Mummers Parade
PMTV and The Mummers, so Philly Style…
PMTV and The Mummers Parade
PMTV has been providing broadcast production facilities and services for the Mummers New Year's Day Parade since 1989. The broadcast rights holders (our clients) have changed many times since then (KYW, Lenfest Group), and thankfully WPHL-TV 17 (MYPHIL 17) taking the reins since 2000. PMTV’s Rob Schmoll has established a NEW YEARS tradition for many of our PMTV staff working the parade (on site EVERY New Year's Day for the past 15+ years), which requires a multi day setup prior to Parade Day, and the broadcast on New Year’s Day of course. Says Schmoll: "The relationship we have developed with the City's Administration Folks is critical to the success of this broadcast. It’s not like we are in an Arena or Stadium - we build our Set and Compound on the street - from the ground up!" Rob and some of the staff and crew check into their hotel on New Year’s Eve and many rounds of old Auld Lang Syne are sung to ring in the New Year. At 5am they are back on site for the Mummers Parade broadcast which at times has run as long as 10 hours live on air. PMTVs services include a High Definition TV Truck, Freelance Crew of 50, Multiple Office Trailers, Musco Lighting Crane, Ground Lighting Package, Custom Built Climate Controlled Announcer Trailer, Scissors Lifts, RF Audio Package, Catering (LOTS of Soup and Hot Chocolate!), Portable Fencing for Compound Perimeter, and more.
In 1998 the Fancy Brigades moved their show inside the Philadelphia Convention Center. PMTV has also been contracted by the Fancy Brigade Association to produce this indoor show with a 5 camera Truck and Crew for an evening, tape delayed telecast. This broadcast event incorporates IBEW, IATSE, and Teamster labor as well.
ABOUT THE MUMMERS PARADE:
The Mummers Parade is held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Local clubs (usually called "New Years Associations") compete in one of four categories (Comics, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades). They prepare elaborate costumes and moveable scenery, which take months to complete. This is done in clubhouses, many of which are located on or near 2nd Street (called "Two Street" by some local residents) in the Pennsport neighborhood of South Philadelphia, which also serve as social gathering places for members. The Mummers Parade traces back to mid-17th century roots, blending elements from Swedish, Finnish, Irish, English, German and other European heritages, as well as African-American heritage. The parade is televised on WPHL-TV; after a campaign to get the parade nationally televised, an edited two-hour broadcast of the parade was picked up by WGN America and WGN-TV. Source: Wikipedia.org
ROLL CREDITS..... Check out the "EVS HIGHLIGHTS" from the 2010 Mummers Parade...
p.s. That's some crazy dancing...
Photos Courtesy of Cepheus Imaging / Ward Rowlands
www.cepheusimaging.smugmug.com
For more information contact:
Rob Schmoll
PMTV Senior Vice President
Tel: 610-768-177
Email: rschmoll (at) pmtv.com