A tournament with more than a scoreline
Hosted by Tom Holland and BERO, the first BERO Padel Classic brought professional athletes, creators and guests together for a private pro-am tournament during Wimbledon week. The setting was Padel Social Club in Earl’s Court: an outdoor London venue with as much happening around the courts as on them.
We were there to film for Darktrace, one of the event’s sponsors. Our coverage took in the gameplay, the atmosphere and the interactions away from the action. Those moments belong together: the sport gives the day its pace, while the people give it personality.
It is a different kind of story from an interview-led corporate film. Here, the event itself supplies the movement, expressions and unexpected moments.
The action is only half the story
Padel gives a film an immediate sense of energy: quick changes of direction, a ball overhead, anticipation at the net. But a highlights film needs more than a sequence of shots from the same match.
For this project, we captured moments on and off the court. The reactions and conversations around the games help the audience understand the occasion, rather than simply watch the sport.
That is particularly valuable for a brand event. A viewer who was not there needs a sense of the setting, the people and the atmosphere—not just proof that a tournament happened.
Darktrace’s place in the day
Darktrace’s involvement connected its brand with the event and with padel player Arturo Coello, its sporting ambassador. In its own recap, Darktrace highlighted Coello alongside the conversations and court action that made up the day.
Our role was to film that live-event environment for Darktrace. The distinction matters: Tom Holland and BERO hosted the tournament; Darktrace was our production client.
For brands commissioning similar coverage, it is useful to define that perspective early. An organiser’s film may need to represent the whole event, while a sponsor’s film may place more emphasis on its own involvement. Both still need to feel true to the occasion.
Planning coverage for your own brand event?
Three things are worth deciding before the day:
- Whose story are we telling? Identify whether the film is for the host, a sponsor or a participating business, and agree which people and moments matter most.
- What cannot be missed? Share the running order, access arrangements and key appearances. A spontaneous-looking film still benefits from a well-prepared brief.
- Where will it be watched? Decide on website and social formats before filming. Leave room in the plan for the atmosphere around the main attraction, not only the headline action.
The aim is a film that helps someone who missed the event understand why it was worth being there.