A new documentary, filmed at last December’s WSOP Paradise and expected to drop this summer, hopes to bring poker to a new, wider audience.
As we recently discussed with the show’s creator, Dustin Iannotti, it will put poker’s most engaging characters and stories center-stage, rather than focusing squarely on the action at the tables. Just as series such as Drive to Survive or Full Swing have enjoyed a broader appeal beyond fans of motor-racing or golf, the upcoming poker show aims to stimulate interest in the game we love through telling more of the fascinating, personal stories at its heart.
And when it comes to poker’s biggest personalities, few compare to Daniel Negreanu. Arguably the face of poker for more than 20 years, Negreanu was one of the players followed closely during filming, and is expected to play a key role in the documentary.
PokerOrg caught up with Negreanu to discuss the project in more detail.
‘Real struggles, real emotion’
“I’ve known Dustin and his team for a very long time,” Negreanu tells PokerOrg, as we look forward to the project’s release. “We have similar views on a range of topics, specifically poker production, so I already had plenty of faith in what he could do.”
Filming took place in The Bahamas during December’s huge WSOP Paradise festival, where the $25K Super Main Event boasted a $50M guaranteed prize pool. Yet it isn’t just the big money at stake, or the high-level play at the tables, which is expected to draw viewers in.
Iannotti and his crew picked out 11 players to follow, aiming to show the realities and challenges of living and playing at the top of the poker pyramid. As well as Negreanu, the likes of Faraz Jaka, Kristen Foxen, Phil Hellmuth, Alan Keating and Jesse Lonis are among those we’ll be seeing more of, warts and all, and Negreanu believes the up-close-and-personal nature of the coverage is key to telling a relatable, human story.
“Authenticity matters,” he says, “People are drawn to real — we are fed phony lives on Instagram constantly. I think people relate to real struggles, real emotion, and not just the lives lived through rose-colored glasses.”
The impact of social media platforms such as Instagram may be warping audience perceptions, as well as changing the way people consume media, but it’s also making it possible for more people to get involved in poker content — both as viewers and creators.
“The barrier to entry to create poker content has changed,” says Negreanu, “You used to have to be on TV, convincing a network to put you on. Today, with Hustler streams and many others, if you create good content, anyone in the world can watch whenever they want.”
‘Casual viewers won’t stick around for an 8-hour stream’
This ongoing shake-up of poker video content is a welcome one, Negreanu says, but he feels there's still more to be done.
“Overall, I think poker content is far too repetitive… you can change the backdrops, but it’s the same old thing for the most part”. And while live poker streams have blown up compared to the days of old, giving fans plenty of options when it comes to video content, Negreanu argues they may not be the best solution to extending poker’s reach.
“Overall, I think having the majority of poker content being live streams is just a mistake. The diehards love it, but the casual viewers won’t stick around for an 8-hour stream. Poker itself has so much tanking, it’s impossible to make that engaging. It’s just too slow, which is why edited programs are just going to be much more entertaining for viewers.”
With the upcoming documentary being just such a show — Iannotti claims they edited down from over 600 hours of footage — we’re looking forward to seeing how well it delivers in terms of catering to non-traditional poker audiences.
Most, if not all of us, will have friends and family who don’t love the game as much as we do; perhaps the true test of the show won’t be how much we enjoy it, but how it goes down with those people we watch it with? “Hopefully [non-poker players] are drawn to one or several players and become fans, and when it’s on, root for them to win.”
Finally, we ask Negreanu who he’d be rooting for in that situation.
“I think Kevin Martin is really open and transparent, shows his emotions, is well-spoken and relatable to the average Joe.”
Dustin Iannotti’s poker documentary, title to-be-announced, is expected to air this summer. For more, check out our exclusive interview with the show's creator.
Images courtesy of PokerGO/Artisans on Fire/WSOP/Hustler Casino Live.
