Magic in a Dungeon: NBA All-Star Weekend
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to work on assignment for ESPN during NBA All-Star Weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of our production days was nothing short of a gauntlet, with a rapid-fire lineup of NBA icons coming through our interview setup. Everything about the shoot—from the space to the execution—was intense. Here’s how we made it work.
The Challenges
Our space at Oakland Arena was far from ideal. Originally, we were told we would have a locker room to set up in, but upon arrival, we quickly realized that was not the case. Instead, we were given what felt more like a storage room—small, oddly shaped, and featuring stark white walls that lacked any visual depth. Every potential setup seemed uninspiring, and the acoustics? Disastrous. The arena’s ambient noise seeped into the room, making it feel like we were recording in the middle of the court itself.
Beyond the space itself, we were under tight time constraints and limited gear, meaning we had to be resourceful and creative with our setup. With little to no time to reimagine our approach, we had to quickly pivot and problem-solve on the fly.
The Lighting Setup
I knew from the start that a standard key, fill, and hair light setup wouldn’t be enough. The background needed life, and with the limitations of the space, we essentially had to become set designers to transform this sterile, cramped room into something visually compelling.
For the main interview subject, I positioned near the wall with the most depth. The downside? Randomly placed poles in the middle of the room. But at that point, beggars can’t be choosers. For the reporter’s angle, I had to battle a plain whiteboard against the already stark white walls. To counter the sense of confinement, I specifically requested tall chairs to create the illusion of a larger space—especially when dealing with towering NBA players.
We began with a simple cross key setup:
Main subject: Arri SkyPanel S60 as key light, with an additional tube light as fill
Reporter: Aputure 600D as key light, with an Aputure 60X and softbox for additional fill
Knowing we needed to introduce dynamic background elements, I was lucky to have anticipated the need for tube lights and had rented a Titan Tube Kit. With only limited grip gear at our disposal, my gaffer, Ryan Yen, and grip, Max Martin, worked meticulously to outline the room’s structure using six tubes at 3,600K to give the space a tungsten warmth.
For the reporter’s background, I spent a couple of hours stringing Aputure B7C bulbs onto transparent fishing wire, hanging them from a C-stand to create a floating effect. This subtle touch helped warm up the space and made the interview setup feel more inviting.
The Camera Gear
To keep us nimble, we opted not to shoot these interviews on prime lenses but rather the DZO Pictor Zooms 20-55mm and 50-125mm T2.8 on the RED Komodo. By doing this, we gave ourselves the flexibility to adjust the setup on the fly per what fit the producers' needs. Given the fast-paced nature of the shoot, the ability to quickly reframe without swapping lenses was invaluable. This choice ensured we could meet the demands of capturing multiple high-profile interviews efficiently without compromising on quality.
The Audio Challenge
If the visual setup was a challenge, the audio setup was a true test of endurance. Not only were the acoustics awful in the space, but they were back-to-back interviews and little to no transition time, our audio engineer had to move at lightning speed—going from removing one subject’s lav to quickly miking up the next. The rapid pace made it feel like a never-ending relay, but our audio engineer was a trooper. By the end of the day, we all deserved a well-earned beer.
Key Lessons Learned
Pre-planning makes all the difference. Anticipating potential obstacles—like the need for tube lights—helped us be prepared and ultimately saved us from a worse lighting situation. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without them.
Every element contributes to the illusion. Let’s be honest, we were in a dungeon, but the choice of tall chairs, tungsten lighting, and floating bulbs helped mask the room’s limitations and elevate the overall aesthetic.
Adaptability is everything. No two sets are the same, and sometimes, you’re dealt a difficult hand. Being able to pivot and make the best of a challenging space is an invaluable skill.
Final Thoughts
While looking back, I see countless things I would tweak, I’m incredibly proud of what our team pulled off in the time we had. The challenge forced us to be nimble and innovative, proving that even in the least ideal conditions, creativity and problem-solving can make a difference. This experience reaffirmed the importance of teamwork and embracing limitations as an opportunity for inventive solutions.
At the end of the day, our job as cinematographers is to make the impossible look effortless—and that’s exactly what we did.
The Crew:
Producer: Luis Aldea, Steven Buckheit, Christian Gardner
Production Coordinator: Frank Facio
Director of Photography: Jennifer Gonzalez
Camera Operator: Marcos Rocha
Gaffer: Ryan Yen
Sound Mixer: Garret McDonald
Key Grip: Max Martin