this is Mark Keil nowadays
these are the 2 guys during the filming..Mark Keil and Geoff Grant.
This is Mark Keil the main subject of the documentary.
One of Keil's greatest moments came in a 6–2, 7–6(2) defeat of Pete Sampras, then ranked 8th in the world at the Queen's Club Championships in 1991. Keil went on to play in the main draw at Wimbledon and reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 167 later that year.
Keil later carved a career for himself in the doubles tour, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 32 in 1995. He has doubles wins over Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, Gustavo Kuerten and Mark Philippoussis. He won five ATP Tour doubles titles in his career.
He was also the focus of a film documenting life behind the scenes for a struggling tour professional. "The Journeymen" follows Keil and his doubles partner Geoff Grant as they struggle to make a living on the doubles tour.
1. To enlighten tennis and sports fans worldwide what is involved in being a professional
tennis player on the men's tour.
2. To show how the professional tennis tour was formed, it's basic ingredients, format, etc.
3. To show the hard work involved, the dedication required, and the sacrifices made in the
often lonely life of the professional tennis player.
Approach to the Film
The approach to filming will be open and documentary in style. I wish to explore the behind the
scenes life of players on the men's professional tennis tour, comparing it to life on the tour twenty
years ago with former champions. Through the eye fo doubles specialist Mark Keil, a hand
held digital camera will be used, giving the film more of a "real feeling". By following the current
top tennis players (Sampras, Agassi, Rafter, Henman, Moya, Kuerten, Ivanisevic, Rios among
others) the viewer will embark on a one year odyssey from fifteen to twenty tournaments and
experience life on the tour.
Content of the Film
1. Interviews with top players. Examples of questions asked:
* Who or what inspired you to become a professional tennis player?
* Where is your favorite place to play? Best/worst place?
* What would you do if you weren't a professional tennis player?
* Thoughts on player's competitive nature, not only on the court, but off the court as well.
* Thoughts on sex before a match.
* What are the major differences between the professional game today and when you
played? What can be done to improve the game? (Asked of former champions such as
Pat Cash, Pancho Segura, Nikki Pillic, and Stan Smith)
2. Immediate post-match scenes. For example. Marat Safin coming off the court and breaking
a racquet in the locker room after a loss.
3. Interview with 1998 Australian Open champion, Petr Korda, about steroid use.
4. Doubles match of Boris Becker and Pete Sampras, and their conversations during change-
overs in the match.
5. Personal example with Mark Keil of what it's like to lose a down-to-the-wire doubles match.
6. Practice sessions of Patrick Rafter, his routine to prepare for a match, as well as post-match
interview in the locker room.
7. "Fly-on-the-wall" with Sampras in the training room as he discusses strategy with coach,
Paul Annacone.
8. Scenes of social life. For example, I follow doubles specialists Mark Merklein and David
Roditi around tournament grounds as they look for dates and get phone numbers.
9. Examples of politics in tennis:
* Interview with a Yugoslavian player who discusses the merits and implications of each
match he plays in Slovenia.
* Interview with former tour player, Nikki Pillic, who was banned from Wimbledon
in 1973. As a result, over eighty other male players decided to boycott the event that year.
10. Common scenes in the odyssey of the professional tennis player. In an airport, for example.
If players aren't at a tournament, then they're probably at an airport, on their way to a
tournament. In this case, Mark Keil follows a group of South American players as they
make their way through this all-to-common venue.
