Reframe the Game – behind the scenes with DPs and directors

Directors and DPs behind Reframe the Game programme of short documentaries share behind-the-scenes in sight into their work on the productions. 

Hannah Congdon, Director, The Long Away Game  

Can you tell us a bit about your film? What about the story inspired you to bring it to screens? 

The Long Away Game is the story of a 26-year-old Afghan refugee finding a home and community in a Yorkshire football club. It’s a film about the power of football to heal and empower. The film moves back and forth between her present day as a community coach at Harrogate Football Club, and the backstory of her life in Afghanistan – where she captained her local football side and had recently been called up to the national women’s team. 

Sabriah’s story is ultimately an uplifting one that shows just how transformative sport and sporting communities can be – football has helped her through some of the darkest moments in her life and she wouldn’t be the person she is today without it. But despite all the good things that have come her way since arriving in the UK, she grapples every day with the complicated feelings that can come with being a survivor of trauma. The different layers of her story gave us lots to explore in this film, and I hope her story will leave as much of an impression on viewers at home as it did on me. 

Why did you want to put yourself forward for Reframe the Game? 

I had been trying to develop a story along these lines for a while but had been struggling to find the right home for it. The personal story of an unknown refugee footballer isn’t your typical TV commission – especially in the current climate where there’s often a need for big names to get things greenlit. A friend of mine shared the Reframe the Game application form with me, and I was delighted to have found a platform that was looking for personal stories rooted in grassroots women’s sport. These kinds of funding opportunities are a rarity in the film and TV industry, so I wanted to give it my all. 

It was also a great chance to move into a new genre. I’ve worked as a producer on current affairs films for a couple of years, but this film allowed me to take those skills into a sports documentary format. As a big women’s sports fan, Reframe the Game looked like a fantastic gateway into the world of sports docs that I’d always been keen to break into. 

Tell us about the process of making your film. Were there any unexpected challenges you had to overcome in terms of finding filming locations and contributors? 

One of the main challenges was how to tell this story in a sensitive way. Sabriah’s story is a hopeful one, but she’s also gone through a number of traumatic events in her life. Sabriah placed a lot of trust in me with the things that she shared in this film. That trust from her came with a lot of responsibility for me – to do justice to her story, and to do right by her throughout the filming process. 

We had comprehensive Duty of Care protocols in place including a designated psychologist who offered brilliant support. But ensuring someone feels safe during filming is often about more than Duty of Care frameworks. I spent a lot of time talking through Sabriah’s story with her – and trying to understand what parts of her story she felt were important to who she is today. I also thought very carefully about which crew we had on set and was strict about keeping the number of crew small throughout. Our tight knit team got to know Sabriah really well across our five filming days, so much so that we wrapped our final shoot whilst eating Afghani Pulao on Sabriah’s floor!  

The rest of our job was made very easy thanks to the amazing support of the team at Harrogate FC who went out of their way to accommodate us. Sabriah mostly coaches kids and getting consent forms for 40 kids at an Easter football camp is no mean feat – so big shout out to Ryan at Harrogate FC for being chief form wrangler! 

What would you like the viewer to take away from watching your film? Did you have a specific viewer in mind when making the film? 

I think the key message is about the power of sport and sporting communities. Football has transformed Sabriah’s life – the football pitch is the place where she feels most at home and,as she says in the film,without it she wouldn’t be the person she is today. Sabriah’s story shows just how much there is to lose when women are denied the freedom to be themselves and to do the thing they love, as many of her friends back home in Afghanistan continue to be today. 

I really wanted this film to appeal to a wide audience. The story is rooted in a local footballing community, the likes of which are replicated up and down the country. I hoped viewers might be able to see their own communities reflected in the one that Sabriah has found in Harrogate. Equally, I really wanted Sabriah’s story to resonate with young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. I had lots of conversations with my assistant producer Shabnam, who was born in Afghanistan but moved to the UK as a kid, about the kind of impact Sabriah’s story could have on Afghan women in the UK and abroad. Shabnam really helped me see Sabriah’s story from that perspective. 

What will you be doing next? 

I go back to my other project – producing a 90-minute film on the Far Right in Europe. So a bit of a gear change! I love the variety of my job, so it’s fun to move from doing a very personal story like Sabriah’s to something more political and investigative. 

I’ve been cooking up a few other ideas for my next directing project – which I’m hoping I’ll have a bit more time to focus on once The Long Away Game is out in the world.  

