Brett Rapkin is an esteemed individual, boasting a plethora of accomplishments as an Emmy Award-winning Producer, Writer, and Director. He is also the visionary Founder and President of Podium Pictures, a production company dedicated to crafting impactful sports films.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Brett was an avid baseball player, competing at the highest levels. His educational pursuits took him to The University of Arizona, where he laid the groundwork for his future endeavors. Shortly after graduation, he embarked on a groundbreaking documentary project, gaining access to Cuba and eventually premiering his work, "Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey," at the prestigious AFI SilverDocs Festival. This remarkable documentary was subsequently acquired by MLB Network.
In 2003, Brett relocated to New York, seizing the opportunity to be mentored by the esteemed principals at Black Canyon Productions, the renowned production company behind acclaimed HBO Sports documentaries such as "Curse of the Bambino" and "When It Was a Game" series. During his time in New York, Brett wrote, produced, and directed projects for a variety of prominent networks, including ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS, HBO, Red Bull, and others.
In 2004, Brett was entrusted with the responsibility of documenting the FIS World Cup of Ski Racing season in the European Alps, chronicling the championship season of Olympic legend Bode Miller. This experience ultimately led him back to Los Angeles, where he penned, produced, and directed his first scripted feature film. "Spaceman" starred Josh Duhamel (Transformers) as the enigmatic MLB pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee and featured the talents of Sterling K. Brown (NBC's hit "This is Us"). This remarkable film was acquired and released globally by Amazon and Orion Pictures/MGM.
In 2016, Brett's documentary "Welcome to Dodgertown," narrated by Vin Scully and Larry King, garnered a 2016 Emmy for Best Sports Special. In 2020, HBO Sports acquired and released "The Weight of Gold," a documentary Brett wrote, produced, and directed in collaboration with Olympic legend Michael Phelps, exploring the crucial topic of mental health and Olympic athletes. This powerful film garnered widespread media attention, including over 1.5 billion impressions on platforms such as CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and The Today Show.
