Posts made in June 2024

Fishing, soccer, and football:  all in one day’s work here at Gemstone Media, on June 8, 2024!  

But we didn’t just wake up and go live. This day required exceptional effort and preparation.  “Having three live events going on simultaneously had its challenges. It took weeks of pre-production to make sure everything was ready to go come game day,” said Tristan Morhous, Director of Production.  “Every event had a crew chief that was skilled to manage and execute a high-quality broadcast. The result spoke for itself as all the productions went smoothly and efficiently.  We could not be more proud of the crew that put on these shows, especially at the record-high Florida heat.”

Our day began at the Vilano Beach Pier for the Old School Kingfish Shootout.  Gemstone Media deployed among the cameras a wireless, a drone, a PTZ, and a full ENG build–plus two broadcast announcers. 

“Gemstone’s production sets us apart from other tournaments. Most only have one still camera on the scale,” explained Lauren Dozier, Vice President of Old School Kingfish Shootout.  “Our live stream was entertaining and interactive, and we have gotten a ton of great feedback!” 

Then, the Armada FC U23 Women took the pitch against the West Florida Flames in WPSL soccer at Jacksonville University, continuing their first season. 

George Birnbaum, Gemstone CEO & Founder, commented, “These athletes played hard through the 100+ degree heat and humidity, while the Gemstone Media production team remained as cool as we could, streaming the event on Action Sports 24/7.  It was another goal scored on a blazing day!”

Saturday evening, the Jacksonville Sharks IFL team hosted the Tulsa Oilers at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.  This was the Sharks’ first home IFL victory, with the winning touchdown scored in the final second! 

George recalled, “Gemstone has partnered with the Sharks since their first game in 2010.  And producing this first win at home in the IFL brought back so many memories of what we’ve both accomplished here in Jacksonville.  Looking forward to many more wins together.”

He concluded, “Between the manpower, equipment logistics, and coordination of efforts, Gemstone Media proved–yet again–our ability to make live events happen, even in sweltering 100-degree weather.  Hats off to everyone on our team!”

Gemstone Media, Inc. produced the 2024 American Baseball Championship tournament in Clearwater, Florida.  Gemstone’s crew covered every pitch of 14 games over six days at BayCare Ballpark, broadcasting on ESPN+, with Tulane’s championship win over Wichita State also airing on ESPNews.

“In representing Gemstone, and working alongside the incredible staff from the American Athletic Conference, we have strived to provide high quality, informative and insightful coverage of many intercollegiate sporting events over the past few years,” explains Tom Piero, Producer.  “The ESPN+ platform has given many students and professionals an opportunity to fine tune their individual television craft in an educational setting and give the AAC exceptional programming for its member institutions.  The 2024 American Baseball Championship was another example of this teamwork in action.”  

For this tournament, Gemstone deployed XMO super slow motion technology.  “The addition of the CFT Camera/XMO stole the show and provided a fresh look that added a new dimension to the broadcast, as highlighted by many viewers,” comments Kauri Black, Associate Commissioner, Broadcasting and Digital Programming of the American Athletic Conference.  

Every fraction of a second–here, 240 frames per second–can have an effect on the game, so we were eager to bring this extra feature to the AAC viewers.  “How amazing is it to be able to see, in detail, the strings on a baseball as it spins at over 100 miles per hour crossing the home plate?  This is the highest quality slow motion currently available for live broadcasts,” says George Birnbaum, Gemstone Media CEO & Founder.

Birnbaum adds, “Kudos to the entire team on a smooth and successful event, providing a great experience for players, coaches and fans alike. The organization and execution of this high visibility tournament required immense effort, coordination, and commitment, and the Gemstone Media team delivered spectacularly.”

Black concludes, “Working with the Gemstone team for our baseball championship was an outstanding experience. Their professionalism, creativity, and dedication to enhancing our coverage brought the championship to life in a way that exceeded all expectations. We deeply appreciate Gemstone’s exceptional work and partnership in enhancing our student-athlete championship experience.”