I Wanted To Be A Winner. Gary Player.

Vimeo Description: Gary Player is named the most traveled athlete in the world, Mr. Player has won 165 tournaments in a career that spanned over five decades. in our short time with him, he spoke to us about fitness, food, and the value of hard work. though his list of accolades are inspiring and the diversity of activities he is involved in mind boggling, what really struck us was just how much energy and intensity he had. at 75, often still on the road, he wakes up to a workout daily. our day with him had a packed schedule, as we drove from location to location he was always sharing stories and his thoughts on anything from world issues to his ranch back home in south africa. regardless of the subject, he was always passionately involved in the conversation and had plenty to offer.

Going into this spot, we had heard of how much he had accomplished (it’s easy to find a list of his wins online) but what became so much clearer upon meeting him was just how much of an influence he was in shaping the game of golf through his beliefs in nutrition and fitness. even though he has experienced so much and became a legend when it comes to the game of golf, he still took time to stop by other players on the course and offer advice on their game. one player who must have been about fifteen was completely in shock when Mr. Player stopped his cart and spent several minutes asking to see his swing and offering insights into his game.

What i love about this spot, in contrast to another spot such as alvaro quiros, is the entirely different storylines as well as approach. Mr. Player has accomplished so much throughout his career that his spot was almost approached with a certain reverence. our camera moves were slow, and subtle, and our compositions a little safer and more balanced. in achieving the feel for this piece, the atlas 30 was a big part of making it happen. we wanted to stay away from tools like a steadicam and crane which have a stronger energy and presence, leaving us with a slider, monopod, and tripod as our main tools. of those, the slide achieved most of our motion. don’t let Mr. Player’s age deceive you, we had to be on top of our game to stay a step ahead. one thing he is not fond of are people that aren’t ready or those that don’t value his time. the adjustable legs on the atlas 30 are the quickest i’ve used and, when paired with the bowl adjustable head, means you can shoot on an uneven terrain such as a gold course and not be slowed. the pace of the shoot also meant that we needed our gear to be tough, often getting through in the cart as we quickly took off and tried to gain a few extra moments to setup at the next hole. my main atlas, the one inscribed with our logo by Dennis of cinevate as a present, has traveled over 100, 000 miles in the years we have had it. to be on that many shoots, to be packed, checked, lugged, thrown around, and generally abused for so long yet still keep performing like it did when it was given to us in an amazing testament to the strength of these units.

P.

client: Callaway Golf
agency: Eleven Inc.
director: rob bagot
producer: josh reynolds
art director: tatjana green
DP: P.
cinematographers: joyce tsang, tony edgar
gaffer: tony edgar
special thanks to brett carlson, sarah sakamoto, and aaron phoenix for helping out.