He started filming at 12 — now he’s a senior video producer working with football’s biggest brands

Most kids spend their weekends watching cartoons or kicking a football around. Giacomo Piperno? He was convincing his friends to film a documentary. 

At just 12 years old, he borrowed a chunky cassette camera from his dad, who worked as a documentarist, and set out to shoot a story about a Roman monument. That project, made with two childhood friends, might’ve looked like child’s play to most. But for Piperno, it was the start of something serious: a lifelong love for filmmaking.

Fast forward a decade, and Piperno’s journey has taken him from Rome to the Netherlands, from developing videos for strangers to directing videos for AS Roma, Paris St. Germain (PSG), Son Heung-min and more. Today, he’s a senior video producer at 433, one of the world’s largest football media brands.

“I never thought I would get here, but I did it,” he says. 

Piperno holds a BA in Arts, Media and Society from Leiden University and an MA in New Media and Digital Culture from Utrecht University. Source: Giacomo Piperno

It all started when he left Rome

Piperno grew up in the heart of Rome, where the city’s cinematic spirit infused his everyday life. By the time he reached high school, he was already spending his free hours filming short movies and capturing family moments on camera.

When high school ended, Piperno, like many 18-year-olds, found himself uncertain about the future. But one thing was clear: he needed a change. “I wasn’t satisfied with what I had at the time or how I felt,” he says. “I decided I wanted to study abroad to challenge myself and leave my comfort zone, because I felt a bit stuck.”

That urge for something different led him to the Netherlands. The country’s education system checked all the boxes: affordable, high-quality, and fully taught in English. He enrolled in a BA in Arts, Media and Society, a programme that mixes academic inquiry with digital storytelling. 

“I was curious about new media and how video was evolving from traditional film into formats used in social media, YouTube, and other digital platforms,” he says. “So I thought this programme, with its broader scope, would help me understand what I wanted to do.”

All the while, filmmaking remained his side hustle. Between lectures and essay deadlines, Piperno volunteered at film festivals, shot content for friends, and edited videos late into the night. “At first, it wasn’t about the money,” he says. “It was just something I loved doing.”

Growing up, Piperno was drawn to Pixar and Wes Anderson films. As he got older, his focus shifted to Italian cinema, where Paolo Sorrentino, an Oscar-nominated director, became a major inspiration. Source: Giacomo Piperno

Gradually, though, the passion projects began to pay off. A friend of his sister reached out after her mother’s usual videographer became unavailable, asking if Piperno could help with a YouTube channel. What started as a one-time job evolved into a recurring role, and his first real client: a well-known Italian YouTuber. “It started from a small circle, just word-of-mouth,” he says.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Piperno wasn’t ready to enter full-time work. Instead, he doubled down on his curiosity. “What I learned at university is that I like studying,” he says. “I enjoy learning about things that interest me. I love exploring topics I’m curious about, and studying the arts was genuinely engaging. I loved every topic I studied.”

Encouraged by his thesis supervisor, who recognised his enthusiasm for digital platforms, Piperno applied for a Master’s in New Media and Digital Culture at Utrecht University, even though there was no guarantee he’d get in. But he did.

That master’s programme added a new dimension to his understanding of media. It was no longer just about creating content; it was about critically examining the digital culture shaping how we consume it. “It was fascinating,” he says. “We explored how traditional cinema and digital media are merging, how new formats are transforming storytelling.”

After earning his postgraduate degree, Piperno returned to Italy, where he continued working as a freelance video producer until his first major opportunity arrived.

Piperno’s first big breakthrough came at MatchWornShirt, where he honed his storytelling skills on high-profile projects. Source: Giacomo Piperno

Getting his first big break at MatchWornShirt

When Piperno returned to the Netherlands after two years working in Italy, he was looking for something stable, something that would anchor him back into the Dutch job market. That’s when he found a traineeship with a fast-moving startup, MatchWornShirt.

He already had solid work experience. But he took the traineeship anyway, knowing it could be a stepping stone to something bigger. And it was. He soon transitioned into a full-time role.

MatchWornShirt is a young international company built around a simple idea: connecting fans to their favourite football clubs by auctioning match-worn shirts. The concept took off. Partnering with some of the biggest clubs in the world, they’ve built a platform that turns game-day kits into collectable treasures.

Initially, the work was straightforward: product photography, promotional content, and social media videos. The tasks weren’t exciting, but Piperno kept pushing, looking for ways to offer more than expected.

He found his opening in the company’s underdeveloped video department. Rather than just improve output, he pitched a full creative campaign around AS Roma — his hometown team. 

“At the time, MatchWornShirt was partnering with AS Roma, so the timing was perfect,” he says. “I developed a full concept with three different video episodes. One was focused on fans, another on a specific elderly fan, and the third on archive shirts from the team’s museum. I made a detailed presentation, pitched the whole idea to my managers, and luckily, they gave me the green light.”

The campaign was a success, marking a shift in his role. He went from content executor to creative storyteller. “That was the moment I felt like, OK, I’m doing things right,” he says.

