Sports Broadcasting Hall of Reputation 2019: Ken Woo, The Conduit to Sports’ Biggest Televised Moments
SVG is profiling this year’s 10 Athletics Broadcasting Hall of Recognition inductees in the several weeks leading up to the ceremony about Dec. 17 at typically the New York Hilton. Intended for more facts, CLICK HERE.
“A picture is worth one thousand words. ” It’s a saying that has become instantané. For Ken Woo, nevertheless, those words include brought the world-renowned photographic camera agent and DP for you to a occupation that features lasted more than 4 decades. And, more typically than not, his contact framed the iconic shots of some of sports’ most memorable moments in the last four decades.
“It’s seriously knowing the video game and the actual athlete that you’re along with, ” they says. “It has not generally worked, yet it may be simply being dialed in to what’s happening, understanding all of the alternatives that you have, and even just choosing one. It’s a roll with the dice. ”
Whether the idea has been Greg LeMond’s impressive come-from-behind sprint to grab the yellow jersey simply by secs at the 1989 Trip de France, Kerri Strug’s work towards gold upon one foot at typically the 1996 Summer time Olympics around Atlanta, or even Tiger Woods’ famous fist pump regarding his first career gain at The Professionals throughout 1997, Woo experienced the particular knack of being within the right place at just the right time.
“Kenny Woo is an performer, ” says veteran NBC core and Sports Transmission Corridor of Famer 's Michaels. “You know if someone is extraordinary whenever you can discover 10 seconds of movie and even say, ‘I realize who also shot that. ’”
Ahead of developing knowledge that provided him one of the greatest skull cap eyes inside sports record, the man or woman lovingly nicknamed “The Wooman” was growing up with all the dream of filming players on the grandest of development. Designed with a makeshift television system video camera made out involving cardboard and a new like for stills from favors of renowned Living journal photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, he spent his more radiant decades immersed in the action of freezing time together with his pics.
“When I was initially concerning 5 or 6th several years old, I might function around the yard filming like I had viewed inside sports, ” he / she states. “I had a good Kodak Instamatic camera of which I received for my birthday, and after that we obtained a Polaroid i got to play with. Nevertheless I was a television-generation youngster; My partner and i literally grew upwards in front of typically the TV. ”
With each driving moment in front of the television specific, the passion for the craft burned a little better, but nothing established his heart on hearth more than 1968 Mexico City Olympics. While most youngsters his get older were interested only from the athletic feats of the individual, this young Woo was concerned by the personal life that made those players that they were. Perhaps though this was the 1st time the Games received intensive coverage in color tv, Kenya’s Kip Keino (the eventual gold-medal winner from the 1, 500-meter category) captured his attention during a good off-the-track story made simply by ABC.
“They showed an attribute, an up-close and private, of him running unshod around Cameras, ” Woo recalls. “I said, ‘Man, that would just be the coolest thing in the particular world so as to do motion pictures like that. ’ I actually always loved watching often the Olympics, yet that was initially actually the first time My partner and i noticed a personal user profile. That was really the ‘aha’ moment for myself. ”
Just like many younger adults, childhood ambitions generally get put on often the back burner. Whether or not this was his own selection or even one influenced simply by someone else, sports tv set has been almost a nonfactor like Woo headed to the College of Atlanta. However throughout his initial session being a pre-law university student, the move of his past seemed to be too robust to keep the dog away from his camera plus a good sports storyline.
“I realized that pre-law wasn’t this for me personally and even changed over to transmitting, film, and television system, ” he says. “I had been a feature manager for the college newspaper, The Crimson & Black, and would certainly take pictures and write the feature stories.
“To help to make cash while I has been in university, ” this individual proceeds, “I also functioned for the AUDIO-VIDEO section; I’d go to type and set up projectors and video cameras intended for the school. In addition , I was a jazz disk jockey for WUOG-FM radio stations. http://harutv24.com had a change 3 days a full week from midnight until 3: 00 a. m. ”
Once they graduated, Woo got accomplished an inventive mentality and a work ethic that would consider him to the much gets to of the globe. With a good keen eyes for a shot, simplicity in front of a new microphone, concrete experience together with industry-grade devices, and posting prowess, his bag connected with methods would expand after college.
