The concept of film is something people have come to accept across the sports world, but few ever pause to think about what it actually is. That’s where Braun Gheller, the REDBLACKS’ Video Coordinator, comes into play.

“We’re the ones filming the games or practices, so we see it first before everybody else,” Gheller explained. “It’s almost like you’re a step ahead of everyone. It’s the same thing with your opponent because they might play the night before you do, so I’m responsible for bringing in the most recent game they played so that we can break it down.”

Gheller’s days often start exceptionally early. As you can imagine, when the team has a meeting in the morning before practice, they need their film cut-ups ready to go, which is Gheller’s responsibility.

After a game, Gheller puts the film together right away, so the team can view it the next morning, but what many people don’t realize is that teams need much more than game tape.

“You’re always preparing for the first morning meeting, making sure the coaches are set up, or seeing if they need a hand with the morning presentation, and you’re assisting, making sure they’re taken care of,” Gheller explained. “When meetings are over, you’re getting ready for practice, getting everything set up, running sometimes two, maybe three cameras at one time.”

“I edit practices as we go, so when the coaches get off the field, the film is ready for them to get into meetings right away, to make corrections that need to be made, and post it to the cloud for the players to watch on the app,” he continued.”

Gheller is also responsible for a software called Skycoach on game day, which allows coaches on the sideline to access real-time highlights and look back on a particular play.

Now, instead of calling down to the sideline from the booth on an old-timey rotary phone, players can be shown exactly what was seen from the cameras, which has drastically changed the in-game coaching landscape.

“When we’re filming mid-game, we could receive calls saying iPads are down, and then how do you troubleshoot?”

“A lot of it comes through the video department. We manage the technology week to week, assessing if there’s any damage, and then make sure everything is functioning properly. You’re always having to test equipment, especially in the bad weather games, because water gets in everything. You’re always making sure everything’s dried out and everything is working.”

Especially during a game, there is a lot on the go for Gheller and his department. During the season-opening win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a weather delay forced him to leave his equipment in the elements, which caused damage after one of the cameras fell. During the last home game of the year, a tripod he says had been reliable for 10 years suddenly broke.

In all instances, he scrambled to find solutions, and found them exceptionally quickly, ensuring those watching the film the following day wouldn’t even know anything had happened.

“You always have to have a backup,” Gheller said. “It’s critical with technology, because one day it works, the next it might not.”

It’s even more important when you have to shoot in inclement weather, because you can’t just pack things up and wait for it to pass; the coaches need those plays too.

“It tests your mental toughness when you are going through strong winds or heavy rain,” Gheller said. “You experience almost what the players go through in a game, where they’re having to play through the snow or the rain. I’m doing the exact same thing, making sure I don’t miss plays, and making sure the equipment is functioning.

“It’s a team sport, and you need everyone doing their job,” he said. “It’s a chain-link effect where everyone has to be in sync with each other to beat the opposition and be successful that day.”

Having been in Ottawa since 2014, Gheller has seen the best of times with the REDBLACKS franchise. His favourite moment, of course, is winning the Grey Cup in 2016, but it’s a feeling he wants to capture again.