In Focus: A Conversation with Alban, Bridgestone Videographer
While the motorcycles take center stage, the storytelling often happens behind the camera – and that’s where Alban, one of Bridgestone’s dedicated videographers, thrives. From capturing cinematic slow-motion shots to working closely with riders and editors, Alban brings the visual side of every launch to life. We caught up with him during the T33 press event in Croatia to learn more about his role, his creative process, and what it’s like to film high-speed beauty in some of the world’s most stunning locations.
Can you tell us about your role and what you’re responsible for?
“I’m one of the videographers in the team,” Alban explained. “My job is to capture cinematic visuals for the press kit, both during the pre-shoot and the journalist days.”
For each press launch, Alban and his teammates spend the first couple of days shooting pre-launch footage with guide riders. “We shoot clean, high-quality images: drone shots, tracking car shots, ground-level shots – so journalists can use them in their own edits.”
Alban focuses on the ground-level work. “This time, I’m teaming up with Alberto. He does the gimbal shots, and I handle the long-lens and super slow-motion footage.”
Do you also do the editing on site?
“No, we have the luxury of having an on-site editor, that’s Pieter,” he said. “He joins us during the shoot, collects all the footage, and starts cutting right away. We just shoot, and everyone drops their footage with him. He’s the central point for post-production here.”
How did you get into this job — and into motorcycles?
“It’s kind of a funny story,” Alban laughed. “I have my own company and normally only do my own productions. I don’t freelance much.”
But a family connection led to a new opportunity. “My mother connected me with Ant Productions. She kept telling me, ‘I found a job for you!’ And nine times out of ten, it was nothing. But this time, it was a match.”
Despite having no prior motorcycle experience, Alban dove in. “This is probably the tenth time I’ve worked with them, maybe more. I learned by doing, and from people like Sebas and Alberto. They’ve got the experience, and I picked up the know-how and tricks over time.”
How do you prepare before an event like this?
“Preparation is mostly handled by Ant Productions,” he said. “They are very thorough, so there are never surprises. I just make sure my batteries are charged, my gear is ready, and I’ve got all my lenses.”
Once on site, the team does a full location scouting day. “We check every spot without cameras, to figure out where each of us will be, so we’re not in each other’s shots. Then we plan: maybe I’m on one corner for the long lens, Alberto’s across with the gimbal, and we switch. It’s super well organized.”
Do you follow a storyboard or just react on the fly?
“There’s no storyboard, but by now we know the rhythm,” Alban said. “We’ve done enough press launches to understand what we need: drone shots, tyre close-ups, gimbal shots, follow car footage. Everyone has their specialty, and we just make sure we cover everything.”
Is there any specific gear that’s essential to what you do?
“Yes, I shoot with a RED Digital Cinema camera,” Alban said. “It allows me to capture very high-quality 5K images, which gives the editor room to crop without losing resolution. And it can shoot at really high frame rates, up to 250 frames per second, for super slow motion – which is kind of my thing.”
He also prefers to shoot handheld. “It’s a heavy camera, but that actually helps, it reduces micro-shakes. I like the handheld look. It’s part of my style.”
How do you coordinate with the rest of the team?
“We use walkie-talkies, so we’re always in contact,” Alban said. “That’s especially important for safety. We’re only on closed roads, of course, but we still need to know what’s coming – like if the precision car is about to arrive or if a journalist is on the move.”
He and the team also communicate with the riders. “Sometimes the guide riders are a little too aggressive, like hanging off a touring bike like it’s a sportbike. So we give them feedback: stay more centered, be a bit less aggressive, or sometimes more aggressive depending on the shot. It all depends.”
Has working with Bridgestone influenced the way you shoot?
“Yes, definitely,” he said. “Normally when we shoot bikes, we focus on the whole bike. But Bridgestone makes tyres, so we have to adapt. We get in really close to show the grip, the tread, the edge of the tyre. It’s a totally different way of shooting. It forces you to look for detail.”
What’s the biggest challenge in your job?
“For me, the challenge is personal: to keep improving,” Alban said. “I’ve been working with Bridgestone for six years now. I didn’t know how to shoot motorcycles at the beginning but I’ve learned from the team and now I try to keep evolving, developing my own style, and pushing the quality every time.”
And the most rewarding?
“Two things,” he said. “First, traveling to incredible places, I’ve seen some of the most beautiful roads in the world thanks to this job.”
“And second, seeing the edit come together. After the pre-shoot, Pieter makes a 40-second teaser for the journalists, and it plays on a big screen on day one. That’s always a proud moment – seeing what the team created together.”
“But also,” he added, “when I get home and search for something like ‘T33 review’ on YouTube, I see all these videos from journalists using our footage. That’s a really cool feeling.”
Do you have a favorite shoot you’ve done with Bridgestone?
“For me, it was the Bardenas desert in Spain, near San Sebastián,” he said. “I didn’t even know Europe had a desert, it looked like the US! The scenery was amazing, and the content we got there was just next level.”
From the red-dust deserts of Spain to the winding coastal roads of Croatia, Alban brings the world of Bridgestone to life one frame at a time. Through handheld shots, high-speed captures, and a keen eye for the details that matter, he helps turn every launch into a visual story – and every tyre into a star.
