Through Our Eyes: The Making of Dreamcaster – Part 2

“I’m gonna make a brand-new start of it, in old New York.” Frank Sinatra, New York, New York.

I might have been the last person still seated, (or indeed still in the stadium) long after ace pitcher of the New York Yankees, Gerrit Cole, struck out the final Twins batter, and the Yankees notched a 2-0 victory. Fans poured out of stadium to the sounds of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” as I remained seated, savoring a hot dog and sipping a beer as if it were a fine wine. Just me, my dad and the echoes of Sinatra.

“Sir, the game is over, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Spoke a kind but authoritative voice, snapping me out of my reverie. I had only just landed in New York about two hours before, and one dream had already been realized, to take in a game at Yankee’s stadium, but now, it was time to realize another.

Into the Broadcasting World

The next four days would pass in a whirlwind of activity: suit fittings, shooting schedules, media appearances and interviews, late night burgers and fries after long evenings of shooting, and a little sightseeing (no pun intended) because, after all, I was in New York.

To be honest, events unfolded with such rapidity, that I scarcely had a moment to take in just what was occurring, or the roll I was playing in it all. I tried to just take it moment by moment, never allowing myself to overthink it too much, because whenever I caught myself considering the looming live broadcast, I became utterly petrified. I am no stranger to microphones, cameras or performing in front of an audience, but this was a much bigger stage thanI had ever been on before. Not only would the broadcast itself be a huge event, but there would be repercussions following my tremendous success…or utter failure. So many pieces had come together to culminate in this one single show, and its outcome had great potential to reach thousands of people both as entertainment as well as on an emotional level. It had the potential to be a total bust, where disappointment could be felt profoundly by all involved, yet, it would have been my fault and mine alone. I tried not to let these thoughts invade my mind on a regular basis though I’d be lying if I said they didn’t occur to me on the regular.

I have been featured on many projects showcasing the talents of people with vision loss and, unfortunately, sometimes I felt as though I am merely a subject matter to be questioned and studied; however, this was not at all the case while working on Dreamcaster. I very much felt like a vital member of the team every step of the way. No one made me feel like a sideshow. They made me feel like a star.

The days passed, shooting was completed, interviews were concluded, there was only one thing left. The Knicks and Cavs were gathered in the locker rooms of Madison Square Garden, as the tech team assisted me in dawning my haptics gear and readying my refreshable braille display. I don’t even remember much about the preparation, I just remember standing alone on the circular stage, lights shining on me with seconds to go. All the sudden, the once raucous studio filled with people went silent, lights dimmed, someone counted down from three and yelled action, and something incredible happened. The fear, the nerves, the doubt, it all fell away like a thin sheet, and all that was left was me and the game, and my mouth opened.

“Good evening, everybody, and welcome to game three of Knicks VS Cavs. I’m Cameron Black and I’m here in the Michelob Ultra studio and I will be taking you through tonight’s action.” I said all of this in a calm, loud voice ringing with confidence, and “take them through the action” is just what I did for the next two hours.

The sound effects of the game surrounded me on all sides. The haptics adorning my body vibrated with every action of every player, and my Braille display gave me the crucial details that those who are unable to see the game were counting on me to provide. It was not enough however to merely report the game, so I yelled it, screamed it, filled every dunk, layup and 3-pointer with all the energy I had in me. During timeouts I was allowed to take a break, the problem was I didn’t have the ability. I would just keep going, rattling off stats and my opinions of players and plays. I did not stop talking or even slow down for two hours, until finally I yelled.

“That clock reads zero zero, 99-79 New York Knicks, this is Cameron Black in the Michelob Ultra studio, signing off, goodnight New York.”

The room exploded, as I leaned on the stand that held my Braille display, beaming with unbridled joy and pride, a single tear rolling down my cheek. My parents appeared behind me, and a beer was placed in my hand which I drank from, savoring it as I did every moment of that incredible evening.

Afterword:

Nearly two years have passed since the incredible success of Dreamcaster. It has been to multiple film festivals (including the Cannes film festival, where it won platinum, gold and silver awards in different categories) and has also won a sports Emmy for digital innovation. I myself have been invited to speak on radio, television, and podcasts, as well as live appearances in Los Angeles and other places to discuss the process of creating Dreamcaster, its resounding success, and what it has all meant to me. There is no longer a doubt in my mind, that what we accomplished on Dreamcaster will change sports entertainment for those with vision loss forever, and I am truly honored to have played a small part in that.

Now that this story has been told, there is just one more thing… GAME ON!