Lega Basket Serie A: EMG / Gravity Media Italy brings cinematic feel to scudetto finals

In the Italian basketball championship – Lega Basket Serie A – the scudetto finals mark the conclusion of the playoffs, following the regular season.

The recently concluded edition featured high-intensity games, tightly contested finals, decisive baskets, and a strongly engaged audience, particularly during the matches involving Virtus Bologna, who were crowned Italian champions earlier this month.

According to Anna Pasculli, sales manager at EMG / Gravity Media Italy, the company responsible for the television production of the entire championship, the quality of the technical setup and team coordination contributed to enhancing the event, delivering a visual setup that was both engaging and effectively told the story of the championship.

This was particularly the case for the finals, where the production layout was enhanced with additional cameras. While the semi-finals generally employed seven to eight cameras, the finals featured up to 11. The setup was reinforced with a Jimmy Jib for dynamic shots and a reverse-side camera (bench side), expanding visual coverage and offering a broader range of perspectives.

One of the newly introduced elements was a Sony RF camera mounted on a gimbal capable of delivering fluid movement and creating a more cinematic look

Camera layout

The typical finals camera configuration was as follows:

• Camera 1: Main camera, positioned frontally, for wide shots of play.
• Camera 2: Close-up for detailed coverage of players and actions.

Both are placed on the stands side, facing the benches.

• Cameras 3 and 4: Handheld, positioned under the left and right baskets respectively.
• Camera 5: Central handheld, focused on mid-court action.
• Cameras 6 and 7: Marshall-type action microcameras installed on the backboards, fibre-connected.
• Camera 8: Reverse camera on the bench side, shoulder-operated and cabled, used for time-outs and alternative perspectives.
• Camera 9: RF gimbal for fluid, mobile shots.
• Camera 10: Additional unit, depending on game configuration.
• Camera 11: Clock camera, fixed on the game clock for refereeing checks.

All positions were crewed, except for the clock and microcameras (6 and 7).

An instant replay system was also installed at the referees’ table. It included two ambient microphones to allow on-air playback of official discussions during reviews.

Graphics and broadcast

EMG / Gravity Media Italy supplied a host feed and customised versions for simultaneous distribution on Eurosport, Discovery+, and DAZN. Graphics were managed by Boost Graphics, the specialist international graphics and virtual production subsidiary of EMG / Gravity Media.

The production team for the finals was made up of around 30 professionals. Given that the sports arenas are only partially pre-cabled, setup operations are complex, particularly for the finals where the additional cameras require significant on-site integration with other equipment.

Production was carried out entirely on-site onboard EMG / Gravity Media Italy’s flagship OB trucks, the Orion 209, although during the regular season the company also operates a remote production setup and centralised instant replay is handled from its Cologno Monzese facility.

In addition to Orion 209, a second dedicated unit was deployed for Discovery’s coverage. For DAZN, content customisation was handled directly onboard the main OB unit, which was configured with two parallel control rooms, each with independent audio and video compartments. This enabled separate productions within a shared infrastructure.

Tommaso Gargàro, EMG / Gravity Media Italy technical manager for the finals, notes: “The new setup required extensive preparatory work. All operations – including graphics and instant replay – are carried out locally at the venue.

“The instant replay is managed by a dedicated computer system that continuously records all camera feeds. When a review is needed, it allows selection of the most suitable angle and enables zooming in on critical details – such as a foot on the line or the moment the ball leaves the hand before the buzzer. The most sensitive phases of the instant replay are also broadcast live using a two-box layout that shows the same footage as seen by the referee team.

“For broadcast replays, two EVS 12-channel systems are installed in the OB truck. Instant replay, however, is handled separately by a sideline operator, approached directly by referees for action reviews.”