Andrew Taylor

Broadcast television audio mixer and engineer // Rocket launch livestream producer @erdayastronaut

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

@brangle_ @MKBHD I know that guy!

[Marques Brownlee @MKBHD]

Yeah Wemby is good and everything, but he’s not the only ridiculously skilled person in this arena 🤯

[Cosmic Perspective @considercosmos]

Starship flight 12 is NET 5/19.
You know what that means @Erdayastronaut

[Senator Mark Kelly @SenMarkKelly]

Yes

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

@PhotonEmpress @Erdayastronaut @considercosmos Always welcome!

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

Huge thank you to @PhotonEmpress for taking the helm of our @Erdayastronaut Artemis II stream. I was able to step out of the production trailer at liftoff and watch with my own eyes! Excuse the questionable camera work… @considercosmos had that on lock anyways.

[NASA Artemis @NASAArtemis]

We’re halfway there.

At the time of posting this, the Artemis II mission is about halfway to the Moon. When the astronauts arrive, they will conduct a lunar flyby and collect scientific observations of the Moon’s surface.

[TJ Cooney 🚀 @TJ_Cooney]

wow, we really did it. three humans and one canadian going to the moon

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

@PhotonEmpress @Alexphysics13 💯 nailed it. I’ve had some bad liftoff cuts too. It happens so fast in the moment, after hours of anticipation.

BTW.. Out of anyone, you definitely deserve to brag.

[Photon Empress 🌸 @PhotonEmpress]

I don't think there is anyone on the planet who has done more live rocket broadcasts than me. I literally have done *hundreds* of them over the last 18 years. And some of the largest launch broadcasts on the planet too! I say this not to brag, but to convey a level of expertise in launch broadcasts that I think few, if any, can beat. Ok, maybe brag a little 👸

I know a lot of people were not super happy with NASA's coverage, specifically at liftoff. But man, let me tell you... As someone who has done hundreds of these... IT IS FREAKING HARD! I have personally had bad liftoff sequences too. It happens. And it sucks. And I hated it when I did that. To me. And to you.

It is hard to convey just how complex liftoff is during a broadcast. It is a moment in time where nearly every view is available, but very few are viable. You never truly know which ones will be viable either, so it's a guessing game and a bit of luck. You have to scan through to find the shots that work, but you only have *seconds* to do this. Seconds.

I have learned over the years that a technical director (vision mixer) needs an A and B plan for liftoff. Generally engines -> pass through -> medium -> wide -> super wide -> track scope -> track spot for the A plan. The B plan is usually far easier with engines -> wide -> super wide -> track scope. The switcher control surface needs to be set up to execute these plans extremely quickly. And even if you do all of this, a gust of wind blowing smoke the wrong way can foil the best of plans. It. Is. Hard.

I hear ya all, but let's cut NASA some slack here. They have amazing people working the launch. They have many people they need to support in their broadcast including the media, schools, NASA employees, government officials, and the public. It is like getting pulled in a billion different ways all at once.

Was liftoff coverage epic? No. I mean, it just wasn't. Will they learn from this and make Artemis III better? I believe they will. I know the people working these things, and they are great. Don't let one launch paint a bad picture here.

There is enough space for everyone. If you didn't like NASA's coverage, then @NASASpaceflight, @TLPN_Official, @Erdayastronaut, @SpaceflightNow and more had other, amazing options that may suit your tastes better. We live in a time where you have incredible options. It's awesome and exciting.

Oh, and WE HAVE FOUR HUMANS GOING TO THE MOON RIGHT NOW! Lets be excited about that instead!

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

@considercosmos The ember worked!!!!!!! Incredible.

[Cosmic Perspective @considercosmos]

Humanity's next great voyage begins

[Jared Isaacman @rookisaacman]

@pmarca Oh this kid is definitely getting a bag of NASA gear.

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

@themichaelkonen @Erdayastronaut @PhotonEmpress @spencertetik @considercosmos We’ve put a lot of work into our livestream production! One day we’ll do a gear tour video. Here’s a few more shots.

[Andrew Taylor @andrutay]

@Erdayastronaut @PhotonEmpress @spencertetik @considercosmos As you said best at Artemis I… it really is SO bright!

[Owen Sparks @OwenSparks]

Can't stop thinking about the production value of the Terafab event last night. It conveyed the importance of what was announced.

When Elon posted there would be a live stream with an hour notice I was expecting a dark conference room, not this!

#3 📸 @AdanGuajardo

[Captain Mark Kelly @CaptMarkKelly]

Don’t let this White House lie to you. Believe what you see.

Alex Pretti was trying to help a woman off the ground. Then immigration agents tackled, shot, and killed him.

It’s time for them to get the hell out of MN.

[The Theater Lovers | Will & Rachael @theater_lovers]

Wasn’t the Titanic’s downfall famously due to ice?

[Ed Krassenstein @EdKrassen]

BREAKING: @AOC just completely went off on Trump after ICE murdered Alex Pretti.

"Donald Trump [is] accusing a Veteran Affairs ICU nurse (Alex Pretti) as being a terrorist against the United States. A man who was treating services members to our country, who was dedicating his life to serving Americans. Who in his final act on this earth was helping a woman pushed to the ground. And they are calling him a Domestic Terrorist, in order to defend their gross abuse of power, their absolute breaching of the law and in order to precipitate greater conflict."

[Stephen King @StephenKing]

ICE is the American Gestapo.