Big League Dreams Become Reality for 'Perfect Game'

When PJ Morlando was a first round pick in this year's MLB draft, the broadcast was all hugs and happy tears. The part that goes unseen is the a lifetime of dedication it takes to turn big league dreams into a reality. Director Ryan Thielen captures the highs and lows in his new campaign with Perfect Game. 

Ryan Thielen has worked with some of the nation’s top athletes and teams, including Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, Tom Brady's Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves (featuring a few actual wolves). While renowned for his deeply imaginative worlds and CGI integration, Ryan chose to shift gears to tell PJ's story. Instead of fantastical elements, he leaned into subtly -- the nuanced, emotional, familiar roots at the core of an athlete's journey. He wanted the film to feel personal and grounded.

"Baseball often feels like a rite of passage. It's more than just a game or a pastime; it's woven into the fabric of American culture. It was the background to summer nights at my grandparents' house and weekend afternoons in my dad's garage."

- Ryan Thielen

The film follows PJ from childhood to draft night through recreations and present-day moments. In addition to the key film, Ryan captured candid fly-on-the-wall moments in a series of :15s that feel like windows into the thousands of hours of practice, the long drives to weekend tournaments, and the lows of an agonizing defeat.