Rory Karpf

Last updated

Rory Karpf is an American filmmaker specializing in sports related themes. He has won four Emmy's and a Peabody Award for his work. [1]

In 2007, Karpf directed Dale , a theatrical film on the life of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. When it premiered on the cable network CMT, it was the highest rated program in the network's history. [2] It is also believed to be the highest selling sports DVD of all time. [ citation needed ]

He continued his relationship with ESPN directing more films for the network. In 2011, Karpf directed Wendell Scott: A Race Story [3] and Herschel, [4] the only authorized film on Heisman trophy winning football player Herschel Walker. [5] He followed that up with Lolo, a documentary on Olympic track athlete Lolo Jones. Karpf was granted exclusive access to Jones and was able to uncover material never before seen on the athlete. [6] Also in 2011, Rory wrote and directed the short film Marbles, an official selection in the Los Angeles Short Film Festival. [7]

In 2012, Rory directed a film about a tornado that hit Atlanta in 2008. [8] and its effect on the 2008 Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament.

IN 2013, Rory worked on another ESPN films documentary SEC Storied: The Book of Manning that explores the personal and professional life of former NFL and Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning and how the sudden loss of his father impacted his life and the way he and his wife Olivia Manning raised their three sons. [9]

In 2017 Rory executive produced [10] the television series Secret History of Comics. The Walking Dead comic book creator Robert Kirkman stars in this documentary series that takes a deeper look into the stories, people and events that have transformed the world of comic books.

In 2019 Rory wrote and directed [11] Secrets in the Sky: The Untold Story of Skunk Works on the History Channel. The documentary pulls back the veil of secrecy on Lockheed Martin's enigmatic Skunk Works program.

In 2020 Rory completed work on Shaq Life for TNT, that followed the daily life of Shaquille O'Neal. His roles on the series included executive producer and showrunner. [12]

ESPN 30 for 30 series

After the success of Dale, Karpf went on to direct the racing related films The Ride of Their Lives, Together and Tim Richmond: To the Limit, which was part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. [13] Karpf was praised for directing "one of only a few films in the series that tells its story with a clarity that we didn't have when the events occurred." [14]

In 2015, Karpf directed for ESPN's 30 for 30 series, I Hate Christian Laettner , that explores Duke's history during the 90's and what motivated people to dislike Christian Laettner [15]

Rory followed up with another 30 for 30 project, Nature Boy in 2018 where he directed [16] the documentary film about professional wrestler Ric Flair. The documentary includes two candid interview sessions with Flair 16 months apart. [17]

Work with Snoop Dogg

In 2015, Rory was Executive Producer on the popular series, Snoop & Son: A Dad's Dream , featuring pop culture icon Snoop Dogg and his son Cordell. [18]

In between ESPN films, Rory directed both seasons of Coach Snoop. The series about Snoop Dogg, follows the rapper as he works with members of a youth football program. The first season aired in 2016 on AOL [19] and season 2 aired on Netflix. [20]

UFC

Since 2015, Rory has been producing for the UFC the series Lookin' for a fight. The series follows Dana White and other professional wrestlers searching for new talent to join the UFC. [21]

In 2019 Rory executive produced UFC 25 Years in Short on YouTube The compilation of short films, which were created in celebration of UFC's silver anniversary in 2018, present 25 captivating UFC stories, one for each year of the promotion's existence. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snoop Dogg</span> American rapper (born 1971)

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., known professionally as Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. His initial fame dates back to 1992 following his guest appearance on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, "Deep Cover", and later on Dre's debut album, The Chronic that same year. Broadus has since sold over 23 million albums in the United States, and 35 million albums worldwide. His accolades include an American Music Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and 17 Grammy Award nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaquille O'Neal</span> American basketball player and analyst (born 1972)

Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known commonly as Shaq, is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. He is a 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) and 325-pound (147 kg) center who played for six teams over his 19-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is a four-time NBA champion. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren G</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1971)

Warren Griffin III is an American rapper, record producer, and DJ who helped popularize West Coast hip hop during the 1990s. A pioneer of G-funk, he attained mainstream success with his 1994 single "Regulate". He is credited with discovering Snoop Dogg, having introduced the then-unknown rapper to record producer Dr. Dre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don "Magic" Juan</span> American hip hop personality, actor, fashion designer and former pimp

