Backstage Pass to X Games
Cinematic, behind-the-scenes video production at X Games capturing Monster Energy’s freeski team beyond traditional broadcast coverage.
X Games already delivers some of the best action sports coverage in the world through a traditional broadcast lens. The goal with this project was to elevate that coverage by adding a more personal, behind-the-scenes layer.
I pitched a different angle to Monster Energy for covering their freeskiing team at X Games. Something more immersive. A way to bring viewers inside the experience instead of just showing highlights, elevating coverage through unique cinematography and storytelling.
Instead of focusing only on competition runs, we leaned into everything happening in between. Mic’d up athletes. Conversations at the top of the course. The quiet, the chaos, and everything in between.
This was a small, tight team consisting of Sean Logan, Andrew Gayda, and myself. We were embedded with Monster’s freeski team across slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe, covering both men’s and women’s events.
Sean started as a professional skier before going on to film some of the most iconic ski films and Andrew is undoubtedly the most respected ski follow-cam filmer in teh world. We all brought different strengths to the table, which really shaped the final product.
The days were long, especially with same-day turnarounds. One of the biggest challenges was workflow. We were staying off-site, which meant shooting all day and then heading back each night to turn around edits for same-day social drops. No massive production pipeline. Just a fast, scrappy loop of shoot, dump, edit, and deliver.
We weren’t given a strict list of deliverables. The direction was simple. Go out and film awesome content that the athletes would want to share. That freedom allowed us to follow moments instead of forcing them.
This project was also a shift for me personally. I’ve worked closely with X Games for 13 years. Over that time, I’ve produced more than a dozen 22-minute shows airing on ABC and ESPN, and worked closely with their video and sales teams on easily over a hundreds videos
This was the first year I stepped back from working on their internal team and instead worked independently with Monster. It gave me a completely different perspective on the event.
I think we accomplished exactly what we set out to do. Content athletes connect with. Moments fans don’t usually see. A more human side of elite competition.
This is the kind of work I lean into. While I do a lot of corporate video across San Jose, San Francisco, and the Bay Area, I’m always looking for ways to push past the expected. Story first. Clean visuals. Real moments. When there’s room to get creative, that’s where the most impactful content lives.
Whether it’s tech, branded content, or action sports, the goal is always the same. Create something people actually feel, not just watch. If you’re looking to make something unique, let’s connect.