"I never thought about how these players were found, who breathed life into them."
The tireless efforts of scouts and the impact they have is the subject of the new documentary 'Scouting for Diamonds', set for a 2017 release.
The film's directed by independent filmmaker Molly Secours, a lifelong baseball fan. Secours spoke Thursday about the project, which is still currently in production.
Production: We are about 60% finished with the interview phase. We will be following key characters and shooting through July of next year looking at a premiere date of spring of 2017, but that obviously is not an exact date. I can Share more later about that. Will be going to Latin America and possibly Asia.
The Idea and Inspiration: A couple guys came to me a year and a half ago and told me about a scout named George Digby, who lived in Gallatin, Tennessee, very near me, who signed Wade Boggs and many others. It was a Thursday when they came to me and I was supposed to meet Mr Digby the following Monday, but he died just a couple days later and I never got to meet him. What is strange is that I've felt his presence the entire time nudging me forward.. (and yes I know how strange that sounds but it's true) We started interviewing guys like Wade Boggs and Mike Greenwell and Jody Reed etc.,. And after several months I realized the story was even bigger and deeper and that were other scouts who had made a profound effect on major players like Wade. So we shifted the focus from Digby and Boggs to scouting in general and focused primarily on a few key scouts but telling a story with many voices.
Wade Boggs Involvement: Wade is a passive producer. He lent us his name because he feels strongly in what we are doing but he is completely un-involved with the creative process. But he and his wife Debbie were very generous with their time and are great supporters as is George Brett and Willie Mays.
Female Scouts Included: Female scouts are DEFINITELY part of our story. And other women in baseball for sure...but that's all I can say right now.
Getting to Know the Scouts Life: what's surprised me is how absolutely devoted and passionate every scout we've interviewed thus far--regardless of what type of scout, their territory etc. Although I grew up in a hockey house; my dad was a hockey player. We lived less than 80 miles from Montreal but in addition to being a fanatic Boston Bruin fan--Bobby Orr was pasted on the wall above my bed until I was...well too old--I also followed baseball. The [now defunct Montreal] Expos were my team and Rusty Staub was my favorite player. But until a year and a half ago I never thought about how these players were found, who breathed life into them. And I never understood baseball at the level. I do now and I have scouts to thank for that. Guys, and of course women, that most people have ever heard of like Don Pries and Luke Wrenn and Joe McIlvaine and many, many more. In the last year and a half they have opened up with us in a way that goes way beyond generosity. To be honest some days I feel like I've got about two dozen boyfriends that I look forward to hearing from everyday. (laughs) I have a feeling once people see our film that there are those whose love for baseball will be re-ignited. I know that.
Release Dates and Distribution: I can't give you specific details now. We have deliberately kept this an independent film (so there are no studios) which of course means no big money (and that's why next Monday we are doing the crowd funding) but it also means that no one is swaying the story one where the other. The story we are following has unfolded and continues to unfold beautifully and organically.
For more information: http://scoutingfordiamonds.com/
And to follow the progress on Twitter: @Scouting4Dmnds
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