Multimedia, or video specifically, is becoming more important to those who are desperate to communicate a message to a wider audience. The scope is expanding and evolving to match consumer preferences and those in sport are desperately attempting to keep up – the motorcycle industry is no exception.
Leading this charge in motocross is a British videographer, who has revolutionized the way that so many communicate at rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Sean Ogden, 25, from Uckfield in the United Kingdom has led the charge of ‘new age’ media with superb concepts that paved the way for a lot of others to follow.
Ogden walked into a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship for the first time back in the April of 2015, having completed his education and refined his skillset at the East Sussex College. 2015 was, of course, a time where social media ran rampant – most struggled to harness its potential. It was perhaps poetic that his entrance into the industry occurred around this time.
Initially starting by producing swift productions for social media that fit into the demands of the algorithm for his first employer, MX Vice, Ogden’s name shot to prominence as industry figureheads were aghast to see off-road sport enter the digital age. It should come as no shock that brands and athletes alike started to call upon his services: a star had been born soon enough.
Brands like Monster Energy, Red Bull, KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles, GASGAS, Fox Racing, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and more worked in tandem with Ogden to form cutting-edge content that better exposed the millions of euros that they invest in motocross. The fact that a better return could be garnered made the skillset that he possesses invaluable and in high demand.
It wasn’t just the fact that his unique skillset allowed him to exploit the various social media networks and carve a new path for media in off-road sport that made him rather desirable, however. It was a combination of factors from shooting technique to editing flare. ‘Pull focus’ – a creative camera technique in which you change focus during a shot – is something that he is known for. The movement directs the attention of a viewer and that is so crucial in a sport as intense as this, but so tricky to master and implement effectively.
The depth of Ogden’s vast skillset paid off with a weighty Monster Energy contract, a revolutionary project and significant pressure. ‘Against All Odds’ – the five-episode series that debuted on FUEL TV, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms on December 31 of 2021 – showcased off-road sport in a manner that had not seen previously. Ogden had creative license to communicate how the sport’s athletes deal with the highs and lows of international competition; no one had even attempted to complete such a mountainous challenge before this.
The result of ‘Against All Odds’ has been felt across the sport. Athletes and teams have felt the benefit of renewed fan interest, whilst Ogden has been able to bask in international acclaim and the fact that he is the first cinematographer to put motocross inside of 806,500,000 households. That is the reach through broadcasters like FUEL TV, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, EDGE Sports and SPI. Crucially, however, it does not include views on YouTube and other digital platforms. This speaks to the magnitude of the project and personal achievement for one of the sport’s brightest off-track talents.
