Stories

Hi, Can you start by telling me your name and job title at AMW?

Hi, my name is Henry Ferdinando and I’m a Technical Producer at Aurora.

A little bit about your background – how did you get here?

I started back in 2007 as a runner on Sky Sports cricket, progressing to the camera department at CTV Outside Broadcasts (now EMG UK). I then became Unit Manager working on a variety of productions, from golf, cricket, football, rugby 7s to award shows and major events. I joined the great team at Aurora in Summer 2022.

Set the scene for us today

We are here in Calgary, the second stop on the Nitro Rallycross Canadian leg of the series. This is Aurora’s first time working with Nitro RX in Canada and it’s really great to be here. Today is the second TX day at the Calgary Stampede, a legendary summer event in Canada, however, this week it has had an icy take over.

Tell us about your role here

As Technical Producer, I am responsible for the technical delivery of the whole broadcast and being the production team’s main point of contact for all technical requirements. This includes; translating creative requests from the producer and director, liaising with the event operational team, our OB supplier NEP, and the venue, Calgary Stampede.

What are you most looking forward to about the event?

Having not worked on motorsports before this series, I have surprised myself with how much I have enjoyed the racing. It is a really exciting event; the cars literally fly and it has been fascinating to see them “send it” on the ice this week.

What are the challenges of working in this location?

Strangely the warm weather! Calgary has experienced a phenomenon called a Chinook wind, which has meant the temperatures have gone from a chilly -15 (degrees celsius) to a scorching +5 degrees. (Trust me this feels like a spring day after experiencing sub-zero temperatures!) This has led to multiple issues for all parties, as the ice that the cars are racing on has melted and led to tricky conditions for the drivers, leading to track changes and therefore multiple camera position changes implicating the fibre allocations.

What’s the one piece of kit you couldn’t be without on location?

Can I have two?! Emma (Production Manager) and Lauren (Production Coordinator), as they are always two steps ahead and keep the production running like clockwork.

Can you tell us about any elements of this production which are sustainable?

The main racing category are electric cars, a huge step away from Nitro's traditional offering but the purpose-built FC1-X is the fastest, most powerful rallycross car ever built. This is hopefully inspiring a whole new generation to think differently on fuel types for the future.

We have a maximum of 50 core crew members on the ground and try to source local crew where possible for the rest. Also car sharing and careful logistics planning whilst we’re here mean fewer cars on the road, all helping the production’s sustainability. 

What are you hoping to do whilst you’re out here once the event is wrapped? 

I'd love to have a look around Calgary and a last poutine (chips, gravy & cheese curds - a Canadian special) before heading back to the airport. 

However I was lucky enough to arrive before the event where, on a free day, we headed up to Banff to explore the stunning Canadian Rockies and did a days skiing in -23 (degrees celsius) temperatures!