“My first job has been with WSPA-TV found in Spartanburg, SC, ” he says. “It was around an old converted grocery store; my starting pay has been $168 a good week. I had been hired as a cameraman. My partner and i shot the community news and the gospel displays that aired on Weekend. From there, I went to A1 mixer connected with local news and on-air switching, which meant trimming all the programming through a few p. m. in order to 6 l. m. much like Gilligan’s Area and This Flintstones. Then I had to hit the community on 6 p. m. for your news each time. I got loads of knowledge, mainly because not really only performed I get to know how to use some sort of digital camera nevertheless I acquired to study lighting, music mixing, and even editing. ”
With a good steady reports gig ideal out of the academic ranks, Woo satisfied his appetite for sports with the weekend bustle of shooting superior school football and golf ball for the station’s athletics department. Accustomed to the old methods of shooting, he commenced learning innovative technologies and mastering his or her preferred gun of decision along with a new bit connected with hijinks.
“None of the particular film guys who were generally there wanted to use new electronic media, ” he or she recalls. “When the RCA TK-76 came out, these people said, ‘Do you find out how to use this specific issue? ’ I explained, ‘Yes, ’ when I actually did not. I had used video cameras around school but nothing like sophisticated as that, consequently We stole the manually operated together with went home to help learn how to work with this. I had typically the assurance to make the shot, however the key to being successful is finding out the camera and realizing what you can obtain out of it. Honestly, that is really how I obtained our start. ”
In the same vein, Woo’s first despoliation into function work originated from some sort of children’s show throughout Spartanburg. Right after transitioning via his first job in order to generation stints in Nashville, Kansas Area, and Washington, POWER, Woo got married and shifted to Los Angeles found in search of work in athletics. With cable connections made from Dick Simon Production on the West Coast, he / she nailed his first work in network television along with CBS in 1982.
More than the years, his function has expanded to typically the airwaves of NBC, and even his long résumé is actually a washing list comprising 15 Olympics, Tour de England races, Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, The Masters events, NBA Championships, Metal Man World Championships, Double Crowns, and more. Around this ride of a life-time, though, there have been abrasive patches.
“The just about all topsy-turvy year I had with my career was in 1992, the last time where generally there were a couple of Olympics within one year, ” he or she notes. “It has been [the Winter Olympics in] Albertville, People from france, after that [the Summer season Olympics in] Barcelona. Many of us probably traveled intended for 4 or five months just before Albertville, slept in Albertville intended for five weeks, in addition to emerged home for the couple of weeks ahead of all of us commenced shooting characteristics to get Barcelona, which travelled through August of that will year.
“I seemed to be carrying out some other projects, ” they goes on, “with Globe Physique Skating Championships, creating The Masters film in addition to Last Four features intended for CBS. My partner and i think, that year, I actually might have traveled around 270 days. I used to be basically raising my little ones simply by phone since generally there was virtually no email or even FaceTime at this stage. ”
Just like a stone, Woo shone under the pressure of your busy schedule. During the fact that turbulent period, he revealed the Launching Ceremony involving the 1992 Summer Olympics in the only means he knew how.
“I think the most incredible time was [the flashlight lighting] found in Barcelona, ” he states. “We didn’t get to help run through that as they did not want to give the idea away, and in simple fact, they'd two several archers. 1 was going in order to lob it inside, and the some other one would definitely fire on a upright range, so that was initially completely live to the world, and it performed. ”
Says NBC Head of Production Bucky Gunts. “Take the Opening Wedding service and Kenny Woo, in addition to your funds shot. ”
The time would possibly be a process run for what was to arrive four years later on the subject of American soil. For often the 1996 Atl Olympics, Woo was preferred again for the dollars photo in the course of the Opening Ceremony, that has boxing legend Muhammed Ali lit the torch.
