ITV Camera Angle

[Nads]

I was getting increasingly annoyed with the camera angle ITV choose to broadcast our games from so I wrote to them to find out what was going on, I think you'll find the below very interesting! It looks like it is actually coming from UEFA! I haven't really looked on here but most of the fans I know personally hate it!

Dear Ali,

Thank you for your recent email.

On European nights UEFA give us a choice of gantries; the higher gantry or the lower gantry.

As I was directing Thursday’s game I chose the lower gantry. Although not perfect, I feel it gives the match better coverage than the very high gantry which I feel makes the game too remote.

I may be mistaken but I don't believe that the lower gantry is offered as a facility by Spurs for Premier League and FA Cup matches. When it is a European night, UEFA have more control of the ground. They have in the past received complaints about the higher gantry and therefore I have asked the club to provide an alternative to broadcasters.

On behalf of ITV I took the decision to provide the coverage from the lower gantry because in my opinion it provides better coverage than the higher position.

Kind regards,

Paul McNamara (Match Director)
ITV Sport

ITV Viewer Services | ITV plc
Tel: 0844 88 14150 | [email protected]
Hours of Opening: 09.00 - 19.00 Mon-Fri, 10.00 - 19.00 Sat. Closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

ITV plc Head Office Tel +44 (0) 20 7157 3000 itv.com
Please consider the environment before printing this email

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From: Ali Walker
Sent: 15 February 2013 12:07
To: ITV Viewer Services; Customer Care
Subject: Re: Camera Angle

Hi again guys

Look, it's really not cool to lie but someone here is!

I realise it costs money to aquire the rights to broadcast a game so surely it would in everyone's best interests to give the viewers the best experience possible, surely? Otherwise what's the point?

I understand both sides. As far as the club goes, they've got their money, ITV can do what they wish.

From ITV's perspective expectations are generally low from the public anyway because it's free.

Could one of you to admit you lied to me please? I'm not taking it personally I just don't see the need for it!

Best

Ali Walker

----- Original Message ----- ​

From: Customer Care ​

To: Ali Walker ​

Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 11:51 AM​

Subject: RE: Camera Angle​

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Hello Ali,​

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Thank you for your email.​

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Television broadcasters are given the option to use both gantries, it just so happens that ITV prefer to use the lower angle for European fixtures.​

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Kind regards,​

​

Jake​

Customer Care Team​

​

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From: Ali Walker​

Sent: 15 February 2013 11:42​

To: Customer Care​

Subject: Fw: Camera Angle​

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Hi guys​

​

Just wondered what the below was about really? I recall some of the Champions League games being shot from the same angle, is there any chance that in future seasons you could allow ITV up into the main gantry? Every Spurs fan I know thinks it's ridiculous, it's very difficult to read what's going on during the game!​

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Best​

​

Ali Walker​

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----- Original Message ----- ​

From: ITV Viewer Services ​

To: Ali Walker ​

Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 10:04 AM​

Subject: kb: Camera Angle​

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Dear Ali​

​

Thank you for your email regarding the camera at White Hart Lane.​

Basically this is the position that we are given by the club and we don't have an option to change it, although we realise it is not totally satisfactory.​

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May I take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to contact us here at ITV Viewer Services. ​

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If we can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us. ​

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Kind regards ​

​

Karen ​

ITV Viewer Services ​

​

ITV Viewer Services | ITV plc​

Tel: 0844 88 14150 | [email protected] ​

Hours of Opening: 09.00 - 19.00 Mon-Fri, 10.00 - 19.00 Sat. Closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays. ​

​

ITV plc Head Office Tel +44 (0) 20 7157 3000 itv.com​

Please consider the environment before printing this email​

​

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From: Ali Walker ​

Sent: 15 February 2013 01:50​

To: ITV Viewer Services​

Subject: Camera Angle​

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Hi guys​

​

I'm just writing to let you know that the low camera angle you choose to use for Spurs games ruins what is normally a usually very enjoyable experience, that is, watching Tottenham Hotspur on television. ​

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I have a suspicion it is because your camera crew are too lazy to climb the steps up to the gantry located in the roof of the East Stand. ​

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If this is not the case could we please have an explanation why you are so special as to not do what both the BBC and Sky are capable of doing, which is presenting a decent main angle of the game?​

​

Best​

​

Ali Walker​

 

[mpickard2087]

Personally I'm quite surprised you got a reply, judging by the tone of your first correspondence.

