da mrbet： When he first became a cameraman at CBC in the 1980s, Ryle Stuart hadno idea that his skills could provide him with the opportunity ofvisiting countries few would only dream of
Haydn Gill09-May-2001When he first became a cameraman at CBC in the 1980s, Ryle Stuart hadno idea that his skills could provide him with the opportunity ofvisiting countries few would only dream of.From shooting football in community districts, he has gone to thestage where he is standing behind the camera at international cricketvenues in places like Eden Gardens in India and Lahore in Pakistan.The former seasoned St Catherine Division 1 cricketer has also visitedEngland, Sharjah, China, Kenya and Canada and between July andSeptember this year, he will be given the opportunity to travel to SriLanka.It’s great to experience the different cultures. Even within India,each city that you go to is different, he said.The experience that he will always cherish is the relationship hedeveloped with needy children in Pakistan last year.They spend most of their time on the streets in Karachi and Stuart wasso attracted to them that he would give them money to buy meals daily.Stuart is now a seasoned worker for Trans World International (TWI),the company which produces live telecasts for West Indies home series.It is a job that keeps him away from home for more than six months ayear during which he covers two major tours the Caribbean series andanother on the sub-continent.In between, there are a few minor assignments for the 38-year-old whohails from Three Houses, St Philip, a district he won’t trade foranywhere else.Stuart was first given the opportunity to work with TWI in 1991 whenhe was one of five representatives nominated by the CaribbeanBroadcasting Union. Five years later and more established in thefield, he opted to resign his job in the Pine.I had some problems with CBC. We weren’t on the same wavelength and Idecided to call it quits because I was guaranteed to get freelancework with TWI and subsequently Sky, he said.I haven’t regrettedleaving. I have moved on. There are countries that I would have dreamtof going to, but wouldn’t be in position to see them.As one who is passionate about his cricket, the former St Catherinecaptain was at home in a job in which his background as a playerhelped him tremendously behind the lens.The two go hand in hand. If you play cricket, being a photographer iseasier, he said. My job consists of following the ball. If a batsmanplays a shot, you know the angle at which to go.If you don’t understand and like the sport, you will have difficultyin following the ball.As a cameraman, too, one has to make sure the pictures areinteresting.There is a director and a producer, but you can’t depend on them allthe time, Stuart said. When things are slow, you’ve got to findthings. A director cannot stay inside the control room and see what isgoing on outside. You are his eyes. He depends on you, to see things.The cameraman therefore has to be on the lookout for things likesomeone in a comical hat or an old man in the pensive mood. Get thepicture? It’s a job which requires Stuart to stand on his feet formore than six hours daily. And he has to watch every single ball. Isit tougher physically or mentally? It is a combination of both. Ifyou’re not fit, you’re not going to last long and you will get tired,he said.In Test matches, there could be long, boring sessions and youhave still got to make the cricket more interesting colour-wise. Andthe hard work does not start at 10 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. The TWI teamleaves the hotel at 7:30 a.m. and when a match is finished, they spendhours packing up loads of equipment and miles of cable. Inevitably,Stuart misses home at times. He is someone who cannot do without hismother’s dumplings and he likes to be a fierce competitor for StCatherine on the field. In Pakistan and India, if you go into arestaurant and call for dumplings, the guys want to know what you aretalking about, he said. At first, he was reluctant to eat foods inthose places. Eating curries food is a no-no for me, he said. When Ifirst went to India and China, I spent 13 weeks feeding off a lot ofvegetables, sweet biscuits and coke. Since then, however, he has madefriends with a few chefs and gets meals prepared to suit him. Cricketin the middle is still a favourite of his in spite of his recentlimited chances. Whenever I get the opportunity, I try to play the oddfriendly game, he said. Every year I go to Pakistan or India, I wouldfind myself buying new gear, and I buy balls for St Catherine. I endup giving away the gear, because the most I would play is like a One-Day game or one three-day game and then I’m off to another country.Away from home, Stuart has a source of comfort. The TWI team is like afamily. When you get home after a tour, you realise that you miss theguys, he said. I’ve known these guys for more than 10 years. It islike part of family. On tour that has helped to keep you goingberserk.