Rory Karpf
Directing
Known For

30 for 30 is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This currently includes four "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series under the ESPN Films Presents title in 2011–2012, and a series of 30 for 30 Shorts shown through the ESPN.com website. The series has also expanded to include Soccer Stories, which aired in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and audio podcasts. This entry refers to the main Volumes of the series presented by ESPN
30 for 30

A six-part documentary series that takes a deeper look into the stories, people and events that have transformed the world of comic books.
Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics

When Dana White took over the UFC in 2001, one of the new UFC President's first tasks was to scour the MMA backwaters searching for undiscovered talent to sign to the UFC. White hasn't scouted talent in person for over a decade - but with childhood friend Nick "The Tooth" and the irrepressible Matt Serra in tow - Dana hits the road once again in search of potential UFC superstars.
Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight

He made perhaps the most dramatic shot in the history of the NCAA basketball tournament. He's the only player to start in four consecutive Final Fours, and was instrumental in Duke winning two national championships. He had looks, smarts and game. So why has Christian Laettner been disliked so intensely by so many for so long? Maybe it was the time he stomped on the chest of a downed player, or the battles he had with his teammates, or a perceived sense of entitlement. But sometimes, perception isn't reality. "I Hate Christian Laettner" will go beyond the polarizing persona to reveal the complete story behind this lightning rod of college basketball. Featuring extensive access to Laettner, previously unseen footage and perspectives from all sides, this film will be a "gloves-off" examination of the man who has been seen by many as the "Blue Devil Himself."
I Hate Christian Laettner

A 4-episode documentary series chronicling former professional wrestler Phil "CM Punk" Brooks as he trains for his debut fight in the UFC.
The Evolution of Punk

See a different side of Snoop Dogg in this unique documentary, which details the famous rapper's efforts to mentor young athletes and create opportunities for them to compete at the highest level of youth football. We'll meet the kids and coaches that form Snoop's squad -- and witness the important life lessons they learn with every game.
Coach Snoop

Explores the personal and professional life of former NFL and Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning and how the sudden loss of his father impacted his life and the way he and his wife Olivia raised their three sons: their oldest Cooper Manning, and younger sons, All-SEC stars, and NFL champion QBs Peyton and Eli.
The Book of Manning

Documentary following the life & career of 16 time world champion Ric "The Nature Boy" Flair.
Nature Boy

The rise, fall and re-birth of Nolan Richardson, whose intense style of coaching the Arkansas men's basketball team brought a national championship to the school but also led to increased scrutiny.
40 Minutes of Hell

Archival race footage, outtakes, home videos and interviews Dale Earnhardt's friends, family, and competitors are used in this documentary on the racing legend who won seven NASCAR championships before his death in 2001 at the Daytona 500.
Dale

On April 23, 2013, the oaks at Toomer's Corner had to be removed. More than two years earlier, those trees at Auburn University's historic landmark had been poisoned, casting a dark shadow over the school. Meanwhile, the Auburn football team went from national champions in 2010 to the bottom of the SEC by 2012. Head coach Gene Chizik was fired and replaced by Gus Malzahn, the offensive coordinator of that national title team. Expectations were bleak entering the 2013 season, as Malzahn inherited a team coming off its worst season in 60 years. What followed was one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in college football history — a year of implausible finishes, cinematic heroics, games for the ages...and, eventually, the symbolic return of those mighty oaks.
Miracles on the Plains

A young man on his way to a remote drug rehab finds himself in a strange town being chased by the locals, as well as his own personal demons.
Grace Point

Profiling former Georgia running back Herschel Walker. The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner overcame teenage bouts with bullying for being overweight and having a severe stutter.
Herschel

In 1943, in a circus tent in Burbank, CA, a bunch of revolutionary thinkers first gathered together in secrecy to build America's first jet fighter. They were rule benders, chance takers, corner cutters-people who believed that nothing was impossible. I
Secrets in the Sky: The Untold Story of Skunk Works

Driven by dedication, sacrifice and raw talent, 30 elite cheerleading teams compete to become the sport's ultimate champion.
Nfinity Champions League Cheerleading Event

This 2012 documentary profiles Lori "Lolo" Jones, who surmounted poverty and homelessness to become one of the most dominant athletes in women's track and field history at Louisiana State University, a successful Olympian and a world champion.
Lolo

NASCAR Media Group's documentary-style film chronicling the history of the eight-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship team. Narrated by three-time Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise, "ogether" employs exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage, thrilling racing sequences and rare family photography to detail the personal relationships and emotional events that have shaped one of NASCAR's most decorated organizations. Written by Anonymous Narrated by three-time Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise, "Together" employs exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage, thrilling racing sequences and rare family photography to detail the personal relationships and emotional events that have shaped one of NASCAR's most decorated organizations.
Together: The Hendrick Motorsports Story

Before Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson teamed up as owner and head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, they were key players on Arkansas' unbeaten national champions in 1964. This documentary examines how their time at Arkansas shaped their futures.
Before They Were Cowboys

The best team never to win the College World Series? It might have been the 1985 Mississippi State Bulldogs, who produced four Major League Baseball All-Stars. Two of them, Bobby Thigpen and Jeff Brantley, became Relievers of the Year, while the other two, Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro, formed the imposing one-two hitting punch known as "Thunder and Lightning." The brash and bold Clark was born in New Orleans, the son of a pool hustler, while the soft-spoken and shy Palmeiro was a son of Cuban immigrants who did his talking at the plate. As teammates at Mississippi State, they nearly propelled the Bulldogs to a College World Series title. Thirty years later, director Rory Karpf revisits those fabled Bulldogs, tracks the complicated relationship between Clark and Palmeiro, and brings closure to men who should be remembered for what they did, and not for what they didn't do.
Thunder and Lightning

Alabama's Mykal Riley hits a desperate 3-pointer to send a 2008 SEC men's basketball tournament quarterfinal game into overtime. Had he missed it, thousands of fans departing the Georgia Dome would have been exposed to a major tornado that swept through downtown Atlanta. Instead, Riley's "Miracle Three" prevented a major tragedy, united rivals, revealed heroes, and allowed one underdog (Georgia) to claim the conference's automatic NCAA tournament bid.