Sports documentaries have transformed the way fans connect with their favourite sports. Sidelines speaks to film producer James Gay-Rees, the man at the forefront of the sports documentary revolution.
James Gay-Rees, co-founder of Box-to-Box Films, is the mind behind the fan-favourite sports docs and series such as Drive to Survive, Senna, Break Point, Full Swing, Make Us Dream and many more.
“We offer the reality of what being an elite athlete is like and how difficult it really is. I think when you watch a lot of sports you take it for granted,” Gay-Rees says. “You just don’t understand what the pressures that these athletes are living with.”
Having won an Oscar, BAFTAs, Emmys and Grammys for his work, Gay-Rees and his team have transformed the sports documentary landscape – spotlighting the untold stories behind athletes’ performances.
“Giving it context and understanding, making those athletes rounded human beings, that’s what people have responded to – the insight into the reality of elite athletes.”
For Gay-Rees, the challenge is getting past the heavy media training of athletes and getting them to show their struggles and the emotional tolls of competition.
“It’s rare people get to experience athletes as they truly are because most modern athletes are so PR-d these days. But they’re all human beings. They’ve all got issues to deal with,” he says. “I think that then puts into context what they do on the field of play – it’s incredible that they can get to that level of performance with everything that must be going on in their lives.”
“For example, season one of Drive to Survive saw (Romain) Grosjean having a complete meltdown behind closed doors. I think that is the extraordinary thing to understand about athletes. They’re just as vulnerable and fragile as the rest of us.”
This insight into the human side of elite athletes is central to the ethos of Box-to-Box Films – bringing the audience closer to the pressures and passions in competition.
“The ambition is to shine a light on sport in a way that people hadn’t done before, and really get behind the scenes. Every company has its own DNA and we’re very passionate about the stories we’re telling.”
The introduction of Drive to Survive to sporting fans has had a profound impact on Formula 1, completely reshaping its audience.
“Through the series, we’ve probably tripled the audience for that sport. The value of Formula 1 has gone up exponentially since its introduction,” Gay-Rees says. “You can’t attribute it all to the series but it’s been a big factor in the sport playing up over the last six, seven years.”
The latest series of the show recently won the ‘Outstanding Sports Documentary Series’ category at the 2025 Sports Emmys.
“We were all chuffed to get that Emmy because it was the second Emmy that Drive to Survive won. It’s really good for the wider team – people work incredibly hard on that show. All the people on the ground have really gruelling international schedules. They’re the real stars.”
Engineering a sports documentary is a gruelling process, something very relevant to Drive to Survive.
“It’s brutal putting together the edit and it never really stops. We spend four to six months editing the first episode,” he says. “We’re delivering a season when we’re also preparing for the next one – you never get off the treadmill, it takes over your life. ”
“The award is a great recognition for that. I even watch something like Senna and think, ‘That’s a really well put together film’. It took me seven years. You forget the agony you go through and the moments of crisis and humiliation.”
The documentary series hasn’t come without its critics, but for Gay-Rees, the creative process of bringing a sports documentary to life is nothing short of “alchemy.”
“Some people see an episode and question why something wasn’t included – they’ll never understand how many choices you have to make and how abstract the process is in order to funnel thousands of hours of data into a 35-minute episode.
“We’re obviously trying to tell stories which are reflective of what’s going on in the paddock. But you can’t do it in a way which is wholly accurate because of this.”
In its sixth season now, the world-famous series has cemented itself in the world of F1, with fans eagerly awaiting each new episode – but what does its future look like?
“Who knows? It could carry on indefinitely, or this could be the last season. The audience is massive so it’s a bit of a cultural institution and the biggest show we’ve ever made.”
Reflecting on his journey, Gay-Rees offers a reminder of the hard work and dedication it takes to succeed in sports media.
“I remember reading a stat years ago – something like nine out of 10 film producers only ever make one film because it’s so hard to make one.
“Just getting anything made is a miracle. Most people can make a bad film, but making a good film is really difficult. There are no shortcuts to it, they are all incredibly hard work.
“You have to really pursue stories you’re passionate about. Passion does tend to win through at the end of the day. And if you’re not passionate about something, nobody’s ever going to buy it and they’ll see through it.”
This passion is leading Gay-Rees and Box-to-Box productions to their next big project – one that has them equally excited and ready for the next challenge.
“We’re doing a killer four-part series about the footballer Johan Cruyff, which will come out before the World Cup, which I’m super excited about.”
As the company continues to evolve and explore new stories, it’s clear that Gay-Rees’ drive to illuminate the untold, human side of sport will remain at the heart of everything they do.
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