Almost since the day Sidepodcast started creating videos, you'll have heard Christine bemoan the lack of a teleprompter. Remembering reams of text, under the pressure of hot studio lights while the cameras are rolling is no-one's idea of fun. Having something to fall back on is often a necessity.
Credit: Sidepodcast
Behind the scenes of the Sidepodcast Christmas special, Christine eyes up the shot. The ProPrompter can be seen above the camera and the GorillaPod legs wrap around the body.
The problem with most teleprompters, is that being somewhat specialist by nature, they have a habit of costing a pretty penny. By way of example, the small model we were looking longingly at was set to cost us £1,800. You can see why we've been putting it off for a while.
Reusing Existing Hardware
Thankfully there's an app for that, and when Bodelin Technologies released ProPrompter (iTunes link) for the iPhone / iPod Touch our quest for an affordable autocue system was over. Coming in at a far more reasonable £5.99, the application allows the iPod to act as a tiny teleprompting system.
True, the screen is a little on the small side for this role, but playback speed is variable, colours are customisable and loading content is straightforward. If nothing else, it's a considerable improvement on holding up sheets of A4 paper and manually swapping them as required. The iPod is mounted atop the camera via a Joby GorillaPod with suction pad attachment and will happily sit there for hours.
Lacking Presentation
It's little improvements such as this gem that make us motivated to create more video content this year. Incidentally, having looked into what other sites are offering in terms of F1 video, a trend we've noticed wherever we look, is the distinct lack of presenters hosting shows.
Neither Autosport TV nor GPUpdate TV seem to offer anything beyond stock footage and a voiceover track (which is almost exclusively male). Can finding an onscreen presenter be that difficult in this day and age? Maybe having a person in front of camera is something else we should be giving USF1 more credit for.
If you're doing any form of podcasting, be it video or audio, we highly recommend the ProPrompter solution. It reuses our existing hardware and the application has already paid for itself in time and effort saved.
F1 Minute is a weekday audio show hosted by Christine, which covers all the Formula 1 news in a handy 60 second round-up. The show has been running for more than two years in its current format, and as an experiment we're now looking into how this might translate to video.
Although the content will ultimately be hosted on the F1 Minute website, we're including this concept show on Sidepodcast in order solicit a wider variety of feedback. Please do get it touch and let us know if you like the idea, or if there are things that need improving.
In this episode, Christine takes a look at Kubica's plans for 2010 as well as the new look Jenson Button. This show was originally published as Kubica Set to Stay at Renault on F1 Minute.
The first lady of F1 podcasting returns to dispense her annual Alternative Christmas message. In previous years, she has summed up the sport as a pantomime and told the most important story of the festive season. This year it's time for another Christmas tale.
With so many twists and turns in the Formula 1 story, it was hard to narrow down the pivotal moment in 2009, but some of our favourite, and not so favourite, faces appear as we learn a very important moral.
Merry Christmas everybody.
An Alternative Christmas Message
Hello everyone, welcome to Sidepodcast TV. Things have been a bit quiet on the video front in 2009 but we had to return to bring you our annual Alternative Christmas Message. For the past couple of years, we have brought you tales of festive joy from the F1 paddock, and this Christmas is no different. This story has a particular moral though, so if you are sitting comfortably, let us begin.
There once was a man called Ebenezer Schumacher, who had spent a long time working and building up a fortune of money. His talent in a race car was indisputable but his ability to make friends was a completely different matter.
Despite retiring from F1 at the end of 2006, Ebenezer Schumacher remained within thesport, consulting with his favoured team, and almost returning to deputise for an injured driver. Sadly, previous excesses prevented him from doing so, but the opportunity had alighted a great fire within him.
He cast a sly eye across the grid. There were several new teams entering next season, and fellow German Tiny Timo approached Ebenezer to ask for his advice. Tiny Timo was driving for a brand new team, one relying heavily on him to help point them in the right direction. Aware of Schumacher’s legendary abilities in this area, Timo asked for any tips to guide him along the right path. Ebenezer was certain he had no interest in helping others, waved a hand dismissively and went to chat to his old technical director Ross Brawn.
Brawn’s new team were going through some changes, and he and Ebenezer discussed the future. Mr Brawn told him that hemight be able to put the new found fire to good use, but that Formula 1 had changed. Some things that used to take place when Schumi was behind the wheel were no longer acceptable, and there had been plenty of evidence in 2009 that cheating was no longer tolerated. Brawn advised that to get back into F1, Schumi needed to change his wicked ways. The seven times world champion didn’t care though, stating he had won his titles his way, and he was set on winning another.
Brawn shook his head, sadly, but he wanted to help so he hatched a plan. “Tonight you’ll be visited by three ghosts,” he said. “Expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one.”
