Boxscores from the Basement
Full Treatment
This treatment outlines the film's story from beginning to end in a "blueprint" or "short story" version of the documentary.
“BOXSCORES FROM THE BASEMENT”-
A Celebration of Sports Sim Gaming
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
- Expand the reach of the hobby
- Tell the story of the history of the hobby and the people who play these games in a highly cinematic form with great attention paid to overall production values.
- Create “buzz” for the industry of sports sim gaming
- Garner attention from younger viewers who have not been exposed to the hobby
LOGLINE: Told through the personal stories of devoted hobbyists and game developers, this cinematic documentary explores how sports simulation gaming turned obsession, imagination, and a love of numbers into a lifelong way of bonding fans to the sports that shaped them.
OPENING:
ON BLACK - A title card reads Oct. 2nd, 1978
FADE UP on a STILL PHOTO of YANKEE STADIUM from that era. A NARRATOR’S voice is heard. Easy going and conversational. Nothing too formal.
NARRATOR
“We’re at Fenway Park. It’s Monday, October second, nineteen seventy-eight. After a historic collapse in the regular season with the Red Sox blowing a 14- game lead to their arch-rival the New York Yankees, the stage is set for a one game playoff to decide who wins the eastern division of the American League. In the seventh inning of that game, the Yankees light hitting shortstop, Bucky Dent,stepped up to the plate… and the rest is history.”
And now the narrator’s voice is replaced by a PLAY BY PLAY ANNOUNCER , his voice sounds like it’s coming from an old transistor radio.
ANNOUNCER
“Dent takes a couple of warm up swings. Steps into the box. Torrez still on the moundfor the Red Sox. There’s the pitch, and it’s a high fly ball to left field…”
INT. JUCKETT BEDROOM - DAY
Ron Juckett lies flat on his stomach on his bed looking at a comput er screen on which we see the game ACTION PC BASEBALL. And as he speaks into his microphone we realize the announcer voice we just heard belongs to him.
JUCKETT
“Yastremski, back towards the Green Monster, back, back… and he makes the catch to retire the side. ”
NARRATOR
“Wait! What? That’s not what happened! Dent ’s supposed to hit a three run homer. The Yankees come from behind to win. They won the world series that year! What the hell happened? ”
And now we cut to a shot of Ron Juckett being interviewed.
JUCKETT
“That’s the cool thing about these simulation games. You get to rewrite history. You get to tell your own story.It’s all theater of the mind. ”
OPENING TITLE CREDITS ROLL
THREE ACT STRUCTURE OF THE DOCUMENTARY
Note- The elements of each act will be intertwinedinto seamless storytelling and are not necessarily listed in order.
ACT ONE
- Introduce Ron Juckett. Ron is in his mid-fifties and born with an extremely rare disease called arthrogryposis. The only joints in his body he can move are his jaw and part of his spine. He ’s never even held a baseball much less thrown one yet somehow he discovered a love of sports and table top sports gaming. His story will be one of several we share with the viewers.
- Introduce other hobbyists and their unique, personal stories. Learn how they found their way in.
- Discuss what sports simulation gaming actually is - the dynamics, the overall mechanics, etc.
- Discuss the history of the hobby and early games such as APBA, Cadaco All-Star Baseball and a host of others.
- Meet some game designers who discuss their passion for the hobby and how they develop their games.
- Introduce celebrities like Keith Hernandez, Jeff Daniels, Bob Costas and Spike Lee to talk about their experiences and passion for various games
- Make it clear that baseball is just one of the many sports that can be played through various simulations. Football, hockey. Basketball, bowling, golf… just to name a few.
- Through slick visuals andgraphics, dig into the “wonkiness” and beauty of the math
ACT TWO
- Discuss the intrusion of video games on the hobby and explore the many differences between the two. Video games like “Madden” and NBA2K” might win the graphics war for sure but can’t touch the accuracy and flexibility of simulation games,whetherit’s cards and dice or pc.
- Show head to head competitions at conventions, basements, the communal nature of the hobby.
- Introduce the world wide appeal of the hobby including interviews from people around the world. Focus on games like OOTP baseball and Football Manager to show that, in some sense, this hobby reaches into the millions.
- More interview segments with hobbyists, game developers and celebrities we met in act one. - Discuss how social media and YouTube have created a strong, online community with some channels having thousands of followers. Interview some content creators.
- As part of the above, focus on Ron Juckett and h is uncanny ability to bring realism and deeply imaginative thought to fictitious replays of classic games. Talk about trying to get Ron an opportunity to broadcast an inning or so of an actual Boston Red Sox broadcast.
- Discuss the mental health benefits of sports sim gaming and other hobbies as well as some of the potential dangers.
- Discuss the pandemic and its effect on the hobby.
ACT THREE
- Talk about the future of the hobby and where it goes from here.
- Talk about the fictional leagues that get created using games with unique engines like PLAAY. And how it relates to RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons.
- How to get the next generation involved.
- Show a group of 14-15 year old playing a table top sports games using players from today. - Complete Ron’s broadcasting journey. Does he get to broadcast a Red Sox game?
- Pay tribute to some of the legendary designers and hobbyists who helped make the hobby what it is today.
ENDING
A STILL PHOTO OF YANKEE STADIUM and a TITLE CARD that READS: Oct. 2nd, 1978(Ron Juckett replay)
We hear Ron’s voice with that tinny, transistor radio quality again.
JUCKETT
“Top of the ninth here at Fenway, and the Yankees are d own to their last out. Red Sox fans on their feet …”
INT. JUCKETT BEDROOM
We see him on his bed as he ’s calling the game.
JUCKETT
“Bob Stanley on the mound now to finish it off. Munson steps in. Jackson on second. Yankees need one to tie, two to take the lead. Here ’s the pitch…”
And as RON goes to hit the pitch button we …
FADE TO BLACK - The End.