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I try not to make every post a complaint, but there are some things that can’t be tolerated.
And one of them is the use of the utterly hopeless pictures from the camera car on the inside of the track as the primary coverage of a NH race.
I’ve just watched the 1:15 from Wincanton and I’ve almost no idea what happened in the first two miles – fortunately some common sense was applied for the last four fences and the pictures reverted to wide angle camera so that viewers could actually see all the horses jump the fences and assess the distances between them.
I’ve no doubt that the close up pictures from the camera car get the director wetting his pants at how exciting it looks and improve his chances of winning an award for his coverage when a couple of hundred like minded wallies gather for their annual booze up.
But I’m paying my £20 per month for one thing and one thing only – I want to watch the race!
If I’m not the only one, then please add your comments here so that we can pressurise RUK into giving their customers what they want, not the output of some artist that would rather be making pop videos!
AP
You certainly are not the only one AP.
Often think the use of camera cars are over-used. Much prefer to see the whole field and how they are all jumping. Can understand (to a certain degree) terrestrial TV showing close ups. But not specialist broadcasters. This type of pic should be used sparingly in races.
Mark
Value Is EverythingCompletely agree – I want to see the entire race in wide angle, absolutely no "close-up" shots at all.
If we must have them, then save the "sexy" shots for the race reviews.
Then again none of the coverage we have here can be as bad as the French TV pictures on Arc day – I’m sure the director is after an award in the category of "most changes of shot that can be used in a minute, of which 75% must be totally irrelevant"
Leave the clever artistic impressions and close ups for the replays when they may have a purpose e.g to focus on the jumping of a specific horse, to analyse falls, or trouble in runningWhen watching live pictures wide angle shots covering as much of the field as possible, and where possible from an elevated position in the stands, are a must.
In-running punters will surely be seething
On a related point am I the only one who doesn’t care for Fontwell’s new finish camera position on the inside. Doesn’t convey the arc from the last fence to winning post, nor the actual winning line itself nearly as well as it did when stands’ side
Surely the close-ups from the camera car are provided for Channel 4 coverage.
As far as I am aware the only camera that RUK use is the one for the presenters and the occasional paddock shot.
You certainly don’t get that sort of shot when C4 are not in attendance.
I’m not sure if RUK can or want to opt out of the C4 coverage, if they can they should.
Colin
The camera at Fontwell used to be in the members stand but that has been demolished to make way for a new one. There’s nowhere suitable on the next stand along, so a temporary tower in the centre of the course, where the stewards also watch, has been built. The new stand is meant to be finished by late August and the normal camera position will be restored.
Drone,
The Fontwell camera position is temporary whilst their Members stand is being rebuilt from the ground up – the winning post has also been moved a few yards closer to the last obstacle during this work.
Returning to RUK, my understanding is that their director has the choice of the pictures used by C4 and those they normally use from Racetech (or is it SIS these days). I had this debate via emails with Jim Ramsey two or three years ago when the camera car pictures were being used on RUK during a Cheltenham meeting. He accepted the point and things did change in the following months, but he’s no longer working for RUK.
AP
The coverage from Kempton last Monday was very poor. Still showing a replay of the 1:55, a 0-110 Novices Handicap Chase 5 minutes before a decent class 2 hurdle with coverage for that race only starting with the runners arriving at the post. Only 1 meeting to cover that day as well. Are they banned from the parade ring at Kempton for some reason?
They have some very good presenters, interviewers and pundits but frequently make little use of them.
Should be doing better considering the 20 quid a month fee they charge. At least let us see the horses when race schedules permit.
The coverage from Kempton last Monday was very poor. Still showing a replay of the 1:55, a 0-110 Novices Handicap Chase 5 minutes before a decent class 2 hurdle with coverage for that race only starting with the runners arriving at the post. Only 1 meeting to cover that day as well. Are they banned from the parade ring at Kempton for some reason?
RUK had a camera in the parade ring on Monday. Oli Bell was presenting – however I did not they did not seem to be using the camera to look at the runners in the parade ring.
Thought it was abysmal coverage and they’re clearly not interested in what viewers want, surprising the RUK presenters don’t make the director see the light over this issue, if it wasn’t for the commentator saying where on the track the horses were you’d have no idea from these pictures, one things for sure no commentator would be relying on them for his commentary.
Some weeks ago when complaints were made about close ups in a finish on RUK some presenters on the channel suggested it had nothing to do with them and it was a Racetech matter, this is not the case here so lets see some action RUK presenters, after all we pay some of your wages.On a separate issue have you noticed that during the big races of the day on C4 they put the latest football scores along the bottom of the screen, not before or after the race but always during it, quite bizarre and I find a bit of an unnecessary distraction, can you imagine the latest racing results going along the bottom of the screen during a televised football match?
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