The Lord of the Pictures: The ORF broadcast of the Ski World Cup is so complex

The ORF broadcasts the World Cup in Saalbach-Hinterglemm with 56 cameras. Star director Michael Kögler provides valuable insights.

The 1958 Ski World Cup in Bad Gastein was the first to be broadcast live on television. Even then he has ORF Standards set. In Saalbach-Hinterglemm come at the Men’s descent 56 cameras used. Michael Kögler Sits on the directors and with his 250-member team is the gentleman over the pictures. He will also direct the departure at the 2026 Olympics.

KURIER: How long have you been preparing for the transmission of this SKI World Cup?

Michael Kögler: The lead time is three years. I went down the mountain a few times in the summer and took a close look at the routes in winter. And so a desired version is created over time, where you can use which cameras. Of course, this is adapted again and again, after the last fine tuning we have reached the camera plans at version 11.

What is the big challenge?

I have the big privilege that I can continue the legacy of Lucky Schmidtleitner and Fritz Melchert at ORF, which were extremely innovative. On one we failed in any form: namely the steepness and speed in the descent. Although I have the advantage of modern technology.

What do you think?

I am a little easier with the drones, so you can better recognize the speed and the steepness. This is a new dimension of the transmission. And I can use super time motion. Something like the 1991 World Cup cannot happen to us.

What was then?

In 1991 it was still the case that the camera images could not be recorded in parallel when a slow motion was shown. In the giant slalom, Alberto Tomba fell behind the only hayber. This fall could never be seen live on television.

What are the transfer of the departure about?

It’s about feeling the great fascination of this sport. In my eyes, the downhills are the most underestimated athletes. They drive over the slopes at 150 km/h without crushing zone and protection. And then I want to bring the emotions across, you have to tell a story today.

Was that different in the past?

It becomes bland for the viewer if you just see one runner after another while driving down. The view backstage is becoming increasingly important, this internal communication between the trainers and the runners we know from Formula 1. The viewers must have the feeling that they are right. What I dress in pictures pack the commentators into words.

What role does the sound play in the transmission?

The sound is extremely important. If you have the wrong tone in a scary film, the scary effect is gone. You have to get the atmosphere and energy and power somehow. We work with huge parabolic mirrors with which we target the runners so that you can hear the noise over the ice while driving and clap the loud claping for jumps. At the same time, we are working on filtering and getting the tone with the camera runs. The viewers love the drone pictures, but some bothers the whirring.

Which innovations are still floating up to you?

We most recently had a test run in Kitzbühel, some of them were traveling with special start numbers in which small microphones were woven. Then you are even closer to the athlete and can hear your reactions while driving. Some talk to themselves, some scold, you hear the sniffers. But one depends on the athletes whether they want it. I think that will come sooner or later because there are new insights.

Finally: What do you wish for the downhill broadcasts?

The most important thing is good weather. In bad conditions, not only are the pictures that are not so brilliant, but you also have shorter starting intervals. Then the narrative rhythm becomes different and the transmission is rushed.