Don "Magic" Juan, is an American preacher, hip hop personality, actor, fashion designer and former pimp, from Chicago. He is also the founder of the Players Ball, an annual celebration of his former "pimp" lifestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roast (comedy)</span> Comedic genre

A roast is a form of comedy, originating in American humor, in which a specific individual, a guest of honor, is subjected to jokes at their expense, intended to amuse the event's wider audience. Such events are intended to honor a specific individual in a unique way. In addition to jokes and insult comedy, such events may also involve genuine praise and tributes. The assumption is that the roastee can take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult. The individual is surrounded by friends, fans, and well-wishers, who can receive some of the same treatment during the evening. The party and presentation itself are both referred to as a roast. The host of the event is called the roastmaster, since it rhymes with and plays on toastmaster. Anyone mocked in such a way is said to have been roasted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Zimbalist</span> American filmmaker

Jeffrey Leib Nettler Zimbalist is an American filmmaker. He has been Academy Award shortlisted, has won a Peabody, a DuPont, 5 Emmy Awards with 16 Emmy nominations. He is the owner of film and television production company All Rise Films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snoop Dogg filmography</span>

Snoop Dogg has appeared in various video games, music videos, television series, and film appearances such as the Academy Award-winning drama Training Day and the critically acclaimed cable television series The L Word. He also has appeared in documentaries on Hip hop music and other subjects, and is the subject of a 2012 documentary, Reincarnated, on his transformation into "Snoop Lion", a reggae artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Capper</span> British American film director, journalist and editor

Andrew Richard Capper is a British US-based director, journalist and former editor and executive producer at Vice Media. In 2018, he founded Happy Now Film.

<i>Reincarnated</i> (film) 2012 British film

Reincarnated is a 2013 documentary film about the musician Snoop Dogg's explorations of reggae and Rastafari culture, and his transformation into Snoop Lion. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012, and was released to theaters March 21, 2013. It is a companion film to his 12th studio album, Reincarnated. The film was shot by Andy Capper of Vice Magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Knappenberger</span> American documentary filmmaker

Brian Knappenberger is an American documentary filmmaker, known for The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, and Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror and his work on Bloomberg Game Changers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Bailey (writer)</span> American writer based in Los Angeles

Mark Daniel Bailey is an American writer, best known for his documentary films, including Last Days in Vietnam (2014), Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (2022), and The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (2022). Bailey, together with his wife, filmmaker Rory Kennedy, own Moxie Films, a documentary film production company. The company produces documentaries "for broadcast and cable networks, including Netflix, HBO, PBS, A&E, National Geographic, Showtime, Discovery Channel, MTV, TLC, Lifetime Television, the Oxygen Network, and the Sundance Channel as well as for educational foundations and philanthropic organizations."

<i>The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run</i> 2020 animated/live action film directed by Tim Hill

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is a 2020 animated adventure comedy film based on the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Written and directed by series co-developer and former writer Tim Hill, who co-wrote the story with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, it stars the series' regular voice cast and includes new characters performed by Awkwafina, Snoop Dogg, Tiffany Haddish, Keanu Reeves, Danny Trejo, and Reggie Watts. The film follows SpongeBob on his quest to rescue his pet snail, Gary, after he is kidnapped. The film is dedicated to creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018, and also served as an executive producer on the project. It is the third theatrical film based on the series, following the first in 2004 and second in 2015.

<i>Ask the StoryBots</i> American animated childrens television series

Ask the StoryBots is an American live-action/animated children's television series based on the characters from the StoryBots educational website and videos. It premiered exclusively on Netflix on August 12, 2016. Originally created and produced by JibJab Bros. Studios, the StoryBots media franchise was fully acquired by Netflix in May 2019.

