The Jackson High School football team is having its best season in years, and student videographer Matthew Robertson has been there to capture every play.
Robertson, a 16-year-old junior at Jackson, has had plenty of exciting material to work with – the Timberwolves have already won seven games, the program’s most victories in a season since 2004.
Videography isn’t new to Robertson. During his freshman year he took second place in a statewide sports video competition. He was awarded $1,500 for his highlight clip of Jackson’s undefeated 2006 baseball team, which won the Class 4A state championship. His brother Michael Robertson was a member of that squad.
The prize money helped Matthew Robertson buy some of the high-tech equipment he uses now. He’s a one-man crew who films and edits everything on his own.
Robertson’s weekly Jackson football highlight videos – crammed with key plays, slow-motion effects, celebrations, zoom shots of still photos and music soundtracks – are all posted on YouTube.
Sports aren’t Robertson’s only interest. He also makes videos for Reach Records, a Christian rap label.
Here are excerpts from a recent interview with Robertson, who told The Herald why he started filming football and what it takes to produce his weekly mini-movies.
How did you get started making football videos?
“I was filming a highlight tape for Andy Gay (Jackson’s quarterback and Robertson’s best friend). And then the booster club wanted to get me involved and they decided they’d pay me to do the rest of it – to do a highlight (film) at the end of the season.”
Robertson said a video-production class he took at Jackson during his freshman year helped him learn to use professional equipment. Other than that he’s learned by trial and error.
How much are they paying you?
“They said like ($600 to $800) by the end of the season. I would sell the highlight DVD for 20 bucks. The boosters get 10 and I get 10.”
What have you enjoyed about this season of Jackson football?
“They’re doing so good. It’s definitely been a fun year. It’s kind of cool because I know all the players.”
What has been the most exciting or memorable game?
“I’d say the Lake Stevens game. (Jackson won 50-49 in overtime.) Coming in, we weren’t too sure if we were going to win or not.”
What equipment do you use?
“When I started out the season I would just bring a tripod to the game and I brought my camera and a bunch of tapes, and also a shotgun mic. I set up at the top of the stands (but not in press box).”
“But then as the season wore along I got a media pass so I’ve been on the field just with a monopod. I can get some shots of the team up close.”
What have you learned this fall?
“I’ve learned to produce things faster. I’m working on a better turnaround time for the highlights. The Lake Stevens game pretty much took my whole Saturday.”
What’s your favorite sport to film?
“I like football the best because you have much more fan involvement and also it’s really high-paced. It’s not as fun to watch baseball highlights as football highlights.”
Do you play sports?
“I played baseball my freshman year at Jackson. I play basketball on rec teams.”
“It helps to have a knowledge of sports. I’ve never played football but I’ve watched tons of games so you just kind of get a feel for how to anticipate stuff.”
What’s the most challenging thing about filming football?
“Being able to anticipate what’s going to happen, where the ball’s going to be. Of course you always have obstacles in the way, like the ref is in the shot.”
What would you like to do with your skills?
“It’s definitely something I’d like to pursue in the future. That’s my hope, whether it’s sports or a documentary — whatever realm of videography. But definitely it’s something I’d like to do for my career.”
Mike Cane writes for The Herald in Everett.
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