I LEFT MY SOUL AT THE AZTECA

It’s been a scorcher outside and at work with a long stint at the FIFA World Cup, where I was based in Dallas for over 50 days. I was working for the Stadium Entertainment Team, as producer of videos made for the big screens across the host venues.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/d04c34_180a16b427b3463fa00eaa5297577c3a/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Fan VT broadcast inside the stadium before the FIFA World Cup Final

Between the four edits, we produced 320+ VTs for the fans as part of the in-stadia experience. The big challenge here was the fact that each stadium had its own bespoke tech specs and dimensions, so finding the exact shots and stories to fit within those was of paramount importance, especially when under time pressure. It was thanks to a brilliant team that we made the project a huge success.

I was lucky enough to work with Vadym, who edited each piece with pure craftsmanship. It’s our third World Cup together and its always a pleasure seeing the ideas come to fruition with him on the keys.

At one stage I think I had more caramel macchiatos in my system than blood... not that I needed any extra excitement or energy...!

The personal highlight was witnessing the VTs in the Azteca Stadium, something of a bucket-list moment for me. I’ve been obsessed with the stadium sine I was 6, and to see Mexico play England there was beyond a dream… the joke with the team was that I was going to transcend above the stadium at full time and disappear into the clouds, and to be honest I felt I did. I’m convinced there is a still a bit of me there.

I pitched an idea for a Final vt… a love letter to the people who made the tournament special – the fans. We had this VT played out in the stadium an hour before kick-off, as well as our tournament review – so to see those being broadcast was pure joy.

After a couple of days off I was deep into edit for Giants Live, where The Royal Albert Hall episode started to take shape. Yet again this show is a personal favourite of mine… the venue is something else. It’ll be on Channel 5 in the run up to Christmas.

And as I write I’m working on the Montreal Masters for ATP Media, and towards the business end of the tournament now. We’ve a Final opener to cut soon which will be a great item.

Ahead, I’ve two more Giants live events to direct onsite (Birmingham and Glasgow) and produce the edits for those, as well as all the sound work and producing the commentary team, and delivery of the five episodes.

I’ve two more ATP tennis events on the horizon as well, and the US Open for Sky Sprots Tennis is on the agenda too... all before the end of November, so the next few months are looking full which is fab.

My music side project – Sonar Haze Collective – has it’s 2^nd album coming out on September 1^st…  head to Amazon/Spotify and the usual streamers to catch up on that!