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It's A "Hard Knock" Life: NFL Films Begins Production On HBO Series Following Texans

"Hard Knocks" Producer and co-Director Matt Dissinger and his five camera crews on Saturday "began the series of 16-hour days that will take them through Texans training camp and up to the Aug. 11 premiere of the NFL Films production on HBO," according to David Barron of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. NFL Films crew members "have been at work since late last week, getting to know players and coaches and preparing storylines for the initial telecast." Filming will begin most days at 6:00am CT and "will continue -- using the five camera crews and 14 robotic cameras across the Texans complex -- until coaches leave" at 10:00 or 11:00pm. Eight to 10 coaches and players "are wired for sound each day, wearing microphones at practice or during off-field sessions." Producers estimate that they "feed about 350 hours of video for each hour that sees air during the five-part series." Texans coach Bill O'Brien on Saturday said players and coaches "are used to the cameras already" (HOUSTONCHRONICLE.com, 8/1).

COVERING THE COVERAGE: The Houston Chronicle's John McClain and Brian Smith both said that they expected Barron, the paper's sports media writer, to "handle most of the 'Hard Knocks'-related issues for their paper." But SI.com's Richard Deitsch noted that plan "could change dramatically -- as other media have found out -- once the show starts airing." Smith said that the Chronicle "ran a big feature on 'Hard Knocks' prior to the first practice and each day after practice they have a 'Hard Knocks' Moment that runs down an inside page of the Chronicle’s Texans’ coverage." Smith said, "As writers, we covered the initial news and will report on minor daily mentions. But until the episodes air, there's really not much to say. It'll be interesting to see what 'Hard Knocks' is able to reveal about the inner workings of the Texans, since they've become increasingly secretive since O'Brien's hire." Smith added of his expectations for the show, "The real value of 'Hard Knocks' occurs inside an organization's operational facilities, not on the practice field." Deitsch wrote, "Having profiled the 'Hard Knocks' crew for the MMQB.com in 2013, it was remarkable how professional they were about being present but not intrusive." Smith: "The cameras and white ‘HBO: Hard Knocks’ shirts are everywhere, but the crew has been respectful and professional while mostly fading into the background. ... The NFL's media policies -- increasingly restricted access, total control over everything -- have much more impact on writers than 'Hard Knocks' does" (SI.com, 8/3).

NOT LIMITED TO THE PROS: In Orlando, Matt Murschel noted Big Ten Network will "give fans a behind-the-scenes look at this year's Ohio State team as it debuts 'Scarlet and Gray Days: Inside Ohio State Training Camp'" on Aug. 19. The original programming -- "shot in a documentary style -- will following the Buckeyes during fall training camp as the team prepares for the upcoming season" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/1).

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