Ep. 9: How ESPN Grew Into an Oscar Winning Film Studio

In the last few years, ESPN, a television channel known for 'SportsCenter' and 'Monday Night Football', has evolved into one of Hollywood's most respected film studios, developing acclaimed projects like the '30 for 30' film series, and the Academy Award winning 'O.J.: Made in America. To discuss this unlikely transformation, Rob and Geoff sit down with the studio's Manager of Development and Production, Jenna Anthony. Jenna talks about the '30 for 30' origin story (4:10), explains how they have been able to build a forum for inclusive storytelling, in such a male dominated industry (9:30), and details how ESPN has continued to stay at the forefront of the increasingly crowded sports documentary landscape (16:30). The three also talk about the unprecedented success of 'O.J.: Made in America' (23:55), discuss how the film's unconventional form, and length, changed expectations about the genre (25:50), and debate which sports stories from the past year might end up as a '30 for 30' down the road (27:40).