5 Episodes × 42 min = 210 min Total Runtime | Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates
Character-driven methodology | 31 on-camera subjects | 11 building blocks
Character-driven ratios. 7 leads, 11 support, 13 colour. Bottom-up from interview methodology + follow filming, not top-down estimates.
Original ratios were top-down estimates (industry average per bucket). Revised ratios are built bottom-up from character methodology — how many people we interview, how long each session is, how many follow days per lead. The interview buckets moved the most because depth with 7 lead characters requires serious time investment.
FINISHED
210 min
3.5 hrs
INGESTED RAW
—
post dailies review
TOTAL SHOOT
—
all cameras combined
FIELD HOURS
—
÷ cameras = real time
SHOOT DAYS
—
—
31 on-camera subjects across 3 tiers. Interview timing built from T+W experience: don't rush the first sit-down, build trust, come back for depth, pick up story gaps late.
Tier 1 — Leads
7
12 hrs interview each + follow filming
Tier 2 — Support
11
2.5 hrs interview each + light follow
Tier 3 — Colour
13
0.75–1.5 hrs per subject
Deep character arcs across multiple episodes. Audience comes to know them. 12 hrs interview + 31.5 hrs follow filming per lead.
Players (4)
2 Kaizer Chiefs + 2 Orlando Pirates. The faces of the rivalry. Star player, emerging talent, veteran leader, fan favourite. Each appears in 3+ episodes with a full personal arc.
Coaches (2)
Head coach or key coaching staff from each club. Tactical mind, pressure of the job, relationship with players. 60% of their interview time maps to team content, 40% to management/club politics.
Management / Family (1)
Kaizer Motaung family or Irvin Khoza side. The business story — legacy, ownership, pressure, dynasty. This is what separates Giants from a standard football doc.
Build trust. Establish character, life story, relationship to the club. Don't rush — they'll be reserved at first. Let them open up. This is where you earn the next 4 sessions. Two cameras (A+B cam).
Go deeper into personal story, family, motivations, fears, ambitions. They trust you now. Push harder. This is where you get the gold quotes that carry the series.
Post-match reactions, after key moments in the season, turning points. Shorter, targeted sessions triggered by what's happening in real time. The season writes the story — these sessions capture the character living it.
Story gaps, narration bridges, reflections on the season arc. Intensive — you know the story now, you know what's missing. Fill the gaps. This is the last chance to get what you need.
This is what makes it a follow-along doc, not a talking-heads doc. You need to SEE them live their lives.
| Activity | Sessions | Hrs / Session | Total Hrs | What It Becomes in the Edit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home visits | 3 | 3.5 | 10.5 | 50% Reality, 15% Beauty, 20% Interview B-roll, 15% BTS crossover |
| Car / drive-to-ground scenes | 3 | 1.5 | 4.5 | Connective tissue, beauty shots, character reveals in transit |
| Origin story (where they grew up) | 1 | 5.0 | 5.0 | Beauty & scenic + interview overlay. Emotional anchor for character arc |
| Personal / family moments | 3 | 2.5 | 7.5 | Pure reality — partners, kids, parents. Humanises the athlete |
| Off-field rituals / routines | 2 | 2.0 | 4.0 | Pre-match rituals, gym, prayer, music — character texture |
| TOTAL PER LEAD | 12 | — | 31.5 hrs | — |
| TOTAL ALL 7 LEADS | 84 | — | 220.5 hrs | Split across Reality, Beauty, BTS, Interview B-roll |
Give context on leads, fill storylines, provide perspective. 2.5 hrs interview + 4 hrs light follow per subject.
Players (4)
Teammates who orbit the leads — locker room context, on-field chemistry, rivalry from inside
Coaching Staff (2)
Assistant coaches, fitness coaches, analysts — tactical depth and behind-the-scenes culture
Club Officials (2)
Sporting directors, CEO, operations — the business and politics
Family / Partners (3)
Partners, parents, siblings of leads — humanise the lead characters from the outside
Establish who they are, their relationship to the lead/club. Some filmed early so we can edit, others saved for when we know the story better.