Martyna Knitter, DP, The Long Away Game  

How did you get involved with the project? 

I met the director, Hannah, through the fantastic female producer duo, Candid Broads, who thought I would be a good match for her energy. We discovered we shared similar sensibilities over coffee in London Fields. Hannah wanted to create a more character-driven, intimate story that spans countries and life-changing upheavals—and I felt a strong connection to that kind of storytelling. 

Tell us more about your collaboration with the director; what was their vision for the project’s visuals, and what new ideas did you feel could enhance the storytelling? 

At the start, we discussed multiple references and developed the visual language by looking at other films—and our own. I brought years of experience shooting commercials with real people on location around the world into the documentary space. With these in mind, we decided to use vintage primes and a Sony FX6—for its robustness and lightweight flexibility. Rather than follow the typical sports documentary format, Hannah wanted to tell Sabriah’s story through the protagonist’s eyes. We shot with natural light as much as possible, keeping the camera close and personal— a fly on the wall. I love using prisms, diopters, and my Petzval lens – Hannah wanted the film to reflect Sabriah’s inner world, so we used these in-camera effects to open that window. 

What were your favourite parts of the process? 

It was unforgettable experience watching Sabriah open her world to us—and witnessing Hannah and the producers working closely to build trust between us, the filmmakers, and the person ultimately handing over the keys to their story. One evening, after a shoot, Hannah and our sound recordist Alex ended up playing a game of football with Sabriah at sunset. I followed the ball, bathed in orange flares, watching their faces and filming close-ups of our protagonist. Moments like that are worth all the long hours spent on preparations, travelling, and rainy afternoons on the pitch.  

What lessons did you learn from the process? 

The biggest takeaway from this shoot was the value of following our intuition. Using manual vintage primes is never easy on a documentary, but it paid off. We found ways to make the kit portable and easy to transport—often taking trains to locations, it had to be carried with ease. A narrow depth of field became our ally, helping us focus on what truly mattered. The camera’s small size helped others feel more at ease, encouraging them to open up. I loved filming the people who spoke about Sabriah—watching their interactions with her made me realise just how important she is to this community. Hannah’s mindful, honest approach to filming paid off in what I hope paints not just a visually intriguing but also a trustworthy and evocative picture of Sabriah’s world. 

Somina ‘Mena’ Fombo, Director, No Rucks Given!  

Can you tell us a bit about your film? 

No Rucks Given! is a nod to the past and a celebration of the present, told through our heroine Laura Kapo – one of rugby’s unsung legends. The film charts the rise of women’s rugby in England from 1984 to now, using Laura’s story as the central thread. She’s a powerhouse who’s played across all three tiers of the game – from grassroots to Premiership – and has lived through the highs and lows of the sport’s evolution. She’s also served as a chair and community voice in the game, which gives her a unique lens on both the history and the future. We wanted to make something that honours those who paved the way and shines a light on the present-day trailblazers. There’s a lot of joy and nostalgia in the film – but also some hard truths. The sport has come so far, but that progress has come at a cost. This is our tribute to the players who shaped the game when no one was watching. 

What about the story inspired you to bring it to screens? 

I played rugby for over eleven years, and I honestly can’t imagine my life without it. The first match I ever watched was England Women vs Canada in the World Cup 2006 semi-final – someone on my team burned it onto a CD-ROM and passed it around. I watched it two months after the game had aired, and I was hooked. From the moment I finished my first season back in 2004, I knew I wanted to make a film about women’s rugby. But I didn’t want it to be low budget or rushed – I wanted to do it justice and ensure production quality (long before technology democratised filmmaking). Over the years, I had different ideas and iterations, but when this opportunity came up – with the World Cup on the horizon and the women’s game finally getting the more of the broadcast, online reach and visibility it deserves – I knew it was time. Laura Kapo was the obvious choice. She’s lived the story from all angles and is just a phenomenal human being. Plus, we both played at Richmond, so I’ve seen first-hand how impactful her story could be if only more people knew it. 

Why did you want to put yourself forward for Reframe the Game? 

I’m a huge believer in values-led storytelling, so when I saw that Reframe the Game was about supporting women directors to tell untold stories in sport – especially women’s sport – it felt like a perfect fit. I’ve always been passionate about women’s rugby. On top of that, I was excited by the chance to connect with the other women’s sports directors. Your network is your net worth, and the other nine filmmakers chosen for the professional development week were telling such rich, layered stories – that space has been invaluable. The whole ethos behind the programme aligned with my approach: to amplify under-commissioned voices and to use film to show the depth and brilliance of stories that often get overlooked. And I thought that the commissioners weren’t just saying the right things – they were intending on backing them up with action and support. 

