'Born to Bowl' docu-series from CCM alum Brian Lazarte airs on HBO
Executive Produced by Ben Stiller and narrated by Liev Schreiber, the final episode airs on April 13
The HBO Original five-part documentary series "Born to Bowl," directed by CCM Media Production alumnus Brian Lazarte and James Lee Hernandez, from A24 and executive produced by Ben Stiller, and narrated by Liev Schreiber, airs its final episode on Monday, April 13. It will be available to watch on HBO as well as stream on HBO Max.
The docu-series takes viewers inside the colorful world of professional bowling, chronicling five stars of the sport — Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, EJ Tackett, Cameron Crowe and Jason Belmonte — as they chase glory, respect and prize money on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour.
Emmy-nominated filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte (BFA Media Production, '04) founded their Los Angeles-based, full-service production company, FunMeter, in 2018. In addition to "Born to Bowl," they've worked on several film projects together including the five-time Emmy-nominated HBO documentary series and podcast "McMillion$" (Sundance 2020), "The Big Conn" (SXSW 2022) and "LOLLA: The Story of Lollapalooza" (Sundance 2024).
Many CCM Media Production alumni go on to work in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. CCM's Summer in LA program works to connect those alumni with current Media Production students who've been chosen for paid summer internship opportunities. In summer 2025, Media Production student Aidan Britton-Heitz interned in LA with FunMeter during production for "Born to Bowl," working as a post-production PA on the project. During his internship, he worked in all areas at FunMeter, including post production, documentary production, camera operation, podcasting, writing and design and social media.
As "Born to Bowl" reaches audiences, Britton-Heitz's role behind the scenes marks an early step in his professional trajectory, one grounded in both technical skill development, alumni connection and a growing awareness of how media can reshape the way stories are seen and understood.
You can learn more about "Born to Bowl" in The Hollywood Reporter's interview with Lazarte and Hernandez.
Featured image at top of a "Born to Bowl" promotional graphic. Photo/HBO
Support the Next Generation of Bearcats
CCM Summer in LA builds on the Media Production program’s focus on experiential learning, providing students with the hands-on skills and digital portfolio necessary to transition successfully into the professional world.
A gift to the CCM Summer in LA Internship Fund helps provide student grants awarded annually at the Media Production Division’s Excellence Awards, ensuring more students can access this transformative experience.
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