But it’s not just the scale of the production that is different. The emotion from the judoka is heightened as well. “When filming close to the top judokas we cannot help but experience their emotions too,” says Danny. “We are literally just a few metres away from where they are fighting. We can hear their breath and feel the scuffs on the mat. We are the first to feel that explosion of energy and outpouring of emotion when they do a big throw or get thrown.”
Because the crew members works so closely together for all those Grand Prix and Grand Slam events throughout the year, they are all very much in tune with each other and coverage of the big event of the year – the World Championships – usually runs without a hitch. “We like to think that we don’t miss a thing,” says Danny. It helps that they have 30 cameras trained on the mats.
Superstar Judo
The IJF work is Fighting Films’ main preoccupation these days but the company still does its own independent productions. When DVD sales started going on a downward slope in the early 2010’s they tried offering videos for sale through online downloads. But that didn’t take off as hoped.
“We still had the issues we’ve always had with DVDs – which is illegal copying and distribution,” Danny says. They had to come up with something different. “Subscription streaming was the only option. It allows us to protect our content from being copied but it’s also in line with consumer trends. This is the world we live in, and we have to move along with it like everyone else.”
The result is Superstar Judo. “We wanted to develop something for judo that has never been done before,” he says. “Superstar Judo is about premium quality online judo coaching, taught by the world’s greatest judokas. We have been going for over a year now, and we are providing subscribers with an unparalleled service, where they can learn from the world’s best anytime, anywhere.”
To offer a premium subscription service with daily content would require a purpose-built dojo-studio. “Quality doesn’t just mean getting top-notch judo stars to do the videos, it also means the background, audio, lighting and cameras must all be the very best too,” Danny says.
So they built a custom-made studio-dojo measuring 8m x 8m, with a dedicated filming area. The tatami is sprung and the walls have branded cladding which changes with each shoot to feature the name of the champion being featured at that time. The studio is blacked out with theatrical lighting in place in all corners. The ceiling is purposely made high, to allow for a variety of filming options. The set up allows for up to seven cameras to be used to film each sequence.
“We are using state-of-the-art filming technology and super slow motion cameras to capture everything in minute detail,” Danny says. “We are able to break down each and every technique like it’s never been seen before in judo. The only way you would be able to learn a technique to the level of Superstar Judo is by having one-on-one instruction from the judoka. How can your judo not improve if you are being taught by Olympic and World Champions on a daily basis, with them showing you everything about the techniques that won them their titles?”
Flying in the best
“Superstar Judo is melting pot of ideas,” says Danny. “We fly in the world’s best judokas over to our dojo-studio in the UK where they demonstrate their unique style of judo. Every time we do a new shoot we are staggered by the myriad ways you can do a particular grip or execute a particular throw. Working on Superstar Judo reminds us why judo is the greatest sport in the world. It’s continually evolving, with new ideas and new techniques being seen at every tournament we attend. Our goal is to bring those ideas and those techniques to Superstar Judo and to share it with the global judo community.”
A constant presence in Superstar Judo is Neil Adams, who has been involved with Fighting Films since he retired from competition in 1988. Today, he does commentary for the IJF broadcasts and highlight videos that Fighting Film produces for the IJF. Not surprisingly, he is also very involved in Superstar Judo.
Not only does he narrate much of the analytical content, he also does many of the demonstrations himself. “Neil regularly drives down to Bristol (where Fighting Films is located) to record the voiceovers and at the same time we film him in the studio for the Superstar Judo content,” Danny says.