FILM SUMMARY
Agents ... they are some of the most hated people in professional sports. Long thought to be nothing but greedy and ruthless hustlers, agents are the ultimate backroom operators. When there is some high-stakes contract negotiation between millionaire players and billionaire owners, you can bet in the center of it, is an agent. But what do we really know about them?
With "The Dotted Line," acclaimed director Morgan Spurlock pulls back the curtain on the ultra-secretive sports agent industry to expose what these guys really do in the trenches. We follow top agents in the NFL, the NBA, and MLB to explore the turbulent and emotional ups and downs of recruiting, marketing and negotiating record-breaking contracts for their top-tier clients. The film also explores recent NCAA agent scandals and the complex issues that can arise when college athletes turn pro.
Are these guys really the sleazeballs people think they are? Or are they just skilled businessmen, simply acting in the best interests of their clients? "The Dotted Line" paints a well-rounded portrait of a fascinating and complex industry.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
Morgan Spurlock is a New York-based writer, director and producer. His first film, "
Super Size Me," premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 and won him Best Directing honors. The film went on to win the inaugural Writers Guild of America best documentary screenplay award as well as garner an Academy Award nomination for best feature doc. Since then, he has directed, produced and distributed multiple film and TV projects, including the critically acclaimed FX television series, "30 Days," and the films "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden," "Confessions of a Superhero," "Czech Dream," "Chalk," "The Future of Food," "What Would Jesus Buy?," and "Freakonomics."
In 2010, Morgan was nominated for a primetime Emmy Award as well as a Writer's Guild Award for The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: "In 3-D! On Ice!" His latest film,
"The Greatest Movie Ever Sold," (set to be released on April 22, 2011) and its accompanying TED talk explore the world of product placement and advertising, while being completely funded by product placement and advertising. The film premiered at Sundance 2011 and was the first film to sell.
Currently, Morgan in post-production on his next feature documentary "Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan's Hope."