The face of WWE programming will change forever when Raw broadcasts in high definition for the first time ever on Monday night. Five years in the making, read what led to WWE's progression to HDTV.Imagine watching Monday Night Raw, and being able to see a picture so sharp, you can count the number of diamonds in the WWE Championship. Or an image so detailed, you can read the name and serial numbers on John Cena’s dog tags.
Starting this Monday night, WWE HD will make it all crystal-clear reality.
This weekend, at an empty arena in an undisclosed location of the southern United States, WWE's television production crew is undergoing a high-definition (HD) boot camp.
The crew is putting the final touches on incredibly vibrant, high-definition versions of Raw, ECW and SmackDown, including the assembly of a revolutionary entrance set that will be used for all three brands. It’s also tweaking the complex lighting and pyrotechnic elements that give each brand's broadcast their distinctive looks, as well as adjusting every Superstar's entrance package to shine in gorgeous WWE HD.
All cosmetic and technical changes must be perfected before the curtain goes up on WWE’s first-ever broadcast in high-definition this Monday night, live in Hampton, Va., on USA Network (9/8 CT). The high-resolution renaissance continues throughout the week with ECW on Sci Fi (Tuesday, 10/9 CT) and Friday Night SmackDown (8/7 CT), leading up to the first-ever WWE pay-per-view event in HD, the 2008 Royal Rumble.
These state-of-the-art advancements are the whirlwind culmination of nearly five years of planning and $20 million of investments – all so WWE can usher in its high-octane, action-packed programming into the next generation of television broadcasting for you, our fans worldwide.
A Long Time Coming
HDTV technology debuted on the North American market in 1998. At the time, however, televisions that could receive HD programming were very expensive and scarce. And there were even fewer networks that could actually broadcast HD programming.
Fast-forward to the present. Today, HDTV sets are widely available and affordable for home use. All of the major broadcast and cable networks offer HD feeds available over most cable and satellite services, as well as over the air via antenna. With an estimated 50 million HDTV sets in American homes, now is the perfect time for WWE to make the move to HD, according to Mike Grossman, WWE's Senior Vice President, Television Operations.
"It seems like the technology is in place now to make the move," Grossman said. "We also waited for the technology to mature. We wanted some of the format issues to mature."
The process of upgrading WWE programming to HDTV started approximately five years ago, as WWE looked to completely retrofit and renovate its already-advanced production equipment, including the production truck that is used at each televised event.
Duncan Leslie, WWE Vice-President for Technical Events Operations, explained that the change to HD offered unique challenges to the technical crew. "It is challenging for us, and we've been doing this for years," he explained. "It has been immensely challenging to re-create a very technically complex show in a brand-new medium."
Testing...1...2...3...
WWE's first-ever foray into the HDTV experience came in late 2006, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. It was there that the production crew rented high-definition cameras, an HD production truck and other necessary equipment to record a live event in HD.
According to Leslie, the test shoot – which used the Raw set and TitanTron, as well as full pyrotechnics and lighting – opened more than a few eyes as to the visual power and beauty of high-definition.
"We learned the duality of HD,” he explained. “[It showed] how unforgiving HD can be, but also how magnificent our programming looked in it. We took a lot of lessons from that night."
Among those lessons, however, was an equally clear glimpse of the monumental transition ahead that would take WWE programming into the HD age.
"What we learned from the technical vantage point was the immensity and enormity of the task in front of us," Leslie recalled.
The crew is putting the final touches on incredibly vibrant, high-definition versions of Raw, ECW and SmackDown, including the assembly of a revolutionary entrance set that will be used for all three brands. It’s also tweaking the complex lighting and pyrotechnic elements that give each brand's broadcast their distinctive looks, as well as adjusting every Superstar's entrance package to shine in gorgeous WWE HD.
All cosmetic and technical changes must be perfected before the curtain goes up on WWE’s first-ever broadcast in high-definition this Monday night, live in Hampton, Va., on USA Network (9/8 CT). The high-resolution renaissance continues throughout the week with ECW on Sci Fi (Tuesday, 10/9 CT) and Friday Night SmackDown (8/7 CT), leading up to the first-ever WWE pay-per-view event in HD, the 2008 Royal Rumble.
