Seeing the game in a different way

by Vicki Smart

From left to right, Director Vicki Smart, Camera Operator Richard Stephenson and Director of Photography Marco El Gabry. Photograph taken by, and copyright of, Richard Allan

There are still a few weeks to go before the season starts, so I thought I’d share with you my thoughts on perspective. We’ve all got different perspectives on life, and the same can be said of hockey. That perspective might simply be being a new fan who’s come to their first game with someone who’s been watching for years, or it could be as a volunteer for your club, or something else entirely. I’m going to look into one of those perspectives in this blog.

I’m studying film production at university, and decided that, for one of my projects this past year, I wanted to make a film about the sport I love. So, after getting the relevant permissions from the Manchester Phoenix organisation, I began to plan how I would make an interesting and informative documentary film. A few ideas went through my head, and then I realised that a lot of my friends at the rink are volunteers for the club. This was the angle I decided to follow with the film, as no-one from the university had made a documentary about the volunteers within ice hockey before, and it was something I knew I’d have support with, in terms of people willing to be interviewed etc.

Then came the shoot planning. After setting a date, and putting together a crew, I had to sort out the shoot paperwork. This comprises a lot of different documents, two key ones being a call sheet and a shot list. It was at this point that my perspective began to change. I went back over previous games in my head, thinking about where I could film from within the rink, and began writing the shot list. I was seeing previous games not as games any more, but as inspiration, ideas about what might happen and what I’d want to capture. It turned what is a normally spontaneous game into something I was breaking down into a logical pattern of shots.

After the shot list, I began work on the call sheet. This is simply a timetable of the shoot, amongst other things, and it helps to keep the shoot on track as well as give information about the crew, location and contributors. Normally, when you write one, you plan every single minute of your shoot. However, in this case, I had to go about things in a slightly different way. I knew that the first thing I’d do would be to get the interviews with volunteers done before doors opened, as they are obviously busy during the games. So that was all planned out, no problem, but when it came to planning anything after the face off time, the timetable stopped and spontaneous shooting began.

You really can’t predict what’s going to happen in a game, and my main problem was trying to locate the people I’d interviewed to get footage of them carrying out their duties during the game. I never knew where people would be at any given time. I’d find them in one place, then their role would take them elsewhere and I’d lose them in the crowds, especially during the intervals when they’re the most busy, and when the largest amount of people are moving around the rink.

I had to be very aware of our safety as a crew. The number one rule of watching hockey is to keep your eyes on the puck at all times. When you’re operating a camera, though, you become very focused on what’s happening in your viewfinder, so I was always on alert; keeping a close eye on the game as well as on the crew. This was on top of making sure we didn’t get in anyone’s way, block any exits and weren’t standing too close to the boards when the game was on. It was a challenge I’d never faced before and I enjoyed every moment of the two games we filmed.

I enjoyed the experience, but it was so very different to what I’m used to. At the end of each game, I knew whether the shoot had been a success, in terms of what I wanted to get out of it. I was also absolutely exhausted each time. I’d spend the game working, and then when it was over, I’d realise I was starving, thirsty and tired! What I had very little knowledge of was how the game went, how the team played, how my friends who I usually attend games with enjoyed it etc. I wasn’t watching those games as a fan, I was watching as a director, ensuring that I got what I needed to make my film work, and this need took priority for those games. After shooting two games I was able to once again attend and watch games as a fan, enjoying the atmosphere and cheering the Phoenix on, back in my comfort zone as it were.

Making the film has changed my perspective permanently in one way though. I now, through the interviews I did, know a little bit more about some of the club’s volunteers and why they do what they do. So I’d like to dedicate this post, to all the wonderful volunteers, not just at Phoenix, but at rinks up and down the country, without whom the sport we love would struggle. From me, a big, heartfelt, thank you!

That’s all for this entry, I hope you enjoyed reading about how my experiences changed the way I saw the game, and I hope you’re all looking forward to the start of the season.

Vicki

blog comments powered by Disqus

Cardiff	0-3	Basingstoke
12th March 2006 19:00
Coventry	5-3	Sheffield
12th March 2006 19:00
Edinburgh	4-5	Belfast
12th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	1-4	Nottingham
12th March 2006 19:00
Basingstoke	4-4	Cardiff
11th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	2-4	Coventry
11th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

Chelmsford	5-8	Telford
19th March 2006 19:00
Hull	5-1	Wightlink
19th March 2006 19:00
Romford	4-1	Milton Keynes
19th March 2006 19:00
Slough	5-2	Swindon
19th March 2006 19:00
Solihull	3-7	Bracknell
19th March 2006 19:00
Sheffield	1-1	Guildford
19th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

New Season

Stats Centre

Seeing the game in a different way

British Ice Hockey

Elite League

Premier League

Partner Information