Method
What we learned making sports videos
A video for a team has a different goal from a corporate video. We understood it working with Milano Hockey Club and Mastini Varese.
Making sports videos taught us a lot, because they are different from corporate videos and have a different goal. If we do not have a clear idea of what the video is for, why we are making it and what we want to convey emotionally, we make a big mistake.
Starting from what the viewer should feel
The first thing we learned is to start from what the viewer should feel. If they should feel adrenaline, you need very fast scenes of that sport, action, moments of that team. If we need to give something emotional, we make something much slower, with slow motion and lots of close-ups.
The distance of the figure matters too: a close-up or a distant figure gives more or less closeness to the character. Then you have to decide when to place certain images, how many effects to use and how to use them.
The place where the team was born
For a team, the place where it was born matters a lot. For Varese the lake was important, for Milan the Cathedral. These are elements of recognisability that have to be combined with everything else: the sport, the adrenaline, the values and traditions of the team.
Why a corporate video does not work in the arena
If I made a normal corporate video for a team, it would have no effect on the people in the arena or the stadium watching the game. Nobody would even notice it was on. The work might even be well done, but it would miss the point.
References
A sports video also starts from references, and from them I write down what attracts me. For example, I really like diffused light on the background: I write it down and think about it. Or the reflections on the city: how to recreate them, which elements to take.
It is also exciting because you measure yourself against much bigger teams in other countries. If I have to make a hockey video, NHL videos are an incredible source of inspiration for me.
The projects I am talking about are the Milano Hockey Club pre-game video and the Mastini Varese trailer. Our other projects are on the Work page, and the way we work on commercials is on the commercials page.