CageyCraigey
Member
Hi People!
So, I always try to make my threads positive sounding but this may be an exception.
I have been watching a lot of pool being streamed of late and the standard of commentary (announcing as it is more commonly known in the USA) is to put it mildly, largely atrocious.
Of note:
1. Guys just having an ongoing conversation with their co-commentator. Whether you need two commentators for pool is questionable and if you do, you both need to be disciplined and realize each others strengths and weaknesses. One adopts the role of play by play and the other summarizer.
2. Pool is a visual game, we do not need to be told what we can see or constantly guessing what the next shot will be.
3. Related to #2, silence is golden. Let the match breathe a little bit in your broadcast.
4. Yes this can be tough when there is one or two cameras and it is being done live but an understanding of riding the emotional wave of a match can be done much more effectively with a Director who understands single player sports. A great example...a players misses an important shot...a very brief comment from the announcer and then if you have a spare camera, move it to the player who just missed and capture their face as they look back at the table, the announcer can them very briefly reset for the next player coming to the table.
5. Save stories and anecdotes about the tournament, the venue, the players for when there is a break in play.
6. Rehearse an introduction, remember underplaying the intro gives you the room to expand your commentary.
7. When a player is celebrating, let the pictures do the talking. You can say a lot more with five words at such a time than with fifty.
8. Have sponsors shoutouts tightly scripted and then don't go into a conversation about how great the sponsors product is for the next five minutes.
9. Research...always have plenty of it done but realize dropping in stats and suchlike is there to just add flavor, not be a driving factor in broadcasts.
If you have read this far you may say: "Well, who the hell are you to say this?" I actually commentate on horse racing for a living. Most weeks of the year you can hear me on Fanduel TV in the USA or Sky Sports Racing in the UK commentating on horse racing. I was lucky to grow up in the late 1980's and early 1990's and be around commentators from various sports and learn first hand from them.
If anyone ever needs an announcer for their pool event if someone pulls out or such like, I would be willing to give it a go and help in any way I can.
Feel free to disagree. believe me having punters shout at you every day when you did not call their horse first over the line, I am used to broadcasting criticism!
Cheers,
Craig
So, I always try to make my threads positive sounding but this may be an exception.
I have been watching a lot of pool being streamed of late and the standard of commentary (announcing as it is more commonly known in the USA) is to put it mildly, largely atrocious.
Of note:
1. Guys just having an ongoing conversation with their co-commentator. Whether you need two commentators for pool is questionable and if you do, you both need to be disciplined and realize each others strengths and weaknesses. One adopts the role of play by play and the other summarizer.
2. Pool is a visual game, we do not need to be told what we can see or constantly guessing what the next shot will be.
3. Related to #2, silence is golden. Let the match breathe a little bit in your broadcast.
4. Yes this can be tough when there is one or two cameras and it is being done live but an understanding of riding the emotional wave of a match can be done much more effectively with a Director who understands single player sports. A great example...a players misses an important shot...a very brief comment from the announcer and then if you have a spare camera, move it to the player who just missed and capture their face as they look back at the table, the announcer can them very briefly reset for the next player coming to the table.
5. Save stories and anecdotes about the tournament, the venue, the players for when there is a break in play.
6. Rehearse an introduction, remember underplaying the intro gives you the room to expand your commentary.
7. When a player is celebrating, let the pictures do the talking. You can say a lot more with five words at such a time than with fifty.
8. Have sponsors shoutouts tightly scripted and then don't go into a conversation about how great the sponsors product is for the next five minutes.
9. Research...always have plenty of it done but realize dropping in stats and suchlike is there to just add flavor, not be a driving factor in broadcasts.
If you have read this far you may say: "Well, who the hell are you to say this?" I actually commentate on horse racing for a living. Most weeks of the year you can hear me on Fanduel TV in the USA or Sky Sports Racing in the UK commentating on horse racing. I was lucky to grow up in the late 1980's and early 1990's and be around commentators from various sports and learn first hand from them.
If anyone ever needs an announcer for their pool event if someone pulls out or such like, I would be willing to give it a go and help in any way I can.
Feel free to disagree. believe me having punters shout at you every day when you did not call their horse first over the line, I am used to broadcasting criticism!
Cheers,
Craig
