Looking for Assistance on a Sportscards Documentary Film

SportscardProject

First, for the past 7 months I've been organizing an effort for making a film about sportscard collecting.

I'll be posting periodically on this message board asking for help with my research, and I'm also looking for candidates to feature in my film. I hope to connect with some very knowledgeable people as well as some very enthusiastic and passionate collectors with some great stories to share.

Right now I have a blank story board, and I'm under no deadline so this could take anywhere from several months to perhaps a year before the research and script are complete.

I already have about eight questions to ask all of you. Rather than ask them all at once, I'd like to throw out one or two at a time and let the discussion take its course before I ask another question. As time permits in my very busy schedule, I will also try to participate in some of the other discussions initiated by other members of this message board.

Thanks

Basilone

Sounds VERY COOL...I'm postive you will find a good amount of participation on this board.

RayBShotz

Rex- I would be happy to help with any questions on the boards and be available for discussion by email. Best of luck.
Ray Boehm

helionaut

I've been thinking about a project like this for a while. I'm not a filmmaker, but I like documentaries, especially those that follow one or more people with a goal in mind (Spellbound, Hoop Dreams, Word Freak (not a movie, but a book about Scrabble and the obsessives who compete in it)). I imagine myself, or someone like myself, as the star in such a movie about my quest to complete my 75 Topps set, among others. The vague goals in the beginning, a quickly deepening obsession, a refinement of goals, competition, dealmaking, hitting the wall, resolution and completion, it's all there in 5 acts. Plus, you get to meet all the weird people who are card collectors. And since card collectors often cross paths with comic books geeks in the stores and shows, you get to meet some real nuts. SABRmetricians are one thing, but Marvel Zombies are another. Anyway, there can easily be conveyed a sense of drama (last-second ebay sniping is as dramatic as my life gets), a sense of mystery (the lingo of the hobby, the discovery of a new dealer, opening a box of new cards), a sense of humor (funny cards, funny players, funny people), an alternating sense of achievement and disappointment, a sense of history (obviously), and a sense of self-discovery. Why do we collect these things? When I read Freud, I wondered if my card collecting came out of a sense of searching for a father figure. Maybe, but probably not. I think something like that, if the right tone is maintained and the right people can be found, it could be quite entertaining. Good luck with it.

scottsusor

I'm up for it, and I've been around the hobby since 1969. I was a kid of 10 in 1969 but I had a booth at the Midwest Sports Collectors convention in Detroit as early as 1973 at age 14. So I've seen a lot and can tell you more stuff than you'd probably want to know about the hobby's history. One of my contemporaries back then (and about the same age as me) was Keith Olbermann -- he'd be another good guy to get a hold of, and pretty high profile with his time at ESPN. I've lost touch with him so I don't know if he's still actively collecting or not. But we both wrote some articles in the earliest editions of Sports Collectors Digest back in the early 1970's when John Stommen started it. You can reach me by email at susor@wt.net or by phone at 713-467-7392 and I'll be happy to help with whatever you need.

Scott

Basilone

<< <i>I've lost touch with him so I don't know if he's still actively collecting or not. >>



Yep Keith is still collecting.

FB

Rex,

Sounds like a fascinating subject!

But... you also have to realize that we on this board are somewhat of a minority in the sports collecting world. Not to sound snooty - because we're not - but most people who collect cards still do not collect graded cards. I'd bet that only 5 - 10% of the cards out there are encapsulated at best. The rest are in collections and at dealers in the same form that they were when we were kids.

You should definitely plan on trying to snag interviews with the Superstars of the baseball card world - Charlie Merkel, Marshall Fogel, John Branca, Don Louchios and a few others. This would give you a taste of the Ultra-high end collections and also provide a ton of knowledge on background and history. These guys have been serious about collecting for a loooooooong time.

The folks on this board come from varying backgrounds, collect different things and different interests and focus. Ask your questions and we'll be sure to throw information your way. But, I can guarantee that each set of answers will spawn 3 more questions.

So - good luck!!!

dude

It would be great to see card collecting get some serious exposure in the public mainstream and stir up some interest. Who knows, it could start a boom in the hobby and really expand the collecting base.

1420sports

Although this sounds like a serious venture, I have always thought the cast of "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind" would be able to make a great documentary on sports memorabilia.

Fred Willard is hilarious.

Ruffhauser

Eugene Levy as the token obsessive...........

roastedcat

Fantastic idea, bring on the questions!

1420sports

Eugene Levy as the token obsessive...........