Haymakers for Hope Relies on Blackmagic Design Workflow to Power National Charity Tour

Fremont, CA, USA – Tuesday, October 24, 2023 – Blackmagic Design today announced that Haymakers for Hope relies on a Blackmagic Design workflow to capture, edit, and produce engaging live streams of action packed boxing matches, behind the scenes content, and social media posts for its annual series of charity boxing events. Leveraging two Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro digital film cameras and several ATEM live production switchers, Haymakers for Hope aims to amplify its efforts in raising funds and awareness for the fight against cancer.

Founded in 2011 in New York City, Haymakers for Hope gives everyday people the opportunity to compete in charity boxing events to raise funds for cancer research, awareness and survivorship. Embodying the belief that “not every fight ends at the bell,” Haymakers for Hope has successfully raised more than $25 million across its 12 year run, and its influence has now extended to encompass five cities, including Washington, D.C, Boston, Denver, Philadelphia and New York City.

Rob Maloof, filmmaker at Gauntlet Films, has been working with Haymakers for Hope for 10 years leading its productions. This year, to uplevel the production quality, Maloof turned to Blackmagic Design to extend Haymaker for Hope’s reach to an even wider audience than before. Part of Maloof’s strategy is increasing content development leading up to the events, which now includes more than 192 videos in addition to the fight nights.

“Preparing for each fight location is a substantial undertaking, especially when considering the unique content demands,” explained Maloof. “In the two months leading up to each city’s event, we set aside a dedicated media day with up to 32 fighters to capture a wide array of content, spanning from individual portraits to interviews. Having multiple Blackmagic cameras is imperative, and together with Blackmagic RAW and DaVinci Resolve Studio, we’re able to tackle creating up to 32 fundraising films in two weeks, followed by up to 64 films over the next four weeks, and up to 96 films for the night of the show, including animations. Afterwards, this content is repurposed for social media collateral for sponsors and donors, and select visuals are utilized to energize the crowd during the fight night, a feat made possible through our use of two ATEM Mini Extremes. These switchers are instrumental in presenting videos and graphics on the venues’ large screens, creating an immersive experience for the spectators and audiences at home.”

To capture content on both the media days and fight nights, Maloof and his team rely on two Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pros, shooting in 6K in Blackmagic RAW. “These compact yet powerful cameras are a game changer,” Maloof said. “We use one of our cameras to capture ringside action, where the lightweight design and compact form factor are key in keeping pace with the dynamic fights. Additionally, the autofocus feature, when used with compatible lenses, enables us to achieve the desired shots with precision focus.”

Maloof also relies on the cameras’ built in ND filters and adjustable display screen, which enable him to monitor his shot from any position or lighting situation.

“The ND filters function as internal ‘sunglasses’ for the camera, which is immensely helpful whether we’re filming in direct sunlight or under intense lighting conditions in the ring,” he added. “Additionally, the flip up screen is a must have tool for capturing combat sports, especially when attempting to film challenging angles.”

The team uses the second Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro to capture a stationary shot of the commentators which is specifically used for the live stream of the fights. Hosted on the Haymakers for Hope website, the streaming operations are anchored by an ATEM Mini Extreme while an ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K handles the house feed.

For grading media day and fight night footage, Maloof turns to DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, grading, visual effects (VFX) and audio post production software and a DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel. “We grade everything in DaVinci Resolve Studio, and I love how there are new features constantly being added to the platform. In addition, the DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel is so useful for shortcuts and helps me to speed up my grading process as we need to deliver it immediately for the streams. I no longer need a mouse to do this,” he continued.

“There’s nothing like the atmosphere of Haymakers for Hope on fight night,” Maloof concluded. “It’s only through our Blackmagic Design workflow that we can authentically capture its essence and extend our reach to an even wider audience, all while raising funds for a profoundly important cause. We can’t wait to see what we can create for our upcoming fall events.”

Press Photography

Product photos of Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, ATEM Mini Extreme, ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K, DaVinci Resolve Studio, DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.