“He got an eye the fact that made him one involving those rare guys that understood how his or her photo fit into the storyline the producer and representative were hoping to find, ” says fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Gepner. “You would only watch in awe because there is [only] a compact team of cameramen like that will. ”
Four times in the future, Woo was behind the lens for some sort of 10-second clip that reflects often the essence regarding Olympic competitors and has turn out to be practically synonymous with U. S i9000. gymnastics.
“You genuinely currently have to plan ahead any time youre out there, ” says Woo. “It’s crazy on the floor, but I realized how essential it was to be throughout that position due to the fact I actually have two or about three different locations when we are doing the burial container. My spouse and i knew that was heading to be the [important] moment if [Strug] strike the idea and they earned, that has been going to possibly be the best shot. The lady stuck the landing, fell into to her knees, and even started out crawling towards us whilst calling my brand. ”
That’s the thing about Woo that creates him the perfect at what exactly he will do: his relatable personality plus the ability to help get to know the particular person covered behind typically the veil regarding sport. This gave Woo an in just track to the greatest available content and facts for your Olympic vignettes that will he or she became known with regard to, such as the Strug’s one-legged landing.
“That was your real advantage because I actually had known Kerri considering the woman was 12 decades outdated, ” he tells. “I need to commit period with them in their household countries, their atmosphere, plus, literally, in their homes. When I’m on this floor in addition to they’re getting besieged by way of all the other advertising, I’m a well-known face since I received to find out them in the private level, consumed meals with these, and was initially with them in the course of teaching. ”
Says Exec Producer/President, NBC Olympics Generation, Molly Solomon, “He needed ENG photography to a different level. The trust together with bond he forged with athletes gave fans unprecedented access. When that special moment happened, he has been right now there, and so had been we. ”
In 2019, Woo provides a trophy case full of hardware the fact that visual storytellers can only imagine about. The accolades include things like 27 Emmys (three Primetime Emmys for the Starting Ceremonies in the Sodium Lake Metropolis, Torino, in addition to Beijing Olympics and a few for Best Short Feature), a good Peabody Award for his work with ESPN’s 30 for 40 series, and often the prestigious Olympic Golden Engagement ring for Best Individual Interest Story. The emotional trophy case is full involving thoughts from his moves at the same time, but, most critical, he has earned typically the utmost respect from the peers in the field.
“He was initially excellent and fearless, ” says Gepner. “I can not tell you the number of occasions often the director would state, ‘Get me the chance, ’ and didn’t want to tell him what to help do because Ken would come up with a superior shot compared to director was thinking of. ”
Even though he continues to work in the field that he / she fell in love using as a kid, Woo’s profession has come 100 % circle to get multiple causes.
“Athletes which might be on their own way up appear in order to us and proceed, ‘God, I saw that will history you did in [U. S. gymnast] Kim Zmeskal, ’ or maybe, ‘Hey, I remember that, and it was therefore inspiring. ’ You offer them a great feeling, ” he says. “With most these incredible events all-around the world, you will be hanging do some simple of this most unbelievable runners at any time created. That’s not really a job; that’s a new dream. ”
For viewers at property, his / her heritage is safe as the individual who located the balance between artistic poise and the significance of the scenario.
“I just simply wanted them to feel such as they were there, ” says Woo. “There happen to be times to be creative plus times when you just want to catch that and be generally there. You do not want anybody to have to read it because you’re in fact feeling what I’m showing you. If you were positioned there, and this you would see. That’s the kind of feel I was looking intended for. ”
Although he increased the particular viewing pleasure connected with followers seeing history, their workmanship has given immense pride, total satisfaction, and pleasure to the little boy which sat in the living-room ground to watch the particular 1968 Olympics.
