Facebook’s rising power comes partly from its unique access to the hardest-to-get documentary stories.
That’s a key message of a fascinating article by Mark Leibovich in the Sports section of today’s The New York Times.
“Tom vs Time”
- “Tom vs Time” is a multi-episode documentary series about Tom Brady, the New England Patriots’ 40-year old quarterback until he was dethroned by the Philadelphia Eagles’ Nick Foles.
- The Facebook Watch series is produced by filmmaker Gotham Chopra, a friend of Brady’s who is the son of celebrity wellness guru Deepak Chopra.
“Intimate” Access
- The filmmaker “was granted sweeping access to Brady in an array of intimate settings.”
- “There is extensive footage of Brady at his Brookline, Mass., home, with his children, with his wife, Gisele Bündchen, on family retreats to Costa Rica, on a bro-trip to Montana ..” and much more.
- Chopra said. “But I do think, as we talked, he was sort of discovering parts of himself. It’s like therapy. It’s the process of saying it and giving voice to it.”
The series tracks Brady as this NFL season comes to a climax.
- Here is the link to Mark Leibovich’s excellent story in the NY Times.
- As I read the story, I wondered what Facebook’s unscripted video strategy will deliver next, backed by 2 billion global subscribers, BIG DATA, and an Enterprise Value of $483 billion?
Backroom Power Struggles
- And for real sports junkies, there’s a great article by ESPN‘s Seth Wickersham on the Patriots’ bitter struggles involving an ageing star and his entourage, the legendary coach, and the owner.
- Read ESPN’s “For Kraft, Brady and Belichick, Is this the beginning of the end?”