Challenging Trent Alexander-Arnold's Vision | Improving A Pro Footballer's Eyesight & Reactions.
See how Red Bull grew their audience with a ground-breaking story working with Stamp during lockdown.
Liverpool and England International Footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold has already won every major trophy at a domestic level. The League Cup, the FA Cup, the Champions League, and in 2020, the Premier League, which they last won in 1990. At 22, he is regarded as one of the best in the world in his position.
However, in Trent's own words, "Just because you're good at something, it doesn't mean you can't be better." Enter Red Bull. The combination of his age, talent and ambition caught their eye, and in late 2019 they joined forces and began discussing how they could do just that.
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In January 2020, Red Bull officially contracted us as their production partner for a project that would team Trent up with Dr Daniel Laby, an Ophthalmologist from New York City who specialised in Sports Vision Enhancement. Quite simply, Red Bull wanted to test Trent’s Vision, train it, and [hopefully] make it better. A project of genuine benefit to Trent and his abilities on the pitch.
Our mission: to translate this authentic and scientific approach into a compelling and entertaining sub-ten-minute piece of content for YouTube.
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1 feature documentary
36 short form versions
Created during lockdown
Remote teams
2 continents
1 new technology created
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Red Bull UK's first major sponsorship in Football. The project was a huge success, growing sales in the market and as well as improving brand association and positive recall.
DR DANIEL LABY
At the time of the project, Dr Laby has worked with six MLB World Series Champions and several American League Champions. He had assisted many MLB, NBA, NHL, and the USA and International Olympic teams for Beijing and Tokyo. Football-wise, he has previously worked with the USA Olympic Football Team (ahead of Beijing), collegiate teams in the USA and a professional football team in Israel. He is one of the top authors of scientific research in sports vision and was a former Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Not bad, but even with all that experience, taking on a world-class ‘soccer’ player would be a first for him.
FINDING THE FORMAT
We spent hours each week talking to Dr Laby, discussing how we could best test Trent in a scientifically airtight, narratively compelling, and visually exciting way. However, we also had Trent's story to tell, his constant pursuit of excellence, his willingness to learn from his mistakes and, quite simply, do anything it takes to improve. Behind the cinematic style would be an observational documentary anchored with in-depth interviews with Trent. We'd add insights from those who knew him best; his Brother, a Liverpool Teammate, his Youth Coach, a Liverpool Superfan, an old School Teacher, and a Football Journalist. We'd then build towards a large-scale set piece that would challenge all of Trent's recently trained visual capabilities. Something we loosely called 'The Stress Test'.
ROUND BREAKING SCIENCE
Beyond utilising what Dr Laby already practised with other athletes, Red Bull wanted something that had never been done before, and we believed the answer lay between VR and AR. Technology to convert match footage to VR already existed and was used by many clubs worldwide to analyse games and help players understand what they did, rightly or wrongly. Still, no one had created the technology to incorporate the use of a real football in a VR environment. However, this is exactly what we managed to achieve. The benefit was that we would not only be able to see what Trent sees on a pitch during a match (an actual match converted in VR) before making a pass, but Dr Laby could make what he sees more difficult. Once Trent made a pass, we would record it using a LiDar camera and produce data on its accuracy and trajectory. We could then compare that pass to what happened in real life and learn how the visual interference affected his decision-making. It was groundbreaking stuff.
"Just because you're good at something, it doesn't mean you can't be better."
Trent Alexander Arnold - Red Bull Athlete
BUILDING TRUST
Beyond the science, the creative development and logistical challenges, we also had to develop our relationship with Trent. Yes, this was an innovative science experiment, but of equal importance to Red Bull was why Trent is willing to go to these additional lengths to find a marginal gain. His success and reputation were already extraordinary for a player his age, so where did this drive come from? Where will it end?
These were profound questions, and if we were going to ask Trent to open up and allow us to dig into his past, scrutinise his present and imagine his future, then we needed him to trust us, something we'd have to earn. We would have to work with passion, integrity and empathy and make sure Trent felt that he was not just the talent booked for the project but that it was his project. It was his story, after all.
SAFETY FIRST
It was now the 4th of January, 2021, and we had just 11 days until our first filming day. The HODs met at the Arena on the 7th of January - the first time we’d seen the venue in the flesh and hastily began designing the camera, sound, lighting and COVID-19 safety plans. Although there were film industry COVID-19 protocols, we wanted to go above and beyond them.
We hired a COVID-19 supervisor who had the unenviable task of ensuring we all obeyed our protocols. We tested all crew before they travelled from London to Liverpool. Then again, on arrival in Liverpool. We ordered hundreds of face masks, gloves and hand sanitisers. We hired a cleaning company that even ’fogged’ the venue morning and night as a decontamination process and had check-in stations where nurses performed basic health checks before allowing anyone on set. Quite simply, our production workload was ten times what it was pre-pandemic. Still, despite all the additional work and pressure everyone was under, the effort to make it happen and capture the content in the manner we did was superhuman.
AN UNPRECEDENTED INTERUPTION
As our plans began to evolve, the world around us began unravelling as the outbreak of COVID-19 spread around the world at a frightening speed.
The project paused, and we all tried to put our health above all else. People lost their jobs as many industries began struggling, some completely collapsing. The landscape was unrecognisable. We were working in circumstances none of us had ever experienced, occasionally venturing out into what seemed apocalyptic silence as most people in the UK were forbidden from leaving their homes.