“In mil novecentos e noventa e seis, I actually went to Kenya to complete an Olympic feature, and am got to meet Kip Keino, ” he recalls. “I described to the dog the way his story motivated me personally to become a good cameraman, specially executing characteristics for the Olympics, and just how The idea was something I want to do. He had taken me back to just about all the places they had filmed and demonstrated myself all the spots, and yes it was really something unique. ”
“A picture is worth one thousand words. ” It’s a saying that has become instantané. For Ken Woo, nevertheless, those words include brought the world-renowned photographic camera agent and DP for you to a occupation that features lasted more than 4 decades. And, more typically than not, his contact framed the iconic shots of some of sports’ most memorable moments in the last four decades.
“It’s seriously knowing the video game and the actual athlete that you’re along with, ” they says. “It has not generally worked, yet it may be simply being dialed in to what’s happening, understanding all of the alternatives that you have, and even just choosing one. It’s a roll with the dice. ”
Whether the idea has been Greg LeMond’s impressive come-from-behind sprint to grab the yellow jersey simply by secs at the 1989 Trip de France, Kerri Strug’s work towards gold upon one foot at typically the 1996 Summer time Olympics around Atlanta, or even Tiger Woods’ famous fist pump regarding his first career gain at The Professionals throughout 1997, Woo experienced the particular knack of being within the right place at just the right time.
“Kenny Woo is an performer, ” says veteran NBC core and Sports Transmission Corridor of Famer 's Michaels. “You know if someone is extraordinary whenever you can discover 10 seconds of movie and even say, ‘I realize who also shot that. ’”
Ahead of developing knowledge that provided him one of the greatest skull cap eyes inside sports record, the man or woman lovingly nicknamed “The Wooman” was growing up with all the dream of filming players on the grandest of development. Designed with a makeshift television system video camera made out involving cardboard and a new like for stills from favors of renowned Living journal photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, he spent his more radiant decades immersed in the action of freezing time together with his pics.
“When I was initially concerning 5 or 6th several years old, I might function around the yard filming like I had viewed inside sports, ” he / she states. “I had a good Kodak Instamatic camera of which I received for my birthday, and after that we obtained a Polaroid i got to play with. Nevertheless I was a television-generation youngster; My partner and i literally grew upwards in front of typically the TV. ”
With each driving moment in front of the television specific, the passion for the craft burned a little better, but nothing established his heart on hearth more than 1968 Mexico City Olympics. While most youngsters his get older were interested only from the athletic feats of the individual, this young Woo was concerned by the personal life that made those players that they were. Perhaps though this was the 1st time the Games received intensive coverage in color tv, Kenya’s Kip Keino (the eventual gold-medal winner from the 1, 500-meter category) captured his attention during a good off-the-track story made simply by ABC.
“They showed an attribute, an up-close and private, of him running unshod around Cameras, ” Woo recalls. “I said, ‘Man, that would just be the coolest thing in the particular world so as to do motion pictures like that. ’ I actually always loved watching often the Olympics, yet that was initially actually the first time My partner and i noticed a personal user profile. That was really the ‘aha’ moment for myself. ”
Just like many younger adults, childhood ambitions generally get put on often the back burner. Whether or not this was his own selection or even one influenced simply by someone else, sports tv set has been almost a nonfactor like Woo headed to the College of Atlanta. However throughout his initial session being a pre-law university student, the move of his past seemed to be too robust to keep the dog away from his camera plus a good sports storyline.
“I realized that pre-law wasn’t this for me personally and even changed over to transmitting, film, and television system, ” he says. “I had been a feature manager for the college newspaper, The Crimson & Black, and would certainly take pictures and write the feature stories.
“To help to make cash while I has been in university, ” this individual proceeds, “I also functioned for the AUDIO-VIDEO section; I’d go to type and set up projectors and video cameras intended for the school. In addition , I was a jazz disk jockey for WUOG-FM radio stations. http://harutv24.com had a change 3 days a full week from midnight until 3: 00 a. m. ”
Once they graduated, Woo got accomplished an inventive mentality and a work ethic that would consider him to the much gets to of the globe. With a good keen eyes for a shot, simplicity in front of a new microphone, concrete experience together with industry-grade devices, and posting prowess, his bag connected with methods would expand after college.
