Russian Cup Final 2022: a promo for the RFU

The season's biggest match — a record crowd and real electricity. A Russian Cup Final 2022 promo for the RFU: 70,000 at Luzhniki, through the aesthetics of detail.

2022

The BETCITY Russian Cup Final 2022 was the match of the season — a record crowd and a charged atmosphere at Luzhniki. At RAFL studio we shot the final's promo for the Russian Football Union (RFU): a layered film where 70,000 people live one of the best moments in Russian football through the aesthetics of detail and emotion.

Context and the task

At the concept stage we decided to show the final through the lens of football's details and the fans' emotions. The accent went on the dynamic shots of the build-up — around the stadium and inside the arena. The finished film came out layered: pre-match activity, the atmosphere of packed stands, the drama on the pitch, and close-ups of the people in it.

The solution and the shoot

We shot with a small crew, on the grounds and inside Luzhniki, carrying the gear in our hands — so we put together the lightest possible kit without losing image quality. To convey the spectacle and scale of the final, we shot on anamorphic lenses: a wide, dimensional image that captures a mass of detail in a single frame.

  • Anamorphic lenses: a wide, dimensional picture with a mass of detail in every frame
  • A stripped-down kit for handheld shooting in a packed stadium
  • VHS inserts from a tape camera — a bridge between generations of fans
  • Layered editing: build-up, stands, drama on the pitch, close-ups

On screen, the atmosphere of a sporting final comes from details and emotion: close-ups of fans, the rhythm of the build-up, the texture of the stadium. For the Russian Cup Final 2022 promo, RAFL studio filmed the 70,000 at Luzhniki on anamorphic lenses for scale and added VHS inserts to tie the generations together. That kind of edit turns a match into the story of a season.

What promo did RAFL shoot for the RFU?

RAFL studio shot a promo of the BETCITY Russian Cup Final 2022 for the RFU — the season's biggest match at Luzhniki. The film shows the build-up, the atmosphere of packed stands, the drama on the pitch and close-ups of the fans.

Where was the 2022 Russian Cup Final held?

The BETCITY Russian Cup Final 2022 was played at Luzhniki in Moscow in spring 2022 and drew a record 70,000. It was a Moscow derby — Spartak against Dynamo — and that derby edge became an important detail in the promo.

How was the Russian Cup Final promo filmed?

RAFL studio filmed the Russian Cup Final 2022 promo with a small crew on anamorphic lenses. The gear was handheld, so we ran a light kit without losing quality, and pulled the emotion from the stands with a 360x zoom and VHS inserts.

What are anamorphic lenses in filming?

Anamorphic lenses give a wide, dimensional image with a mass of detail in the frame. In sport, they carry scale — in the Russian Cup Final 2022 promo they showed a packed Luzhniki.

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Igor SelenovIgor Selenov