Blog

Training the Next Generation of Broadcast Professionals

Among the people and the devices supporting the live ESPN Gemstone sports productions at the University of South Florida, one constant for every single show is the Cartoni heads and tripods.

Read about the gear and the logistics of all we do at USF in this article from SportsVideo.org

And follow @bulls_broadcasting on Instagram to see even more behind the broadcasts!

Watch: From Studio to Sidelines

From the studio to the sidelines, Gemstone Media produced several unique program presentations for The American Conference this past fall, including the following:

We look forward to doing even more in 2025!

Elevating The American Broadcasts

If you watched the recent UAB Blazers at Charlotte 49ers game, you may have noticed several enhancements to this season’s American Athletic Conference football broadcasts.  Read more (and watch) below.

Kauri Black, Associate Commissioner, Broadcasting and Digital Programming for The American, sets the field:  “This year, we wanted to reimagine our ESPN+ football broadcasts, and by creating a five game package with Gemstone Media Inc., we successfully elevated our coverage and changed the narrative about being on ESPN+.  Overall, the partnership has provided us with the ability to ideate continually and outsource some thinking, enabling us to be first-movers within the streaming space.”  For this game, “we added drone coverage and successfully integrated live studio hits with low latency from Jacksonville, Florida.”

As another enhancement this year, Gemstone instituted a Megalodon camera, adding intimacy to the viewing experience.

Tom Piero, Program Producer, elaborates, “As a member of the Gemstone Media team, working with the American Athletic Conference has been a tremendous opportunity.  Providing additional content by way of studio cut-ins, halftime and post-game shows during the UAB vs. Charlotte football game has shown the conference’s willingness and dedication to raise their brand to new levels. Additionally, it affords the conference the opportunity to create sponsorship possibilities and variety to the viewing public on this important streaming platform.”

George Birnbaum, Gemstone’s CEO and Founder, concludes, “Thank you to Kauri Black for trusting Gemstone Media and embracing the opportunity to experiment with unique presentation approaches! This partnership has been—and will hopefully continue to be—a testament to overcoming technical challenges and delivering truly exceptional sports programming.”

Bulls Above The Boards

Recently, Gemstone Media’s University of South Florida crew produced for three screens simultaneously at the Bulls vs. Vanderbilt women’s basketball game: 

  1. Our signature ESPN digital presentation
  2. In-Bowl video for fans at the Yuengling Center
  3. A new, alternate ESPN broadcast called Bulls Above the Boards

Here’s a look behind the scenes of all three.

Scroll for more.

The main show had a female-led production with most of the cameras operated by women, and both broadcasts showcased all-female talent.  Bulls Above The Boards featured cameras above the backboards (of course!) and a Megalodon camera shot among the enhancements.

“I’m very excited by the quality, creativity and professionalism our broadcast team continues to bring to our many productions for ESPN,” said USF Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly.  “I’m proud that we continue to challenge ourselves to be a leader in the broadcast space, not only producing nearly 200 broadcasts a year but pushing the envelope on what is possible from a school-led production.”

Groundbreaking for Football’s Future

Groundbreaking, literally!  Watch below as dignitaries at the University of South Florida turned the soil on the campus’ new football stadium.  Gemstone Media and our embedded crew at USF covered the entire event.

“What an honor to provide live streaming support to the University of South Florida’s historic groundbreaking of the on-campus football stadium!” says George Birnbaum, Gemstone Media CEO and Founder.  “Our staff made this complex remote event–-which was a constant moving target of activity–-appear seamless, as we revealed to the world the beginning of a bold new era.”    

David Hall, Gemstone Media Operations Manager, adds, “What a fantastic event to be a part of:  perfect weather, a great crowd, and excitement everywhere. First-class event and first-class coverage. I’m very proud of the Gemstone Media team that live streamed the entire event to ESPN+. Great job, everyone!”    

Not only are we thrilled about the groundbreaking and coverage you see here, Gemstone Media looks forward to working in this new venue, as we are currently consulting on the in-stadium broadcast facilities.  This is a wonderful opportunity for us to design an optimal setup from the ground to air, including cable routing and connectivity, video and audio layout, and many more details that will enhance and define USF’s broadcasts for years to come.

Stay tuned, as we say, for more on that!

Read more about the stadium here.

Varsity 4 On The Field

Gemstone Media had a blast capturing the electrifying energy of the Varsity 4 high school football games of the week this season for News4Jax+. 

And below, a tip of the headset to the JU student workers who freelanced on our crew during the 2024 finale. 

Watch the Creekside at Ponte Vedra highlights here.

 

Watch: Trauma Survivor’s Day Reunion at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital

Earlier, we showed you the stunning views captured by the Sony a7S III at football games.  Below, watch Gemstone Media’s highlights of the 2024 Trauma Survivor’s Day Reunion for HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, elegantly recorded using the same cameras.

Communicator Award hooked for Cobia Camp

“The results have been good, wholesome content–and now, this acknowledgment from professionals in the business rewarding Gemstone for a quality presentation!” summarized George Birnbaum, our CEO and Founder, on this Communicator Award presented to host Capt. Don Dingman and Gemstone Media for Hook the Future episode “Cobia Camp.”

Hook the Future is a family program Gemstone has edited over the past 10 years, which airs on Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and FanDuel Sports Network Southeast.  

Gemstone Media Senior Editor Chris Linke elaborates on the award-winning episode, “I thought it captured the best of what Hook the Future is about. We saw young kids catching cobia while fighting sharks who wanted the cobia as badly as they did. There was lots of great action, lots of fishing tips from Don, and it spotlighted a Mayport-based summer camp that teaches kids about fishing. The episode featured some nice photography, including drone footage of hungry sharks circling the boat. And they managed to film a shark blasting up through the surface to grab a cobia off a kid’s line—a definite highlight of the episode.”

Read Capt. Dingman’s comments below, and learn more about the show here.

Watch: USF with Gemstone Media on ESPN+

Gemstone Media takes pride in its live streaming partnership with University of South Florida Athletics.  Read about it here, and check out these behind-the-broadcast shots!