Ball People
Giving voice to the unsung heroes of tennis tournaments with Scott Lazer
Directed by Scott Lazer
Interview by Tatev Avetisyan
You might have observed the nimble ball retrievers and tennis ball suppliers on the court, whose precision and flexibility guarantee a seamless match during tennis tournaments. Commonly known as "ball kids," the US Open Ball Crew welcomes anyone (regardless of age) eager to demonstrate their skills and get closer to their favourite athletes. In an effort to spotlight these often-overlooked heroes, New York-based filmmaker Scott Lazer crafted a short film titled Ball People, delving into their untold stories and the hardships of getting through the competition.
In an interview with Scott Lazer, we delve into the creative journey that gave birth to Ball People, explore the challenges of working under pressure, and gain insights into his upcoming projects.
Why did you decide to pick up a camera? What inspired you to pursue a career in filmmaking?
I tinkered with a few different forms of art-making growing up, but what ultimately drew me to film was its synthesis of disciplines: writing, performance, photography, editing, design, etc. I’ve always enjoyed working on a team so that collaborative approach to creativity suits my personality.
These stories help you see certain professions or concepts from new angles. How and why did you decide to voice their stories? What is the inspiration behind Ball People?
My personal connection to tennis definitely inspired the idea. But generally speaking, I tend to look for stories and characters along the periphery. While I am not the first to tell a story about the ball people, I did see an angle on it that hadn’t been done yet, so I went for it.
Were there any particular techniques or stylistic choices you made to capture the essence of the tournament and the people involved?
No shade to all the cool camera moves out there, but I typically prefer static framing. It has such a natural intentionality and a gentle, judgement-free touch that I think reflects how I try to see the world. I wouldn’t say that is specific to the US Open, but I did try to share some of what I appreciate about the tournament through this lens.
The casting team’s journey must have been a rollercoaster of emotions. Can you share a moment that encapsulated the highs and lows they faced during the selection process?
Because the tryouts turned over quickly, we had a narrow window of time to find and shoot our characters. So, casting the applicants happened concurrently with production. It became an all-hands-on-deck approach, with several of us from the crew pulling people aside to interview them. There isn’t a single moment that stands out, but it was overall quite hectic!
“No shade to all the cool camera moves out there, but I typically prefer static framing. It has such a natural intentionality and a gentle, judgement-free touch that I think reflects how I try to see the world. ”
In your film, music plays the role of an ‘unsung player’. Could you provide insights into your editing process, shedding light on how you collaborated with the music supervisor to make decisions about the music selection?
Our music supervisor, Rachel Helman, shared the bassoon composition, which kicked off the film before we even started shooting. It was such a great tone-setter - something dignified and whimsical (I even listened to it on my phone sometimes as we filmed). Then, our composer, Jeff Melanson, created two bespoke pieces of music and let us use two other compositions that he made for another film that was never released. It was a bit of a hodgepodge of music, but it all feels quite cohesive throughout the film.
Can you remember any specific challenges you faced while directing this video and how you overcame them?
There were so many - from gaining access in the first place to all sorts of random production issues to distribution. It was a real test of my will as an independent creative, but that’s how it goes. “Pressure is a privilege,” as Billie Jean King famously said.
As you navigate the dynamic landscape of directing, balancing between film projects and commissions, how does your approach to tasks like crafting mood boards and collaborating with your creative team evolve? Could you delve into the distinctive qualities that define your creative vision within the context of both film productions and commissioned work?
I try to approach every project - whether in film or commissioned work - from an angle that best serves the work. It has resulted in quite a variety of output, and I have to make treatments to stay up to speed with all of them. They play a huge part not just in sharing the idea with creative and business partners but also for myself, to help bring the idea more clearly into focus. Here’s the Ball People treatment if you’re curious.
What are you working on next?
I actually shot another short documentary around the same time as Ball People. It’s pretty much completed. I have started submitting it to film festivals and will release it sometime next year.
Director: Scott Lazer
Executive Producers: Ryen Bartlett, Kevin Staake
Producer: Tripp Kramer
Co-Producer: Talia Cohen
Director of Photography: Taylor McIntosh
1st AC: Manny Rodriguez
Production Sound Mixer: Charles Cann
Production Assistant: Tashi Bhutia, Anabel Perez
Editor: Nico Frank
Music Supervisor: Rachel Helman
Mix & Sound Designer: Dean White
Title Designer: Aaron Vinton