On Thursday at the 13th annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit 2022 in Ojai, California, ESPN Films announced the completion of W. Studios’ first feature documentary, about WNBA star Candace Parker.
The docu about Parker, a two-time WNBA champion, was directed by Joie Jacoby (“Return to Mexico City”). The untitled doc is a portrait of Parker, filmed over the past year, pivoting from private, verité moments to personal and professional archival footage. The doc follows Parker as she shares her life on and off the court including time with her wife, Anya, and their family as she plays for her hometown team, the Chicago Sky, in the latter part of her professional career.
“I’m excited to give people a special inside look into the balance of my life on and off the court,” says Parker. “I’m thrilled to be the subject of the first feature documentary from W. Studios.”
In May, ESPN announced the creation of W. Studios, an extension of the espnW brand, which functions as a female-centric content generator that creates, produces, and amplifies female-centered storytelling. The first project under the W. Studios umbrella was the W. Studios
Fifty/50 Shorts Presented by Google, which included five short films centered around the fight for women’s equality across the sports and cultural landscape. All five shorts were helmed and executive produced by women and premiered in June 2022.
Marsha Cooke, VP and executive producer, ESPN Films and “30 for 30,” says that Parker was the right fit for the first feature docu out of W. Studios.
“Candace makes sense as our first feature because she is a contemporary subject and a powerful example of all that women can do — in sports and beyond,” says Cooke. “She represents that ideal
intersection of women, sports, and culture that forms the heart and soul of ESPN and W. Studios. Our audience is hungry for narratives about women, and W. Studios aspires to amplify stories like these and serves as a great reminder of our unparalleled track record for unforgettable storytelling.”
Going forward, the fledgling content studio is hoping to expand its reach in the documentary community.
“We are looking at a variety of film projects that will represent more big swings for us at W. Studios,” says Cooke. “While at the same time, we are getting the word out to filmmakers that W. Studios is open for business.”
The untitled Parker docu is executive produced by ESPN Films and W. Studios and produced by Film 45 and Baby Hair Productions. The docu’s release date will be announced in the coming months.