Fill narrative gaps, react to events, provide colour. Back-end of production when we know what the story needs.
Texture, expert opinion, fan energy, one-off moments. Single sessions, targeted and efficient.
| Category | Count | Hrs Each | Total Hrs | Role in Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert pundits / analysts | 3 | 1.0 | 3.0 | Context on rivalry history, tactical analysis, league perspective |
| Legends / alumni | 2 | 1.5 | 3.0 | Historical weight — what the rivalry means across generations |
| Rival players / coaches | 2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | Opposing perspective within specific match narratives |
| Celebrity fans | 2 | 1.5 | 3.0 | Watch-along energy, cultural connection to the clubs |
| Fan voices | 4 | 0.75 | 3.0 | Vox pop — searching for authentic gold moments of passion |
| TOTAL COLOUR | 13 | — | 14.0 hrs | — |
LEADS
84 hrs
7 × 12 hrs
SUPPORT
27.5 hrs
11 × 2.5 hrs
COLOUR
14 hrs
13 subjects
GRAND TOTAL RAW INTERVIEW HOURS
125.5 hrs
+ 220.5 hrs lead follow filming = 346 hrs total character time investment
Each team plays 30 league matches (15 home, 15 away). Plus cup competitions (MTN8, Nedbank Cup, CAF Champions League for Pirates). Below: confirmed visible fixtures + matchday filming methodology.
KC Home Matches
15
FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
OP Home Matches
15
Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg
Soweto Derbies
2
The centrepiece of the series
Cup Matches
TBC
MTN8, Nedbank, CAF CL
Full Aug 2025 – Feb 2026 fixtures to be confirmed from PSL when released. Season runs Aug → May.
| Date | Club | H/A | Opponent | Venue | Time | Type | Filming Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 21 Mar | KC | HOME | Magesi FC | FNB Stadium | 18:00 | League | Full matchday — BTS, tunnel, bench, fan energy |
| Sun 22 Mar | OP | HOME | TS Galaxy | Orlando Stadium | 15:30 | League | Full matchday — back-to-back weekend with KC |
| Tue 7 Apr | OP | HOME | Golden Arrows | Orlando Stadium | 19:30 | League | Midweek under lights — different matchday energy |
| Sun 12 Apr | KC | HOME | TS Galaxy | FNB Stadium | 15:00 | League | Standard matchday coverage |
| Sat 18 Apr | OP | HOME | AmaZulu | Orlando Stadium | 15:00 | League | Pre-Derby build-up — tension, preparation, pressure |
| Sat 25 Apr | DERBY | SOWETO DERBY | KC @ OP | Orlando Stadium | 15:00 | DERBY | ALL HANDS — maximum crew, all access, all cameras. This IS the show. |
| Tue 5 May | OP | HOME | Stellenbosch | Orlando Stadium | 19:30 | League | Post-Derby reaction, season run-in |
| Sat 9 May | OP | HOME | Magesi FC | Orlando Stadium | 20:00 | League | Title race tension if applicable |
| Sat 16 May | OP | HOME | Durban City | Orlando Stadium | 15:00 | League | Penultimate home game |
| Sat 23 May | KC | HOME | Chippa United | FNB Stadium | 15:00 | League | Potential season finale |
| Sat 23 May | OP | HOME | Orbit College | Orlando Stadium | 15:00 | League | Season finale — wrap-up emotions, reflections |
4 cameras, ~4 hrs active filming, covers multiple building blocks simultaneously:
BTS: Team arrival (bus pull-in, tunnel walk), changeroom pre-match (coach talk, tactical board, player prep), warm-up, half-time, post-match changeroom reactions. ~2.5 hrs
Match: Bench reactions, coaching box, tunnel cam, player close-ups. Not the broadcast — the emotional story around the game. ~1.5 hrs
Fan: Fan park, stadium arrivals, reactions during goals/red cards, post-match. ~1.5 hrs
