Shooting the Calder Cup Finals: My First Time Filming Hockey and What I Learned
When FloHockey asked me to film Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals, I said yes immediately. Here's what I learned shooting hockey for the first time — gear, positioning, and lessons from the ice.
When FloHockey asked me to film Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals between the Abbotsford Canucks and the Charlotte Checkers, I said yes before I could overthink it. I’d never filmed hockey before — but that’s often where the best learning happens.
Pre-production on ice
Hockey is fast. That sounds obvious, but nothing prepares you for how quickly play shifts from one end of the rink to the other. I spent time before the game mapping:
- Camera positions that wouldn’t block fans or league camera ops
- Lens choices — longer glass for action, wider for atmosphere in the tunnel and bench areas
- Audio — rink PA, crowd swell, and the quiet moments between whistles
What surprised me on game day
The speed of the puck changes everything. You can’t hesitate on follow focus or you’ll miss the moment. I relied on zone focusing more than I do on basketball or MMA, and kept shutter speed high enough to kill motion blur on sticks and skates.
The atmosphere was unreal. Calder Cup Finals energy hits different — smaller arena, louder crowd, players playing for contracts and careers.
Takeaways for next time
- Arrive early — rink light changes once house lights dim for intros
- Shoot more b-roll than you think — locker room, fans, zamboni, details
- Trust your instincts on emotion — the game tells you where to point the camera
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