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From Brighton to Anfield: Marcus El-Shamma on His Journey to LFCTV

By William Boyd

21 November 2024

For many filmmakers, working in the industry is a dream that often feels just out of reach. For Marcus El-Shamma, a Filmmaking graduate from MetFilm School Brighton, that dream took a significant step forward when he found himself operating a camera at Anfield for LFCTV, Liverpool FC’s official television channel.

We sat down with Marcus to discuss his experience, how his time at MetFilm School prepared him for this opportunity, and what advice he has for aspiring filmmakers hoping to follow in his footsteps.

What was your initial reaction when you found out you’d be working at Anfield for LFCTV? Was it something you’d always dreamt of, or was it a complete surprise?

Working at Liverpool has been a big dream of mine ever since I have been little. I never really knew what I would do at Liverpool, but I just wanted to be involved in some sort of way as it is my boyhood club. So, when I found out I had the chance to work as a camera operator for LFCTV, I instantly knew that is where I would want to work in the future as camera is what I specialise in, so I knew it would be the perfect opportunity for me to get my foot in and work my way up eventually. It was definitely a big surprise finding out I was getting a work experience day at Anfield. At first, I was very nervous and excited, but I knew if I wanted to perform well, I had to be confident going forward with it, which is what I tried my best to do.

Were there any specific moments or challenges that stood out to you during filming?

Luckily, there wasn’t anything really difficult that I was unsure how to handle, and I think that is due to my experience already with cameras. I would say the biggest challenge was trying to stay professional and not forget why I was at Anfield and how big of an opportunity it was for me. Especially when all the players came onto the pitch to start pre-match training, it was definitely hard to focus on the camera at first.

How did your training at MetFilm School prepare you for the practicalities of working in such a high-stakes environment?

My training at [MetFilm School] helped more than I could imagine. Due to me having so much on-set experience with big cameras such as the Arri Alexa, Sony FX6, and Blackmagic Pocket, it substantially helped my knowledge of cameras and understanding how to perform a good shot. Packing up the equipment, I was nervous that I wouldn’t know exactly what I was doing, but it turns out that it is the exact same as packing down really any bits of equipment I used during my time at [MetFilm School].

Were there any techniques or skills that you learnt at MetFilm School that you found yourself relying on during the shoot?

For my part, I had to take care of Camera 1, which was set up for a master shot. My main job was to make sure the camera wasn’t having any hiccups and to listen to the team through the headphones to make sure everything was all okay since it was live. Every now and then they would ask me to zoom in slightly to get a better frame, but other than that, it was as simple as setting the camera up directly in front of the interviewees and keeping an eye on it.

Did you get a chance to interact with any LFCTV crew members, and if so, did they share any advice or tips that you found especially valuable?

I managed to interact with quite a few of the LFCTV crew as there weren’t a lot of people, which surprised me. I mainly worked with Melissa, who I shadowed for the day. She was the lead camera operator, so whenever I had questions, I would ask her. The main important question I asked was how to get a job as a camera operator for LFCTV, and she replied saying that LinkedIn is where they advertise all of their job opportunities. Since then, I have made sure to improve my LinkedIn profile massively and add as much as I can onto it so I can be ready for when a role becomes available.

How has this experience influenced your aspirations in filmmaking?

The experience was absolutely fantastic, and I had an amazing time. Now it has definitely shifted my interest and focus towards Premier League camera operating or working for big clubs, so I am not limited to just Liverpool. However, if I could pick what area to focus on, it would 100% be LFCTV, just because I have experienced what it would be like and would very happily work there and love my job. I feel it’s very important to have a job you absolutely love, and I am confident I would fulfil that feeling by working at LFCTV.

What advice would you give to other filmmaking students aspiring to work in similar environments?

Firstly, to be patient. As annoying as it is, it will always take time to get a job you are happy with and to work your way up. No matter how many jobs you apply for, there will always be times when you get rejected, but if you stick to it and work hard towards your goals, you will find a way of getting there. Most importantly, network. If I had never told my teacher Fiona about what I wanted to do in the future and networked with her, I never would have had the opportunity to work with LFCTV, which I will be forever grateful for.