A Polo Legacy
Polo also known as, “The Game of Kings” is a sport that has been played for over 2000. Through the unique bond of man and animal, the adrenaline inducing action is of both athleticesim and heart.
Julius Wales Butler was the owner of a small paper mill in St. Charles, Illinois. His son, Frank Osgoold Butler founded the first Polo field in the Chicago area. The tradition was passed to Paul Butler, formed the Oak Brook Polo Club in 1922.
The club became a polo mecca in Chicago and eventually hosted a tournaent with the Royal Family in attendance. Since the club has survived through the leadership and passion of Jim Drury.
Take a look into the life of Jim Drury, founder of James Drury Partners and manager of the Oak Brook Polo Club. By dedicating his life to the game, Jim was able to maintain the tradition of polo in Chicago. However, he has chosen to retire from playing polo since 2022.
My Personal and Professional Experience
I worked on this film back in 2020 with a small group of friends. It was produced by Four By Three and B612 Productions. Through the experience I got to try my first Chicago style pizza. It was awesome!
For about a week a group of 4 of us lodged in the north side of Chicago, crowded in a small basement on airmatresses at one of their dad’s house.
In that time we were exposed to the exciting sport of Polo. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. The sheer power and athleticism of these horses was jaw dropping. If you ever have the chance to see a polo match, you absolutely should!
I gained valuable experience working as a Camera Operator, D.I.T., and Editor on the project.
Over the course of a week we shot the film primarily on a RED Dragon with some Canon CN-E lenses but also used a Black Magic Pocket 4K, Sony A7III, some GoPro’s and a Drone.
After a few months of editing we were able to assemble a cohesive story with archival materials and the footage we captured.
Knowing what I know now, I would have done things differently but I am thankful for the valuable production and post-production experiences I gained from this project.
