Cinematic cameras give The World Games the filmic look

The World Games’ host broadcaster International Sports Broadcasting (ISB) has revealed it used cinematic cameras for elements of its extensive live coverage of 800+ hours of 34 sports.

It shot the entire live broadcast of the wakeboard and waterski competitions using three Arri Alexa 35 Live cameras, with B4 box lenses, along with two Alexa 35 Live units, running wirelessly and paired with the Fujinon Duvo 14-100 zoom lens. ISB also used three Arri cameras as part of the camera mix capturing footage of the closing ceremony.

Javier H, head of engineering at ISB said the team opted for the Alexa 35 Live for its “exceptional image quality, natural colours, and impressive dynamic range, capturing fine details even in challenging lighting, while keeping the focus firmly on the athletes”.

“Depth of field transforms sports coverage into cinema. With the Fujinon 14–100mm lens, even at 14mm, backgrounds soften into a gentle blur. Mountains and trees become a painterly backdrop, never distracting from the action. The audience’s eyes stay locked where they should be — on the athletes,” he adds. “And with S35 wide-angle performance, distortion is no longer a distraction. Athletes can move freely across the frame, even to the edges, without warping or unrealistic bending. Every movement looks powerful, natural, and cinematic.”