Viewing Competitions LIVE vs. Camera

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Nancy Kerrigan made an interesting comment the other day about SPEED of skaters. When watching competitions LIVE, one sees exactly the speed of the skater. When watching by TV or Computer, the camera follows the skater up close and one does not see the actual speed of the skating. I believe Nancy is correct.

There are also other distinctions in which media one is viewing the competitions. The height of the jumps is very much more real in the arena, possibly because you are seeing the jump in the entire scope of the arena.

For me, footwork is much livelier by TV or Computer for the same reason jumps are. If one were to watch footwork live, it would not look so scrumptuous as it does with the camera following it.

Of course, top tier skaters look good in both Live and TV- Computer views when they are skating at their best.

In physical size, some skaters look much tinier Live than on TV.

Joe

 

[Tonichelle]

yeah Caroline looked WAY taller than she is on the TV (during her actual program, she looked dinky in the warm up lol)

The only reason I like TV 'more' is because I always have the best seat in the house...

now of NBC could get some decent camera men that'd be GREAT.

 

[gkelly]

For me, footwork is much livelier by TV or Computer for the same reason jumps are. If one were to watch footwork live, it would not look so scrumptuous as it does with the camera following it.

I'm not so sure about that. Sometimes with the better skaters when they choose to do footwork emphasizing deep edges they end up drawing some really pretty pictures on the ice, which you can really only appreciate live and preferably on fairly clean ice.

Recently I saw one step sequence in a warmup right after a resurface that made an absolutely gorgeous pattern. Too bad the skater couldn't skate it quite as well during the program (and by that time the ice was a bit more scratched up anyway).

 

[R.D.]

The skaters "look" taller on TV because usually the cameraman adjusts the camera to THEIR height level, creating that illusion.

 

[hockeyfan228]

I think it depends on the skaters. Some look much, much better -- and faster -- live than they do on video, and because of the camera work, others look like they have great ice coverage. The skaters that are very finished and polished, with great control in their movements tend to look very good on TV, but their movements and jumps can look small in the arena, or they may stop their straightline footwork at the goal line, not the end of the rink, and don't always have the impact of less precise movers.

The skaters who fly across the ice with great control can look like fridge breaks on TV. (Arakawa and Volchkova both suffered from this, and so did Nikodinov, even after Button gave her a reprieve.) On the one hand, powerful movements or what looks like "flailing" on TV, and on the other hand, facial expressions that look silly close-up on camera or glacial also blend out in the arena when the bodies are moving in 3-D, as do many over-the-top costumes. True charisma comes across on TV better than speed, especially speed that is created by great technique, not pure power, which is I think one of the reasons why many people are so adamant in judging the SLC pairs event from TV.

 

[tilak]

In my opinion, from the front row close to the ice, my impressions were most skaters were taller or larger than TV. What really impressed me the most was how gorgeous everyone was. The skaters are such beautiful people.
Speaking of beauty, one of the most beautiful jumps I saw live was Johnny Weir doing a quad in practice. Only if he could do that when it counts!

 

[Tinymavy15]

The skaters "look" taller on TV because usually the cameraman adjusts the camera to THEIR height level, creating that illusion.

to me caroline looked tiny on TV and not so tiny in person. I prefer wathcing in person anyday, if you are at ice level. If not, I prefer the TV.

 

[Dodhiyel]

Nancy Kerrigan made an interesting comment the other day about SPEED of skaters. When watching competitions LIVE, one sees exactly the speed of the skater. When watching by TV or Computer, the camera follows the skater up close and one does not see the actual speed of the skating. I believe Nancy is correct.

There are also other distinctions in which media one is viewing the competitions. The height of the jumps is very much more real in the arena, possibly because you are seeing the jump in the entire scope of the arena.

For me, footwork is much livelier by TV or Computer for the same reason jumps are. If one were to watch footwork live, it would not look so scrumptuous as it does with the camera following it.

Of course, top tier skaters look good in both Live and TV- Computer views when they are skating at their best.

In physical size, some skaters look much tinier Live than on TV.

Joe

I basically agree with you, Joe.

I used to go to see skating live, a lot, and I noticed, for example, how much more Brian Boitano's power and speed was evident when seen live. That was at a rink show to raise funds for Chernobyl, if I remember correctly. I had never seen Brian skate live before, and seeing that, made quite an impression upon me.

I also think that TV viewing cannot compare with the excitement of seeing skating live, but on the other hand, I dearly love watching the footwork, i.e., the feet themselves, in TV close-ups, because to me, the most important part of footwork is a combination of intricacy, speed, and, most of all, the cleanliness accompanying that speed and intricacy. For me, when footwork is not clean, intricacy and speed simply cease to be admirable. I love to see those blades cut smoothly, surely, and cleanly through the ice, like a knife through water. I used to love it so much when the camera gave close-ups of Alexei Yagudin's feet during his footwork, because of the swiftness and cleanliness of their movements, long before "Winter".

So, all in all, I love both live and TV viewing, my ideal being to be there live, and also have a recording of the telecast for viewing later. It has sometimes been frustrating when I could not view later, at home, the wonders I have seen in person. But "you can't have beer and skittles every night".

 

[gio]

Because skaters wear skates, which is like wearing heels. A girl such as Irina with her skates on is tall 180cm (5.10/11 feet), when she is barefoot is 160cm (5.3/4).

Same with Caroline, who barefoot is really little, but with skates of 20cm on she gains in height.

So it is because of this that they seem taller LIVE and on TV. Because they gain at least 20cm with skates and with skates protection when they are off-ice.

I always forget that the skates make people taller. So I was always wondering why every skater was taller than Gwendal Peizerat when he was doing interviews for Eurosport.

And they look taller, also because they have proper posture. Proper posture create a height illusion.

 

[Ladskater]

I agree. Live is much better. One also does not experience seeing the feet of the competitors being cut off by some horrible message being scrolled across
the bottom of one's tv set while viewing live. I find this most annoying!!! I also like the thrill and excitement of being part of the crowd, clapping and cheering. Always much better viewing live!!!

 

[Linny]

Charisma

Charisma is more evident live than on TV.
Linny

 

[Jasper]

Watching in person is more exciting and invigorating - and I don't agree that you have to be at ice level. Sometimes it's nicer to be further back to get a whole scope of the arena and the program. Although for skater practices, it is fun to sit up close and watch a skater do a triple axel or an ice dance team do a lift right in front of you.

 

[heyang]

When attending live skating, I find that sitting near the ice doesn't give you a good representation of ice coverage. Sitting too high up loses detail. If I could pick, I'd probably choose something in the 5th to 8th row near center ice, depending upon the size and layout.

If camera work is good, you get a number of different perspectives. The SkyCam really gives a sense of ice coverage, speed and ice patterns. You can really see the edges when the focus on ice level. I HATE when they try to get artistic and focus on the skater's shadow on ice or the hand position in the air.