Live Netball broadcast by award winning team

One of the teams acknowledged with a Qantas Award last weekend was TVNZ’s Netball Production Crew under the direction of Barbara Mitchell.

The long serving TVNZ Sport Director’s team won Best Sports Broadcast on Saturday night for the International Netball Series 2008 but Barbara wasn’t able to receive the award, instead she was in Sydney preparing to direct and produce the first test between the Silver Ferns and Australia in this year’s International Netball Series.

“I take a lot of pride in my work and am always striving for perfection so winning the Qantas Award was awesome and a nice acknowledgement for my years with TVNZ especially those with the Sports Department.

These days there are many female directors in news and current affairs but there are still very few in sport. Barbara was one of three TVNZ directors nominated for this year’s Qantas Award for Best Sports Broadcast. The other two were David Turner for Powerbuilt Tools Motorsport and Steve Jamieson for the Heineken Open Tennis Finals. Steve won Best Multi-Camera Direction for the IRB World 7s Series live from Wellington at the Qantas Craft Awards last Friday.

Barbara’s attention is now on the second test which she will be directing and producing live from Melbourne tonight, “The challenge in broadcasting live netball is being able to produce a quality product when the landscape in front and around you, is constantly changing. I love the adrenalin buzz and working with people who have the same standards and enthusiasm.

Silver Ferns versus Australia is live on TV ONE tonight from 9:30pm

[ad]