RoboLeague - 2015 FIRST World Championship Documentary

[Hallry]

This was shared among social media a few days ago (Thanks, Justin!), but I figured I'd post it here in case anyone else was interested. Digital Kitchen created a documentary titled "RoboLeague", which focuses on the 2015 FIRST World Championship. It's one of the best videos about FIRST and FRC that I've seen in my time, and is definitely worth the watch: https://vimeo.com/139506546. It does a great job at introducing FIRST/FRC to the public while not just skimming the surface, and is just under 50 minutes long.

[safiq10]

Just finished watching it. It was a really well made film that covered everything about FIRST. I feel like it captured what the teams are really like and what it's like to be in FIRST. Great job to Digital Kitchen on a spectacular film!

[Daler99]

I love how they focused on specific teams rather than just one field. The intro was amazing, and I'm a huge fan of their sections on 254, 118, 1671, and 27.

~Daler

[Sperkowsky]

WOW!!! I wish this was out a few weeks ago. I would have showed this too our new members. We are kicking off an offseason build Tuesday and I'm going to try to get my mentors to agree for our whole team to watch this.

[sciencenuetzel]

Amazing film. Loved it and love 1671 even more. I also learned how 254 was eliminated. Similar thing happened to us at IN championship but we had enough stay on platform to stay in. Had to be awful for the poofs and 973.

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Great movie! I'm with Ryan - it's definitely aimed at the average non-FIRSTer but also goes deep enough to be enjoyable by FIRSTers.

[bkahl]

Originally Posted by sciencenuetzel

Had to be awful for the poofs and 973.

And 999 and 4499

[JVN]

This documentary is amazing. I think it is the single best glimpse inside the world of FIRST that I've seen. The story-telling is fantastic. The teams they follow are all perfect role-models to highlight, and they showcase their experiences in a compelling way.

I got goosebumps several times while watching. During the "climax moment" I even found myself rooting for Team 118 to advance (which is a little weird given the circumstances.)

I liked how they successfully showcased our values, the core relationships between mentors and students, the "engineers as rockstars, teachers as heroes" aspects of the program while balancing in "the overall mission". They did all that, and still included emotional hooks which showcase FRC as a "sport"? Impressive.

Maybe I'm just partial, because of my personal ties to some of the teams shown, and emotional involvement in a few of those moments. I think they captured the emotional roller-coaster that comes from the experience. It was heart-breaking watching Adam and Travis after the QF. It was incredible watching 118 and 1678 wait for (and celebrate) the score in SF6.
If this video has HALF the effect on others that it has on me, it is a BIG win.

I hope FIRST / AT&T / whoever continues to make videos of this type & quality. This is the kind of coverage which will help FIRST achieve ubiquity and truly achieve culture change.

Everyone should take the time to watch it, and also to promote it to others. Show this to anyone who you want to understand the power & impact of competition robotics programs.

-John

PS - Mason is making us all look bad in comparison. Way to represent! "I build space robots blah blah blah... Look at my beard blah blah blah... Win World Championship blah blah blah... Life changing outcomes for kids blah blah blah..."

[dodar]

This video was the first FIRST video from an event that looked like the real thing. I could see this being featured on ESPN and think ESPN made it.

[Citrus Dad]

Originally Posted by JVN

It was incredible watching 118 and 1678 wait for (and celebrate) the score in SF6.

It was 1671 the film focused on-give credit where credit is due!

[Citrus Dad]

It was an inspiring film. We'll look at screening it at an event later this year.

I know others have said otherwise in the debate over ChampSplit, but FIRST clearly made a decision to focus on a group of teams that are HEROES to us in this film. If 118, 254, 27 and 1477 weren't already among your heroes, then you probably haven't been following FRC too long yet. And 1671 will be among your heroes in the near future. FIRST recognizes that it's these heroes that inspire other teams to do well, to achieve as much as they can. That's how sports has worked. Setting up a path where "everyone's a winner" will diminish these heroes, and FRC will be lesser for it. We need to focus on how to keep that inspiration going forward.

[mipo0707]

they need to put canada in these videos and some other teams like 33, 67, 148, 1114, 2056, 4488, 1986, 624, 2826, 4039, 5406, 987 but 254 118 1477 27 1671 were excellent choices couldn't be more touched by these teams and the video

[Munchskull]

This was great, made the freshmen watch it today so that they are inspired to work hard on their training.

[Picitigris]

I accidentally found this while browsing through the channel guide and decided to watch it. Let me just say wow, it really showcased the energy of F.I.R.S.T. and reminded me a why I love FRC. It was excellently put together, not only did it make new people interested it also gave veterans a glimpse of the teams we look up to. Our team was watching at worlds when 973 dropped the stacks and even re-watching it was devastating. We didn't get to see many of 27 matches so it was great getting to see what happened.

[burde1jb]

There is a moment in this video right near the 13:30 mark when the Team Rush bot is about to go into Auton which strikes me at the core. The video quickly snaps back through all the moments which lead up to that one. Like a fast rewind through all the planning, building, programming and small successes that lead up to that one moment of executing autonomous mode on the national stage.

That flashback through a season knowing full well that the moment a match starts is the culmination of MORE THAN six weeks of grueling hours spent planning and working just gives me chills every time.

What a great video! Thanks for sharing on here.