In 2002, Adam Vinatieri kicked one of the most famous field goals in NFL history in heavy snow during the so-called Snow Bowl. On Jungfraujoch, 3,454 metres up, he went for the highest field goal ever recorded, with Giovane Elber holding the ball. The attempt kicked off the New England Patriots’ countdown to their game in Munich. Our crew followed the record attempt and turned it into a short documentary.

Three Days From Call to Summit

We had three days to develop the concept and plan the logistics. The creative idea was entirely ours, and while we worked it out as a team, project management organised travel and timings for the crew. To make things even tighter, our crew headed to Jungfraujoch straight from the Davis Cup.

One Shot at the Record

Only one attempt for glory, so every camera had to be in place.

The goalposts had been carried all the way up to the summit by a large team, and everything was set for one single attempt. Since a Guinness World Record has to be backed by footage, we made sure the kick was covered from enough angles, with static cameras on tripods running from the first step to the final whistle.

Two handheld cameras, a static camera setup and a static drone: that’s what we carried up the mountain to get every angle of the record attempt. The drone held a static shot of the kick from above, with the goalposts set against the Alps.

Filming in the Helicopter

Rotor noise, tight space and one camera on board.

One of our videographers flew up with Adam while the second camera filmed the landscape from outside. Because of the rotor noise, we recorded audio through the headset with a lavalier mic as backup. The flight was one of only two interview slots, so all questions were prepared beforehand.

Working at the Top of Europe

Wind and tight time slots at 3,454 metres.

Wind on the summit meant every audio setup had to be carefully executed. We had five minutes with Adam up there, followed by the Guinness official and Giovane in a fixed order before the kick. Roles and starting positions were set before anyone stepped onto the snow.

The Record Is Official

Good on the first attempt.

Adam made the kick on his first try: the highest field goal ever made. Three days of preparation, two interview slots and one attempt, and every shot we needed was in the can. The record stands, and so does the short doc that followed the special experience from start to finish.

A big thank you to our crew and to the New England Patriots for trusting us with this production. A kick for the history books, and a production we won’t forget anytime soon.