The tool behind every arrow and circle on a sports broadcast
A telestrator is a device or program that lets a person draw over a video image, live or on replay, so viewers can see exactly what's being described. It's the tool behind the arrows, circles and highlighted routes you see when an analyst breaks down a play on TV. Here's what a telestrator does, where it came from and the kinds you can use today.
A device or software tool that lets a person draw freehand over a still or moving video image. It's used mostly in sports broadcasting, coaching and film study to point out players, movement and space.
The person drawing is usually called the analyst, and the drawing itself is often called telestration. Drawing on a replay is called a telestrated replay.
In practice, a telestrator answers the viewer's question "what am I supposed to be looking at?" Instead of saying "watch the safety rotate," the analyst circles the safety and draws the path he takes.
The telestrator was invented by physicist Leonard Reiffel. He first used it on Chicago television, drawing illustrations on the science programs he hosted, and it was then picked up at Chicago's CBS station for sports and weather.
Its big moment came at Super Bowl XVI on January 24, 1982, when CBS analyst John Madden used it to draw on replays. Viewers loved it. CBS ordered more units, and Madden's scribbled Xs, Os and arrows became one of the most recognizable parts of NFL broadcasts for decades.
Other sports followed. Basketball analyst Mike Fratello became known as the "Czar of the Telestrator," and hockey broadcasts adopted it as well. Today telestration is used in nearly every major sport, and beyond sports in weather, education, courtrooms and presentations.
Whether it's a broadcast truck or a browser tab, the basic process is the same.
The analyst pauses the play, slows it down or rewinds it with instant replay.
Using a touchscreen, pen, mouse or tablet, the analyst draws arrows, circles, lines and highlighted areas over the video.
The video plays with the drawings on top, so viewers see the movement the analyst described.
The drawings are wiped for the next play. Modern telestrators can also save, track or animate drawings.
| Who uses it | How it runs | Typical trade-off | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast systems | TV networks and production trucks | Dedicated hardware and server software | Powerful, but priced and built for professional broadcast crews |
| Desktop software | Coaches, analysts, video teams | Installed program for Windows or Mac | Full-featured, but tied to installs, licenses and one computer |
| Tablet apps | Coaches on the sideline or in the gym | iPad or Android app | Portable, but usually limited to quick drawings on short clips |
| Browser-based telestrators | Coaches, streamers, creators, small broadcasters | Runs in a web browser, nothing to install | Works on the computer you already have; needs a modern browser |
Want to compare specific products? See the best football telestrator guide.
Show where a player goes: a route, a run path, a rotation or a pass.
Point out one player so viewers know who to watch.
Highlight space: an open window, a gap or a coverage zone.
A marker that follows a player as he moves, instead of a drawing that stays put.
Rewind what just happened and draw on it, the classic broadcast breakdown.
Stop the play at the key moment and draw on the still picture.
TV analysts and streaming crews breaking down plays for viewers at home.
Teaching players from game film in the film room or at practice.
Breaking down highlights, games and video game plays on YouTube and Twitch.
You don't need a broadcast truck to telestrate anymore. ProPlayVision is a browser-based telestrator with spotlights, arrows, zones, player tracking, instant replay and one-click OBS output. It's built football-first with 84 football tools, and the general drawing tools work on any sport.
See the sports telestrator for what works on every sport, or the online football telestrator for the full football tool set.
Drawing over video to explain what's happening. It's used most in sports broadcasts, coaching and film breakdown, and also in weather, education and presentations.
Physicist Leonard Reiffel invented it. It first appeared on Chicago television before John Madden made it famous on CBS NFL broadcasts.
Madden used it on the CBS broadcast of Super Bowl XVI on January 24, 1982, and it became part of his style for the rest of his broadcasting career.
A telestrator is built for drawing quickly over video, often live, to explain a play. A video editor is for cutting and polishing finished videos. Some telestrators, like ProPlayVision, include basic editing too.
There are free and trial options, usually with basic drawing tools. ProPlayVision's free Film Room is one: draw routes and notes on your own football film right in your browser. Full telestrators with replay, tracking and live output are typically paid. See the best football telestrator guide.
Yes. Browser-based telestrators like ProPlayVision run in your web browser with nothing to install. See the online telestrator.
Sources: Telestrator (Wikipedia); "Father of Telestrator drew it up right," The Boston Globe, 2014.
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