Smucker's Sky Cam

[Tenorguy]

Skycam

I pretty much agree with anyone who thought the skycam shots were disconcerting. Fred Astaire kept telling directors and camera men "Keep me in the shot the entire time, from the feet to my head." Simple in concept, not so simple to execute. But simple camera work in his day certainely worked for him and many other dancers in the golden age of movie musicals.

This MTV-generation love of zooming shots and quick cuts (so easy now to edit this style because of computers) has short-changed the portrayal of filmed dance to the point where the choreography is fully captured. Case in point: Moulin Rouge - was there any choreography in the whole thing? Couldn't tell because the camera was sputtering everywhere, focusing on nothing in particular.

Now this skycam thing - how are we supposed to tell the amplitude of a jump if the camera is hovering 40 ft above the ice?

Tenorguy

 

[Aloft04]

I liked it!

That said, I think they overused it at this event. Like any new toy the novelty will wear off and the times to use it to best effect will become clear. With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good....

 

[Mathman]

With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good....

 

[Doggygirl]

I give up....

I'm changing my name to Smuckers. Will that make ME good?

DG

 

[show 42]

The inventor of the "sky cam" must be a fan of hand-held cameras. Either that or he saw the "Bourne Supremacy" one too many times.........42

 

[SkateFan4Life]

Is FANTASTIC!!! We will finally be able to capture more of what the relative speed of the skaters' performances are with respect to one another, and we get to view PATTERNS.

This is a great step forward for TV viewers, and I love it!!

How do you all feel about it?

I give the SkyCam a huge thumbs-up. It made for some wonderful views of the skaters as they performed their routines.

 

[sk8er1964]

I liked it too, for the most part. If they refine how they use it, it could be a really good thing. I think I liked it in the dance events the most (what I saw of them, because my local ABC station decided to show the Minn v Iowa basketball game instead of the Free Dance. I'd really like to know why on earth they did that, when the national champs and the 4th place team train in Detroit, and to the best of my knowledge Detroit is not located in either Minnesota or Iowa. You can bet I'll be writing a letter that they will probably ingore. )

 

[Lotta]

I miss Chevy's sponsership where they just used stromotion in replays.

Awww I know! I miss those too. That's the coolest thing in the history of replaying sports. Why did they take it out?

 

[Doggygirl]

Hi Sk8ter...

I liked it too, for the most part. If they refine how they use it, it could be a really good thing. I think I liked it in the dance events the most (what I saw of them, because my local ABC station decided to show the Minn v Iowa basketball game instead of the Free Dance. I'd really like to know why on earth they did that, when the national champs and the 4th place team train in Detroit, and to the best of my knowledge Detroit is not located in either Minnesota or Iowa. You can bet I'll be writing a letter that they will probably ingore. )

My hubby (not a skating fan) liked the "sky" cam during the dance events too. BUT....I know for sure his reasons for liking it are way different than yours. Or that's what I'm guessing anyway.:agree:

DG

 

[purplecat]

It's horrible. Keep it for replays if you must have it at all.

 

[shanilia]

The sky cam is okay. It's good for the footwork to see ice coverage. But not good for spins because I get nauseous watching the skater spin while the sky cam is moving as well.

 

[Mathman]

The sky cam is okay. It's good for the footwork to see ice coverage. But not good for spins because I get nauseous watching the skater spin while the sky cam is moving as well.

I agree with that. On the spins you can't tell if the spin is centered or traveling because the camera is moving.

MM

 

[sk8er1964]

My hubby (not a skating fan) liked the "sky" cam during the dance events too. BUT....I know for sure his reasons for liking it are way different than yours. Or that's what I'm guessing anyway.:agree:

DG

I would expect so!

 

[megsk8z]

Smuck-cam. Save it for the replays.
I think it has more value in a team sport like football, or even synchro skating.

 

[Jill]

Lose the sky cam! I thought this years camera worked sucked. Way too many a$$ shots and blank screens.

 

[show 42]

Just contacted Smuckers saying that their name affixed to the "Sky Con, I mean Sky Cam" didn't leave a good taste in my mouth (pun intended).......don't know what good it will do, but I feel much better........... :agree: 42