TNDV Rolls Out Its Modulation Truck Into Service

TNDV has rolled out its Modulation truck into service for live high school football broadcasts on WUXP-TV, Nashville's MyTV affiliate (MyTV).

Produced in collaboration with sister company GameTime Productions, which manages crewing and logistics, the Friday Night Rivals series covers games across Middle Tennessee on behalf of WUXP station management.

The series also demonstrates the power of TNDV's efforts in homegrown education. TNDV Founder Nic Dugger and TNDV President Rob Devlin — same as many TNDV employees — are Middle State Tennessee University (MTSU) graduates.

"This project is special because we're getting high school students to manage booth stats and other entry level positions through our affiliation with GameTime, which handles staffing for Friday Night Rivals. TNDV has always believed in blending real-world training with professional broadcasts, and there is no better way than to work on the truck, ask questions, run the equipment and learn how to fix technical issues," said Devlin.

Two recent MTSU graduates, Jordan Camosy and Joshua Goad, have already made notable impacts on the creative decisions of this year’s season, which kicked off August 21 with three big games including Pearl-Cohn High School at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. Both joined TNDV full-time as junior engineers in 2023. For the initial broadcasts, Camosy has played the role of Engineer-in Charge (EIC) while Goad has discovered an affinity for video shading.

"This is actually my first opportunity in live football production, and I am learning how to adjust video shading strategies on the fly since no two venues are lit the same," said Goad. "I've always had a knack for mixing colours, and I've found that innate desire translates to shading cameras. And that's the beauty of learning with TNDV – they don't prevent us for experimenting and learning the engineering process. Instead, they help and they nurture."

The 2025 season continues every Friday through Thanksgiving, with playoffs potentially in the mix. Every matchup is produced entirely from Modulation, which is a versatile, 26-foot KU uplink/HD Production truck designed for live event production and uplink transmission. Inside the truck, TNDV crews work with a flexible five-camera system built around Sony HDC Hybrid Fibre Cameras, paired with a mix of Fujinon EFP and wide-angle lenses to cover everything from tight shots to expansive views. The truck is wired for up to six CCUs and outfitted with handheld and studio viewfinders to adapt easily to different production needs. The Friday Night Rivals package also travels with Shure wireless audio, allowing for wireless communication with the sideline talent and the ability to listen to the head referee make calls from the field.

"Modulation is perfect for shows like Friday Night Rivals," said Devlin. "The truck is small enough to move easily from school to school and still loaded with the right gear package for a full-on multi-camera sports production. We can staff it very lean, with crew doubling up on roles, but the result is something you'd expect from a much bigger truck."

That makes Camosy's EIC role all the more interesting for him, especially as the direct connection to WUXP’s engineering team and the key stakeholder responsible for both troubleshooting and success. "My role is to precisely understand everyone's production responsibility on the truck, the issues that require fixing and their levels of urgency and ultimately making sure the final product being sent to air is the best it can be," he said. "I learned a lot about how to correctly diagnose and troubleshoot issues both as a TNDV student apprentice and working with senior engineers since joining the staff. The experience gained through my time here is invaluable."

Devlin add that working closely with GameTime to bring in seasoned directors, replay ops, and camera crews also ensures consistency from week to week. "Between the tech we've packed into Modulation and the support and leadership from GameTime, we can keep every game running smoothly on time, and without going over budget. It's a formula we've fine-tuned over years of doing live sports, and it’s proving itself once again."

www.tndv.com