Behind the Lens: Working in Live Sports Production in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a city built on moments. Championships, rivalries, legacies—this is where history is made. And for years, I had the privilege of capturing it firsthand.

As an ENG camera operator for ESPN, I worked on some of the most significant sports productions in the country, covering the Lakers, Dodgers, Rams, Chargers, USC, UCLA, and countless marquee events. I shot interviews with LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and top international athletes, helped produce segments for 30 for 30, First Take, and SportsCenter, and was in the middle of the action for everything from NFL sidelines to international soccer tours.

But live sports production isn’t about access or being near greatness. It’s about execution, speed, and precision—qualities that don’t just apply to television but to every type of video production. This isn’t a highlight reel of my career. It’s a reflection on the experiences, the people, and the lessons learned from working behind the camera in some of sports' most intense environments.

The Reality of Live Sports Production

The audience sees the broadcast version—a perfectly framed interview, a seamless highlight package, a dramatic live shot seconds after the final buzzer. What they don’t see is the organized chaos behind the scenes—camera operators weaving through packed locker rooms, setting up in tight, dimly lit press conferences, and battling for position in scrum-style interviews, where ten different outlets are fighting for the same soundbite.

When the game ends, the real work starts.

• Locker rooms are shoulder-to-shoulder with players, reporters, and camera ops, all trying to get the quote that makes headlines.

• Press conference setups happen in minutes. You get in, set up lights, frame your shot, white balance, check audio—all before the athlete walks in and sits down.

• Everyone fights for position, but you still have to get a clean shot. If you’re late or out of place, you’re getting someone’s elbow in your frame.

And when it’s over, you tear down and do it again somewhere else.

The Gear: Shooting Fast, Shooting Smart

Live sports production isn’t about having the most expensive gear—it’s about knowing how to use what you have, quickly and effectively. I spent years working with equipment that had to function in every possible environment—bright arenas, dark tunnels, rainy sidelines, packed locker rooms, and open fairways.

• Canon C200 – The backbone of my ENG work. The RAW recording, built-in ND filters, and reliable autofocus made it ideal for capturing fast-paced, high-pressure sports coverage.

• Arri Amira – Reserved for high-profile interviews, including LeBron James and other top athletes. Its color science, skin tones, and dynamic range made it the best choice for sit-down features.

• TVU Packs – Essential for live remotes, allowing us to transmit high-quality video from anywhere—whether it was courtside at an NBA game or walking with a golfer down the fairway.

The best operators aren’t the ones with the best gear—they’re the ones who understand lighting, movement, and composition in any scenario.

The Weight of Certain Moments

Some assignments stand out—not because of the production itself, but because of the weight of what was happening.

Kobe Bryant’s Funeral

It’s hard to put into words what it felt like to be outside of Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) on that day. A city, a fanbase, and an entire sport mourning in real time.

The job was the same as always—set up, frame the shot, capture what needs to be captured. But there was something different in the air. No one wanted to be there doing that job, but everyone knew how important it was. The faces in the crowd, the murals going up across the city, the impromptu tributes that started everywhere from Venice Beach to downtown LA—it was a moment in sports history that no one was ready for, and yet it had to be documented.

That day stays with me, and it always will.

Inside the Ropes at the U.S. Open

Being inside the ropes at the U.S. Open at LACC was unlike anything else I had experienced.

As a golfer myself, it was surreal walking the same course as the best in the world. Unlike other sports, where you’re positioned outside the field of play, golf puts you inside the event—walking alongside players, watching every decision up close.

But there was no time to take it in. Golf coverage is its own beast—long hours, constant movement, and an entire production team relying on your angles and pacing. You can’t get distracted. You have to capture the tension, the relief, the frustration, the decisive moments—because in golf, everything can change with one shot.

International Soccer & Team USA Basketball

Working on Real Madrid and Arsenal exhibitions, filming pre-match interviews with Eden Hazard and other international stars, was another surreal moment. The global scale of soccer is different from anything else—the atmosphere, the energy, the sense that these matches mean something bigger than just the game.

Then there was filming Team USA basketball before they left for France—a roster that will be remembered as one of the greatest teams in history. Watching them work, capturing the behind-the-scenes of how a superteam prepares to compete on the world stage, was an experience I never took for granted.

You don’t realize the scope of the work you’re doing when you’re in it. But looking back, it’s clear how fortunate I was to have been part of it.

The People Who Made It Possible

No one gets opportunities like this alone.

In every step of my career, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside people who not only brought me into these environments but trusted me in crucial moments to deliver.

To the producers, directors, camera ops, and tech crews who put their faith in me, who pulled me onto the right shoots, who taught me what they knew, and who expected nothing less than my best—if you’re reading this, you know who you are.

The people behind the camera are what make this industry great.

What This Experience Means for Monolith’s Clients

I no longer spend every day in scrum-style locker room interviews or racing against the clock for a post-game live shot, but the lessons from live sports production still drive how I work today.

✔ Speed and execution matter. When you work in live sports, you learn how to move fast without sacrificing quality.
✔ The story is always the priority. Whether it’s an athlete reflecting on a game or a brand telling its origin story, good storytelling is universal.
✔ Details separate good from great. Lighting an NBA legend for ESPN isn’t different from lighting a CEO for a corporate video. Everything should look its best, no matter the project.

Monolith isn’t just another video production company in Cleveland, Columbus, or Cincinnati. The foundation of what we do is built on experience from some of the most high-pressure environments in video production.

If you need video content that is crafted with real expertise, executed at a high level, and designed to make an impact, we’re ready to bring that same energy to your brand.