At the anticipated time, ghost number one appeared, and Ebenezer Schumacher was surprised to see a familiar face. It was his old rival Jacques Villeneuve, who pronounced himself the Ghost of F1 Past. Villeneuve told Schumi how his questionable tactics in the Formula 1 of Old had led to Jacques a career heading in sharp decline culminating in him quitting F1 and taking up a career in music. He spoke of Damon Hill and how Schumacher had destroyed the champion’s self esteem, forcing him to spend his days fighting with Bernie Ecclestone instead. “Worst of all,” Jacques said, “Your wheel banging antics with Montoya set him up for a career in NASCAR!”
Schumacher frowned a little, but dismissed the first ghost with another wave of his hand. Promptly, the second ghost appeared. It was young Nelson Piquet Jr, who announced himself as the Ghost of F1 Present. Piquet described the recent Singapore Grand Prix scandal, explaining to Ebenezer how he had experienced first hand that cheating does not pay, how the FIA had begun to clean up the sport and that he was now facing a future driving trucks around in circles.. Schumi rolled his eyes, patted Piquet on the head and sent him back to his overprotective father.
The final ghost appeared, and Ebenezer saw that it was another fellow German driver, the Red Bull star Sebastian Vettel. “I am the Ghost of F1 Future,” Vettel said, and promptly went on to explain that soon, he will go on to win nine world championships, beating every one of Schumacher’s records in the process, and would do so without cheating, even one little bit. “I beat your records,” Vettel said, “the fans respect and adore me, I become a legend in our country and everyone forgets who you are.”
Ebenzer Schumacher was stunned. As the final ghost disappeared, the idea of winning at all costs didn’t seem such a good one and Schumi could see now, that his dirty driving of old was not the way it should be done.
Determined to prove his new found respectable motivation, and to repair his tarnished reputation Ebenezer returned to Tiny Timo the very next day and explained to him exactly how to guide a new team, how to build a team of people around him and best of all, how to organise a comfortable seat fitting.
As an added bonus, Ebenezer splashed out and gifted thesport a Turkey... so that Turn 8 would forever remain on the calendar.
Ross Brawn returned and told Ebenezer he was welcome back to Formula 1, and his new start would see him at Mercedes. A new era of Formula 1 had begun where drivers respected each other, never tried to ram anyone off the track, accepted equal status to their teammates and were nice to their brothers.
This made the 2010 season the best season ever.
Thank you for listening to my Alternative Christmas Message. I hope you’re enjoying the holidays, arehaving a good day today and will be looking forward to the next season of Formula 1. Merry Christmas.
An Alternative Christmas Message
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The waiting is almost over and a new F1 season is upon us. To make sure you're up to speed with all the changes to Formula 1 in 2009, Sidepodcast catches up with the drivers and the engineers for the full low-down on what to expect this year.
We take a look inside the workings of two different types of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, find out how the teams are addressing new aero regulations, learn how the cars have evolved during the winter and discover how all of this affects the drivers.
Special thanks go out to Panasonic Toyota Racing, AT&T Williams, BMW Sauber F1 Team, ING Renault F1 Team, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Bridgestone Motorsport and RTV GmbH for the use of their video footage.
Formula One is already marching headlong into the 2009 season, but before it gets there, Sidepodcast takes one final look back at the events that shaped 2008.
This isn't your normal F1 season review, but a chance for us to catch up on some of the things that slipped through our net during the past 12 months. These are things we wanted to cover but couldn't, either because of time constraints or video becoming available past our broadcast dates.
We look right back to winter testing, acknowledge Rubens for reaching a special milestone and hear what Jenson has to say about Formula One's first ever night race. All this and more in the last episode of Sidepodcast TV for 2008.
Music played:
The Futureheads, The Beginning Of The Twist
The Maine, We Change, We Wait
Bloc Party, Flux
Special thanks go out to Panasonic Toyota Racing, AT&T Williams, BMW Sauber F1 Team, ING Renault F1 Team, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Honda Racing F1 Team and RTV GmbH for the use of their video footage.
After the success of last year's F1 pantomime, the Queen (of F1 podcasting) returns for another performance of a festive Formula 1 message.
Your favourite, and not so favourite faces of 2008 make guest appearances as Christine reminisces on some of the events of the past year, whilst giving a nod to the major upheaval facing the racing world next year.
Merry Christmas everybody.
Welcome to Sidepodcast TV and our annual Alternative Christmas Message. Last year we discussed whether F1 could be compared to the festive tradition of pantomime, but thankfully 2008 has been a lot less farcical and a lot more fun. Christmas is often a time for merriment, for eating, drinking, and present giving, but there’s one very important story that shouldn’t be forgotten at this time of year. I’m here to remind you of that story.
About two thousand hours ago, in Belgium, there lived a young woman named Karen. She was engaged to be married to David, an F1 driver. One day, Bernie the angel appeared before her and told her she had been chosen to have a special baby. The baby would be the next big Champ, and she must call him Dayton.