By May, lockdown had eased, and by mid-July, we began reviewing the project. However, the cases of COVID-19 were increasing, and by September, we were facing the prospect of a second Lockdown. We kept going, hoping it would subside, but just one week before the Christmas break, we lost our main film location and again locked down. Given the complexities of Trent’s and Dr Laby’s schedules and our own delivery targets, we had to make our first scheduled filming block in January 2021 work. The response from everyone over that Christmas was nothing short of heroic, and we managed to secure access to the brilliant M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool before the end of the year.
"A perfect example of how to make content safely during the COVID-19 pandemic."
Jonny Griffiths - COVID-19 Supervisor
TRENT IN TROUBLED WATER
The 2020-21 Season was a difficult year for Liverpool FC. Off the back of winning the League for the first time in 30 years the previous season, they were plagued with injuries to their defensive players. The ramifications saw an unwanted record-breaking six-game losing streak at home that saw the defence of their Title being labelled the worst in Premier League history. As one of their most creative players, Trent was bearing the brunt of the criticism but had to try and press on with the work he was doing with us whilst navigating the most challenging season of his career. However, more adversity would follow as Trent got a crushing call from the England Manager, Gareth Southgate, to inform him that he would not be included in the squad ahead of some important 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. An omission that put his place in the squad for that year’s European Championship in doubt. Another major setback for him to deal with that came just hours before we were due to re-test him.
RESULTS
After the final tests, as Trent waited for Dr Laby to compare his notes, you couldn’t help but worry it had all been in vain. Despite his improvement in training, would it be enough to better his initial test scores? COVID-19, Liverpool’s injury crisis, the England omission... was it all just too much to expect of him? Had we done enough to help him? Had Dr Laby? This was a big moment for all of us. It had been nearly 18 months in the making, and here we were, faced with the one question which the answer would define the project. Had we made the best better? The answer was YES. Reaction speed up 44%, multiple target tracking up 240%. Processing time, up 36%. Trent had improved in every area, and you could see from the smile on his face just what it meant to him and everyone else involved in the process.
THE STRESS TEST
A surprise challenge that pulled all the visual tests into one final masterpiece. A test where Trent would need to utilise all his visually enhanced abilities to pick a pass whilst under immense visual and audio pressure. The pass we were asking Trent to make seemed impossible, and despite extensive R&D we were still concerned that we'd made it too difficult. "What if he doesn't do it?" could be heard echoing around the crew that day. "If he were to miss, how long would he keep going until he gives up?". This test did more than put his visual capability to the test. It was a test of the person he believed he was. We needent have worried. Trent proved again why he is where he is and why he is only going to get better, nailing the shot after just a handful of attempts.
TRENT’S VISION
THE STRESS TEST
A surprise challenge that pulled all the visual tests into one final masterpiece. A test where Trent would need to utilise all his visually enhanced abilities to pick a pass whilst under immense visual and audio pressure. The pass we were asking Trent to make seemed impossible, and despite extensive R&D we were still concerned that we'd made it too difficult. "What if he doesn't do it?" could be heard echoing around the crew that day. "If he were to miss, how long would he keep going until he gives up?". This test did more than put his visual capability to the test. It was a test of the person he believed he was. We needent have worried. Trent proved again why he is where he is and why he is only going to get better, nailing the shot after just a handful of attempts.
TRENT’S VISION
POST-PRODUCTION
As what started as a sub-ten-minute film for YouTube started to take shape, we began thinking it could be much longer. Red Bull agreed, content plans we ripped up, and we eventually landed on a very tight 46-minute feature-length documentary for Red Bull TV. We still made a version for YouTube (10:07), Facebook (04:56), and multiple teasers for Instagram and other social media platforms where Red Bull had a footprint. We made cinematic trailers at 60s and 02:19s and other promos at 06s, 15s, 30s and 60s. All versions had varied delivery requirements to fit a specific aspect ratio, such as 16:9, 9:16, 4:5 or all three. Some needed to be delivered with and without graphics or with and without subtitles. By the end of production, we had delivered 46 assets to Red Bull for just the one film.
FRAME.IO
We have many ‘systems’ that allow us to manage production tasks. Where post-production workflow is concerned, we use the incredible frame.io platform. Not only is frame.io able to cope with the highest level of data, but its review system also allows viewers to stop, comment and even draw on the scene at specific time codes of film. Not only is this process about as fast as it gets, but the interface is also so easy to use that no time is spent trying to explain how to use it. Quite simply, a cut is uploaded and sent to the necessary recipients. They open it and comment away. Easy peasy, and we highly recommend it if you are in the same field.
THE BEST MADE BETTER
That year, Liverpool finished third in the League, and Trent did get selected for England’s Squad for the European Championships. How much this project played a part in these huge achievements, we’ll never be able to say for sure. However, what was undeniable is that, for the first time ever, a Red Bull project had produced tangible improvements in one of the best footballers in the world and in the world of the elite athlete; marginal gains can be the difference between winning and losing.
"Stamp’s undertaking of our Trent’s Vision project was beset with challenges at almost every step, but the team dealt with, and indeed flourished under the pressures that such a complex project forced upon them.
A feature documentary with large scale set ups, experimental science, a difficult sporting calendar and limited access to the lead subject of the film, not to mention trying to orchestrate all of this whilst maintaining stringent COVID-19 protocols to protect crew safety, then delivering a post production schedule to accommodate remote viewing and a raft of different assets to support release is a recipe for problems, but against all of these odds, Stamp delivered.
The result of the many many months of hard work and planning was a remarkable film that displayed not only stylish editorial, but genuine insightful sports science that could easily have become dry and alienating but instead was approached with relatable clarity, and delivered exactly what we had been aiming to achieve.”
Steve Kidgell. Executive Producer. Red Bull Media House