TVBEurope talks to the team behind the film about Eddie Jones and the Japanese rugby teams shock win at the 2015 Rugby World Cup
By Jenny Priestley
Published: September 29, 2023 Updated: October 3, 2023
TVBEurope talks to the team behind the film about Eddie Jones and the Japanese rugby team's shock win at the 2015 Rugby World Cup
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Released globally earlier this month, The Brighton Miracle tells the true story of Japan's victory against the then two-time world champions South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Produced by Simon Le Bon, Yasmin Le Bon and Nick Wood of Syn Studios, alongside Tim Farmer of East Pool Films, and written and directed by Max Mannix, the film follows Eddie Jones, played in re-enactments by Star Wars actor Temuera Morrison as he prepared the Japanese rugby team for the game.
Temuera Morrison stars as Eddie Jones in The Brighton Miracle. Photo Credit The Brighton Miracle The film blends talking-head interviews with Jones and the players alongside re-enactments of events.
TVBEurope caught up with Nick Wood and Max Mannix to find out more about how they brought the film to the screen.
Where did the idea for the film come from? Mannix: I assisted Eddie Jones during his tenure as coach of the Japanese Rugby Team. With years of planning, it was Jones who drove the Japanese team - who at the time had the worst record in Rugby World Cup history to believe that they could beat South Africa, the strongest team in Rugby World Cup history. When it actually happened, and knowing up close the challenges the coach and captain overcame especially in relation to their health and losing family members -the idea for a film was difficult to ignore.
How did Syn Productions become involved? I knew co-founder Nick Wood from the fantastic work he was doing in Japan and internationally. We often spoke of working together and Nick's passion for this project was off the scale. Nick soon started recording music samples that captured the feel of the film and he also began attending producer meetings. The film wouldn't have happened without Nick and his fellow film producer Tim Farmer.
Nick Wood What does The Brighton Miracle refer to? The game took place in Brighton, UK. The media acclaimed the victory as a miracle. We used the title, The Brighton Miracle, as a working title and it eventually stuck.
In terms of filming, can you tell us what cameras and lenses you used? After consulting with DP, Jack Wareham, we decided to use the RED Camera system with Cooke S4 lenses. Jack conveyed to me how the RED camera system is so very versatile and economical, especially when shooting slow motion at a high resolution. As for the lenses, the Cooke S4s are the most natural cinematic lenses that don't need filtering to render a filmic look. So it was an easy choice.
Temeura Morrison as Eddie Jones and Lasarus Ratuere as Michael Leitch Did you use different cameras for the reenactments compared to the talking head scenes? Yes, after consulting with Jack, for the interviews we went with a Panasonic camera with Canon lenses. In post production, we blurred the corner of the interview frames slightly to give an anamorphic look that highlighted the interviewee.
What sound equipment did you use? Decisions were driven by Seth Jackson and Joel Hodgkinson of Soul Sound Design in Brisbane. All up, we used a 688 recorder. Lectrosonics wireless. DPA 6060 Lav mics, Schoeps cmit and Schoeps cmc6mk41 boom mics.
How was the film edited? Time was a big issue as we needed to hit a firm release date. Lead editor Cameron Hales was keen to edit in Adobe Premiere Pro. With the short turnaround we had three editors working around the clock under Cameron's direction.
Does the film include footage from the real match? Yes, we chose to use the real footage for the main game which, after permissions from World Rugby and key stakeholders (MasterCard, Land Rover, Heineken, DHL, Emirates and Soci t G n rale), we then sourced and negotiated footage directly from IMG.
Max Mannix How was the film colour graded? The film was graded in Resolve by Brisbane-based colourist Justin McDonald who was masterful in integrating the real game footage with the dramatic footage.
Is the film released in HD or 4K, and why did you choose that resolution? The film was finished in 4K so we could release it in cinemas and also so we could meet criteria for any streaming platforms.
What about sound, is it stereo or Dolby Atmos? We did a 5.1 surround Dolby mix and a stereo mix.
What was the biggest challenge of making the film? Apart from raising the budget, a lack of time to complete the project was definitely the biggest hurdle.
What's next on your development slate? A documentary about Japan's most noted Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa. Tokugawa ruled Japan from 1603 and was responsible for moving the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo. We are very fortunate to be working with Iehiro Tokugawa, the 19th generation head of the Tokugawa family, and last remaining direct descendent of Ieyasu Tokugawa.
The Brighton Miracle is available to watch now on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vimeo and Microsoft Video.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
TVBEurope talks to the team behind the film about Eddie Jones and the Japanese rugby teams shock win at the 2015 Rugby World Cup
