Whats with SPEED Channel???

[Geo]

Originally posted by MarkL:
Yeah, Speed/NASCAR doesn't even cover the cool kinds of NASCAR racing: Modifieds and the various late-model divisions. I bet there won't be any Sprints, Silver Crowns, Midgets, or (I could only hope) Super Modifieds-the coolest open wheel oval racers of all time, either.

Oh man, how I would LOVE to see Super Modifieds on Speed. I'd never say a bad word about that channel if they would only broadcast the International Classic from Oswego Speedway. I love the cars there much more than the winged cars in ISMA.

I usually go to Rochester every year in February but missed this year. I'm thinking about going over the summer, and if I do, I'll be going to Oswego.

And yes, you're right, coverage of the Modifieds would be great. It's actually probably the best racing in NASCAR. I'm not a big Silver Crown fan, but God I love watching the midgets both on pavement and dirt. At Oswego they are a trip because they are so light they can run damned near anywhere on the track.

I still believe that if they could, FOX would eliminate everything but Nextel Cup and BGN on Speed.


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George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com

 

[pgipson]

>So we pay someone to produce a short segment from donated video. How much would that be?<

Professional production companies charge by the finished minute. At least they did sevreal years ago when I had some short programs developed for training. Of course, that was before the advent of Macs with Avid and programs like Pinnacle for the PC. And that per minute charge was not cheap. To do the whole thing (stage and script it, story board the production, shoot, edit, re-shoot, etc) was around 10,000 dollars per minute. Editing customer provided tape (before widespread availability of digital) was about $1000 per finished minute on the low end. If the production company did any of the production design it added to the cost.

At the time, the cost of this actually drove us to set up an in-house capability to produce our own training tapes. A capability we no longer have.

 

[cherokee]

The Nascar powers that be can exert huge amounts of pressure on the people who race/work/are around to tow the corprate line. Nascar is a business first and racing second. Look how they are treating non ISC tracks for example, and the coverage of the Simpson leagal deals.


I for one am just happy we have SOMEPLACE to see SOMETHING eles...just think back about 20yrs ago and try to find ANY kind of racing on TV. That said I do miss SpeedVision.

On a side note they must think that everyone that watches Speed is a fat,beer drinking, sitting around in his tighty whities all day, why else all of those Bowflex ads

 

[gsbaker]

Originally posted by pgipson:
Editing customer provided tape...was about $1000 per finished minute on the low end.

Now we're getting somewhere.

So, a five minute segment from donated footage would run $5K to produce. Does anyone know the ad rates for Speed TV?

Gregg

 

[emwavey]

Hey guys...

How about contacting a performing arts type school or a college with an A/V ciriculum. Student projects cost nothing... often times students are chomping at the bit for subject material.

Another thought:
If we could get a few volunteers to film footage around the track and combine that with in-car footage, I have access to non-linear video editing with the job I have.

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-dave
8)
http://www.nerdsracing.com

 

[RSTPerformance]

I am not a huge NASCAR fan but I have had the oportunity to be on the crew for a few winston modified events. I think that SPEED is missing the best part of NASCAR. I think they should have a show called "Backstage NASCAR" or something like that followed a crew member for the preperation before the event and then what they do during the event. IT is amazing how much effort goes into those cars to make them perform the way they do. There is more preperation and car set-up stuff that they do than I ever imagined. I think if they showed the what, the how, and the why they do everythign they do it would be educational and interesting. I truely think it is amazing and it would open up a whole new respect for all NASCAR "haters". NASCAR really is racing and a ton more. I also honestly think it is definetly way more competitive than almost any other form of racing. NASCAR does a very good job at keeping things equal and I feel that that is one reason it is so popular.

Stephen

Stephen

 

[Quickshoe]

Originally posted by RSTPerformance:
NASCAR does a very good job at keeping things equal and I feel that that is one reason it is so popular.

Agreed. This is exactly what turned me off to Winston Cup years ago. NASCAR was so concerned with the show that "CA"s were made throughout the season in attempt to pacify the manufacturers. This was done at the expense of the teams who "did their homework". In the big picture it is the right thing to do. Without close racing and your favorite with a chance you won't watch. You are also not going to keep the manufacturers involved in a series where they don't have a chance. So I understand the why, doesn't mean I have to like it.

I am not one of the stereotypical road racers who stick their nose up in the air at all those roundy-rounders. I have raced some oval track stuff. I also was the suspension tuner for a Late Model sportsman track champion a few years back. Good thing they had a good motor and tire budget

It is a far cry from a modified, but just saying I am not above being involved or seen turning a wrench at an oval track. I love racing, and would race just about anything I had the opportunity to.

IRL and NASCRAP have some of the closest racing out there. Doesn't mean I have to like the socialistic approach to obtaining the end result.

 

[racerdave600]

Since I work for a production company, I can give you a bit of idea of cost. To produce a race video from say, Road Atlanta, you'd need somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 cameras, all the equipment and people to run them, and then hours upon hours of pre and post production work. I'd say you'd need to start in the 6 digit range to get a good show, a single show. A late night spot with a so-so sponsor would have you losing big money. Right now only the big series are paying what it costs, and are capable of bringing in the money it takes to show it. For those who don't work in this business, it's hard to explain first how much the equipment costs, and second, the amount of time and people it takes to produce a product.

If Speed can buy shows for little money, like Austrailian Touring Cars, then they can put that on with little cost, and do not have to look for that big sponsor. With only 24 hours in a day, and having only 24 hours to sell, you have to put on what'll keep the doors open. They don't do this for our charitable sake, they do it to make money, and if Road Racing sold better, that's what they'd show. A harsh reality, but reality none the less. I also prefered the old Speedvision, but I do understand why they do what they do. I'm thankful we have it at all!

Dave

 

[Knestis]

Originally posted by RSTPerformance:
... I think they should have a show called "Backstage NASCAR" or something like that followed a crew member for the preperation before the event and then what they do during the event. ...

You need to watch the listings for NBS 24-7 It is a VERY cool look behind the curtain, following several Busch teams from week to week.

K

 

[pgipson]

VERY cool look behind the curtain

I saw something the other nite on CMT (Country Music Television for the culturally challenged) called DRIVE . The show was following 5 racers trying to make the break into a bigger time. Some were going for an ARCA ride. Covered the off track stuff very well.

 

[B Glover]

The CMT series "DRIVE" is very entertaining. I'm not much of a stock car fan anymore but it does give a good perspective into what some of the drivers and teams go thru to get a car on the track. It's also very insightful for anyone (everyone) interested in the sponsorship side of racing. It shows alot of interaction between drivers, teams, car owners and sponsors or potential sponsors. It's worth a look.

 

[THawkbh]

As stated aerlier, I also miss Speedvision. The only thing I really like about speed channel are the saturday morning shows (MCC, DCG...) and the occasional autorotica movies from the 60's/70's. I loved that one narrated by andretti. Theres not enough attention paid to where it all came from anymore.

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Drew
18 years old
Wyndenup Racing
ITS Mazda RX-7 #99 - Me
Historic '76 Porsche 914-6 #49

 

[jake7140]

The film/art school idea is a possibility. Covering a live race though would take $$$ for people and equipment.

I also think that the general public has a hard time following something that gets spread out and non-linear like road racing.

Check out http://www.fourbangers.com/. A couple guys in film school put it together at a roundy-round in Lake Geneva, covering the "entry-level" four-cylinder front wheel drive class a lot of the tracks are now running, through a whole year. Perhaps they'd be interested in branching out....

I ordered a copy and it's pretty good for a home-brew.

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Steve
[email protected]
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