BROADCAST ACADEMY WRAP-UP OF THE IBC2017
With many international sporting events delivered by HBS in 2017 – such as the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia, Gold Cup U.S.A. and the SEA Games Kuala Lumpur – the company was able to add another accomplishment during the International Broadcast Convention 2017 (IBC 2017) with its Broadcast Academy training programme scheduling training sessions for aspiring sports TV production crews.
The Broadcast Academy and EVS, in partnership with the IBC2017, hosted two programmes. The morning session was dedicated to training tomorrow’s stars and encouraging the young graduates to develop their talents to become future sports-broadcasting professionals. More than 20 participants were introduced to the industry and given an opportunity to direct their very own football match. The mix of theory and practical, hands-on sessions made it a memorable experience for the participants.
The second session was devoted to encouraging women in the field of sports broadcasting. Fifteen young women took part in successfully directing a football match, coming together as a team in the simulated-sports environment to deliver like pros.
“Our goal was to create a programme that could train tomorrow’s full-live production crews and directors because we know how vital they are to the future quality of sports broadcasting,” said Lise Cosimi, Chief External Relations at Host Broadcast Services and Broadcast Academy Director. “And with women becoming more and more interested in this progressive field, we wanted to help develop their passions to not only innovate the industry in terms of competence but also in terms of diversity.”
Developed by HBS’ Broadcast Academy in partnership with EVS and IBC, the training sessions were built around the HBS/EVS’ Live TV simulator, a cutting-edge technology tool that gave attendees hands-on experience with equipment that is the backbone of the industry.
Riki Van Steeden, an expert HBS live-sports director who has co-ordinated multiple high-profile events all over the world, led the programme with the EVS trainer and operator Jan Mokallai, another accomplished veteran with extensive experience in directing ice hockey, basketball, soccer and volleyball.
“I not only saw a lot of talent in that room, but also a lot of enthusiasm,” Van Steeden said, referring to the programme participants. “That is an important factor when you want to reach your highest potential.”
At the well-attended event, the participants were pressed into action to direct a football match, calling the shots in the gallery as if they were seasoned professionals. And attendees simply couldn’t wait to get back into the simulator to give it another shot.
“We couldn’t pull them away from the training simulator,” Cosimi said. “Which means we accomplished our goal of sparking a passion for the sports-broadcasting industry.”
The Academy and EVS in partnership with IBC will continue to use its expertise to develop the talent of the youth and women in the sports broadcast industry.
