Telling Stories That Matter: Behind the Lens with AR26
There’s something powerful about football when it’s stripped back to what it really is — connection, confidence, belonging.
We recently had the privilege of directing a short film for AR26, the charity founded by Scotland captain Andy Robertson. What stood out to us wasn’t just the stories, or even the people — it was the principle behind everything they do:
Football should be free. For everyone.
Not pay-to-play. Not talent-gated. Just football — open to all, in every part of the country.
What We Captured
We travelled across Scotland, cameras in hand, to meet the people this charity serves. Kids who’d never owned boots before. Families who were struggling but found a safe place for their children to play. Coaches who give their time freely to create a space where everyone feels seen.
We didn’t need to script much — the emotion was already there. Our job was just to listen and frame it honestly.
And at the heart of it all was one consistent truth: when you remove the barriers, football gives people something bigger than the game. Confidence. Direction. Joy.
Why It Hit Home
Everyone knows what sport can give us. But we also know how easily that opportunity can disappear when cost or circumstance gets in the way.
What AR26 is doing — offering completely free football programmes across the country — is rare. And it’s real. They’re building something that lives beyond matchday. Something that helps shape who young people become.