Brett working with Shark, Patrick Marleau, in front of a green screen to film video segments for the team

My good friend Brett, who works in the control room at HP Pavilion, was nice enough to take the time to answer questions about what THAT experience is like… Even I had fun learning this!

SO what exactly is your job at HP?

My job description is to build content for all LED surfaces and video screens in and outside of the building. Sponsor elements, upcoming events, highlight videos and whatever other requests come down the line. And to also maintain all the equipment in its working order.

How did you end up getting such a fun job?

I took an introductory video course at Leland High School and was soon after moved into the advanced course. During that time, the show director from HP Pavilion came by, looking for interns. I jumped at the opportunity. Here I am 10 years later.

Whats it LIKE in that control room? Is it big or does it get cramped? is it a tense atmosphere or more loose and fun?

It’s not very large. There is a front bench and a back bench of staff members. Often, you are squeezing around people and chairs. But once the show starts, you don’t move to often anyways.
It’s really like working with a big family. We’ve worked together for just under a decade, and we hardly ever have a problem with one another. So it is as laid back of an atmosphere as you can imagine working with your friends. Until something production-wise goes wrong, that is the only time it can get tense. We try our best not to have that happen, and it rarely does.

Any particular videos or effects etc that you’ve done that you’re proud of that the Sharks Organization has used?

I created the Holiday Video Greeting Card for the team 3 years ago, and it seemed to get a positive response from people. It was the one with Joe Thornton pretending to talk with Slappy the Dummy in the locker room. You can find it on Youtube.com. Other than that, every year we have a day long shoot with the players on and off the ice. One is to capture all the green screen headshots. And the other is a day on the ice, with theatrical lighting and all the players together.

How about outside from the Sharks? What kind of work have you done that you’re particularly proud of or just love doing?

For about 5 or 6 years I created all the video content for a band named Starving Millionaires from San Jose, CA. I hardly ever took any of their money, it was just a good way to practice and harness my creativity. I also became great friends with them and still hope they can make it big one day.

What about working concerts or other events? Any great memories or celebrity run ins? Funny Stories?

Well, one bad memory was getting busted for taking a photo of The Eagles on stage in front of their ornery security guards. They didn’t take lightly to it. I thought I was gonna get fired.
Other than that, all I know is AC/DC is the loudest, Roger Waters was the craziest, the Circus never gets old, Gallagher is a funny drunk, and there are too many stories to tell sometimes.

BUT sharks games are your favorite right? ;)

Sharks games are what we live for! However, Sharks Playoff Games are why we do our job. There is no other sports playoff, that can compete with the energy in the air of NHL Playoffs. If you haven’t been there for it, clear your schedule and check it off the list.

What time does a typical night start for you?

Nowadays, I show up around 11 AM on a day of game. The rest of the crew trickles in around 2 PM. Doors open shortly after 6 PM, the puck drops at 7:30 PM and we walk out of the building at 10:30 – 11:00 PM. So , it can be up to a 12 hour day sometimes. Some people even show up at 8-9 in the morning.

Whats your schedule like During a game? (meetings, check in, time u get off, everything )

Other than the basic schedule from before, we have a meeting at 4 PM on 7:30 PM game starts. Just to make sure everyone knows whats on the script and where we need to be at certain times during play. We leave for dinner around 5 PM till just before doors when we double check that everything is in place and running correctly.

Have you always been a sharks fan? or hockey fan in general?

As a young boy I didn’t really know much about hockey, except for a friend that lived behind my parent’s house. He was a Colorado Avalanche fan, and they won the Stanley Cup their first year in the league. Probably why he was a fan, just sayin’…
He showed me a little bit about the game but, I didn’t know much until I got to go on a field trip to the current building I work in, HP Pavilion. They showed us all around, quizzing us about certain rules in hockey and showing us how to shoot a puck. That’s when I became a fan, and I met more Sharks fans as I grew up, and it’s a huge part of our friendship now. Sharks hockey has grown leaps and bounds since it’s inception.

Has it grown since you’ve worked at the arena?

As far as production goes, yes. We used to have all analog equipment, meaning it was much more time consuming to make things look right. Now, we have all digital equipment which makes it easier to pull of new editing techniques and signage design. We also upgraded from standard definition Jumbotron to a new Daktronics system that lights up the whole arena.

Favorite player(s), past or present? why?

It’s hard to put players in any numerical order because it changes all the time. But, I do take in to account their personalities and how they treat people. Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton are by far the best at that, treating people right. They are very unassuming and can be very kind, they are also two of the best players to ever put on a Sharks jersey. Torrey Mitchell is a very fun player to watch on the ice because of his hustle and he is hilarious off the ice.
Joe Pavelski is probably one of the most clutch players I’ve watched, just look up his playoff history. And as far as past players, Mike Ricci is up there on the top three. Along with, Doug Wilson and Alexander Korolyuk.

And of course favorite moment you’ve experienced working a game so far?

There are far too many moments to consider for me to even answer that question. But I don’t think it has happened yet, and that will be when the San Jose Sharks raise the Stanley Cup in HP Pavilion for the first time!