For Culture Presented by Velveeta (tonight | 9 ET | SEC Network) is a behind-the-scenes look at building an exceptional 2019-20 women’s basketball team at the University of South Carolina and its iconic head coach Dawn Staley. The documentary provides a glimpse into how the team’s leadership, talent and chemistry came together for a magical season that was unfinished by the pandemic COVID-19.
First row I spoke with the coordinating producer Pat Lowry about how the project came about, the team that produced and edited it, and the teamwork required to make it happen.
How did the idea of the documentary come about?
Lowry: When the NCAA Tournament was canceled, the undisputed No. 1 team in the country was South Carolina. Staley’s Gamecocks were undefeated in the SEC game and had just won the SEC tournament. The team was close to perfection, with only one defeat during a tournament at the beginning of the season.
During a conversation with ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck and manager producer Lori Mancini, we all felt that the South Carolina story needed to be told. I presented the documentary to the SECN programming team and received authorization to produce an hour-long documentary. South Carolina bought and gave us access to a significant amount of footage from behind the scenes.
How has COVID-19 changed its ability to produce and edit?
Lowry: The challenge now was to produce a documentary when everyone was asked to stay home because of the pandemic. We became creative and resourceful as the parameters continued to change over the past four weeks. The interviews were done remotely through video call. Editing plans have changed several times because access to different technologies has changed.
As a player:
– 2x Naismith POY
– 5x WNBA All-Star
– 2x ABL All-Star
– 3x Olympic gold🏅As coach:
– NCAA 🏆
– Naismith Coach of the Year
– 4x SEC COY
– 2x A-10 COY
– 5x SEC Tournament 🏆
– 4x A-10 Tournament 🏆– 2013 @Hoophall inductee
Happy Birthday to a legend, @dawnstaley! pic.twitter.com/iNUQeXDHaS
— The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) May 4, 2020
How did you set up your production team for the documentary?
Lowry: The production team fell into place almost immediately and the only thing we all have in common is our love for women’s basketball. Mancini, Peck and commentator move by move Courtney Lyle worked on eight South Carolina games this season and knew the team and their stories inside and out. Peck and Lyle contributed content suggestions and Peck hosted interviews with Coach Staley and the team. Jessica Maddox, leading producer of the SEC women’s basketball tournament and Jalaine Edwards, who worked at SEC Now in Greenville during the SEC Tournament, were familiar with the team’s history. Aimee Stokes, who oversees the entire content of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament and a prominent film producer Emma Reed, who worked at the NCAA women’s basketball tournament for many years, were both versed in South Carolina history.
Is this a group that usually works together during the women’s basketball season?
Lowry: These three (Maddox, Edwards, Reed) don’t work together on a regular basis, but you would never know. His team work was perfectly integrated and his “can do” attitude was excellent. Mancini and Stokes managed the daily supervision of the project with Maddox, Edwards and Reed, all production segments. One of the things that made this project unique is that Maddox is based in Austin, Edwards is based in Charlotte and Reed is based in Bristol. Tom McCollum and Joe Disney in Charlotte he oversaw the featured content for College Networks and made major contributions to editorial supervision and “polishing” this program.
A team of nearly two dozen has worked on this documentary since the season ended in mid-March. The producers would like to thank everyone who worked safely in their homes in Bristol, Charlotte and Austin for making this show possible. We look forward to the return of basketball and fun games together in the future. Our thoughts are with those affected by this crisis, and we thank the heroes at the front who work to keep us safe.
VANTAGE POINTS OF THE COURT OF HOUSE: ESPN COLLEAGUES WHO COOPERATED IN FOR CULTURE
Tom McCollum – Charlotte
Joe Disney – Charlotte
Aimee Stokes – Bristol
Jess Maddox – Austin
Emma Reed – Bristol
Courtney Lyle
Juli Lewis – Bristol
Jason Pidgeon – Charlotte
Jay Fiedler – Bristol
Tom Beers – Bristol
Eric Freiler – Bristol
Browning Stubbs – Austin
Dalton Smith – Charlotte
Henry Greening – Bristol
Sidney Robinson – Bristol