America's Cup Racing Commission
LENGTH:
7 minutes
CONCEPT: Record the final exciting moments leading up to the American win of this important race.
PRESENTATION: Projected onto a 12' x 14' rear-projection screen using a pair of stacked Barco 9200 projectors. Audience of approximately 300 wore polarized glasses.
Final Hours of America's Cup
The camera crew arrived at shortly before 7:00 a.m. to meet with E.S.P.N. producer and then jump aboard the pace boat. Our camera operator, Parker Bartlett, positioned himself just off the port bow, establishing the set-up position he would occupy for most of the day. Despite some choppy water, which almost threw he and the camera overboard, he managed to stay dry. A special waterproof canvas cover was designed to fit snugly over the LK-33, and keep salt spray, or worse, from both the head unit and the Sony BVV-5 Betacam deck. It was decided that both the camera and the cameraman should be secured with ropes, just in case things got active. The captain of the boat was instructed to get as close to the marking buoy's as possible, but being sure to stay clear of the flags which lined the course. There would only be one chance to catch a shot as they passed one of the final turns on the course. The pace boat would be able to "track" with them for about an eighth of a mile. As the two competing boats got closer, officials shouted through bullhorns for the camera boat to back away, as it had wandered into the course jockeying for the best angle of view. Read More
America's Cup
Once the race passed by, it would take less than 90 minutes for the race to be over. As soon as the crew got back to shore, a second camera position was established directly at the center of the finish line. Twin microphones were mounted nearby to capture the sounds of excitement in stereo. Ninety minutes, almost to the second, the racers could be seen rounding the last bend before heading through the breakwater to the dock. Cheers and shouting could be heard from the hundreds of people lined on the shore. The America 2 was clearly in the lead and finished full 4 minuets of the Australians.