Richie Zions
FOX NFL Lead Producer
Editor’s Note: Richie Zyontz has been FOX’s NFL Producer since 1994 and has been the lead producer for the last 20 seasons. He has over 40 years of experience covering the league and has produced six Super Bowls. Throughout his NFL season in 2022, he’ll take an inside look at his FOX new No. 1 NFL team as they travel to Super Bowl LVII.
ENGLEWOOD, Calif. — Some people work in the office. others are at home. Our office is in the truck every Sunday.
It’s neither a pickup nor a U-Haul, it’s a semi-truck. But unlike the cicadas you find on every highway hauling furniture and vegetables, our trucks transport millions of dollars in broadcast equipment.
FOX Sports productions can be turned into mobile TV studios in just hours. (Photo courtesy of Richie Ziontz)
Our driver team usually arrives on Friday morning. They park their trucks outside the stadium or in designated loading dock areas adjacent to the field.
In 3-4 hours, you can turn your big rig into a mobile TV studio.
One look inside the track and you’ll marvel at the 20-foot-wide wall of monitors, dozens of workstations with dozens of switches, buttons and speakers, and a futuristic board in front of Technical Director Colby. I guess. bourgeois. A nosy person may also notice refrigerators, coffee he makers, and unhealthy snack foods, but these are staples of our industry.
Producer Richie Zyontz sits in front of a wall of TV monitors and tracks the action coming in from 20 cameras inside the stadium. (Photo courtesy of Richie Ziontz)
All those TV screens…
The monitor wall is strategically laid out to match the vision of the producer and director.
Director Rich Russo has his eye on a monitor displaying the output of 20 cameras. Identified by photographer number and name. These numbers are not chosen randomly, but logically based on their position in the field.
As a producer, my eyes were glued to the 15 replay monitors displayed in letters and colors. Some identify with Greek letters such as delta and gamma to sound smart. For the Super Bowl, we’ll expand the region with machines called Utah, Idaho, and Montana. (My demands for Uzbekistan have never gained momentum.)
Additionally, both Russo and I are focused on monitors that display graphics. The eyes do just that — save the ears for another week.
One side note about life on the track: In addition to unhealthy food, another industry staple is nicknames. As you step into the truck, you’ll hear names like Mookie, Gibby, Drano, Buzz, Chevy, Syro, Crash and more. And trust me, they all enjoy delicious treats.
Camerman Andy Mitchell will provide all the action from position 9 in Sunday’s match between the Niners and Rams at SoFi Stadium. (Photo courtesy of Richie Ziontz)
camera 9 and videotape 0
For 25 years, Andy Mitchell has been taking great pictures from camera position number 9 in the low end zone. All the while, Lars Pacheco has been recording and playing back shots of his Andy from a playback machine labeled 0.
Mitchell’s low end zone position is perfect for delivering a tight shot of action. (Photo courtesy of Richie Ziontz)
The perky Philadelphia native Andy (imagine that) has a cinematographer’s eye for framing tight, dramatic pictures. It may take hours to view the reel of the best shots of Andy’s career.
A San Francisco native who recently moved to Ohio, Lars has great instincts and judgment. He is someone I trust completely. Their work ethic and dedication is outstanding. All they lack is a nickname.
Mitchell and replay operator Lars Pacheco have worked together for the past 25 years. (Photo courtesy of Richie Ziontz)
perfect day for taking pictures
Division games are special. The Rams and 49ers don’t like each other. The animosity ran high before the match, and there was constant pushing and pushing.
Los Angeles Niners win
Christian McCaffrey totaled 183 yards and three touchdowns in the 49ers’ win over rival Rams.
This strength enhances the broadcast. Mitchell and our entire camera crew documented their boiling tempers on the field and on the sidelines.
A game with many stars, but one that shined the brightest.
Amid the anger, newly acquired San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey kept his cool and stole the show by becoming the first player since 2005 to record a rushing, passing and receiving TD in the same game. rice field.
“It’s always fun when you’re in the end zone!”
Christian McCaffrey talks to Erin Andrews after becoming the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson to record a TD as a passer, receiver and runner.
Our field-level cameras provided dynamic, tight pictures of McCaffrey all afternoon. His all-around performance helped San Francisco win 31-14.
Well, our drivers are in big rigs and heading to Detroit next week for another divisional game between the Packers and Lions.
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