Soon after Bernie’s visit, Karen and David were married. Karen was due to have her baby when they were told they had to go on a long journey to Monaco, which was where David lived. This was because they had to pay a special superlicence tax, as decreed by King Max. Karen had to ride on a Red Bull for a few days over the hills of France.
At last Karen and David arrived in Monaco. It was crowded with other drivers who needed to pay their superlicence fees. Karen was very tired and needed a place to stay. At each inn, the story was the same. There was no room for them. Eventually, David went to his own hotel, and the manager said there was a garage where they kept the cars. They were welcome to stay there. And so it was that a few hours later, Karen gave birth to her son in that garage. She wrapped Dayton in strips of Nomex and laid him in a survival cell with high cockpit sides.
At the same time, on a yacht overlooking the harbour, some team bosses were watching over the town. Ron Dennis, Flavio Briatore and Vijay Mallya were sipping champagne when suddenly, a bright light appeared in the sky, and they were very afraid. It was Bernie again. He told them not to be afraid because he had some good news. He said the next big F1 Champ had been born and they would find him in Monaco. The bosses wanted to go and see the baby. When they arrived at the garage, they were filled with joy at seeing Dayton lying in the survival cell with high cockpit sides. They stayed awhile, complained about the facilities, and decided to return to their yacht. On their way out, they began to argue over who could sign up the driver at such a young age. Ron won the argument as he has experience of such matters.
Far away in the UK, three Wise Men: Rory Byrne, Pat Symonds and Paddy Lowe; saw a new star shining high in the sky. They studied the FIA Technical Regulations which told them that whenever a bright new star appeared it meant that a driver that could overtake had been born. The Wise Men decided to find this new driver. They went to Place de la Concorde to see King Max, as they thought the baby would be in the palace. They asked to see the child that would be the new F1 Champ. King Max was troubled. He told them to return when they had found the baby so he could worship the child himself.
The Wise Men set off to find Dayton. They were guided by the star to the garage in Monaco. Here they knelt down and worshipped Dayton. They gave him gifts of a high rear wing, an adjustable front wing, and some slick tyres. That night, all three men had the same dream in which Bernie warned them that King Max wanted to stop the driver that can overtake and told them not to go back to Place de la Concorde.
The Wise Men went back to the UK without calling to see Max. Soon after, David had a dream where Bernie told him to take Karen and Dayton to Switzerland. When the Wise Men did not visit, Max ordered that baby boys in Monaco be sent to race in NASCAR. They did not find Dayton as he was safe in Switzerland.
Now that is what an F1 Christmas is all about. Thank you for taking the time to watch my Christmas message. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Formula 1 is set for one last hurrah in Europe, before departing for the four long haul races that will see the 2008 championship out. The destination for this last stand also happens to be the fastest track on the calendar.
This week Inside Track catches up with Jarno Trulli to get his thoughts on racing in his home country. We take a flying lap around Autodromo Nazionale Monza and also refresh our memories of how exactly the championship tables stack up post Spa Francorchamps.
Special thanks to Allianz SE, Toyota Motorsports GmbH, Red Bull Racing, Daimler, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and RTV GmbH for the use of their video footage.
The perfect antidote for a Valencian procession has to be a blast through the Ardennes Forest, and Formula One delivers this and more as the teams arrive at the Circuit de Spa Francorchamps for the Belgium Grand Prix.
This week Inside Track takes a look at the circuit and catches up with the thoughts of Christian Danner and Sébastien Bourdais. We also look back on the controversial events that unfolded last year and see how the championship stands before the drivers come face-to-face with one of the most daunting tracks of year.
Special thanks to Allianz SE, Toyota Motorsports GmbH, Red Bull Racing, Daimler, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and RTV GmbH for the use of their video footage.
For the second time this year F1 goes street racing and this time it's through the twists and turns around the port of Valencia.
The city offers a unique backdrop for Formula 1, and notably features a specially created swing bridge allowing F1 cars to cross Valencia's canal. In total, 25 corners make up this magnificent circuit and this is one episode of Inside Track you won't want to miss.
It's also Formula One's annual summer break, so Christine takes a look at the state of the championship, some recent engine rumours and a look at why McLaren might have an advantage over their rivals when it comes to tyres and logistics as the racing returns to Spain once more.
Special thanks to Allianz SE, Toyota Motorsports GmbH, Renault SA, Daimler, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and RTV GmbH for the use of their video footage.
Last year's Hungarian Grand Prix turned out to be something of a controversial affair, but what does this years race have in store? Join Christine as she takes a look at the never changing circuit layout, the qualifying events that irrecoverably altered last year's season for McLaren, and a quick recap of where the teams and drivers stand in this years championship.
Also we follow Gerhard Berger as he drives his own Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 car around one side of Lake Balaton, across the water via transport ferry and then back down the other side, entertaining fans at every turn. It might well be the first time a Formula One car has crossed the largest lake in Europe, but with a new racing circuit scheduled to open nearby in 2010, it may not be the last.
