A: My initial entrance into this family, because that’s what it really is, a family of sports stories with Denny Lennon, was through a mutual contact named Jake Downey. He asked me if I wanted to help out editing and it grew from there. We realized we could ramp up the production and use graphics, a better lens, better lighting... And it grew from there.
Q: Did you have a background in cinematography? Let’s talk about what led you here.
A: Ok, a physicist, a cinematographer and a baseball player walk into a bar. Bartender says, “Bob, what can I get for you?” I have a degree in physics but I started undeclared and, believe it or not, it was a tossup between one of the sciences and performing arts. I was a working actor for a number of years but there is this wonderful confluence of art and science in cinematography and that’s what drew me in. I never went to film school but learning so much about it through physics – it’s optics, acoustics, mathematics, color temperatures, and things like that. I’ll take credit for having a certain artistic eye and knowing how to frame things up. But a lot of the technical details I learned studying physics give me a leg up on the competition.
Q: Talk to me about application of your history to the work you do as a DP on Sports Stories. A: I’ve worn a number of hats in this project in order to get it done. But as I became more the cinematographer Denny felt comfortable taking my advice. This goes back to physics and there’s a principle in mathematics and physics known as necessary and sufficient. It’s about optimizing. You want to frame something in cinematography to say what you want to say, capture the correct emotional content but you have to know when to punch it up and when to step back. Denny gave me free license and I think I’ve learned over time and people kind of give me free license.
Q: Even if you didn’t know Chris and Denny – if you were just part of the demographic known as the viewer – what are some of the strengths or really cool things you’ve watched evolve and develop with Sport Stories? It’s more than a sports interview show. Tell us how it’s changed over time.
A: One of the real strengths of the show, first of all Denny is a consummate performer who doesn’t even know how good he is. He’s witty and can think on his feet and that’s not easy to do. Also, the side stories of a lot of these athletes are important. We did a show on Jerry West – people know him as a great basketball player but do people know about his struggles as a child? Sometimes it’s the history that provides a rich tapestry. Sports life is full of stories and there are so many twists. Isaac Asimov said the biggest discoveries in science are not heralded in by the phrase “eureka, “but more like, “that’s funny.” A petri dish was going to be thrown out because it got contaminated by bread mold and next thing you know we have penicillin. Things like that happen all the time, a doctor who has written off a patient who was not supposed to get better, but did.
Q: You deal with more than the game and a huge demographic awaits this Sports Stories venture as we keep expanding it.
A: Yea, part of the appeal of this endeavor is that there’s an innate humanness to this. It transcends sports but it’s about peoples’ lives and it touches everybody. It’s about struggle, hard work, and that you’re not doing it for the win or the trophy but rather to become a better person. That transcends sports. I didn’t get my physics degree to make a lot of money – and I’ve never actually worked in the field of physics – but I wouldn’t trade that knowledge for anything. It teaches you a certain way to think and a view of the universe I wouldn’t have had otherwise. It applies to everything.
Q: Why do you feel there’s a market, industry, producer for it? What has convinced you that there is an audience waiting for the next wave of this?
A: As I’ve witnessed the progression of this endeavor, I’m constantly amazed at the interconnectedness that Denny and Chris Allport have in the world of sports, entertainment, politics, everything. We have this readymade influx of guests from all walks of life. Not a lot of people who aren’t already established in network TV have access to people at those levels. And we have a great body of work we’ve put together.
Q: You mentioned baseball is part of your past. How has being a baseball enthusiast informed your cinematography?
A: Paint the corners (laughs). I grew up playing baseball. It’s probably my closest thing to a formal religion. It’s funny, there’s a connection to what I do now because baseball is a meditative thing but for a brief moment when the pitcher goes into the stretch and pauses, it’s like a physics mysticism thing and time sort of stops for a second. In that moment of stillness – it’s that stillness that a cinematographer has to do to really zone in. When you’re framing up a shot, you can’t go by the book. There’s something internal that’s a meditative state and where you see the shot. I’ve always thought that science is a subset of spirituality. It requires logic, math, observation, verifiable evidence. It’s a way of knowing things and experiencing the universe. Consequently, some of my favorite films are baseball movies, not just because I love baseball but because of the rich cinematography they use. Like The Natural, and The Rookie, one of my favorite all time films.
Q: You’ve told me you know there’s a big picture here on what you’re filming. You talked about the team, producer and host. Tell me about the dynamic and the double play combo working with Chris Allport who you recommended to join the squad.
A: It’s been about a year since we got the opportunity to host the Sullivan Award. COVID forced us to do it via livestream since we couldn’t do live venues. I’m good at what I do but livestreaming requires the big guns so I brought in my friend Chris. I’ve known him for 5 or 6 years, he’s like family to me and we’ve been all over the world shooting. I’ve always appreciated his expertise but even more so after working with him on this project. I think Chris exceeded our expectations of putting on a show at top notch levels. He pushes us and I’ve learned so much from him through his discipline. He made everyone better and the project succeeds because of his discipline. It was like having the right person come into everyone else’s lives that made this work. I’ve been in the business long enough to know that doesn’t happen that often. Everyone was really good at the niche they filled.
