Fresh Off Epic PGA Championship Effort, Filmwerks Takes to the Gridiron for NFL Network, ESPN

Coming off a gargantuan presence at this month’s PGA Championship, Filmwerks is set for a very busy fall season. The vendor will provide power, temperature control, and a variety of services for ESPN’s College Gameday remote studio show, the NFL Network’s NFL Kickoff game coverage and Thursday Night Football package, and ESPN’s High School Football Kickoff — not to mention helping to power and air-condition the massive US Open production compound at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center over the next two weeks. 

“We keep very busy this time of year,” says Filmwerks GM Chad Corbin. “And we are coming off one of the larger shows we’ve ever done [at the PGA Championship]. The CBS compound at [New Orleans’s] Jackson Square for the Super Bowl was pretty huge, but we think that the [PGA Championship] was probably bigger.”

Filmwerks’ role at the PGA Championship in Rochester, NY, was no small feat. In addition to supporting CBS Sports, Corbin and company provided 4 MW of power for a truck compound that housed PGA.com, Sky Sports, Turner Sports, CBS Sports Network, the TWI world feed, and Fanvision. In addition, Filmwerks deployed more than 40 Honda portable power units throughout the course for various sets and standups, including sets at No. 18 for CBS, Turner, Sky, PGA.com, and CBS Sports Network.

“People just don’t realize how much power it takes to make a show like that happen,” says Corbin. “You have all 17-20 trucks come in on one day, and getting them all up and going at the same time is a challenge. Everyone is looking for power at the same time. Our lead tech Bob Petty has done this event for 15-plus years. Obviously, he does a great job of managing it.”

With the PGA Championship in the rearview mirror, Filmwerks now moves to the gridiron, where its burgeoning relationship with NFL Network continues to pay dividends. Although the Baltimore Ravens-Denver Broncos NFL Kickoff game will take place in Denver on Sept. 5, NFL Network will produce a live concert and pregame show from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor leading up to the game itself.

“We are providing a stage for NFL Network’s initial broadcast in Baltimore,” says Corbin. “They are doing a concert and remote out of Baltimore so we are providing them a stage overlooking the concert.”

He adds that NFL Network has also tabbed Filmwerks to deliver a massive structure for its Super Bowl XLVIII coverage in February.

“We are really forming a good relationship with NFL Network,” he says. “They just keep getting bigger on [Thursday Night Football], so we are adding more power to the show for that as well.”

It’s not just pro football on Filmwerks’ docket this fall, however. The company will once again provide power and other services for ESPN’s College GameDay remote studio show and will also power a total of nine remotes for ESPN’s High School Kickoff Aug. 23-25.

With all the work on the road, Filmwerks has recently put into service four new 260-kW generators with plans to add another 320-kW twin pack to its fleet soon.

“When we get the new golf truck, which is the 320-kW twin pack, we are going to really show it off,” says Corbin. “It’s basically going to be the new CBS golf truck, and we are going to have it ready for the West Coast [PGA Tour] swing in January.”