A look at how MLB creates the annual World Series Film

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – What happens on the field during the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals is the central theme for MLB Productions annual World Series Film . But it sometimes isn't the main focus. The film, which MLB says is the "definitive visual historical document of the World Series each year," began in 1943 as a way to inform troops overseas fighting in World War II about the baseball they had missed. As MLB took over production of the film in 1998 and the explosion of instant information makes it almost impossible to not access the box score details of a World Series, the production focuses on the stories surrounding each team thanks to nearly unlimited and exclusive access. Producers and camera crews can film right next to the batting cage during pre-game batting practice, have unlimited clubhouse access and have players wired for sound. If you're unfamiliar with the movie, think of it like baseball's postseason version of the HBO series "Hard Knocks" or the network's "24/7" franchise. "And the foundation of [the access] is the deep relationships that we've fostered over the years," MLB Productions executive producer David Check said...