Sport in Film

Colin Shindler is both a film writer and passionate sports fan, and he's convinced that it's possible to marry the two obsessions on the big screen. However the archive is littered with gallant - and some not so gallant - failures amidst the few dazzling chariots of fire.

Colin, who has several sport-related books to his name, looks at some of the reasons sport gets tripped-up by the requirements of film. He talks to performers, producers and directors who have been involved with making compelling dramas, without losing sight of the need to produce an engaging story with engaging characters.

Lord Puttnam, Hugh Hudson, Michael Sheen, Rachel Portman and the former England cricketer Mike Selvey offer up advice and help Colin make sense of the archived lessons about sport in film.

Producer: Tom Alban

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2010.