For Johnson and his counterparts, typically a soundman, a
field-level shooter, and another shooter who patrols the action
from press-box level each Sunday afternoon, each game offers a new
chance to create their very own masterpiece. "There's no director
in your earphones telling you which shot to capture and how they
want it done," says Johnson. "It's all up to you and your
creativity. You've got to know the game to follow the right stories
at the right time. You've also got to know where and how to shoot
your scene setters - shots like storm clouds gathering, tailgate
partiers, or stadium fixtures such as the massive pirate ship in
Tampa.
"My claim to fame has to be capturing Eugene Robinson of the
Packers lighting into his defensive teammates during Super Bowl
XXXI," Johnson continues. "Robinson told each one of them, 'Punch
them in the mouth.' He said it over and over. The Packers shut down
the Patriots in the second half and won the game."
Capturing moments like this is what makes
NFL Films tick. Perhaps
that's why it has more than 80
Emmys to its credit. Or maybe it's
because NFL Films doesn't rest on its laurels, but instead,
constantly looks for ways to advance its game. It was, after all,
the first to wire coaches and players for sound, the first to score
original music for sports films, and the first to produce blooper
reels. More recently, it has produced national TV commercials,
music videos for
MTV, and helped coordinate the
football action on
feature films such as
Jerry Maguire, Rudy, and
The
Waterboy.
Whatever the reason, none of this would have been possible without
the Sabol family.
NFL Films was born when Ed Sabol purchased the rights to the 1962
NFL championship game for $3,000, doubling the previous rights
holder's bid.