Tell us about the process of making your film. Were there any unexpected challenges you had to overcome in terms of finding filming locations or contributors? 

One of the biggest surprises for me wasn’t about logistics – it was about confidence. I realised early on that the best person to be filming pitch-side at matches was… me. I’d been interviewing players and fans at matches across the south – Bristol, Exeter, Gloucester, Saracens, Henley – and I noticed none of the crew I knew personally fully understood the game or knew the players, so I couldn’t call on them for support. I thought: “Mena, just get on with it. Learn on the job.” So I started shooting myself, which made me one of the only female videographers at most of the matches. I owned it – and got loads of great advice from Rhodri Williams, a rugby video content producer I met on the sidelines who also ended shooting for some of film. Contributors were brilliant – generous with their time and totally understood the ‘why’ behind the project. The other challenge? Trying not to cheer when your team scores and you’ve got a camera in hand! Loving the sport helps you tell the story, but it also means you have to work twice as hard to stay focused. 

What would you like the viewer to take away from watching your film? Did you have a specific viewer in mind? 

This is for the players who came before the TikTok era, before Instagram reels and TV deals. It’s for those who never had their match appearances counted or their games videoed, who weren’t on club house honour rolls because their clubs didn’t have boards for women’s teams to put names on. The ones who had cold showers, were locked out of changing rooms, but still showed up – week in, week out. It’s for their nieces, nephews, and kids who’ll finally see the greatness they achieved. And it’s for the fans and players fighting for equity in the women’s game then and still now. But at its heart, No Rucks Given! is a love letter to every woman who ever laced up her boots with no crowd, no glory, no guarantee of anything – just a passion for the game. I want people to understand how much has been given, and how much still needs to be done. These stories matter. They always did. We’re just finally catching up. 

This film is dedicated to all those  women’s rugby players whose stories remain untold. 

What will you be doing next? 

Hopefully I’ll be pitch-side again soon – filming the 2025–26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season and, fingers crossed, capturing stories at the Women’s Rugby World Cup this autumn. But first? A proper holiday.  

Laura Gallop, DP, No Rucks Given!  

How did you get involved with the project? 

I was approached directly by Mena, who had come across my work and knew another director I’d previously collaborated with. We had an initial conversation about the project and instantly had a great rapport. It’s always a pleasure to work with new people, as everyone brings different experiences and references, which broadens your perspective as a DP. While I’m not someone who follows rugby or sport avidly, I was particularly interested in contributing to a project that tells the story of women carving out a place in a traditionally male-dominated field. 

Tell us more about your collaboration with the director; what was their vision for the project’s visuals, and what new ideas did you feel could enhance the storytelling? 

This was my first time working with Mena, and from the outset we connected really well. I came on board specifically for the interview and B-roll elements of the project. Our aim was for these sections to feel composed and considered, with a more cinematic approach that would help to unify the sports coverage, archive footage, and interviews. Mena brought some fantastic visual references to the table, which gave me a clear sense of the aesthetic she was aiming for. While we had a structured plan, as with many documentaries, the story evolved a little during filming – so my focus was on capturing a range of visual elements that would give Mena flexibility during post-production. In order to give an interesting feel to these we used a slider and a mix of primes, zooms and fish eye lenses depending on the element we were shooting. 

What were your favourite parts of the process? 

As someone who primarily shoots narrative and commercial work, it was refreshing to be part of a documentary project. I really enjoy how documentaries give you the chance to explore and learn about topics you might not otherwise encounter. I came away from this experience with a newfound respect for women’s rugby and a much deeper appreciation for the sport’s history. 

What lessons did you learn from the process? 

I genuinely believe there’s something to learn from every project, no matter how big or small. For me, one of the most important skills a cinematographer can develop is strong communication – particularly the ability to understand and interpret ideas visually. This becomes especially important when working with directors for the first time, where building a shared language and trust is crucial. I wouldn’t say I learnt a single standout lesson from this project, but it has certainly contributed to my growth and perspective as a cinematographer. Each experience adds something new, and I’m grateful for what this one has brought to my journey. 

Daisy Ifama, Director, SET PACE  

Can you tell us a bit about your film? What about the story inspired you to bring it to screens? 

