As Daniel and I look over the story board at the characters that may be showcased in the film, we struggle with the understanding of what dreams do these players really have. Does the information we have truly tell the story of each player or do we need to delve even further into their lives? When you want to put together a great project that tells a compelling story, you need to have all the components and the players are the key to the story. As Daniel and I contemplate what angle we will deliver we will focus on these key athletes and what makes each tick and which part of their journey stands out the most.
As I have talked with a few players already, the journey's that they share have already given me an idea that our film will truly show people that best side of semi-pro football. The negative aspect is always what people assume because they are looking at the outside version only, they have not looked within. Daniel and I have been blessed with the opportunity to look within the walls of the team, to get a great glimpse as to what their everyday lives are like. Which athlete has the biggest dream, or which talent other than football truly inspires them to be successful. The most important part of the film will be what is it like within the walls of their homes. Is there pressure to succeed because of the main responsibilities or is the pressure just too much to handle and the inevitable is upon them and that may be that they have to hang up their cleats.
We are truly entering a venue that has not been entered before and what we may discover is a world that no one truly cared to tell. Everyone wants to focus on the negatives of the game, but what we hope to share is the true story of where these athletes hope to go.
Hope you are enjoying this ride with us and the best is yet to come.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Florida Stingrays Host Free Youth Camp and We Were Invited to Share in the Moment
Yesterday morning the Florida Stingrays held a Free Youth Football Camp at their home field. This is an event that they host each season and sometimes twice in a season. We were invited out so we could film the camp for our documentary. It was a amazing day from start to finish.
Since Daniel and I have started this journey, we have been amazed not only of the access we have been given by the team, but by the way the organization goes about their business Every time there is an event that will help their community there are players that come out and are extremely excited to be there. Yesterday the star of our poster, #11 Lonnie Smith and #32 Jarvis Battle came out with coaches Chris Morant, James Ingerham and Roy Stabler along with Stingrays owner Jay Lawrence to teach these young men ages 3-15 the basics of the game. The kids even received a free lunch.
Daniel was there with his camera to record such a special event, not only for the film but to showcase how this local semi-pro football team loves to give back to their community. I was there to take pictures so we could save the memories of such a great day.
As we watched the players interact with the young boys, we saw another side of these giants. On the field they are monster, beasts that are looking to take out their opponent and score the big hit or touchdown, but on this one day, these giants, became gentle men just looking to have the opportunity to share their knowledge of the game with these young men. We learned very quickly the inside dreams of these players, where they have been and where they wish they would have ended up. But at the end of the day as they shared a pizza with these boys, you could see the happiness in the players eyes as they now created new friendships that will last a lifetime.
Since Daniel and I have started this journey, we have been amazed not only of the access we have been given by the team, but by the way the organization goes about their business Every time there is an event that will help their community there are players that come out and are extremely excited to be there. Yesterday the star of our poster, #11 Lonnie Smith and #32 Jarvis Battle came out with coaches Chris Morant, James Ingerham and Roy Stabler along with Stingrays owner Jay Lawrence to teach these young men ages 3-15 the basics of the game. The kids even received a free lunch.
Daniel was there with his camera to record such a special event, not only for the film but to showcase how this local semi-pro football team loves to give back to their community. I was there to take pictures so we could save the memories of such a great day.
As we watched the players interact with the young boys, we saw another side of these giants. On the field they are monster, beasts that are looking to take out their opponent and score the big hit or touchdown, but on this one day, these giants, became gentle men just looking to have the opportunity to share their knowledge of the game with these young men. We learned very quickly the inside dreams of these players, where they have been and where they wish they would have ended up. But at the end of the day as they shared a pizza with these boys, you could see the happiness in the players eyes as they now created new friendships that will last a lifetime.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Producers of Film are Interviewed on Amateur Football Weekly
Tonight Director Daniel Herrera and myself were guests on the Amateur Football Weekly Radio show hosted by Mark Trueblood. Mark is a former football player and amateur football team owner and has ventured into a new phase in his life and this radio show has been a huge success this first season. Mark focuses on the semi-pro football world, the makers and shakers of the game and also the top teams in the State of Florida. I know Mark from when I co-ran the Florida Stingrays with Jay Lawrence last season. Mark was the co-owner of the Southern Amateur Football Association which the Stingrays were apart of. Mark and I have built a good relationship since our days of running the organizations and when he heard about our film, he was excited about having us on to talk about our project.
