Woodbine: Free Rein Season 2

Woodbine Entertainment Group

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The 7th Annual Awards

Nominee ✨

• Best Documentary: Long-Form

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ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Woodbine: Free Rein takes you behind the scenes, in the barns, on and off the track for an inside look at what it takes to compete at Canada’s premier racing show place. From legendary trainers to up and coming jocks, Woodbine: Free Rein brings viewers into the races alongside the horse people and their quests for the top pursuits of the racing season.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Woodbine: Free Rein has evolved over the years; it's not just releasing an episode any more. Each installation comes with it's own PR kit including episodic posters, teaser trailers, clipped moments, YT shorts and quote graphics. We've learned that this keeps our audience engaged in the storylines and at front of mind for our viewers and followers. 

One of the most gratifying results of Free Rein is the engagement of our jockeys. As a production team we are constantly approached by our athletes to be included in future productions. This is a huge 180 from when our team was first built when our athletes weren't generally interviewed for anything more than a post race comment. They buy-in from our subjects has been crucial for the success of the series.

Objective

Building off of the success of Season 1, we wanted to take our audiences "off campus" to showcase the lives of our athletes away from the track as well as their daily lives at Woodbine. 

We also flexed our all-access by introducing our viewers to the families of our subjects and the role they play in their success.

We aimed to dive deeper into the inner workings of the backstretch and racing life by taking our audience into the multiple layers of the sport in a never seen before approach. 

Strategy & Execution

Woodbine: Free Rein appeals to today’s modern sports fan by giving them something exclusive: true insider access. We take our audience beyond the finish line and into our athletes’ worlds by exploring their routines, pressures, rivalries, and personal stakes that define competition and excellence. Instead of just taking in the race, our viewers feel the tension, dedication, and triumph behind every moment on the track. By pairing the thrill of race day with intimate, behind-the-scenes storytelling, our series invites fans to invest not just in the outcome, but in the people chasing their dreams. 

Organizations

• N/A

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Pietro Moran
  David Moran
  Fraser Aebly
  Ryan Munger
  Kelsey Munger
  Rafael Hernandez
  Emma-Jayne Wilson
  Kevin Attard
  Don MacRae
  Josie Carroll

Credits

Jonathan Rubinoff
Director, Social Media & Content
Woodbine Entertainment Group

Alanna Nolan
Sr. Manager, Content Production
Woodbine Entertainment Group

Nathan Riddell
Manager, Video Production
Woodbine Entertainment Group

Jake Thompson
Director
Freelance

Steven Tsinokas
Editor
Freelance

Lucas Ranalli
Audio Post Production
Freelance

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