WHAT IT’S LIKE TO GO LIVE IN 3, 2, 1 … “Barrett-Jackson Live” Executive Producer David Lee
December 23, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Just what goes into the making of a “Barrett-Jackson Live” production? We’ve posed some questions to the executive producer of the show, David Lee, who is also Vice President of Production and Development for Velocity.
When Velocity initially knew it would be producing “Barrett-Jackson Live,” what went into the planning of the broadcast?
We knew when the deal was finalized that we were already in a good starting place. Bob Scanlon was a key part to Barrett-Jackson’s first television package with SPEED in the mid-1990s, and I had been the Coordinating Producer of Barrett-Jackson on SPEED with Rick Miner for many years. So we were very familiar with the logistics of the auctions, knew Craig, Steve (Davis), Gary (Bennett) and the rest of the Barrett-Jackson team, as well as the talent and crew who get the show on the air. Our goal was to continue the great production value and keep as much of the behind-the-scenes intact, but enhance the on-air talent and really focus on the cars and the excitement of the auction block.
“Barrett-Jackson Live” Executive Producer David Lee, Vice President of Production and Development for Velocity.
How was the talent selected, and what does each bring to the team?
We knew that the on-block coverage worked very well with Mike Joy and Steve Magnante – they are walking, talking encyclopedias who can discuss anything that crosses the block. Mike is a storyteller and really personalizes the cars for the viewer. Steve is super knowledgeable but also studies the docket like it’s his final exam. He actually brings stacks of books to each auction so he can refer to them while making his prep notes. Plus, I think he’s really funny as well. Rick DeBruhl is another person we wanted to make sure we brought back. We had this idea to make the commentary more of an open discussion as opposed to traditional “play-by-play announcer throws to an analyst who throws to the block.” Rick has adopted more of a hybrid role of play-by-play, but we’ve moved him to the block, where he is more in the “mix.” Rick is also our utility infielder, somebody who can perform any role in the broadcast if needed. Chris Jacobs was a no-brainer, as we’d worked with him on several live events as well as “Overhaulin.’” He is a fantastic live host who we know relates to our audience. Velocity viewers expect authentic, knowledgeable hosts, so in addition to Chris we turned to Cristy Lee, who works on all types of cars as host of “All Girls Garage” and also has a great passion for motorcycles. Legendary NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham and the incredibly knowledgeable Justin Bell and Mike Brewer, host of “Wheeler Dealers,” have each contributed greatly to several “Barrett-Jackson Live” broadcasts with their unique backgrounds, styles and interests.
How far in advance does Velocity start planning for each auction, and what goes into the planning?
The beauty is that the main setup and technical complement is the same at most of the Barrett-Jackson auctions. Of course, Scottsdale is much bigger. We obviously had a new event at a new location at Mohegan Sun recently – so there are small differentiations and details that our Technical Producer Bill Kavis has to stay on top of. The tech side is largely dialed in a month before we arrive. On the content side, we stay in touch with Barrett-Jackson for “big story” cars so we’re prepared going in, and as the docket is finalized we have conference calls starting about a month out to discuss what to highlight. We continue to finalize the broadcast all the way until two days before going live.
Is there anything you do differently for the broadcast on Discovery than you do on Velocity?
We don’t change a lot at all, but one difference viewers might notice is that the Velocity broadcast dials in a bit more on the details, stats and history of a vehicle, and on Discovery Channel we might try to go just a hair broader with more anecdotal storytelling (like I said earlier, Mike Joy is great at this).
Mike Joy (left) and Steve Magnante provide a wealth of information from the viewpoint of the auction block during every “Barrett-Jackson Live” broadcast.
What goes into each broadcast in terms of numbers of cameras, trucks, crew and so on?
Our standard camera package is approximately 18 cameras in different configurations, including fixed cameras in the auction arena, wireless handhelds that find bidders and shoot the cars on the stage, a jib mounted to the truss overhead in the arena and robotics that cover the path of the car from entry to exit. We have a mobile jib mounted to a golf cart that gets around to the showcase areas, exhibitors and scenics, and we have three crews out shooting features and interviews for teases and bumpers – definitely a lot of toys to play with. Our production crew, led by my co-executive producer Pete Neal, is usually about 100 people per event. We typically have 4-5 trucks – the main IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) production truck where everything comes together and the show is produced from, a B unit for audio, robo operators and other tech support, a full mobile edit truck with several bays working on show elements, a Broadcast Sports mobile unit to house all of the gear and ops for the wireless cameras and communications, a satellite uplink truck beaming the show back to master control, and usually a few office trailers for people to work out of.
Can you describe a typical auction day for you as producer of the show?
Our typical daily broadcast is eight hours long. Generally we have a crew call that is about three hours before going live, production meetings and a rehearsal before air. Usually we have an hour or so of post-show meetings and start talking about the next day. All told, the typical auction day for me lasts 12 to 13 hours.
What is the most difficult or challenging aspect of producing “Barrett-Jackson Live?”
It’s a fantastic experience working to produce “Barrett-Jackson Live.” We have an incredible crew and talent who are top-notch professionals and give all they have to making the best broadcast possible, despite some pretty long hours. For me it’s what I really love to do, so I don’t find much difficult or challenging.
What is the most rewarding aspect?
When I tell someone I work for Velocity and they’ll say, “Oh yeah, Barrett-Jackson, right? We watch that all the time.” It’s even better when they say they watch together as a family. It’s a fun show to work on, it performs really well for the company, and I get to hang out with some great people four weeks every year – it’s spaced out perfectly where it’s a nice reunion every event we go to.
Barrett-Jackson fans always take note of the presence of Richard Rawlings, Wayne Carini and more familiar faces from other Velocity shows. Which other Velocity shows are often represented at the Barrett-Jackson auctions, and how do you manage the logistics of them filming on-site while your production is going on?
Good question. In addition to the shows you mentioned, we’ve also had “Misfit Garage” from Discovery Channel, Buddy Valastro of TLC’s “Cake Boss,” Dave Kindig from our own “Bitchin’ Rides” and the hosts of our series “What’s My Car Worth?” We’ve even had a German crew at two auctions that produces a car series for Discovery Networks International. We work with Barrett-Jackson and the production companies to find appropriate places for everyone to work, and do our best to share footage of the auction arena for the vehicles they are interested in.
Can you share any interesting or humorous “behind-the-scenes” moments that have happened during the broadcast?
Sorry – saving those for the book!
What are your goals for the future with regard to the show? How do you see it evolving?
We’re always working to better identify key cars and interesting stories, and make sure the mix of auction block coverage with the event’s overall “flavor” outside is about right. We’ve also tried really hard to extend the Barrett-Jackson experience to other screens by engaging viewers with the “Auction Insider” fantasy game in addition to live polls and trivia. I think we’ll keep looking at technology to work towards better shots of interiors and under the hood, but really it’s about super-serving car fans who tune in for smart, entertaining coverage of these beautiful cars. If we keep doing that and improving each time out, it’s a win for our audience, for Barrett-Jackson and for Velocity.
For “Barrett-Jackson Live” broadcast times and channels for the upcoming 2017 Scottsdale Auction, click HERE.