A sport film is an independent film genre which makes use of sport as the major theme of the movie. It’s a fictional production where a fictional sport, fan of sport, athlete, or viewer of sport are heavily involved, and that rely heavily on sport for their storyline resolution or motivation. For example, a Michael Bay film will be immensely popular with people who love sports and the sort of movies that feature sports. The reason why it works so well is that, just like the real sport, people associate Michael Bay with great films, and even if the movie isn’t about them, people are going to associate it somehow with their favourite sport! Therefore, it creates a loop of hype where people feel a connection to the people and movies that they’re talking about, even if they’re not a fan of that particular sport.
It can also be used to show the difference between skill and strength, or how one person can surpass another person in a sport. This has been done in some sports where, perhaps, the competitor doesn’t possess the best physical skills, but they do possess an ‘in’ with the group, or possess some sort of skill or ability that made them standout. For example, boxers can occasionally overpower their opponents with their skill, but they lack in terms of physical ability. Similarly, athletes can achieve great results in their sport, but they don’t have the strength to really get the job done. Similarly, champions in sports often excel at some sort of mental sport, and the film can highlight how the champions train and work to maximise their potential.
The film should also demonstrate the competitive spirit of the sport, and how that spirit sometimes rubs off on the players, and the viewers. In terms of training and preparation, it should show how the athletes train and what they do to improve their game, and what sort of mental preparation goes into the actual competition. It should show how the sportsman attempts to maximise his own exertion and his skills, and uses every ounce of his energy to win. When the athlete wins, he should receive credit for it, and not be criticized for not exerting as much effort as he might have.