Reality: Lead character tracked through entire matchday — arrival, nerves, post-match family moment. ~3 hrs
6+ cameras, all-day deployment, the tentpole of the entire series:
BTS: Both changerooms (with access), both tunnels, both warm-ups, both coaches. Morning of — stadium setup, security, pitch prep. ~5 hrs
Match: Extended bench/dugout coverage, player tracking, emotional moments. ~2 hrs
Fan: Both sets of fans — Soweto streets pre-match, fan parks, stadium atmosphere, post-match celebrations/devastation. ~4 hrs
Reality: Multiple leads tracked — one from each side minimum. The before/after of a Derby. ~6 hrs
Beauty: Aerials of Soweto, FNB/Orlando Stadium exteriors, crowd panoramics, golden hour city shots. ~2 hrs
| Match Type | Cameras | Active Hrs | Raw Hrs (all cams) | Ingest Rate | Ingested Hrs | Est. Games Filmed | Total Ingested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soweto Derby | 6 | 8 | 48 | 50% | 24 | 2 | 48 hrs |
| Home game — full coverage | 4 | 4 | 16 | 40% | 6.4 | 8 | 51 hrs |
| Home game — light crew | 2 | 3 | 6 | 35% | 2.1 | 10 | 21 hrs |
| Away game — embedded only | 1 | 3 | 3 | 30% | 0.9 | 6 | 5.4 hrs |
| Cup match — if applicable | 3 | 4 | 12 | 40% | 4.8 | 3 | 14.4 hrs |
| TOTAL MATCHDAY FOOTAGE | — | — | — | — | — | 29 games | ~140 hrs |
Note: matchday footage feeds into multiple building blocks simultaneously — BTS, Match, Fan, Reality, Beauty all captured on the same day. A single matchday doesn't map to one bucket.
Finished Min → Ingested Raw Hrs → Total Shoot Hrs → Field Hrs → Shoot Days. Ratios driven by character methodology, not industry averages.
FINISHED
210 min
3.5 hrs
INGESTED RAW
—
post dailies review
TOTAL SHOOT
—
all cameras combined
FIELD HOURS
—
÷ cameras = real time
SHOOT DAYS
—
unique bucket days
—
Ingest Rate
% of total shot footage entering the edit. Interviews: 85% (almost everything usable). BTS: 45% (structured). Reality: 35% (hunting for gold). Broadcast: 100%.
Camera Count
Match: 4 (wide, tight, tunnel, bench). BTS: 3 (changeroom, training, warm-up). Interviews: 2 (A+B). Fan: 3 (multi-location). Reality: 2.
Day Length
Reality: 8 hrs (embedded all-day). Beauty: 6 hrs (golden hour runs). Interviews: 3–4 hrs (setup + sessions). Match: 3.5 hrs. BTS: 4 hrs per matchday/training.
~105 editor-days at 8hr/day
~68 editor-days | 36% reduction
Traditional (2010)
0 : 480 : 360
Ratio: 0 : 1.33 : 1
AI-Native (2026)
120 : 180 : 240
Ratio: 0.5 : 0.75 : 1
String-outs & Selects
AI transcribes, tags, and creates initial string-outs from 283 raw hours. Especially powerful for BTS + Reality footage auto-tagged by player, emotion, moment type.
~88% time saving
Rough Assembly
AI generates first rough cuts per episode based on paper edits + transcript alignment. Junior editor refines instead of builds from scratch.
~60% time saving
Sync & Organize
Multi-cam sync, metadata tagging, scene detection, b-roll categorization — all automated. Critical for 125+ hrs of interview footage across 31 subjects.
~90% time saving
• Changeroom / tunnel — pre & post-match
• Training ground — tactical sessions
• Warm-up — on-pitch routines
• Team meetings — analysis rooms
• Medical / physio
Ratio: 55–85:1 — structured
• Personal / family — at home, relationships
• Travel — buses, flights, hotels
• Day-in-the-life — connective tissue
• Social / downtime — bonding, leisure
• Unstructured follow — gold hunting
Ratio: 90–180:1 (old) → 241:1 (revised, character-driven)
Ratio = raw minutes shot : 1 finished minute. Note: S2 revised ratios are character-driven and higher than reference shows.