Philadelphia 76ers Season Recap Documentary
An Emmy-nominated documentary chronicling the 76ers' 2017–2018 season — the year “Trust the Process” transformed from a slogan into a reality. After years of rebuilding, the team made the playoffs for the first time in six years. I was embedded with the organization from training camp through the final buzzer, documenting every chapter.
This was long-form sports storytelling at scale — a 15-minute documentary that had to satisfy hardcore basketball fans, casual viewers, and the franchise's internal stakeholders simultaneously.
The production unfolded over the entire season. I was shooting constantly — practices, games, travel days, locker room moments, press conferences, community events. The challenge of a season recap documentary is that you're building the story without knowing the ending. Every shoot could be the turning point. Every game could define the arc.
I shot on cinema cameras throughout, maintaining a consistent visual language that elevated the content beyond typical sports recap territory. Slow-motion, tight close-ups on faces, and an emphasis on the human moments between the basketball action. The sound design layered arena ambiance, locker room conversations, and crowd energy into a rich sonic landscape.
The narrative structure follows the emotional arc of the season: hope during training camp, adversity through early losses, the breakthrough winning streaks, and the crescendo of the playoff push. Each chapter has its own tone and pacing, almost like movements in a symphony.
The documentary was released across the 76ers' digital platforms and garnered over one million views. It received an Emmy nomination for sports documentary, validating the approach of investing in cinematic, long-form storytelling for a sports franchise's in-house content team. It remains one of the most-viewed pieces of content in the organization's digital history.