Yahoo Lifestyle Skydance Sports Joins Hidden Empire for Annual NFL Career Tour (EXCLUSIVE)
Skydance Sports is teaming up with the NFL and Hidden Empire Film Group (HEFG) for the third annual NFL Career Tour, designed to give players insight into the entertainment industry.
Created by the NFL’s Player Engagement team, the program is a professional development experience offering current players and NFL legends access industry exposure and networking opportunities with top executives.
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The NFL x Hidden Empire Career Tour will take place at the Hidden Empire Studio in Santa Monica, Calif. This unique three-day program offers a comprehensive exploration of the entertainment industry, with attendees participating in educational sessions, hands-on workshops and in-depth camera training. The session culminated in the production of a short film, with attendees putting their knowledge into practice by shooting, producing, directing and acting in the project.
Last year’s summit included celebrity panelists such as Tyrese Gibson, Master P. and NFL Legends Vernon Davis, Rocket Ismail and Ephraim Salaam, plus players learned from and worked collaboratively with entertainment industry veterans like Michael Ealy, Demetrius Shipp Jr., Steven Caple Jr., Joe Carnahan, Kurt Wimmer, Charles Murray and Rodney Barnes.
“An NFL career is just the beginning. The real game is building a future beyond the field. That’s why this partnership with the NFL is so crucial — it equips players with the tools, connections, and opportunities to thrive long after the final whistle.” said Roxanne Avent Taylor, co-CEO of Hidden Empire. “It’s fresh, different, and an exciting way to build today’s athletes into tomorrow’s leaders in the film and television space.”
Skydance Sports — the joint venture between the NFL and Skydance, with projects including the Golden Globe-nominated film “Air” and the Sports Emmy-nominated docuseries “Good Rivals” — will contribute by offering a look behind the scenes of sports programming, including providing participants with an immersive writers’ room experience.
“We believe current and former players have a great deal to contribute to Hollywood storytelling,” said Jason Reed, head of Skydance Sports. “Our goal is to give players new insights into how the film industry operates and how they can unleash the potential of their unique skills and experiences.”
Earlier this month, Hidden Empire Film Group (HEFG), led by co-CEOs Deon and Roxanne Avent Taylor, and The Union announced the launch of Hidden Empire Sports Collective (HESC), a new division of the film studio that will prioritize intellectual property and content creation for athletes and sports.
“Our commitment to facilitating these athletes’ transition into their next chapter is unwavering, and we are overjoyed to provide them with this unparalleled opportunity to expand their horizons, embrace their creative passions, and chart a new course in their illustrious careers,” said Deon Taylor, co-CEO of Hidden Empire. “This collaboration underscores our dedication to nurturing talent and unlocking new possibilities, paving the way for these remarkable individuals to make an indelible mark in the world of entertainment.”
HESC will be overseen by The Union’s co-CEO Sumair Khan, with Rodney Guillroy and Ephraim Salaam joining the leadership team as president of talent strategy and creative executive, respectively.
“The new division of Hidden Empire provides an opportunity that educates the attendees on every facet of the entertainment business,” said Tracy Perlman, senior vice president of player operations for the NFL. “Their access to talent and entertainment executives also provides an additional networking opportunity for the group, which is a great resource.”
In 2022, Skydance Sports expanded its partnership with the NFL and NFL Films to produce a wider range of multi-platform sports programming, including the upcoming docuseries “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,” about the Dallas Cowboys and franchise owner Jerry Jones; a documentary feature on Hall of Famer John Elway; a docuseries on tennis icon Rafael Nadal; and a scripted series for Hulu, written and executive produced by Dan Fogelman, set inside the world of the NFL. Recently released projects include “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” (Hallmark), “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma” (Netflix), “Freediver” (Prime Video), “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” (HBO), “NFL Draft: The Pick Is In” (The Roku Channel) and “Kelce” (Prime Video).
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