“My first job has been with WSPA-TV found in Spartanburg, SC, ” he says. “It was around an old converted grocery store; my starting pay has been $168 a good week. I had been hired as a cameraman. My partner and i shot the community news and the gospel displays that aired on Weekend. From there, I went to A1 mixer connected with local news and on-air switching, which meant trimming all the programming through a few p. m. in order to 6 l. m. much like Gilligan’s Area and This Flintstones. Then I had to hit the community on 6 p. m. for your news each time. I got loads of knowledge, mainly because not really only performed I get to know how to use some sort of digital camera nevertheless I acquired to study lighting, music mixing, and even editing. ”
With a good steady reports gig ideal out of the academic ranks, Woo satisfied his appetite for sports with the weekend bustle of shooting superior school football and golf ball for the station’s athletics department. Accustomed to the old methods of shooting, he commenced learning innovative technologies and mastering his or her preferred gun of decision along with a new bit connected with hijinks.
“None of the particular film guys who were generally there wanted to use new electronic media, ” he or she recalls. “When the RCA TK-76 came out, these people said, ‘Do you find out how to use this specific issue? ’ I explained, ‘Yes, ’ when I actually did not. I had used video cameras around school but nothing like sophisticated as that, consequently We stole the manually operated together with went home to help learn how to work with this. I had typically the assurance to make the shot, however the key to being successful is finding out the camera and realizing what you can obtain out of it. Honestly, that is really how I obtained our start. ”
In the same vein, Woo’s first despoliation into function work originated from some sort of children’s show throughout Spartanburg. Right after transitioning via his first job in order to generation stints in Nashville, Kansas Area, and Washington, POWER, Woo got married and shifted to Los Angeles found in search of work in athletics. With cable connections made from Dick Simon Production on the West Coast, he / she nailed his first work in network television along with CBS in 1982.
More than the years, his function has expanded to typically the airwaves of NBC, and even his long résumé is actually a washing list comprising 15 Olympics, Tour de England races, Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, The Masters events, NBA Championships, Metal Man World Championships, Double Crowns, and more. Around this ride of a life-time, though, there have been abrasive patches.
“The just about all topsy-turvy year I had with my career was in 1992, the last time where generally there were a couple of Olympics within one year, ” he or she notes. “It has been [the Winter Olympics in] Albertville, People from france, after that [the Summer season Olympics in] Barcelona. Many of us probably traveled intended for 4 or five months just before Albertville, slept in Albertville intended for five weeks, in addition to emerged home for the couple of weeks ahead of all of us commenced shooting characteristics to get Barcelona, which travelled through August of that will year.
“I seemed to be carrying out some other projects, ” they goes on, “with Globe Physique Skating Championships, creating The Masters film in addition to Last Four features intended for CBS. My partner and i think, that year, I actually might have traveled around 270 days. I used to be basically raising my little ones simply by phone since generally there was virtually no email or even FaceTime at this stage. ”
Just like a stone, Woo shone under the pressure of your busy schedule. During the fact that turbulent period, he revealed the Launching Ceremony involving the 1992 Summer Olympics in the only means he knew how.
“I think the most incredible time was [the flashlight lighting] found in Barcelona, ” he states. “We didn’t get to help run through that as they did not want to give the idea away, and in simple fact, they'd two several archers. 1 was going in order to lob it inside, and the some other one would definitely fire on a upright range, so that was initially completely live to the world, and it performed. ”
Says NBC Head of Production Bucky Gunts. “Take the Opening Wedding service and Kenny Woo, in addition to your funds shot. ”
The time would possibly be a process run for what was to arrive four years later on the subject of American soil. For often the 1996 Atl Olympics, Woo was preferred again for the dollars photo in the course of the Opening Ceremony, that has boxing legend Muhammed Ali lit the torch.
