Overview:

The Intel Extreme Masters is one of the longest running global esports tours in the world. With one of the most popular games, Counter Strike, under it’s belt, it’s become arguably one of the biggest stages for esports ever to exist. When we were able to go behind the scenes of their IEM event during Dreamhack Dallas, it was an opportunity to peek behind the curtain and share the passion and challenges that make an event like this possible. We filmed over two days with Phy and Jackson Wolf, whom we distilled all of the show operations with into brief broadcast-friendly content. The entire piece was scripted and took inspiration from reality TV hits like Dirty Jobs and No Reservations. We wanted to bring viewers along for the ride and get a good look under the hood.

Deliverables:

Entertainment Content

Collaborators:

Acer, ESL FACEIT Group, Intel

Challenges:

Filming around a live broadcast production room has its challenges. Cables, stations, and several moving parts (people and equipment) bring an element of urgency and unpredictability to filming. Our crew was always conscious about not disrupting the live operations while still keeping an honest depiction of what’s happening. At the end, we were thankful for the broadcast crew’s hospitality and their own appreciation for sharing with the world all the hard work they do behind the scenes.