By Randy O. Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
March 31, 2012
Steven Jackson, the Rams' all-time rushing leader, takes a lot of inspiration from his favorite film, "Gladiator." Drawing parallels between modern football players and the fighters in the Oscar-winning Ridley Scott film, the running back feels it will serve him well in what he intends to be his career after hanging up the spikes: Hollywood filmmaker.
"We as football players look at ourselves as modern-day gladiators," he said. "Though no one is losing by dying, there are a lot of sacrifices.
"There are plenty of things a man has to overcome to compete," said Jackson, who explained that producing the inside-football documentaries "In the Lights" and "A Week in the Life" "gave me a good sense about visual storytelling."
The two-time All-Pro is part of a class of 20 current and former players selected after a rigid and highly competitive enrollment process to tackle Hollywood as part of the NFL's first Pro Hollywood Boot Camp. This four-day intensive program on the back lots of Universal Studios will provide the students an overview of filmmaking crafts including writing, directing, producing, editing and cinematography. The program is funded by the Player Engagement division of the NFL, an educational arm that also offers programs in broadcasting, business and music.
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