Lights, Camera, Bantams! – students film club’s training day

Tongxin Lui, Tanvir Hasan, Alex Vickers and Richard Danklu, who are all students on the University’s MA Filmmaking course, captured footage from a men’s first team training session followed by player and manager media conferences on the same day. 

Their visit took place two days before the Bantams’ League Two clash with AFC Wimbledon at their University of Bradford Stadium home on February 3. The students were assigned the task of producing a two-minute-long video to give a flavour of their day. 

In cold, windy and muddy conditions, the team of four students set up their filming equipment at Bradford’s City’s training base at Woodhouse Grove School in Apperley Bridge. 

The University of Bradford students’ day kicked off at 11am with filming of the men’s first-team training session. This included the squad taking part in a series of practice matches as they prepared for that weekend’s match. The squad’s goalkeepers were put through their paces, as they faced shots from their team-mates. 

During the training session the students worked both as a team and individually as they captured footage for their video of the day’s events. The students filmed behind one of the goals and around the touchlines of the training pitch, using different types of film and audio equipment. 

It was also an extra busy day for the club’s staff as it marked the final day of the winter transfer window, with players only able to move clubs up until 11pm on 1 February, and then not able to be transferred between clubs until this summer.

The second half of the filming day saw the students capture footage from two weekly media conferences with a Bradford City player and the men’s first-team manager Graham Alexander, which were also held at the training ground. 

Members of the local broadcast and print media asked questions to the two club representatives during the sessions, which were held separately. 

The first of the two interviews saw forward Calum Kavanagh face the media for the first time as a Bradford City player. He had only been publicly unveiled as a new club signing earlier that day and he fielded questions on a host of subjects including his ambitions at Bradford City and on his father, Graham Kavanagh, who was a professional footballer during the 1990s. 

This was followed by the weekly media conference for Mr Alexander in the same location just minutes later. The club’s manager was quizzed about a range of different subjects during his 40-minute session in front of the cameras including on his new signing, Calum Kavanagh, whether the club would be recruiting, or losing, any other players before that night’s transfer deadline. 

During his questions from the assembled media, he was asked to give an assessment of his team’s next opponents, AFC Wimbledon, and looked back on Bradford City’s quarter-final victory in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy just two days before his media conference. The AFC Wimbledon game two days after the media conferences would end in a goalless draw. 

Throughout the two interview sessions the University students gathered film footage and were each assigned roles and recording equipment to use. 

Like a football player or manager being interviewed by the media after a match, the four University of Bradford students gave their own post-event reaction to their day. 

Tongxin said: “I have learned a lot from my experience. It is the first time I have shot on a muddy pitch. It was freezing weather, but it was good.”

Tanvir said: “We got the opportunity to film the media conferences and the football team. 

We gained some new experiences, which is the main part. I really enjoyed the training session

Alex added: “It was really good. It was a new experience, and it was really interesting to see a different type of filming.”

Richard said: “It was interesting today. It was my first time filming in the cold. It was a totally different experience.”

Lewis Redmond, Bradford City Media Manager, says the young filmmakers’ visit was further evidence of the teamwork between the University and the football club. 

He said: “It was great to welcome students from the University of Bradford to our training ground earlier this month, for an enriching day of filming on the training pitch and in our weekly pre-match press conference. 

“With our partnership focusing on the continued development of young talent across the city, we have a responsibility to help expose these students to situations where they can develop their skills and put them into practice, in unique environments such as this. 

“The students looked as though they had a great time and threw themselves into every challenge headfirst in order to get the most from the opportunity they had, putting what they had learnt at University to the test and even having a chat with our men’s first-team manager, Graham Alexander. 

“I am looking forward to having a look at the work they have been able to produce, and providing further opportunities for the students such as this in the future, as our partnership with University of Bradford continues to grow from strength to strength.”

The students’ training ground filming visit is the latest link-up between the University and the football club who are official partners. 

The thriving partnership started in summer 2022 with a four-year deal to officially launch the University of Bradford Stadium. The association was further strengthened in summer 2023 when the University of Bradford became the official back-of-shirt sponsors for the next three seasons. This deal sees the University’s logo appear on City’s home, away and alternative shirts. 

Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, said: “Richard, Tanvir, Alex and Tongxin’s visit to the Bradford City training ground is further evidence that the relationship between the University and the football club is thriving. 

The students are all role models to Bradford City fans of all ages as they demonstrate what a difference that a University education can make to a person’s life

“I’m delighted that they saw first-hand what a day at training is like for the club’s men’s first-team players, simultaneously gaining valuable filming experience which can only benefit both their studies and future career prospects. 

“I hope all four of our students enjoyed the experience and I wish Bradford City good luck for the rest of the season.”

Dr Karen D Thornton, Programme Leader for BA Film and Television Production, who accompanied the students on the training ground visit, said: “I’m really pleased that the University of Bradford and Bradford City have this collaboration. 

“It means that we give our students an opportunity to experience a different kind of filmmaking.”