These state-of-the-art advancements are the whirlwind culmination of nearly five years of planning and $20 million of investments – all so WWE can usher in its high-octane, action-packed programming into the next generation of television broadcasting for you, our fans worldwide.
A Long Time Coming
HDTV technology debuted on the North American market in 1998. At the time, however, televisions that could receive HD programming were very expensive and scarce. And there were even fewer networks that could actually broadcast HD programming.
Fast-forward to the present. Today, HDTV sets are widely available and affordable for home use. All of the major broadcast and cable networks offer HD feeds available over most cable and satellite services, as well as over the air via antenna. With an estimated 50 million HDTV sets in American homes, now is the perfect time for WWE to make the move to HD, according to Mike Grossman, WWE's Senior Vice President, Television Operations.
"It seems like the technology is in place now to make the move," Grossman said. "We also waited for the technology to mature. We wanted some of the format issues to mature."
The process of upgrading WWE programming to HDTV started approximately five years ago, as WWE looked to completely retrofit and renovate its already-advanced production equipment, including the production truck that is used at each televised event.
Duncan Leslie, WWE Vice-President for Technical Events Operations, explained that the change to HD offered unique challenges to the technical crew. "It is challenging for us, and we've been doing this for years," he explained. "It has been immensely challenging to re-create a very technically complex show in a brand-new medium."
Testing...1...2...3...
WWE's first-ever foray into the HDTV experience came in late 2006, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. It was there that the production crew rented high-definition cameras, an HD production truck and other necessary equipment to record a live event in HD.
According to Leslie, the test shoot – which used the Raw set and TitanTron, as well as full pyrotechnics and lighting – opened more than a few eyes as to the visual power and beauty of high-definition.
"We learned the duality of HD,” he explained. “[It showed] how unforgiving HD can be, but also how magnificent our programming looked in it. We took a lot of lessons from that night."
Among those lessons, however, was an equally clear glimpse of the monumental transition ahead that would take WWE programming into the HD age.
"What we learned from the technical vantage point was the immensity and enormity of the task in front of us," Leslie recalled.
Mike Grossman, WWE's Senior Vice President for Television Operations, will be watching every moment of WWE’s week-long debut in high-definition with anticipation – and some nervousness. Those new HD cameras cost a pretty penny, and if, say, WWE Champion Randy Orton grabs one to clock Jeff Hardy with a high-def cranium shot, Grossman might just grit his teeth a little as the high-tech device gets swung.
"That could be a problem," Grossman replied with a cautious chuckle. “Let’s hope not.”
WWE’s switch to HD required a complete renovation of WWE's production equipment, from the cameras and microphones at ringside to the production truck parked out back. It also necessitated re-creating WWE's production processes from the standard-definition age.
"We went from doing the show the same way for a number of years, in the same truck, to having to reinvent everything," said Duncan Leslie, WWE Vice-President, Technical Events Operations. "All the infrastructure had to change. It's sort of like going from black & white to color."
Such a radical transformation meant not only new HD video cameras, but more powerful and colorful lighting elements. The result? A view of WWE that, until now, you could only get live in the arena, in a front-row seat – a view that has technical crews extremely aware of the tiniest elements.
"There's nowhere to hide," Leslie explained. "Every T-shirt in the audience can be read. Every bead of sweat, every scratch on the canvas is seen. What you see through the HD lens, you'd see with your eyes live."
The crowning jewels of the high-definition renovation are two new state-of-the-art production trucks. WWE worked with NEP Supershooters of Pittsburgh, Pa., to design and build the trucks that replaced the standard-definition vehicle, and will lease a custom truck designed for HD transmission.
Leslie said the new trucks feature miles of cable and more than 100,000 buttons, as well as a massive monitor wall to display the numerous camera feeds. "We're a sporting event, we're a concert” he said. “What we make these trucks do is totally unique [in the industry]."
