a board with the lineup of both teams for quick reference.
The prematch schedule varies depending on whether the broadcast will be a television broadcast or an online YouTube stream. Streams begin just before kickoff with no preshow, while television broadcast matches—such as today’s match against LA Galaxy II—require more time to prepare. The opening of the show is prerecorded on the pitch about half an hour before kickoff in order to provide a better visual for viewers.
As soon as the prematch recording is wrapped, it’s a hurried walk up to the press box from the field to get McAllister and Goldthwaite on headset in time for the start of the broadcast. Both broadcasters receive last minute directions from the director in the broadcast truck and take a final look over the rundown, which breaks down each section of the broadcast to the exact minute and second it will be done.
Near kickoff, the red hat—the production team’s on-pitch contact—runs over to the player tunnel to begin coordination with the in-stadium entertainment operations crew led by Maurice Brazelton. The red hat also coordinates the team walk-out and kickoff with the broadcast to ensure timing is seamless for when the show returns from a commercial break. It is their responsibility to make sure the center official does not start the match before the director and talent are ready.
Meanwhile, in the span of time between the team walkout and kickoff, the in-stadium entertainment ops crew, must get the national anthem completed, get everyone but the players, officials and production crew off the pitch and conduct the coin toss, all while staying in-sync with the broadcast crew.
A seamless transition occurs from in-stadium presentations to the broadcast once the center official blows the whistle for kickoff. As the match gets underway, it is the theater of the game that drives the storylines, highlights and replays – all of which is orchestrated by the broadcast director’s voice through the coms set up hours beforehand.
Over the next 90 minutes of play, this crew is a seamless unit no different than the squad on the pitch, all of which wear the Republic FC badge with pride. And just as the players will watch game film later and review how to improve their own performance, so will this crew. For no matter if it is winning championships or Emmys, it all starts with the people on the team.
