Last week I had the good fortune to work on the set for AKA productions, and race car driver, broadcaster, and spokesperson, Danica Patrick. Danica performed like a champ, racing thru the digital spots expected to drop over the months to come. As a race-car driver, Danica Patrick broke barriers and set records with her on-track performance. With her racing career behind her, Danica looks to her next chapter as she focuses on her passions: good food, great wine, fitness and helping others achieve their goals. The day gave me the opportunity to reminisce about my time on the race tracks of America. Just before Danica came on the race scene, a small team of us sports enthusiasts in the entertainment technology world, helped bring the now hugely popular world of robotic camera's and heads to the world of sports. Dan Grainge & Tom Fletcher of what is now Fletcher Group, had a vision to take the technology used in Ron Howard's Backdraft that put a remote operated camera into a burning house set, and bring it to sports venues. Howard's camera was on a remote controlled head, geared to smoothly pan & tilt. We sped up the gearing, developed all shapes and sizes, and placed cameras in every sports venue where human operators could never be. This includes the "speed" cams on the walls of open wheel and NASCAR races around the country. We went on to win multiple Emmy's, travel the world, and change the way sports and entertainment is covered on the largest stages for the Olympics, NBA, NFL, MLB, World Cup, and more. So thanks to AKA & Stephan Mazurek who called me to that set, to Danica for reminding me of that foundation of work, and to Dan Grainge & The Fletcher Group for those great years of camera innovation! For more on Danica Patrick: http://www.danicapatrick.com/ For more on The Fletcher Group: https://www.fletch.com/
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Bob Maraist
I started in this industry with an interest in sharing the life changing stories of those who otherwise could not, so that I and others may learn and grow. Archives
September 2024
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