The 5th Annual NYU Sports Film Festival will kick-off with a speaker panel on Diverse Mediums of Sports Storytelling! Multiple Emmy-award winning sports anchor John Chandler of NBC, Spanish-language play-by-play commentator for the MLB and the Jets Clemson Smith Muñiz, Actor Hunter Redhorse Arthur(Rez Ball, Killers of the Flower Moon), and Emmy Award Winning Producer at Fox Kiir Knight will come together to share their perspectives on the diverse means through which they tell inspiring sports stories.
About John Chandler: John Chandler is a multiple Emmy® award-winning sports anchor and reporter for NBC 4 New York, delivering top-tier coverage of the biggest moments in sports. Whether anchoring weekend broadcasts or reporting from the sidelines, John brings an unmatched passion for storytelling, engaging audiences with in-depth coverage and compelling narratives.
Since joining NBC 4 in 2014, John has reported on some of the most significant events in sports history, from Super Bowl XLVIII to the Stanley Cup Final and the World Series. His sharp storytelling earned him a New York Emmy® for sports reporting in 2020 and another for news writing in 2018. His versatility extends beyond the sports desk—he has covered breaking news and human-interest stories that resonate with viewers.
Before arriving in New York, John sharpened his skills as a sports anchor at NBC Connecticut, where he hosted the Olympic Zone and covered the Boston Marathon bombing. His career has taken him from Boston’s premier sports radio stations to the sidelines of Notre Dame Football on Sirius/XM. His early career in Cleveland, his hometown, saw him covering a young LeBron James and reporting on the Ohio State Buckeyes’ national championship victory.
A graduate of Boston University, John’s dedication to excellence in journalism has been recognized with numerous accolades, including multiple New York Emmy Awards and the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award. Whether reporting from a championship parade or telling the inspiring story of a local athlete, John Chandler continues to be one of sports journalism’s most trusted voices.
About Clemson Smith Muñiz: For over four decades, Clemson Smith Muñiz has been at the forefront of Spanish-language sports media, bringing the biggest games to life as a broadcaster, writer, and producer.
From his early days as a sports journalist covering everything from Super Bowls to the NBA Finals, Clemson transitioned to broadcasting, becoming a pioneer in Spanish-language sports coverage. He has called games for the NFL, NBA, MLB, and more, serving as the longest-tenured Spanish-language voice for the New York Jets and a play-by-play announcer for MLB Network.
Beyond the mic, Clemson has shaped the industry as a managing editor, translator, and content creator. He helped launch La Vida Baseball, a groundbreaking platform celebrating baseball through a Latino lens, and has worked with Netflix, HBO, and the Smithsonian on Spanish-language sports and cultural storytelling.
A University of Pennsylvania graduate, Clemson has dedicated his career to making sure Spanish-speaking fans don’t just watch the game—they experience it.
About Kiir Knight: Kiir (Pronounced “Beer” with a “K”) Knight is an Emmy Award-winning Senior Broadcast Talent Producer leveraging almost 20 years of experience in live broadcast television. Kiir has a proven track record of bringing compelling narratives to life across leading networks and their platforms. Her professional journey spans prestigious media organizations including ESPN, NASCAR, MSNBC, and now FOX Sports.
Kiir began her career at ESPN as a Temp Production Assistant. In 6 years, she covered the NBA, WNBA, NASCAR & Little League World Series among other properties. During this time, she developed expertise in live TV production and short form storytelling in the form of feature producing setting the foundation for her future roles.
At NASCAR, Kiir transitioned to the talent relations space, booking athletes, celebrities and music acts to experience and participate in NASCAR events.
Her subsequent roles at ESPN, MSNBC and FOX Sports as a Broadcast Talent Producer further refined her skills in identifying and positioning impactful storytellers.
Kiir is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications.
About Hunter Redhorse Arthur: Hunter Redhorse Arthur (Diné) has always been deeply captivated by the power of storytelling. Growing up immersed in his Indigenous heritage, he recognized early on that authentic narratives play a crucial role in shaping perceptions. This realization fueled his passion and led him to pursue a master’s degree in film from New York University, where he honed his skills as both a director and producer.
Before attending NYU, Hunter worked on a number of film and television projects, including contributing to Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon as a set decoration production assistant. This experience proved to be a pivotal moment in his career, giving him invaluable world-building experience and sparking his determination to amplify Indigenous narratives on a global scale.
Since graduating, Hunter has continued to focus on projects that highlight Indigenous voices and experiences. In 2023, he wrote and directed Two Worlds, a powerful short film shedding light on the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP). His most recent thesis film, Hunter (2025), explores a father and son’s coming-of-age hunting experience in the mountains of Arizona, reflecting Hunter’s ongoing commitment to telling deeply personal and culturally relevant stories.
