Chimp Media x Squash

Last month, I had the incredible opportunity to fly out to Toronto, Canada, and dive headfirst into the action at the PSA Squash Finals! It was a blast being part of the tight-knit Squash TV broadcast team, bringing all the intense match drama to screens worldwide.

Behind the Scenes: The Dream Team & Tech Setup

The lean, mean production machine consisted of a brilliant vision mixer/director (Loz), a dynamic producer (Thomas), three super-efficient VT operators, a dedicated sound op, no less than four camera ops, and myself as the engineer, making sure everything ran flawlessly.

We rolled in with a compact but powerful Production Playback Unit (PPU), built primarily with Blackmagic Design kit. Imagine a 2ME panel controlling a mighty 4ME Constellation switcher all through a 40x40 VideoHub – plus a few other clever bits and bobs to keep the magic flowing. For instant replays there was not one or two, but a trio of NewTek 3plays.

And the cameras? Oh, the cameras! Umpteen PTZs, a numbers of mini-cams (great for assisting the video referee) and some jaw-dropping ATOM super slow-motion cameras. Seriously, these looked amazing! These were controlled using a Skaarhoj RCP and two XC8s for the replay, ensuring all the action and emotion was captured at 500fps.

The Replay Wizards & Double Mix Magic

Our replay setup was a highlight. Maddie, the super slow-motion camera wizard, played out various bits in match in super-slow motion but also fed clips directly to Alex who has building packages for the end of each game. Yez, the VT coordinator, was juggling five inputs on his 3play while simultaneously handling all VT playout – a true multitasking pro! Meanwhile, Alex, the second VT op, was offering up highlights in match as well as crafting the end-of-game super slow-motion packages.

Loz, the director, mixed for the stream and also used a second ME to create a separate mix for the in-house arena screens. And let's not forget Thomas, our producer – the absolute glue of the operation. He kept spirits high with his jokes while expertly holding the entire production together.

Capturing Every Angle: The Camera Crew

The talented camera team – Hannah, Jack, Simon, and Sabina – ensured a single moment wasn't missed. Hannah and Sabina rotated seamlessly between the PTZs and those gorgeous super slow-motion cameras (did I mention how good they looked?!). Simon, on RF, used a gimbal to capture tracking shots of players entering the court, adding a cinematic touch. Jack was always in position on one of the main match cameras.

From Court Side to City Sights

Beyond the tech and the amazing team, I really enjoyed being introduced to the game of squash itself – I'm even thinking of picking up a racket soon! The entire broadcast went off without a hitch, even featuring some classic on-court drama when a player had a memorable (and losing!) argument with an umpire.

Outside of the squash court, Toronto was fantastic! I spent plenty of time exploring the city on a bike and indulged in some incredible food. The burgers were top-notch, and the tacos at Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos were absolutely delicious.

Here's a little video from the trip to give you a taste of the adventure!