It’s always special to get an insider view of what goes on behind the scenes in the sports world. Today’s Prime UK interview with Alexander Trent was the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Having arrived at Real Madrid City bright and early and slightly frazzled at 10:30 following some slightly stressful delays on the Cercanías, it became clear that we were going to be there a while.
The security guard finally agreed to let us in after eventually deciding we probably weren’t crazed fans trying to break into the press building, and once we were inside, we settled into the familiar feeling of sitting and waiting around for something to happen.
It might surprise you to know quite how much time actually goes into these things. Even for a seemingly simple interview, there is a whole process of decisions and planning that has to happen first. Today, we were happily set up in the interview room waiting for the Prime team to arrive when we started hearing whispers that the backdrop didn’t quite fit the vibe they were going for.
All of a sudden we found ourselves part of a mass migration from the warm interior to the rather blisteringly cold but admittedly more picturesque stands overlooking one of Real Madrid’s many pitches. As we sat and shivered, doing our best to keep out of the way, the team set about an extensive process of positioning cameras, choosing angles and asking us to move out of frame.
We were given the unexpected opportunity to have a quick chat with Alex Aljoe who would be hosting the interview. She arrived to set with an overflowing energy and charisma; it isn’t hard to see why she does the job she does and why she is so good at it. After a brief chat about the rather disappointing British-esque weather, and Madrid being the best city in the world, she kindly answered a few of our questions about the process behind interviews like this. Questions such as: who chooses the questions? Are there things you aren’t allowed to ask? How long does an interview usually take to film? It struck me how she made sure to talk to us with enthusiasm and patience, without making any of the questions we asked seem silly. After our brief chat, she returned to hide out somewhere in the warm while we stoically continued to sit and slowly lose feeling in most of our extremities.
Four hours deep into waiting and it felt like the frostbite might be setting in. But finally, much to our shivering delight, the talent finally arrived. Trent Alexander walked in and the team quickly got to work. Trent and Alex were mic’d up and positioned carefully within the stands, and before we knew it, the cameraman shouted “Action!”, and the interview got underway.
It was fascinating to actually witness the filming of an interview in person. To see how important is is for interviewer and interviewee to bounce off each other and create the sense of an on-screen relationship. It was also fascinating to see a global star in this situation. It somehow humbles them in your mind and reminds you just how human and real they are. To hear them laugh, see them smile, see them think. When you’re so accustomed to seeing people like Trent on a big screen or from way up in giant stadium stands, it’s easy to lose sight of just how similar they are to you and me. At the end of the day, they are just another person. I suppose really that is the aim of interviews like these: to allow the human side of celebrities to become visible; to allow you to ascertain a sense of who they are behind the glitz and glamour.
I am extremely grateful to have had the chance to be a part of this occasion and to have been able to take a peek behind the curtain and see the inner workings of the relationship between sport and media and what the processes involved in sports media creation look like. I am sure it will be an experience I look back on often throughout my journey in the sports industry for both guidance and grounding (as well as nostalgia for my very first encounter with a footballer in real life!).
As for the exact contents of the interview, I would encourage you to watch it yourself. It will go live on Tuesday evening in advance of Real Madrid’s next Champion’s League fixture versus Liverpool. It will give you the chance to hear about how Trent has settled into the white shirt, and some insider info on several of his teammates… It definitely won’t be one to miss!
