Sports In The Making

John Howard - Technical Director, NBC Sunday Night Football

Episode Summary

John Howard is the technical director for NBC's Sunday Night Football since 2014 and has worked two Super Bowls (LII and XLIX) for the network. He has also TD'd BCS Football National Championship games for FOX Sports and directed FOX NASCAR Sunday and was Coordinating Director fo the Alliance of American Football. We discuss how he got started in the industry, everything that goes on inside the tv truck's control room, the attention to detail that's required on SNF and what to keep in mind if you watch Super Bowl LIV.

Episode Notes

• 1:30 - What is a Technical Director? John describes the front bench of the tv production truck as similar to being on the USS Enterprise from the Start Trek franchise.
• 4:00 - The role, responsibilities and procedures of a technical director for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
• 7:30 - What technical aspects the TD is responsible for.
• 8:20 - What’s the routine on game day during Sunday Night Football.
• 11:00 - How the production crew goes through scenarios for an unusual scenario during a show.
• 12:45 - The level of attention to detail on a show like Sunday Night Football, spearheaded by NBC Executive Producer, Fred Gaudelli.
• 14:30 - How John got his start in the industry. He talks about his early mentors, how an early, behind-the-scenes video of the Emmys gave him the passion to pursue television production, getting a job at a radio station and and how he moved over to television.
• 22:20 - What it was like being in the technical director chair on a game for the first time.
• 27:50 - The minutes before counting down to the start of a broadcast.
• 29:20 - What the most challenging event he’s ever worked on — the Super Bowl pre-game show.
• 34:15 - The caliber of events John’s worked on, plus what the differences are between a director and a technical director.
• 36:05 - How he directed the NASCAR pre-race show during Kid Rock’s performance.
• 39:20 - How it’s more challenging directing a world-feed production such as the Boston Marathon, versus a production in which you have complete control.
• 41:30 - He discusses how he oversaw the production for the American Alliance of Football (AAF).
• 46:55 - What makes a good TD and director combination?
• 50:55 - How a TD and a director find synergy.
• 53:55 - How would you describe the communication that happens in a tv truck?
• 56:55 - What he would like for you to know if you are watching the Super Bowl in 2020.
• 59:25 - What the best advice he’s ever gotten working in the broadcast industry.
• 1:02:05 - How he views the sports broadcast industry as a sisterhood and brotherhood of people who care about each other, and how this is a fun career and industry to work in.