OSNS ‘25
I found myself back in Mullingar this July, setting up base for the weekend. It had been three years since I last attended Old School New School in Longford Town, and this time I was looking forward to it more than ever.
The big difference this year? We’d been given media access. That meant freedom to move around, shoot before the crowds arrived, and capture the atmosphere of the show in its purest form. Raw but assembled, quiet but refined. Any event organizers reading this, this is how you ensure your event gets great coverage and reaches a broad audience in a positive manner!
We rolled in on Saturday afternoon, the sun absolutely roasting down on us. Possibly the hottest weekend of the Summer with temps touching 31c both days. First stop was to drop off Nathan’s E28, then we got straight into filming. Having the entire event space to ourselves while the show cars arrived was a rare treat — no one walking through shots, no music drowning out audio, just pure uninterrupted shooting time.
It’s always cool seeing the cars arrive and take their places. The variety was unreal — from Chelsea’s freshly finished 180sx to perfectly restored European classics. Being able to slow down and get creative with the camera without the pressure of a crowd made all the difference. We stayed a few hours, letting the golden evening light roll in before heading back to Mullingar for dinner.
Sunday morning was another scorcher. We made a quick pit stop for some much-needed refreshments (because filming in that heat is no joke) before heading back to Longford. Thanks to our media passes, we had three full hours before the general public came in. Honestly, that’s enough time to shoot a complete aftermovie before anyone even sets foot on site. This allowed us to finish up shooting early enough in the day and take some much needed respite from the sun under some perfectly placed trees.
I can’t thank Uldis (@UJMShotz) and the entire OSNS team enough for understanding how important this kind of access is for media creators. It’s the difference between just covering an event and making something really special that people will want to watch back, again and again. It’s the sort of gesture that makes me want to keep coming back every year.
The cars this year were on another level. Every bonnet lift revealed spotless engine bays, every paint job looked like it had just been finished off. If I had to pick a favourite, it would probably be the Millennium Jade R34 Skyline — but Uldis’ VIP-style Toyota Celsior came in a close second. Both were shining examples of what OSNS is all about: passion, detail, and style.
Driving away from Longford on Sunday evening, camera bags full and memory cards maxed out, I couldn’t help but think — this is exactly why I love doing what I do. Good people, good cars, and good vibes.
Until next year, OSNS.