<i>Straight Outta L.A.</i> 2010 American film

Straight Outta L.A., a 2010 documentary film in ESPN's 30 for 30 series directed by Ice Cube, covers the NFL team Raiders' time in Los Angeles, from 1982 to 1994, and how this overlapped with the local hip hop's transition from party jams to gangsta raps, a move led by the group N.W.A, which seized Raiders symbolism. The film premiered at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival and aired on ESPN on May 11, 2010.

I Hate Christian Laettner is a 2015 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary directed by Rory Karpf.

<i>The Defiant Ones</i> (TV series) American television documentary miniseries

The Defiant Ones is a four-part American television documentary series, directed by Allen Hughes, that aired on HBO from July 9 to July 12, 2017. It focuses on the careers of and partnership between Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, co-founders of Beats Electronics.

<i>The Black Godfather</i> (2019 film) 2019 documentary film

The Black Godfather is a 2019 documentary film directed by Reginald Hudlin. The film depicts the story of music executive Clarence Avant, told by the people he worked with.

Jon Weinbach is an American film and television writer and producer. He is currently President of Skydance Sports and was previously the executive producer and executive vice president for Mandalay Sports Media, a media and production company that focuses on sports entertainment programming.

<i>LA Originals</i> 2020 documentary film

LA Originals is a 2020 documentary film directed by Estevan Oriol, written by Brian Maya and Omar Quiroga and starring Estevan Oriol and Mister Cartoon. The premise revolves around the Los Angeles–based artists Mark Machado and Estevan Oriol with Latino roots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Abbott (director)</span> American film director

Robert Abbott is an American film director and TV producer, known for his work in sports journalism and documentary films. Abbott has worked for CNN and ESPN, before starting Hey Abbott! Entertainment in January 2009. Abbott's most recent work is the 2022 documentary on Eli Broad- the first American businessman to found two Fortune 500 companies in different industries, Eli Broad’s success was defined by keen vision, an appetite for risk-taking and an instinct for strong partners. Abbott also directed a 2018 documentary titled Port of Destiny: Peace. The film focuses on former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner, and his work in ending the five-decade civil war between far-left rebel group FARC and the government of Colombia. Prior to Port of Destiny: Peace, he produced, directed, and narrated ESPN's 30 for 30 entitled The Last Days of Knight (2018), where Abbott tells the story of his investigation that led to the 2000 firing of the longtime head coach of Indiana University men's basketball, Bob Knight.

References

  1. ↑ "Home". rorykarpf.com.
  2. ↑ "Dale Breaks Ratings Records for CMT".[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ Wendell Scott: A Race Story , retrieved 2020-05-14
  4. ↑ "Rory Karpf". IMDb.
  5. ↑ "Inside SEC Storied: Herschel, Part 2 - ESPN Front Row". 7 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Southeastern Conference". www.secdigitalnetwork.com.
  7. ↑ "MARBLES". marblesmovie.com.
  8. ↑ "ESPN producing documentary about 2008 SEC basketball tournament and tornado that hit Georgia Dome".
  9. ↑ The Book of Manning 2013 TV film at IMDb
  10. ↑ "Rory Karpf". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  11. ↑ Secrets in the Sky: The Untold Story of Skunk Works 2019 documentary at IMDb
  12. ↑ "Shaq Life". www.tntdrama.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  13. ↑ "ESPN profiles Tim Richmond with October '30 for 30' doc".
  14. ↑ "Days of Thunder: Tim Richmond: To the Limit | the House Next Door". Slant Magazine . Archived from the original on 2012-01-10. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  15. ↑ Lowry, Brian (2015-03-12). "TV Review: ESPN's 'I Hate Christian Laettner'". Variety. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  16. ↑ Nature Boy , retrieved 2020-05-14
  17. ↑ "How 30 for 30's 'Nature Boy' became a reality". ESPN.com. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  18. ↑ "Rory Karpf, Filmmaker". www.rorykarpf.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  19. ↑ "Snoop Dogg Youth Football Series Coming to AOL in May". The Hollywood Reporter. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  20. ↑ "Coach Snoop | Netflix Official Site". www.netflix.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  21. ↑ Guillen, Adam Jr. (2016-08-07). "'Lookin' for a Fight' Picked Up By Netflix". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  22. ↑ UFC 25 Years in Short at IMDb
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.