"Reset" for the set and more
Say goodbye to the iconic Raw TitanTron, as well as the SmackDown fist and mirrors. They’ve seen their last television tapings.
To take full advantage of the high-definition platform, a radically redesigned entrance set will be shared by all three of WWE's signature shows. Exact details regarding the set will remain top-secret until Raw’s is unveiled Monday night. However, a shoot in Florida last November brought all the Superstars together to record the new show openings in HD. Additionally, new intros and graphics for Raw, SmackDown, ECW and pay-per-view events are rumored to feature some 3-D elements.
"There will be several video elements that will be pretty slick,” Grossman asserted. "It will be a whole new show. It's going to be spectacular."
After the show, then...
Another reason to make the leap to WWE HD, notes Duncan Leslie, is post-broadcast potential.
"What we do today, we also use tomorrow," he explained. "We want to be able to repurpose these events that we produce and tape. Going forward, it's going to be an HD world, so we should have HD content that we can make DVDs out of, and use this material for the future."
According to Mike Grossman, WWE has yet to decide whether to distribute its high-definition pay-per-view events on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray format discs. Either way, the shift to HD programming will open the eyes of our fans worldwide.
“The move to high-definition programming is another step in WWE’s ongoing mission to provide our fans with the most engaging, exciting product possible," Grossman said. “This upgrade will be the first of many technological advances for our brand in 2008.”
WWE’s switch to HD required a complete renovation of WWE's production equipment, from the cameras and microphones at ringside to the production truck parked out back. It also necessitated re-creating WWE's production processes from the standard-definition age.
"We went from doing the show the same way for a number of years, in the same truck, to having to reinvent everything," said Duncan Leslie, WWE Vice-President, Technical Events Operations. "All the infrastructure had to change. It's sort of like going from black & white to color."
Such a radical transformation meant not only new HD video cameras, but more powerful and colorful lighting elements. The result? A view of WWE that, until now, you could only get live in the arena, in a front-row seat – a view that has technical crews extremely aware of the tiniest elements.
"There's nowhere to hide," Leslie explained. "Every T-shirt in the audience can be read. Every bead of sweat, every scratch on the canvas is seen. What you see through the HD lens, you'd see with your eyes live."
The crowning jewels of the high-definition renovation are two new state-of-the-art production trucks. WWE worked with NEP Supershooters of Pittsburgh, Pa., to design and build the trucks that replaced the standard-definition vehicle, and will lease a custom truck designed for HD transmission.
Leslie said the new trucks feature miles of cable and more than 100,000 buttons, as well as a massive monitor wall to display the numerous camera feeds. "We're a sporting event, we're a concert” he said. “What we make these trucks do is totally unique [in the industry]."
"Reset" for the set and more
Say goodbye to the iconic Raw TitanTron, as well as the SmackDown fist and mirrors. They’ve seen their last television tapings.
To take full advantage of the high-definition platform, a radically redesigned entrance set will be shared by all three of WWE's signature shows. Exact details regarding the set will remain top-secret until Raw’s is unveiled Monday night. However, a shoot in Florida last November brought all the Superstars together to record the new show openings in HD. Additionally, new intros and graphics for Raw, SmackDown, ECW and pay-per-view events are rumored to feature some 3-D elements.
"There will be several video elements that will be pretty slick,” Grossman asserted. "It will be a whole new show. It's going to be spectacular."
After the show, then...
Another reason to make the leap to WWE HD, notes Duncan Leslie, is post-broadcast potential.
"What we do today, we also use tomorrow," he explained. "We want to be able to repurpose these events that we produce and tape. Going forward, it's going to be an HD world, so we should have HD content that we can make DVDs out of, and use this material for the future."
According to Mike Grossman, WWE has yet to decide whether to distribute its high-definition pay-per-view events on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray format discs. Either way, the shift to HD programming will open the eyes of our fans worldwide.
“The move to high-definition programming is another step in WWE’s ongoing mission to provide our fans with the most engaging, exciting product possible," Grossman said. “This upgrade will be the first of many technological advances for our brand in 2008.”
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