Local lawn bowler, Chris Farmer, has been working at the Tokyo Olympics in the broadcast technical area.
It was his 10th game and he has been anticipating the event in one of his favourite countries. While Covid has complicated things and the Japanese were somewhat divided before the games after the Opening Ceremony, they, like the Aussies were glued to their TVs bowler
Chris spent more than three weeks working from 5 am to midnight for the Olympic Broadcast Services Organisation, OBS, a department of the IOC that is responsible for providing the successful broadcasting services and rights of the Olympic Games. These rights are on-sold to say the Channel Sevens of the world and they ensure that there is a high standard for the coverage and that all aspects of the Games are captured with cameras, microphones and commentary in locations where it would be impossible for just anyone to access.
This coverage is unbiased and the Channel Sevens of the world, take these feeds and then add their own impassioned coverage to them to suit their country. In Seven’s case the Aussies. bowler bowler
One day after his driver getting lost en route to the stadium he was glad he had allowed his usual excessive time for the trip as he ended up jumping out of the still-moving car and dashing one kilometre around the back streets arriving at the approved door of the stadium “feeling like I had just represented Australia in the men’s hurdles” still needing to sanitise and have his temperature taken.
Finally in, and racing to the Commentary Control Room so equipment can be set up and tested so that when the Commentators arrive, within the next hour or so, they can check with their studios and home country and be ready for the start of the Men’s Marathon. bowler
Outside events complicated his work as the different countries may work “off-tube” and the OBS team not only has to get their Commentary signals back to the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and home studios but also need to get an undelayed feed to all of the CATV monitors in the stadium with the sound effects (called International Sound), so that they can commentate the race and sound like they are actually there for the viewers watching it at home.
They were long days. Now back in quarantine in Sydney he has been poked and prodded, beeped at and swabbed but not complaining as the food has been good.
His comments to all the Athletes, well done and good on you Aussies for punching so, so much above your weight. You are truly inspirational in a time that so needs inspiration.
