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A look at how MLB creates the annual World Series Film
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – What happens on the field during the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals is the central theme for MLB Productions annual World Series Film. But it sometimes isn't the main focus.
The film, which MLB says is the "definitive visual historical document of the World Series each year," began in 1943 as a way to inform troops overseas fighting in World War II about the baseball they had missed.
As MLB took over production of the film in 1998 and the explosion of instant information makes it almost impossible to not access the box score details of a World Series, the production focuses on the stories surrounding each team thanks to nearly unlimited and exclusive access.
Producers and camera crews can film right next to the batting cage during pre-game batting practice, have unlimited clubhouse access and have players wired for sound. If you're unfamiliar with the movie, think of it like baseball's postseason version of the HBO series "Hard Knocks" or the network's "24/7" franchise.
"And the foundation of [the access] is the deep relationships that we’ve fostered over the years," MLB Productions executive producer David Check said before Tuesday's World Series Game 1 that San Francisco won 7-1. "So you’re not going to hear any in-game wires other than what we’re doing. Or clubhouse access. Or driving to the ballpark with a player, being at the home of a player as he prepares for a World Series game or having a pregame meal."
But in a seven-game series, it's hard to identify immediately who the eventual champions will be. Executive producer Check said the crew essentially films parallel stories, one from the Royals' perspective and one from the Giants', until something defining emerges.
"We obviously know the backstories of both teams quite well at this point," Check said. "We've been with both teams in the championship series this year so we're well-acquainted with their stories. But we have to be nimble. Let's say, for example, if the Royals steal nine bases tonight. That's part of their game clearly, and we have to adapt accordingly. And the [Royals'] fan base is pretty charged for a championship … and that's going to be part of the story we tell. Obviously if the Giants win, that story will be muted to a degree, so we really have to be really nimble and very flexible."
(After all, if your team loses the World Series, you're probably not going to want the commemorative movie as much as if they win.)
A crew was with Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer and outfielder Jarrod Dyson as the two rode to Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday morning to offer a look at how the two were preparing for their first World Series game.
"Letting those guys rap, stop for coffee, and I just kind of threw some questions at them while we were driving to try to generate some conversation between them," MLB field producer Danny Field said. "And that was really cool because the connection they have with this town is real. And I think they embrace it more than some places. It’s really special."
Since MLB Productions has access to the Fox broadcast of the World Series games, its camera crews have freedom to focus on specific aspects of the games as they're being played. One camera crew may focus on fans during a particularly tense moment or a speedy baserunner like Dyson who may be trying to steal second base or a player who retreats to the batting cage during an inning to get some practice swings.
The crews capture approximately 20 hours of footage from each game, and that's not counting any interviews with players before or after games. After a postgame meeting and a morning conference call, the footage immediately starts being edited the next day. MLB Productions has just nine days from the conclusion of the World Series to produce the 75-to-95-minute film.
And while the story of Game 1 was the Royals' first loss of the postseason and the dominance of Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner, the direction of the series could change in Game 2. So the video team is willing to quickly adapt its focus on the characters involved to whatever happens on the field, just like in 2005.
While the Chicago White Sox' sweep of the Houston Astros that season may not have been a thrilling seven-game series, the crew's access and ability to film almost everything was vital in framing White Sox utility infielder Geoff Blum's pinch-hit home run in the 14th inning of Game 3. It was Blum's only career World Series at-bat.
"One of my favorite stories is from the 2005 World Series, and the Astros and White Sox, and Geoff Blum is in the batting cage and we just decided to go in and, who knows, he might get an at-bat," Check said. "And those elements of him honing his swing and getting ready for his one chance was a great setup for what ultimately happened."
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
