Both ‘Out of their League’ and ‘Sam Barry – Beyond the Baseline‘ were ideas that I researched, developed, pitched and got commissioned with production companies as part of the BAI Sound and Vision scheme.
Out of their League
I spent the winter of 2019 following the PFAI (Professional Footballers Association of Ireland) training camp for out of contract footballers. Each year in Ireland, as the football season ends (October/November) hundreds of young footballers are left out of contract by their clubs. In response to this, the PFAI run a 6 week training camp for players, which helps give them focus and purpose during the off season.
The documentary focus on the camp, the coaching staff and the players, and tries to understand the multitude of reasons that lead to players finding themselves out of work each year, from long term injuries and loss of form, to ageing footballers, looking for one more year.
Out of their League was broadcast on June 2020 on Eir Sport
Shooting Director – Craig Speer.
Producers – Geoff Power and Medb Johnstone.
Editor – Bernard Clarke.
Production Company – Igloo Productions.
Post Production – Raygun Post Production.
Executive Producer for Eir Sport – Barry Fitzgerald.
Sam Barry – Beyond the Baseline
Money, big crowds, glamorous locations – the first things that come to mind when you think of professional tennis? Well, not on The Futures Tour. Life outside of the top 100 in professional tennis is not glamorous. Far removed from the VIP lifestyle of Rafa Nadal or Roger Federer, life for an Irish professional tennis player is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The Futures Tour has no money, no crowds and is held in locations you won’t find in any holiday brochure.
For 2 years I followed Sam Barry, Ireland’s number 2 tennis player on the professional tennis circuit. I followed the ups and downs of his tennis career as he attempted to qualify for his first Grand Slam, as he made it to his first Challenger Tour final, and as he played in locations as varied as Doha, Dubai, France, Spain, Israel, and the USA.
In love with the sport from a very young age, Sam’s been on tour for 5 years, a tour that costs approximately €80,000 per year, where prize money amounts to about a quarter of that. It’s tough, unglamorous and Sam allowed us into his world and displayed a level of honesty and openness that creates a fascinating look at life on The Tour.
Shooting Director – Craig Speer.
Producers – Gillian Marsh and Eimear Healy
Editor – John Murphy
Production Company – GMarshTV Productions.
Post Production – Egg Post Production.
Executive Producer for Eir Sport – Barry Fitzgerald.
Craig Speer - Shooting Director/Editor 