“He got an eye the fact that made him one involving those rare guys that understood how his or her photo fit into the storyline the producer and representative were hoping to find, ” says fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Gepner. “You would only watch in awe because there is [only] a compact team of cameramen like that will. ”
Four times in the future, Woo was behind the lens for some sort of 10-second clip that reflects often the essence regarding Olympic competitors and has turn out to be practically synonymous with U. S i9000. gymnastics.
“You genuinely currently have to plan ahead any time youre out there, ” says Woo. “It’s crazy on the floor, but I realized how essential it was to be throughout that position due to the fact I actually have two or about three different locations when we are doing the burial container. My spouse and i knew that was heading to be the [important] moment if [Strug] strike the idea and they earned, that has been going to possibly be the best shot. The lady stuck the landing, fell into to her knees, and even started out crawling towards us whilst calling my brand. ”
That’s the thing about Woo that creates him the perfect at what exactly he will do: his relatable personality plus the ability to help get to know the particular person covered behind typically the veil regarding sport. This gave Woo an in just track to the greatest available content and facts for your Olympic vignettes that will he or she became known with regard to, such as the Strug’s one-legged landing.
“That was your real advantage because I actually had known Kerri considering the woman was 12 decades outdated, ” he tells. “I need to commit period with them in their household countries, their atmosphere, plus, literally, in their homes. When I’m on this floor in addition to they’re getting besieged by way of all the other advertising, I’m a well-known face since I received to find out them in the private level, consumed meals with these, and was initially with them in the course of teaching. ”
Says Exec Producer/President, NBC Olympics Generation, Molly Solomon, “He needed ENG photography to a different level. The trust together with bond he forged with athletes gave fans unprecedented access. When that special moment happened, he has been right now there, and so had been we. ”
In 2019, Woo provides a trophy case full of hardware the fact that visual storytellers can only imagine about. The accolades include things like 27 Emmys (three Primetime Emmys for the Starting Ceremonies in the Sodium Lake Metropolis, Torino, in addition to Beijing Olympics and a few for Best Short Feature), a good Peabody Award for his work with ESPN’s 30 for 40 series, and often the prestigious Olympic Golden Engagement ring for Best Individual Interest Story. The emotional trophy case is full involving thoughts from his moves at the same time, but, most critical, he has earned typically the utmost respect from the peers in the field.
“He was initially excellent and fearless, ” says Gepner. “I can not tell you the number of occasions often the director would state, ‘Get me the chance, ’ and didn’t want to tell him what to help do because Ken would come up with a superior shot compared to director was thinking of. ”
Even though he continues to work in the field that he / she fell in love using as a kid, Woo’s profession has come 100 % circle to get multiple causes.
“Athletes which might be on their own way up appear in order to us and proceed, ‘God, I saw that will history you did in [U. S. gymnast] Kim Zmeskal, ’ or maybe, ‘Hey, I remember that, and it was therefore inspiring. ’ You offer them a great feeling, ” he says. “With most these incredible events all-around the world, you will be hanging do some simple of this most unbelievable runners at any time created. That’s not really a job; that’s a new dream. ”
For viewers at property, his / her heritage is safe as the individual who located the balance between artistic poise and the significance of the scenario.
“I just simply wanted them to feel such as they were there, ” says Woo. “There happen to be times to be creative plus times when you just want to catch that and be generally there. You do not want anybody to have to read it because you’re in fact feeling what I’m showing you. If you were positioned there, and this you would see. That’s the kind of feel I was looking intended for. ”
Although he increased the particular viewing pleasure connected with followers seeing history, their workmanship has given immense pride, total satisfaction, and pleasure to the little boy which sat in the living-room ground to watch the particular 1968 Olympics.
“In mil novecentos e noventa e seis, I actually went to Kenya to complete an Olympic feature, and am got to meet Kip Keino, ” he recalls. “I described to the dog the way his story motivated me personally to become a good cameraman, specially executing characteristics for the Olympics, and just how The idea was something I want to do. He had taken me back to just about all the places they had filmed and demonstrated myself all the spots, and yes it was really something unique. ”
