Replay: EWS Live Feed - Crankworx Whistler 2018

 Painful 2hr Whistler commercial.

 Enduro is really stretched out, both in terms of space (long stages all over the damn mountain) and time. That makes for a lousy task in trying to get some compelling live coverage - you're pretty much guaranteed that you can't cover live action, so it's all about reaction, analysis, interviews for the live stream. That should be PB's strength - lots of personalities, lots of knowledge - but it looks like they don't have live data to create that sort of content.

But the same thing that makes it so hard to do this live is also what makes it possible to create a compelling package after the fact. Let's say you recruit 20 or so people and give them cameras and a bit of training on how to use them properly. Then you position them on the key sections of each of the stages (you can increase coverage by having people move on a couple stages after their stage completes - in this case, you'd have had a ton of coverage on stage 5, the big one). You make sure that their footage contains GPS tags and synchronized time stamps, and you have them film every rider coming down the course through these key sections.

That evening, two or three editors grab the data from the timing system and look for stories - dominant stage performances, riders who over/under-perform, combine that with whatever anecdotes you've gathered from the interviews after the stages. Weave together a story - and then find the footage to support telling the story. Show Rider A ripping on the early segments of a stage, then show him having been passed after a mechanical and nursing their bike down that gnarly bit of trail further down. Do a bit of analysis, show the different line choices and styles (think Cathrovision). Over the next day or two, get some responses from the riders (probably off-line via Skype or Hangouts later on, as they all move on traveling to the next event).

And a couple days later, you've now turned the whole thing into a mini documentary. Nope, it's not the big ticket live stream - but it's compelling content. Would probably create all kinds of interest in participation, would showcase the riders and allow them exposure by participating in the analysis piece, and wouldn't get stale (as in, it'll be watched again and again by people trying to learn something, or people prepping for next year's event, etc.) We're all so stuck on the idea that a big sports event only matters in the live coverage (or the as-soon-as-possible reporting afterwards). But enduro is not a football game (or even a DH race) where things happen over the same bits of ground in a manageable time frame. It's basically an epic day of riding times well over a hundred competitors - there are compelling stories to be told. I have a hard time believing there wouldn't be an audience for those stories - or a revenue model for a media company with deep expertise in the subject matter, rich industry/rider connections, and a rather sizeable audience.

 Classic crankworx camera work. Stationary cameras on boring sections of trail. Surely there’s a dude manning the camera. Why can’t they have him actually hold the camera and make it a bit more interesting. I feel like I’m watching a webcam or surveillance camera. Maybe they just want to make sure no one steals any sponsor signs.

 A live stream of a tap dripping would have been more entertaining! cant believe I just wasted a good few hours of my life watching this drivel!!

 what happened to the follow the riders position on a map thingo that was in place for the 2017 season?

 Live feed is a joke, boring sections of trail that run the camera by the sponsors billboards. Sad.

 The 1 minute highlights edit captures more of the feel, excitement and heartache of the race than this 2 hour live broadcast
www.pinkbike.com/news/1-minute-video-recap-ews-whistler-2018.html

 I've cooled down a bit after last nights (..and I'm being nice here) frankly dismal "live" feed EWS race production, all of the above VERY well put ideas seem things that Crankworx Really could do with to looking in to! I find it pretty bemusing that what with all the you tubers/indie film makers etc. I see coming out of Canada, not to mention whistler itself, that they couldn't seem to find anyone to film this event even halfway properly.
Surly most if not all of the folk, amateurs and pro's that film MTB in that area would have thrown themselves at Crankworx for the opportunity to get involved (paid or otherwise I'd think) as it would have to look dam good on a C.V wouldn't it?
One last point I'll make before I stop my rant, addressed to whomever was responsible for "filming" the event, there are these new fangled things called drone's they seem to be proving to be an excellent way of filming "action" of riders riding there MTB's in all sort's of situation's, use a bit of Google fu, and look these video productions up, there all over the net, even here on Pinkbike.
I would have thought there may even be one or two professional action sports outfits around that have this way of filming down to a fine art, if a guy with a camera in a heil in whistler is too much to stump up for to film your enduro event maybe drones might be the way to go, just a thought.

 This is why DH world cup is still so much exciting to watch.

 Why don’t they talk to redbull? They seem to know a little bit about broadcasting a bike race.

 beast unleashed mode Mr Maes..!!! Game On

 click here says live feed, race underway....wont start for 3 hrs?