Great post about the grand history of NFL Films Ben! And the NFL soundtracks were a huge part of the storytelling too! As the NFL sells off different games to Amazon and Netflix I am shocked at their inability to create impactful storytelling in the broadcasts. I hope they read this post and watch some classic NFL Films to understand the importance of the legacy!
Couldn’t agree more with so many of the points here (especially how quickly I can become engrossed in a season of Hard Knocks!)
I’m reminded of how, in the early 2000s, a few things changed around the way games were shot for tv (likely as a result of what you’re pointing out in this piece), including wives and children cheering on their partners from the box. (This was happening in soccer too, WOPs etc.)
You’re pointing to a larger branded content strategy that a few of the companies I’ve worked for are very aggressively pursuing in partnerships: Some brands are way more clued into branded content as an opportunity to sign onto deficit finance projects on the slate —we use these conversations and mutual interests to help offset production costs (everyone is most used to seeing it as a model for unscripted television), but there’s a real opportunity to convince networks/streamers of narrative content with brand backing—or films (we did some really good work with Yeti and Southwest Airlines because, respectively, the brands loved the tone of the directors and scripts, and felt connected to the storytelling, for example)
Great post about the grand history of NFL Films Ben! And the NFL soundtracks were a huge part of the storytelling too! As the NFL sells off different games to Amazon and Netflix I am shocked at their inability to create impactful storytelling in the broadcasts. I hope they read this post and watch some classic NFL Films to understand the importance of the legacy!
Gran historia cinematográfica de este deporte, gracias por compartirla.
An absolutely terrific post. So well written. It felt, in many ways, like one of those NFL films itself.
Couldn’t agree more with so many of the points here (especially how quickly I can become engrossed in a season of Hard Knocks!)
I’m reminded of how, in the early 2000s, a few things changed around the way games were shot for tv (likely as a result of what you’re pointing out in this piece), including wives and children cheering on their partners from the box. (This was happening in soccer too, WOPs etc.)
You’re pointing to a larger branded content strategy that a few of the companies I’ve worked for are very aggressively pursuing in partnerships: Some brands are way more clued into branded content as an opportunity to sign onto deficit finance projects on the slate —we use these conversations and mutual interests to help offset production costs (everyone is most used to seeing it as a model for unscripted television), but there’s a real opportunity to convince networks/streamers of narrative content with brand backing—or films (we did some really good work with Yeti and Southwest Airlines because, respectively, the brands loved the tone of the directors and scripts, and felt connected to the storytelling, for example)