If Alex Haslam were to hit the replay button on his life since graduation, his highlight reel would be envious.
He’s filmed Daniel Alfredsson’s final skate on Dec. 4, 2014, a fireworks ceremony that the Duke and Duchess attended, and even a terribly awful illusionist, who ended his set by yelling at the audience to leave if they wished to talk rather than watch his show.
But all of this has just been stepping stones to the position that he now holds.
That’s because the 24-year-old is working the in-house replays for Sens TV after graduating from television broadcasting at Algonquin just last June.
“I was doing camera pretty much three quarters (of the season) and then just recently, the guy who was doing the replays went over to Toronto,” said Haslam. “So I just asked if they were willing to let me do it.”
The in-house replays are those that are seen on the Bell HD Screen in the arena during the game. Haslam also provides the replays for the All Access after show.
But this job didn’t just fall into his lap. Haslam has taken a serious initiative to get where he wants to be.
Haslam got his first taste of success when his documentary, The Legacy, won three awards from Digi60 Ottawa Digital Film Festival, which challenges contestants with creating a short film in just 60 days. His work with classmate Hayden Sherrington nabbed the awards for best storytelling, directing and picture in 2013.
According to Jeremy Atherton, the coordinator of television production, Haslam’s own legacy lived on at Algonquin through this.
“I showed it to students this year as an example of a great documentary,” said Atherton.
Straight out of college, Haslam was working for the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group filming three different sport organizations: the Ottawa 67’s, the Ottawa Fury FC and the Ottawa Redblacks. Coincidentally, his first day with OSEG was also the debut of the Redblacks on July 1.
However, Haslam had started with Sens TV before OSEG, as he did an internship there during while still in school. After starting there again when the new hockey season opened last fall, he was doing camera work filming the games.
When the employee doing the replays for Sens TV left for Sportsnet, Haslam expressed his interest in the job and was given the chance.
And as it can be imagined, this job is not the easiest.
“It’s pretty hard just because as you’re getting the replays, you not only have to get it within one to five seconds,” said Haslam, “you also have to label them.”
On top of this, he must pick the best angles and prepare packs, which are collections of highlights from games or certain players. Then he must have them cued and ready to play at any time during the game or after show.
Haslam feels that his time at Algonquin taught him plenty about what he needed to know, but also credits a lot of his success to volunteering with Rogers. There he recorded all sorts of different sports, from weightlifting contests to a boxing match where he was close enough to get his lens covered with spittle.
But even with all of these neat achievements under his belt, Haslam isn’t settling permanently into the replay chair.
“I’m just trying to learn a bunch of equipment and eventually I wouldn’t mind getting a job with Sportsnet,” said Haslam, of the Toronto-based channel. “But would I want to move? I don’t know, I kind of like it here.”