Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF has once again turned to MTJibs of South Florida to provide a Motion Impossible AGITO Sports modular remote dolly system to enhance the coverage of its game against the Portland Timbers on May 28th at DRV PNK Stadium.
Since first using the AGITO Sports from MTJibs late last year, Manuel Del Valle, Inter Miami CF’s Director of Broadcast has seen how the modular remote dolly system has changed the way the club produces its telecasts.
“I’ve been with the club since year one, having been brought in as the second broadcasting member,” said Del Valle. “That means I’ve been able to make a lot of changes to the way we capture and produce our games.”
Del Valle met Michael Taylor of MTJibs at a match for ESPN. “I enjoyed the game, how it looked and how Michael helped ESPN tell a better story with a jib. We exchanged information and hired MTJibs for our jib work. Then, one day, Michael comes up to me and says, ‘By the way, I have this new tool,’ and I was introduced to the AGITO.”
MTJibs owns both the AGITO Sports and Trax drive-ends, and Taylor knew that the AGITO could be an even bigger game-changer for the club. “I think that the way Manuel was always trying to tell a better story for the audience watching on TV, that the AGITO would really take his productions to the next level.”
“Michael is absolutely correct,” said Del Valle. “When we first used it last October, we fell in love with it. The broadcast is more dynamic with the AGITO camera movement. It’s a different feel – a jump in quality…and Dacio Alonso, the game director, loved it.”
At the DRV PNK Stadium, AGITO Sports has a designated driving area on the sidelines that allows MTJibs to capture everything from corner kicks and play developments to point attempts and goal celebrations.
Adds Taylor: “Plus, with the camera only two feet off the ground, it doesn’t block Manuel’s VIP section like a full-body stabilization system would. So, the AGITO covers half the field where the Inter Miami fans are, and we had an operator with a Steadicam at the other half of the field. And I can tell you, there is no way anyone in that kind of rig can keep up with the players running down the field like the AGITO Sports can. It not only keeps up with those players running, but it can also outrun them! The Sports can go as fast as 27 mph. It really delivers dynamic shots.”
Piloting the AGITO Sports was Cody Alderman, and Taylor served as camera operator. They used a Sony HDC-P1R Box Camera on their Shotover G1 gyro-stabilized head – all completely wireless.
“One of the best things is how fast the AGITO sets up,” said Taylor. “Plus, because it’s south Florida and it’s always raining in the spring and summer, we made custom rain covers for the system. The AGITO is a rugged piece of machinery. Even in the downpours we have, it handles great in the rain.”
Del Valle sums up the AGITO Sports this way: “The club has the ability and freedom to think outside the box with its broadcast, using cameras that you don’t see in regular matches from other clubs. Plus, we give Michael the freedom to do his thing. To show the creative side of soccer that you can’t capture with a regular camera. We set the production bar high. Not a lot of teams have the vision to improve their broadcast and technology. That’s what the AGITO gives us.”
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