My film is called SET PACE and it tells the story of Carol Glenn, a legend within motorsports, who’s had an almost 40-year-long career as a volunteer official and has now turned her sights to turbocharging the industry by becoming the first black woman to own a race team in the UK, focused on bringing people who have historically been shut out of the sport straight into the paddock – from the drivers, to the engineers, mechanic, socials team – every possible role.  

I was really inspired by Carol’s tenacity and perseverance over the last 37 years. She’s faced her fair share of challenges, but has been so adamant that she should be able to stay and enjoy the sport she loves in a role that she’s good at – there’s no one like her and I couldn’t believe she hadn’t already had a documentary made about her! We’d been speaking since 2024, and when she told me the launch her own racing team  Next Racing Generation (NRG) would be coming up in 2025, I knew we had to capture this important moment in British sporting history. 

Why did you want to put yourself forward for Reframe the Game? 

I’m a documentary filmmaker and the first film I ever made was about an academy football player back in 2015. Since then, I haven’t shot a sports-themed documentary, and I’ve always wanted to. The genre I consume the most is sports docs and I especially enjoy watching sports that I don’t know the rules of and getting swept up in the drama of live game storytelling, learning the rules of the game as I go. With SET PACE, I really liked the idea that I could bring in a ‘non-traditional’ audience to motorsports through the story of a ‘non-traditional’ contributor leading a team in a very ‘non-traditional’ way.  

Tell us about the process of making your film. Were there any unexpected challenges you had to overcome in terms of finding filming locations and contributors? 

We were lucky that Carol was very collaborative throughout the filming process and people she knew were keen to help us make this film a reality! The biggest challenge was being able to contain such a huge story in under 13 minutes. I always knew this was a film centred on Carol’s story and that we would travel through her history in the sport to the launch of NRG and her hopes for the future generation. However, SO MUCH happened across the testing day and race day that new storylines started to emerge. As we filmed it observationally, we had a lot (!) of footage to go through. I sat in the hotel after the testing day looking through rushes and building scenes and repeated the same process as we shot on race day, building scenes in my notes app. By the time I got into the edit with my editor Max McCabe, we were able to pull all the golden nuggets from both days to craft a story that represented all the highs and lows of the race weekend. 

What would you like the viewer to take away from watching your film? Did you have a specific viewer in mind when making the film? 

I really hope that women in particular watch this film and see a piece of their own experiences at work or in their hobbies or just at home – any space where they feel like just being themselves has led to animosity, or their efforts to push against the grain and fight for a better future have been misunderstood or ridiculed or shut down. I hope they feel pumped up watching Carol and knowing that she fought for her place in the sport,  from enjoying many years as a volunteer to now being a team owner. I think the overall message from the film and Carol’s story is that if you have a desire to make positive change in a space that feels resistant to doing it, you’re probably doing the right thing, one day it’ll feel better and history will remember your efforts.  

What will you be doing next? 

Sleeping! Following @nrgmotorsports at their next race meet at Silverstone on the 7th-8th June and finishing up production on my documentary RAP BABY (@rapbabyfilm), commissioned by BFI’s Doc Society Made of Truth Fund. 

Mahalia John, DP, SET PACE  

How did you get involved with the project? 

I’ve shot doc pieces for Daisy for years and am always so excited when she comes to me with a new one. Daisy has an eye for the most incredible stories and they always take us to special places and people. 

Tell us more about your collaboration with the director; what was their vision for the project’s visuals, and what new ideas did you feel could enhance the storytelling. 

We had to think in two parts – the interview and the race days.  

Daisy wanted a beautiful anamorphic look for the interview day so we went with Cooke Anamorphics. I’ve always loved the warmth of Cookes and it really leant itself to Carole’s skin tone and the environments we were shooting in. 

The race days were different. We needed to have a small footprint and be incredibly flexible. I’d just come off loading on F1: The Movie and we’d used the Ronin 4Ds for exactly the kind of thing we’d be shooting on our race days. They’re light, the gimbal is super reliable, they’re super easy to control as a single shooter and you can get beautiful images from them. Myself and Caleb (the B cam Op) had one each and were able to easily shoot around each other and get from one end of Silverstone to the other without issue. 

What were your favourite parts of the process? 

Working with an all black technical crew for the first time was a very special experience. Also getting to witness the beginning of the NRG race team and meeting Carole felt like a real privilege. 

What lessons did you learn from the process? 

Some nice technical bits but mostly that working surrounded by people who look like you is a real joy and is very healing.