PRODUCING LIVE BROADCASTS The Man Behind The Screen Ajesh Ramachandran (Producer, ESPN Software India (P) Ltd.) talks to Aditi Sharma about the nuances of live broadcasting and managing people to perform in crisis situations |
 After joining the company for his first job as an intern six years back, Mr. Ajesh Ramachandran has worked his way up and is now a Producer at ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. He completed a course in radio and television journalism from Indian Institute of Mass Communication, subsequent to which he was “desperate to do something in the arena of sports”. He knocked on the doors of ESPN, and as he puts it, “They were kind enough to take me in for an internship. They must have seen something they liked, because they called me back after my exams.” But it was not just his love for sports that got him where he is today. Mr. Ramachandran admits that he did have some inherent skills that are required for a behind-the-scenes production job. He found that he had a flair for scripting and an inclination for putting things together. Besides just following the latest sporting events, he was interested in the statistical aspects as well, which ensured that he was meticulous in his approach towards the kind of work that a sports-programme production job required. In his current position, he is able to leverage all these facets, about which he says, “It does not feel like work. To earn my living, I am doing something that I really enjoy.” It may not feel like work, but when we ask him to tell us more about his job, it sure sounds like a lot of work! Of all the tasks of a producer in a sports-broadcasting company, the most challenging is to produce live telecasts. Mr. Ramachandran primarily covers cricket broadcasts, and is responsible on-site for the feed broadcast in India. The company also makes a world feed, which services other parts of the world. A producer, he tells us, is one who puts together the entire telecast that goes on-air, and is in charge of the creative content. Overall, a telecast could include a live broadcast, a recorded programme, a studio show, a discussion series, and a host of other events. However, live broadcasts are more complicated, as they include pre-game, mid-game and post-game shows and discussions. The responsibilities of a producer also include ensuring that the commentators are slotted into their rosters properly, and the viewers are shown what they really want to see in a game of cricket, whether it be replays, graphics, or statistics. “We try and give the viewers the best possible viewing experience,” says Mr. Ramachandran. The rapid progress in sports coverage owes a lot to the changes in market scenarios. In India, live sporting events were initially covered by the state-run broadcaster, but after the 1990s, the market opened up and private players entered the fray. However, the most radical changes have taken place in the last 10 to 15 years, where technology has improved by leaps and bounds. Taking the example of cricket coverage, Mr. Ramachandran tells us, “Earlier, a good telecast was one which had 6 to 7 cameras on the field. Now, that number has gone up to 30 or 35. There are manned as well as unmanned cameras, some running on cables and some on cranes; all to give those sensational angles. Sensitive technology allows us to put microphones near the stumps so you can hear the chatter on the field. There are tools like Hawk-Eye and Virtual Eye; there are EVS machines which give us instant replays from the best possible angles; all of this was not available before.” |
 With his passion towards his work so evident, Mr. Ramachandran was, in fact, one of the producers of the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Cup, in South Africa. As if that was not satisfying enough, he was also involved in the final of the same World Cup, where India made history by beating Pakistan by five runs. He says about this experience, “Just like it was the first time for the players to be playing in such a tournament (Twenty20), it was our first time covering it as well. Besides being a commercial success, the crowning moment was that it was such a close match. It was scripted so well!”Despite all the hard work that goes into producing the perfect show, glitches do occur. And sometimes, when this happens in a live broadcast, the mistake could be there for all the viewers to see. But not all mistakes happen in front of the camera, as Mr. Ramachandran tells us, “Machines being machines will give way at some point, but we have so many layers before the feed goes on-air that such glitches are almost always corrected by the time the pictures go out live. Life too, comes with a lot of challenges. What matters is how you absorb the pressure and handle things and move ahead.” A producer’s job definitely requires communication with team members on and off the sets. Asking Mr. Ramachandran for his advice on dealing with people-related challenges, he explains, “Managing people is a very tricky thing. If done well, it can help gain a clear advantage; while there are times when it can work otherwise. The essential thing is that as long as you treat people with respect, you will earn their trust.” Talking about respecting others, we ask Mr. Ramachandran to take a tough call and tell us about his own favourite sports programme. “Top Gear,” comes the quick answer. “The creative genius behind this BBC motor sports show is a gentleman called Jeremy Clarkson. Every episode is a masterpiece because it is so finely crafted and well put-together. The scripting is pure genius. I keep buying DVDs of the show whenever I see them. It generates a certain awe and wonder about how much genius exists in this world and what people can do when they are really good at something,” he says appreciatively. Something else that Mr. Ramachandran appreciates is “curling up with a good book and reading about someone else’s reality”. While his favourite authors keep changing, he adds, “I like obscure authors! At last count, I really enjoyed Dr. Abraham Verghese’s writing. He writes with a certain humaneness that I was really touched by.” |
|
|
