The Mornington Football Club 125 years documentary

I’d just hobbled off the field battered and bruised. We’d lost the game by a point on our home turf. Clouds were gathering overhead, it was becoming cold. I cracked open a can of solo and bit into a scolding hot pie. I grabbed my camera and tried to juggle my post-game meal and take shots of the seniors to fulfill my role as the Club photographer.

For those interested, shots of Mornington’s 2013 season can be found here.

A couple of committee members approached me and asked about putting together a visual piece for the club’s upcoming 125th year anniversary ball.

“No problems” I said. Thinking it would just be a power point slide show to the beat of Hunters and Collectors ‘Holy Grail’.

Next thing I knew I was loading my car up with 20kgs and 125 years worth of photo albums, memorabilia and newspapers of the past century and a quarter of the Mornington Football Club.

A few meetings and about 30 cups of coffee later we had decided that I was to put together two 15 – 20 minute long videos, outlining  all of Mornington’s 11 premierships, great players through the decades and significant moments and events in our history, such as the tragic drowning of 15 players in a boating accident in 1892.

The idea was to combine the film with a live speech on the night, as the narrator on the podium would speak as the images rolled over in the background.

Over 2 and a half weeks, and after hours of trolling through historical archives, talking to past players and digitally reproducing old photos, I’d finished about half of the video. And there was only 36 hours until the ball.

To make things worse, it was decided that I was to be the narrator as well.

Paranoid that I would get a players name wrong, or show the wrong picture of someone, the pressure was on. I could see in my mind what I wanted the final production to look like, but I felt that I just didn’t have enough time to do it.

In the final game of the year, we had missed out on finals, battered and bruised we’d lost by 6 points after leading with about 45 seconds left. Without time to lick my wounds I rushed home to make use of the final 3 hours before I was to make the presentation.

I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to get the video done about 15 minutes before I had to make the speech.

In front of 300 past players and legends of the club, I did a great job – or so they told me.

It was a great night and I was really happy with how the video turned out.

Now, as I put the video to disk, I’ve uploaded a 3 minute trailer for the video now on Youtube. It’d mean a lot if you could check it out, and, if you want let me know if you would like a of the 30 minute video which I’m selling through the club for $20.

 

125 years of the Mornington Football Club – Documentary Short

 

Being such a small club its a biased video unless your a Mornington supporter, but the club’s history is very rich and is a great story on a typical Aussie country footy club. With rare footage and images of the club and players, the video is the product of a lot of time, effort and passion I have for my local club.

It was a hectic project I undertook, but in saying that, there’s no reason I wouldn’t say no again. The Mornington Cricket Club already has me on board to do a similar thing for their 150 year anniversary this season. If you’re thinking you’d like something similar for your club, please contact me at [email protected]

 

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Thanks for reading,

Go Doggies,

Jake “Cobba” Stevens.

 

 

About Jake "Cobba" Stevens

Cobba Stevens works in sports social media and content. A keen middle-distance runner in both the ammos and the pros, he's also one of the youngest 'old bloods' supporters in Melbourne.

Comments

  1. Malcolm Ashwood says

    As a old hand in helping at The Worlds Greatest Football Club in Ad Uni FC it is fantastic to read about a younger guy really Involving Himself and working his ass off for his club My Sincere Congrats Jake Cobba Stevens !

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