ESPN 30 for 30 Documentary

The Challenge was to recreate the room used in the 1983 NFL Draft, down to the last detail, in its original Ballroom location. Working from grainy early 80’s video footage, I designed the Main Stage, Podium, ESPN Commentator’s Stage and layout of the team’s tables. I had to cross reference hundreds of screencap photos to get the sizes and relative placements of all the pieces right. The carpet of the original room  had been removed, and had featured an unmistakable and prominent grid and circle pattern. We had our scenic shop spray paint a 3 color pattern on 1800 square feet of royal red carpet that was rolled up, transported to location, and carefully pieced together to complete the illusion. We hand painted with a white wash the stylized football player icons on the Backdrop of the ESPN Stage.A Pipe and Drape company was brought in to match and source the hundreds of yards of drape to match the original. Through a combination of sourcing originals Helmet phones, and mocking up the rest, we propped out the team tables with ashtrays, black push button phones, and fax copies of original paperwork. The front of the Podium was scenic painted to match the wood grain and knot pattern of the original. It was an aggressive shooting schedule around the clock for 3 days, and the result created the eerie effect of the Draft ending, everyone getting up and leaving, and the room sitting there for almost 30 years.

Credits
Production Company: NFL Films
Writer/Director: Ken Rogers
Production Coordinator: Pamela Alexo
Production Designer: Christopher Jones
Art Director: Jon Chaifetz
Set Decorator: Beau Kegler
Prop Researcher: Steve Pannepacker
Scenic Shop: Erector Sets

• Killer Profiles (Series)