Rolling Cameras with a Vikings Hall of Famer: John Randle

It’s not every day you get to roll cameras with a NFL Hall of Famer. We recently produced a podcast with Minnesota Vikings legend John Randle, sitting down with a retired Xcel Energy lineman right on the field at the Vikings practice facility — two guys who’ve spent their careers doing tough, physical work, swapping stories. It was a fascinating conversation to witness.

The Challenge

We had a three-hour window on the field and a lot to capture in it: the full sit-down conversation, an energetic opening sequence, and a set of quick-hit questions with John for short social clips.

Then Mother Nature got involved. The sun ducked in and out of the clouds all day, so the light on our set was changing minute to minute. On top of that, we needed to be mindful of the practice field and potential damage from our equipment, find power in the middle of a football field, and build a podcast set that looked great without a studio around it.

Our Approach

It started in pre-production. We met with the Xcel Energy and Vikings teams to walk through the concept and storyboards, then built a production document for the day that folded the social quick-hitters in alongside the main conversation, so nothing would be left on the table.

We worked closely with the Vikings’ partnership marketing team on the details: seating and high-top table options for the conversation, a Vikings helmet for the frame, and the locations of the field’s electrical outlets to power our gear.

On the day, we ran a three-camera setup for the conversation — one camera close up for each speaker and a wide shot camera to capture them both in frame. With the clouds rolling through, the crew was constantly adjusting exposure, tweaking the lights, and riding the camera settings shot to shot to keep everything matched. Outdoor shoots keep you on your toes like that. In post, Corey’s color grade tied it all together so the whole conversation feels like one continuous moment.

The Result

Honestly, it looks magnificent. What came out of that morning is a genuine conversation between two people who know what it means to show up and do the hard work, whether that’s on the line of scrimmage or up on a utility pole. John Randle in person is exactly who he appears to be on camera — he’s engaging, spirited, funny and a joy to be around. After receiving feedback from Director Matthew Deery he kept saying, “Whatever you say Spielberg.”

Huge thanks to Xcel Energy, the Minnesota Vikings, and everyone on set who made it come together.

Got a story worth telling? Let’s make it look this good.