The Man Linking Hollywood, Tennis and San Francisco: Film Producer Todd Traina

Fresh off a trip to Deer Valley, Utah, Paul joins Matt to check in on Giants spring training, the NFL Combine and what the 49ers might do in free agency. The guys also break down the Warriors post–Jonathan Kuminga trade vibes and try to make sense of Kristaps Porzingis latest health saga.(15:48) Then Matt and Paul sit down with film producer, tennis aficionado and SFFILM board president Todd Traina for a wide-ranging conversation at the intersection of tennis and movies. They start with a high-stakes debate: if your life depended on one player in his prime, are you taking Nadal, Djokovic or someone else? That leads to a Mount Rushmore of tennis villains and why tennis has never produced a sports movie on the level of Rocky. The guys also get into Roger Federer’s Uniqlo deal, the criteria for getting into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and which players still deserve a spot. They preview the BNP Paribas Open and debate whether an American man will win a major or if the sport still belongs to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Todd also weighs in on what he’d change if he were tennis commissioner.(42:45) Todd discusses SFFILM and the San Francisco International Film Festival, the longest-running film festival in the Americas, whether festivals still matter in the streaming era, why this year’s lineup may be the strongest yet. Also the new San Francisco tax incentives he helped usher in with Mayor Daniel Lurie to bring production back to one of the most cinematic cities in the world. (1:07:30) Later, in Best Things They Saw, the guys discuss the FX hit Love Story, the enduring fascination with JFK Jr., the new Sam Rockwell film Good Night, Good Luck, Don’t Die and Industry on HBO. They wrap things up by welcoming Beat LA’s new producer and editor Tanner Hall, who may already fit in with the show a little too well.Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.Hosts: Matt Ferrucci & Paul RuehlFollow, Subscribe & Watch the Show on:Watch Episodes on YouTube!Instagram: @beatlapodcastTikTok: @beat.la.podcast Email the show at: [email protected] Matt Ferrucci on Instagram: @matt_ferrucciFollow Paul Ruehl on Instagram: @llruehljWebsite: https://www.beatlapodcast.com/