IMA SPORTS
When Robert Wagner created a hype video for the Maumee football team last year, he wasn’t expecting to start a tradition. It was supposed to be a one-off project to celebrate the team’s new uniforms.
The reception and excitement from the community wouldn’t let that happen.
Wagner released the second hype video for the football team last week. It had nearly 10,000 views on Facebook and another 2,000 on Twitter as of Saturday morning.
The success of the first football hype video led Wagner to create videos for cross country, girls basketball, gymnastics and track at Maumee.
“At the time, I wasn’t thinking about starting a tradition,” Wagner said. “I was working on the Mid-American Conference football commercial at the same time, so I was already in sports mode. But when the video came out and started getting shared, the response was amazing. People from all over, even outside of Maumee, reached out or shared it. That made it clear we’d tapped into something special.”
Wagner is no stranger to creating special content. As a professional content creator for advertising, he’s done video projects for the Mud Hens and Walleye in addition to the MAC. While those projects involved a team of people and budgets, the hype videos are usually just Wagner and a friend on-site for filming, with Wagner handling the creating and editing.
Wagner said his creativity and ideas come naturally.
“That’s just how my brain works,” he said. “I’ve got pretty severe ADHD, and ideas are kind of constant. I don’t like repeating myself creatively, so every time I do one of these, I try to come up with a new angle or vibe. I want each video to stand out on its own.”
While cool shots and music are important for the videos, Wagner also tries to tell a story or create a feeling, saying that’s what makes the videos memorable.
One of those memorable shots came at the end of the first football video. Wanting to match the energy of the new uniforms and the new vibe, Maumee coach Evan Karchner and player Cody Wulf met Wagner at Side Cut Metropark to film the flag-planting scene.
For Karchner, last year’s hype video was a way to show the growth of the Maumee program and give a sneak peek of the new uniforms.
“I was all in from the start,” Karchner said. “It’s about creating memories, building tradition and letting our players feel like they’re part of something bigger. We’re not just changing the culture on the field; we’re building a program that’s exciting to be a part of.”
This year’s football video builds off a “Call of Duty” video game theme of “Going Dark.” It features third-year starting quarterback Ben Kubicz in the woods, flanked by panthers, switching his uniform from white to the new gray colorway. The video then shifts to scenes filmed at Kazmaier Stadium, including a group of varsity starters.
Wagner said he’s good at walking into a shot with no plan, but he comes into the Maumee shoots with a general idea of what he wants to do.
“With 20 students standing around waiting for direction, having no plan can get a bit stressful,” Wagner said. “So even if it’s just a loose structure, I like having something to guide the shoot. It helps to know what I’m aiming for. But I always try to stay flexible and open to whatever happens in the moment.
“Some of my favorite shots have come from scrapping the plan mid-shoot. Maybe the light shifts in a way I didn’t expect, or someone does something spontaneous that just works. When you’re working with people, especially high school athletes, you’ve got to stay ready for those unexpected moments.
“I think the best creative work happens when you balance structure with instinct. Have a plan, but be willing to chase a better idea if it shows up.”
The students provide some of the best parts for Wagner. During the gymnastics shoot, they asked if they could do their team chant to get hyped up, and during the cross country shoot, Wagner found out one of the runners is a parkour expert. Neither piece of footage was planned, but both gave the videos a lot of energy.
Robert Wagner films the hype video for the Maumee football team at Kazmaier Stadium. 
Maumee senior Abram Sutherland jumps for a pass as Robert Wagner filsm. 
Maumee junior Braiden Linn jumps for a pass as Robert Wagner filsm. 
Robert Wagner films the hype video for the Maumee football team at Kazmaier Stadium. 
Robert Wagner films the hype video for the Maumee football team at Kazmaier Stadium. 
Robert Wagner films the hype video for the Maumee football team at Kazmaier Stadium. 
Robert Wagner films the hype video for the Maumee football team at Kazmaier Stadium. Robert Wagner films the hype video for the Maumee football team at Kazmaier Stadium.
Each video takes 40 to 60 hours to complete from start to finish. Wagner does a lot of planning and research before ever picking up a camera, watching other videos, taking notes and building out shot lists or concepts.
Wagner had help during last year’s shoot from his friend and coworker, Nick Army, who ran a second camera, managed lighting and helped move gear around.
Army was unavailable this year, so Wagner ran the shoot solo, which slowed things down.
“The students were great, though. They brought positive energy, stayed patient and made it easy to keep going even when things took longer than planned,” Wagner said.
He shoots multiple takes from different angles and at different frame rates to give himself options in post-production and editing. He’d rather have too much footage than not enough.
The songs play a vital role in setting the tone of the various hype videos Wagner has done for Maumee, and he said finding just the right track is a big part of the process.
“I keep folders of tracks on my computer, and I’ll often build the edit around a song,” Wagner said. “Other times I’ll start with a track and halfway through realize it’s not right. That happened with the girls basketball video. I edited it twice using rap tracks that just didn’t click. My wife watched it and said, ‘You’re trying too hard to force it.’ So I swapped in a rock song and everything started to flow.”
The hype video has become a huge part of how Karchner and his program kick off the season. He said it brings energy and excitement not only to his players but the entire community.
“For our guys, it’s more than just a cool edit. It’s a reminder of the work they’ve put in all offseason and a way to show the pride they have in wearing that jersey,” Karchner said. “It sets the tone and gives everyone a visual of the brotherhood we’re building.”
This year’s video also serves as the unveiling of the new gray uniforms for the Panthers, which they’ll wear in the season opener against Springfield on Aug. 22 at Kazmaier Stadium.
Wagner has done projects for more than the athletics teams. He also lent his talents to the band and arts department at Maumee, shooting photos for each of them.
“Any time I get the chance to help celebrate what students are doing, whether it’s on the field, the stage or in the stands … I’m in,” Wagner said. “I want every student to feel like what they’re a part of matters.”
It’s also a way for Wagner to give back to the school. Some parents volunteer in concession stands, help with fundraisers or run scoreboards. Wagner creates thrilling videos and photos to celebrate the students.
For his part, Wagner puts a lot of time and effort into the videos with zero financial payback. It’s not about the tangible things he could gain from the project.
“It started because my son was entering his freshman year, and I wanted to make something he and his classmates could be proud of. Not just something that says, ‘Look what my dad made,’ but something that made them feel proud to represent their school,” Wagner said.
“And honestly, I wish I had something like this when I was in high school. A video that made you feel like what you were doing mattered. That celebrated your hard work and made your community proud. That feeling stays with you.”
Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com
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