Seems though like its just what ITV prefer, and believe, is going to provide better viewing for its audience. Only way it will change is if they get enough negative feedback about it. Sky dropped it pretty quickly qhen they had some complaints, and they almost certainly used it for a couple of league games when they experimented with the camera angle, so don't think its just limited to European competitions.

 

[kaz Hirai]

yep i dont like ITV's camera angle for our games either. Just makes the pitch look narrow and the action congested and hard to follow

 

[Bales Left Peg]

I swear they said that was from the champions league games when they aired them in HD?

 

[samspurs92]

I bet Paul McNamara is a gooner. ITV's coverage is bordering on embarrassing.

 

[nightgoat]

If it's being broadcast in 3D (not sure if any of the Europa League games are) then the lower gantry will always be used as the higher one is useless for 3D broadcasts.

http://www.techwatch.co.uk/2011/08/10/premier-league-in-3d-a-game-of-two-halves/

Tottenham was a huge challenge. We had great difficulty finding the right camera positions at White Hart Lane – the traditional position was too far up for 3D – so we built a lower platform that could get a good position.

 

[tobi]

I thought the low camera angle was a UEFA decision.

 

[Nads]

If it's being broadcast in 3D (not sure if any of the Europa League games are) then the lower gantry will always be used as the higher one is useless for 3D broadcasts.

http://www.techwatch.co.uk/2011/08/10/premier-league-in-3d-a-game-of-two-halves/

This would seem more logical to me but we've been on Sky 3D a lot this season and they've all been shot from the higher gantry.

 

[worcestersauce]

I've spent most of the last few years complaining about the camera angle but never thought to write to anyone about it. Sorry to disagree Nads but I think the high camera angle is awful and the guy from ITV is correct it is far too remote, I much prefer lower angle.

 

[ostrov]

I bet Paul McNamara is a gooner. ITV's coverage is bordering on embarrassing.

I bet they are not football fans. They don't care that we can't see the far side from low camera angle.

 

[Bales Left Peg]

The camera angle reminds me of the FIFA one, you cant see the options on the pitch, can only really see the man on the ball

 

[Shadydan]

Cannot stand the lower angle myself, makes everything looks congested, slow and you can't see anything over the other side of the pitch.

I always thought the low camera angle was a UEFa thing because it allows the sponsors a clear view of their adverts, not that ITV would admit that but as far as I recall everything single home game in Europe in the last few years have been from that low angle, come someone confirm that?

Although the angle was perfect for the Lyon goal I must admit

 

[Babylon22]

Send your complaints to:

[email protected]

http://www.itv.com/contactus/viewer-services


Someone started a petition and got sky to change it back. We can do the same for ITV.

 

[Legend10]

I've spent most of the last few years complaining about the camera angle but never thought to write to anyone about it. Sorry to disagree Nads but I think the high camera angle is awful and the guy from ITV is correct it is far too remote, I much prefer lower angle.

How can the high angle be awful? It gives such a better perspective of space!

The lower angle is a joke, on the far side especially it's impossible to work out what is going on and also makes the game look so much slower!

In all honesty you and obviously Mr McNamara apart I've never heard anybody say that the lower angle is better, it completely destroys the viewing experience.

 

[Lilbaz]

High for me, don't like the low angle.

 

[E17yid]

Not only does the low angle make our pitch look as wide as a train track but it seems that you can never fit more than 4 players on the screen at the same time. For those of us who actually like, not only to watch people on the ball, but players movements off it as well then the low angle is absolute shite. With the high angle you can see when a through ball is on or when a counter attack is for the taking, you can also rate players performances more efffectively by what they are doing off the ball.

 

[mil1lion]

It reminds me too much of Highbury

 

[Legend10]

It reminds me too much of Highbury

Very similar to the angle they use at West ham as well, where the games always look crap (and probably are!)

 

[C-oops]

I hate the low angle. As others have said, everything looks congested and you can't see what is going on off the ball as much. When ITV show the rugby world cup it's the same. Far too tight shots that don't allow you to see what's going on around the pitch/ball.
I'm up for signing a petition if there is one around.

 

[eViL]

I've emailed.