Minneapolis Warriors semi-pro football team focus of new documentary

WOODBURY, Minn. – All things considered, a documentary going behind the scenes with the Minneapolis Warriors semi-pro football players, covering their struggles and successes, was a no-brainer.

"It was just one of the most rewarding projects I've made because I have such a love for football and a love for filmmaking that combining both of them, it was like a dream for me," said Joe Carlini, the film's producer and director.

Carlini is a Woodbury native who now works in Los Angeles. He played five years of semi-pro football himself.

"I had a lot of that insight and kind of, you know, where to film, the moments to capture, and then just the intensity of it," Carlini said. "As a filmmaker, I really, you know, kind of locked in."

He honed in on an idea. To create one continuous drone shot, using the skills of the virally-popular Sky Candy Studios, led by Carlini's friend Michael Welch.

"To be honest, it's one of the proudest things I've ever created was the drone video," Carlini said.  

It results in what will be one of the most powerful moments of the film, which is still in production, set to be released next year.

"As far as my knowledge, it's the only drone that's really been in the trenches of football action," Carlini said.

The movie is a glimpse into this unique branch of America's most popular sport.

"Some of them played in the NFL, some of them never played high school football before," he said. "Some were phenomenal athletes. Some were incredibly out of shape that you didn't know if they were gonna croak during the games."

But not the Warriors. During the filming, they won their second-straight national championship.

Carlini is still shooting portions of the film. The Minneapolis Warriors play their home games at Irondale High School.