From 2023 to 2025, Piperno worked with Match Worn Shirt, creating stories for icons like Luka Modrić, Heung-min Son (pictured), David Silva, Ruud Gullit, and Marco van Basten. Source: Giacomo Piperno

From there, he got involved in bigger projects, including a major campaign with PSG, the current Champions League winners. The campaign was designed to showcase how match-worn shirts are collected, processed, and delivered, using PSG as the case study. 

“They told me, ‘We’d like your help refining the storytelling. What can we do to make it stronger?’ They had the general idea but weren’t sure how to bring it to life,” he says.

Piperno took the lead in brainstorming and shaping the concept. One of the key challenges was visual storytelling across multiple locations — France, the Netherlands, and a final delivery point. To solve this, he suggested using on-screen elements to indicate geographic transitions, similar to the cinematic style of an Indiana Jones journey.

His input made an impact. He was brought on set for the shoot and later helped with post-production. In the end, he was involved in the entire process.

“It was a really interesting project to work on, not only because of the brand involved, but also because we had to do a lot of problem-solving to ensure that the story came across as clearly and efficiently as possible,” he says. “It was a team effort, not an individual project,” he says.

Piperno soon reached another career milestone: directing his first commercial shoot. The project was a high-pressure assignment featuring Son Heung-min, captain of both Tottenham Hotspur and the South Korean national team, collaborating with the sports memorabilia brand Frame The Game.

They needed promotional content with Son, and the shoot had to be completed in 30 minutes. Piperno accepted the challenge without hesitation and flew to London, ready to deliver.

But just before the cameras rolled, the timeline was cut in half. The team was told they had only 15 minutes to get everything done. That was when Piperno knew he had to step up and deliver. 

“Thankfully, everything went incredibly smoothly,” he says. “Son was amazing, an incredibly professional athlete and a joy to work with. We completed the shoot without problems, and the video got around three million views.”

Despite his success at MatchWornShirt, Piperno aspired to work on larger projects with bigger partners, an ambition he realised at 433. Source: Giacomo Piperno

He took a shot, and 433, the biggest football platform, called back

When Piperno chose to leave MatchWornShirt after nearly two years, it wasn’t because he was unhappy. Quite the opposite, he loved the energy of working in football and sports, an industry he found both thrilling and creatively fulfilling.

A filmmaker at heart, he constantly sought ways to blend storytelling with sport. At MatchWornShirt, he had led exciting projects with top players and told powerful stories. But eventually, he felt like he’d hit a ceiling. The projects were big, but he was ready for a new challenge — one that offered greater responsibility, broader partnerships, and a wider reach.

That’s when he applied to just three jobs on LinkedIn. All were senior roles. Two of them happened to be at 433. Months passed. Then, out of nowhere, 433 messaged him.

He was in the middle of productions abroad and had to postpone the first interview. But when the call finally happened, the Creative Director and Piperno clicked.

He was given an overnight assignment, which he delivered. The next interview happened that Friday, and long story short, he got the senior video producer role at 433.

Even then, he hesitated. “I loved my job at MatchWornShirt, but I realised this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, where I’ll have more creative freedom in storytelling, and work with some of the biggest brands and clubs in the world,” he says. “So, I decided to accept the role,” he says. 

Now, as a Senior Video Producer at 433, Piperno is involved in every part of the content creation process. He works across pre-production, filming, post-production editing, and plays a big role in ideation — coming up with new concepts, shaping narratives, and executing projects from start to finish.

Since joining, he’s already worked on collaborations with Kappa, Bundesliga, Apple, and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

“What I truly love about this job is the reach,” he says. “As one of the most followed football media platforms in the world, 433 gives us the ability to tell stories that can reach audiences no one else can. My work is now seen by millions, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. These stories can make an impact. And I’m committed to doing my best and delivering premium stories to our audience.”

Outside of 433, Piperno continues creating personal projects, including a zero-budget art film that premiered at a major Canadian festival and screened across Europe. Source: Giacomo Piperno

How showing up shaped Piperno’s career

Like many creatives, Piperno began by chasing the feeling that storytelling gave him — the energy, the challenge, the freedom. Over time, that passion turned into a practice, and that practice became a career. But looking back, there wasn’t a single moment where everything clicked. It was a series of small steps, experiments, and a lot of showing up.

So when students or aspiring creatives ask him for advice, he keeps it honest.

“The best thing you can do is keep putting yourself out there,” he says. 

“The priority should be to invest in yourself. What I did, and what I think everyone should do, is to keep creating constantly. Make your own videos, start your own projects, collaborate with friends, and work with other creatives. Don’t worry about the money. Just say yes to anything that could give you experience. That’s how you’ll learn the job, and that’s also how you’ll make a lot of valuable contacts.”

Another key? Ask for feedback. “When a project is finished, a young creative should return to their employer and say, ‘Please give me feedback about me as a person and professional. What do you think my weaknesses are?’”

That mindset continues to guide him today.

Currently, Piperno is focused on growing at 433 and pushing the quality of storytelling even further. Outside of work, he continues to write and direct personal projects — like his recent short film on art, made with zero budget, premiered at a major Canadian festival and has since screened across Europe.

It’s all part of his larger vision: to merge creative freedom with impactful professional work, and, one day, become the film director he dreamed of being as a kid.