Sharing the unrivalled spectacle of the Olympics with North American audiences keeps Conestoga professor Daniel Kasman going on the long days filming for NBC Sports in Paris.
Conestoga professor Daniel Kasman is in Paris filming the Olympics for NBC Sports, including the opening ceremonies.
The Emmy Award-winning camera operator and professor in Conestoga’s Broadcasting - Television and Independent Production program is in France’s capital to capture all the action of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Kasman said from Paris that being part of the Olympics is an amazing experience, starting with filming the opening ceremonies as the athletes from each nation were paraded by boat along the Seine.
“Bringing the stories of these athletes and the emotions of the games to people back home is what television is all about. The history of the games is so unique and people work their entire lives to be Olympians. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of,” Kasman said.
“From a technical standpoint, the broadcast is unsurpassed. So much preparation goes into each event and they’re finding new ways to broadcast, stream and make the events feel bigger.”
Kasman won two Emmy Awards for his coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China and has been a camera operator at a total of seven Games, as well as filming numerous major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup.
The energy around the international competition is always electric.
“Going to an Olympic city is very cool, too. The eyes of the world are on you and every time the city is buzzing. People are just happy all around and everyone is excited.”
Along with the fun and excitement always comes challenges - starting with the hours.
“You work every day for three to four weeks straight, often from morning to night. You push yourself to make it through. I’ve been fortunate to be on some really great crews within the Games themselves and they become your Olympic family,” Kasman said.
They also must contend with weather or other unpredictable situations, such as the COVID pandemic. Kasman said the show must go on, whether in the frigid temperatures atop a mountain in PyeongChang, South Korea or sweltering in the Tokyo, Japan summer sun.
“We adjust and try to have a great time with the crews and the athletes and I’m lucky that I’m able to help bring the spectacle back to North America.”
Conestoga's two-year Broadcasting - Television and Independent Production program teaches students how to write, perform, shoot and edit content in a variety of formats. Using industry standard equipment and software, storytelling skills are enhanced through lighting, sound design and post-production finishing. The fourth term of the innovative program is split between a field placement, where students work in the broadcast and production industry, and a final capstone project that integrates the skills learned throughout the program.
Along with jobs in Canada's growing film and television sector, the program also prepares students to navigate the world of freelance employment and creating their own opportunities through entrepreneurship. The program is part of Conestoga’s School of Creative Industries.