WSOP in High Def
Caught the first episode of the 2007 World Series of Poker on ESPN HD last night and it looked weird.
The thing about televised poker is that it’s usually presented as a live event. It’s nearly always a highly-edited production with carefully scripted commentary, but it’s made to look as if you’re watching a live sporting event, a la baseball or football. It’s shot in video, not on film, I believe. 30fps versus 24.
The World Series, though, has looked like a movie for the past few years that I’ve watched it. They’ve foregone that live look for a more cinematic and moody atmosphere, often with dark backgrounds and dim lighting. It’s a pretty cool look. But that softer image wreaks havoc with the high definition format. It’s a tug of war between images.Don’t get me wrong – the WSOP looks better in high definition. You can’t argue that the graphics on the screen are ten times easier to read, more legible, more colorful. The interviews cut into the hands of poker are shot beautifully with a full bright high definition look. The shots of Vegas at night stand out so much that they almost look like CGI special effects.
But when it comes time to showing the table, it’s an odd assortment. The brighter colors really stand out. The textures are all cleaner and easier to spot. But, in the end, it’s still trying to look like a movie, which is slightly softer. It’s like the image is screaming to be high def, usually looks like it, but occasionally falls short. Obviously, the pocket cameras aren’t high definition, and that’s a minor thing. But the rest of the cameras are trying so hard to look like something film can’t achieve, I suppose.
Like I said, it’s an odd look, but I am enjoying it. I’ve just seen more powerful use of the high definition format in other poker venues, notably NBC’s Heads Up Championship, which still plays in HD in repeats now and again. I wish POKER AFTER DARK would go High Def next. . .