We have all seen it. The ‘Iolani YouTube channel streams a live event, whether it be graduation or the football team. However, what some may not realize is how it started and what it takes. Since the inception of ‘Iolani Live in 2011, the ‘Iolani YouTube channel has taken a massive step in recent years, experimenting with new sports and content. With the rise of new technologies and sports, it is a good time to get a behind-the-scenes of production as well as to fully understand the origins.
In 2011, Mr. John Tamanaha ’87 was hired as the Director of Interactive Media, tasked with making a new website and a new social media. He soon realized that a school of ‘Iolani’s magnitude and resources was lagging in a major category: an ability to live stream school events. This was a difficult task. Mr. Tamanaha mentioned that “From 2011 to 2015, it did take some time. We needed equipment and we also needed personnel.” The YouTube channel began in 2015 and in the 10 years since its inception, it has amassed an impressive 11 million impressions–the number of times ‘Iolani Live has shown up on someone’s feed. When Covid-19 shut down all in-person events, Mr. Tamanaha recalled, “I remember our former Dean of Upper School Aster Chin during the pandemic telling me that we need to [live stream], because we need to give parents access to their children.” With this “access,” Elijah M. ’25 a volleyball player on the Boys’ Varsity Team said that “watching the live streams after my games have been a really cool experience as I can watch myself along with hearing the crowd reactions that I am not able to hear when I’m zoned into the game. The live streams do a great job and are something I look forward to after my games.”
There are many steps to successfully broadcasting a live event. Human resource is the number one factor. Without a sufficient number of people operating the equipment or the proper amount of gear, a broadcast is not possible. The second step for a good broadcast is the camera. At ‘Iolani Live, there are many different kinds of cameras. The Hudl cameras are mounted at the top of the lower gym while there are static cameras for volleyball and cheerleading whereas for basketball, there are motion detection cameras. To supplement the cameras, there is also audio for some events. However, Mr. Tamanaha said, “audio is complex. Audio is not necessarily plugging in one thing. There are audio engineers who work hard to get things timed out and get all the different mics, ambient mic, and all the levels. Levels always change.” The commentary aspect of live broadcasting also presents its own challenges. Commentators often do research before a match to familiarize themselves with the matchup and get stats or personal details about the players. Communication is also key. At a game, there are many cameras shooting at the same time, and Mr. Dane Kurihara, Manager of Media Services, communicates via a headset to camera personnel to let them know what they have to film and when they are switching to a new point of view.
Though ‘Iolani Live has grown adept at live streaming sports and other events, there is still a belief that there is room to grow and develop. Mr. Tamanaha stresses that he wants the students to be involved, and one way he is doing this is by teaching summer school courses: one in Mastering Media Communication and one in Sports Business–Broadcasting and Management. In addition to these courses, ‘Iolani Live is constantly trying to upgrade its technology while also experimenting with new sports and displays. For example, in flag football, they added rules along with the scoreboard for the display so that fans can understand the action on the field. This idea may even be rolled out for other sports, such as Water Polo. Sports like track and field as well as bowling and tennis may soon be broadcast. Mr. Tamanaha mentioned, “we got the tennis courts wired up. Dane [has also taught] the bowling team and their parents how to set things up because we’re not really able to go there.” This experimentation with new sports and new broadcasts demonstrates the evolving nature of ‘Iolani Live.
Through the successes and challenges, ‘Iolani Live has grown every year and will continue to grow. From using new technology to incorporating new sports and events for the broadcast, the future is bright. With new advancements in equipment and techniques, the possibilities are endless for unparalleled access into the ‘Iolani Community.