In the interview Daniel gave a great perspective of how he used his other project "Immokalee USA", which is still showing on the Documentary channel, to help mold the many changes that took place in the migrant worker camps in Immokalee and probably all over this country. Daniel also touched on the many aspects as to how our film can be a catapult to educate the many people who probably do not have any knowledge of game and life of semi-pro football.
When it was my turn to speak, Mark gave me a great question, "How did you get involved in this project and what will it do for this level of football?", well my first points were that when Daniel first brought the project to my attention, it wasn't anything that I was looking for and I was mostly focusing on contributing to the sports blogs that I had been given the opportunity to write in. So initially the project didn't intrigue me, but when the new football season was about to roll around, Daniel approached me again and I had a different point of view. Since I had some knowledge of the game while running the Stingrays last season, I had an inside look into what these players face on and off the field. The journeys that each player has taken and where are they trying to get back to or even go. So after really researching the story and realizing that no one has ever told the story the way Daniel wanted to present it, well it was a no brainer, it was a story that I felt had to be told and I would be honored to be apart of it.
I feel that once we are done with our film, our story will be one that many people will finally see the true lives of these players and many more people even players or former players will be able to relate to the journey. I am excited about the film and very anxious to finish it, but I know we have a lot of work to do before we can get to that point, but I feel confident that when we are ready to put our stamp of approval on the film, anyone that watches it after that, will be very pleased with the results. You never know it may even change a few lives along the way.
Thank you to Mark Trueblood for believing in our journey of producing this film and want to give us the opportunity to share about it on his show. Mark is a true class act and we are grateful we had this opportunity.
You can hear our interview by following the link below.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/afdnetwork/2013/03/14/amateur-football-weekly--season-1-episode-8
In the interview Daniel gave a great perspective of how he used his other project "Immokalee USA", which is still showing on the Documentary channel, to help mold the many changes that took place in the migrant worker camps in Immokalee and probably all over this country. Daniel also touched on the many aspects as to how our film can be a catapult to educate the many people who probably do not have any knowledge of game and life of semi-pro football.
When it was my turn to speak, Mark gave me a great question, "How did you get involved in this project and what will it do for this level of football?", well my first points were that when Daniel first brought the project to my attention, it wasn't anything that I was looking for and I was mostly focusing on contributing to the sports blogs that I had been given the opportunity to write in. So initially the project didn't intrigue me, but when the new football season was about to roll around, Daniel approached me again and I had a different point of view. Since I had some knowledge of the game while running the Stingrays last season, I had an inside look into what these players face on and off the field. The journeys that each player has taken and where are they trying to get back to or even go. So after really researching the story and realizing that no one has ever told the story the way Daniel wanted to present it, well it was a no brainer, it was a story that I felt had to be told and I would be honored to be apart of it.
I feel that once we are done with our film, our story will be one that many people will finally see the true lives of these players and many more people even players or former players will be able to relate to the journey. I am excited about the film and very anxious to finish it, but I know we have a lot of work to do before we can get to that point, but I feel confident that when we are ready to put our stamp of approval on the film, anyone that watches it after that, will be very pleased with the results. You never know it may even change a few lives along the way.
Thank you to Mark Trueblood for believing in our journey of producing this film and want to give us the opportunity to share about it on his show. Mark is a true class act and we are grateful we had this opportunity.
You can hear our interview by following the link below.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/afdnetwork/2013/03/14/amateur-football-weekly--season-1-episode-8
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