Hunter’s journey has also led him to explore acting, allowing him to bring his unique perspective to a variety of projects. One standout role is in Netflix’s Rez Ball (2024), where he portrays a reserve basketball player named after his parents’ favorite pro athletes. The role allowed Hunter to add depth and authenticity to a story that resonates with many in Indigenous communities, showcasing the intersection of family, identity, and sport.
In addition to his work as a filmmaker and actor, Hunter co-founded Redhorse Media with his sister, Shenise Arthur, in order to create culturally authentic content and amplify Indigenous voices on a global scale. Together, they are reshaping the media landscape, challenging stereotypes, and fostering a more inclusive and truthful representation of Indigenous peoples.
As he continues to navigate the entertainment industry, Hunter remains steadfast in his commitment to telling stories that honor his heritage, provide a platform for underrepresented voices, and bridge cultural divides. With each new project, he strives to foster understanding and connection through the universal language of film.
The 5th Annual NYU Sports Film Festival will host its 2nd ever Pitch Contest, featuring presentations from 6 selected filmmakers and a handful of “Wild Card Pitchers” to a judging panel of esteemed sports media producers!
Presenters will pitch their projects and receive feedback from judges Dave Zigerelli (VP, Overtime), Noah Malale (Prinicpal, Amazon Sports), and Alli Lank (Executive, Watch This Ready) in real time at the event.
The 6 selected filmmakers will give presentations featuring slides, proofs of concepts, etc., while anybody in the audience has a chance to be a Wild Card Pitcher, give an elevator-pitch to the judges, and receive feedback as well. Numbers will be taken upon check-in at the event and drawn out of a hat to determine our Wild Card Pitchers!
About Dave Zigerelli: Dave Zigerelli is a seasoned media executive with a passion for storytelling and an impressive track record in content creation. Growing up in sports-obsessed Western Pennsylvania, he developed an early love for athletics before discovering his creative voice in the arts. His journey took him through multiple colleges and majors before a life-changing trip to New York City cemented his path in entertainment.
Dave launched his career by diving headfirst into the production world, mastering everything from documentaries and reality TV to game shows, food, true crime, and even wrestling. Along the way, he wore nearly every hat—producing, directing, shooting, editing, and writing—collaborating with some of the industry’s best minds and honing his craft across various formats.
After showrunning ESPN’s short-lived Barstool Van Talk, Dave joined Overtime in 2018 when it was a young, fast-growing startup with a bold vision: to create content for underserved audiences and redefine the sports media landscape. As VP of Overtime Studios, he has played a pivotal role in the company’s meteoric rise, helping grow its audience from thousands to over 120 million followers. His expertise in audience-driven storytelling has helped Overtime become a dominant force in digital sports content while staying true to its core mission and culture.
Guided by the philosophy of the late Steve Sabol—”Make the small decisions with your head and the big decisions with your heart”—Dave remains committed to pushing creative boundaries and shaping the future of sports media.
About Noah Malale: Noah Malale has spent his career bringing great sports stories to life. Growing up with a passion for sports and media, he followed that love through stops at some of the biggest names in the industry, learning every aspect of content creation along the way.
His journey started at Modern Times Group, where he worked in content acquisitions and live sports production, helping bring NFL and Olympic coverage to international audiences. From there, he moved into documentary filmmaking, producing projects like Basketball: A Love Story, the 10-part, 20-hour ESPN docuseries, and Do or Die, an award-winning animated short about the wild final night of the 1978 NBA regular season.
In 2018, Noah joined The Ringer, where he played a key role in building out Ringer Films, first as a Producer, then Director of Development, and eventually leading the division. Over four years, he helped shape the brand’s distinct approach to sports storytelling, working on projects that blended culture, history, and the love of the game.
Today, as Principal, Unscripted Creative at Amazon Sports, Noah is focused on telling bold, original stories for a global audience. He believes the best sports content doesn’t just show the game—it captures the people, moments, and emotions that make it unforgettable.
With a Master’s in Sports Law, Media, and Business from NYU and a BA from the University of Michigan, Noah has spent years learning how to craft content that resonates. And as sports media keeps evolving, he’s excited to help shape what’s next.
About Alli Lank: Alli Lank is a producer living in New York. As Development and Production Executive for Watch This Ready, the independent production company founded by filmmakers Michael Covino and Kyle Marvin in 2019, she creates films and shows that are bold and unique, that entertain and challenge audiences. The team is in post-production on SPLITSVILLE with Neon and Topic, directed by Michael Covino, starring Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Covino, Kyle Marvin. A University of Virginia graduate with a degree in Media Studies and Architecture, she began her career in public relations before working in physical production and stumbling into film. Accidents happen.