On April 20, 1990, Seattle Mariners pitcher Brian Holman almost threw a perfect game — one of the rarest events that could occur on the diamond —so rare that its odds are 0.01% per game, with only 24 being thrown in history. The game’s trajectory still holds an impact as the plot resurfaces for sophomore Cinema Media Arts student John “Benjamin” Terrell, who produced “Almost Perfect: The 99th Pitch,” a documentary about the day when Holman’s name could have gone down in history. 

THE CALL

Before Terrell picked up the camera, he was a baseball player himself who needed a new pitching coach. His father came across retired pitcher Brian Holman, who has been coaching young players. Once Terrell met Holman, he was inspired and wanted him to be the subject of a documentary. 

“I always had Brian Holman in mind for a documentary,” said Terrell. “If you look at his whole life, it’s extremely fascinating. I always had this idea for “Almost Perfect” because I almost thought that was ironic, the essence of “Almost Perfect,” the nine-and-a-half pitch.”

Terrell was just a 19-year-old freshman when he wrote and produced the documentary as a class project. 

Holman has influenced Terrell’s life in more ways than one. Two years ago, when Terrell was looking for a university, Holman suggested Biola. 

“I knew that Biola had such a strong film program and department,” said Holman. “When Ben had mentioned to me that he was interested in that, I said, ‘Well, you know, the only school that comes to mind is Biola.’” 

Once Terrell visited Biola in 2022, he immediately fell in love with the film program. He loved baseball but was hungrier for excelling in film. 

THE CONNECTION 

Although Terrell is no longer stepping onto the mound, he believes baseball and film are more similar than one may think. 

“Baseball is filled with failure, adversity, and difficulty,” Terrell said. “Filmmaking is similar to baseball because there is no such thing as a perfect game. Even if you get 27 outs, no one will ever throw or hit their location every time. When you step on a set, you have to be prepared that things will go wrong. It’s about pivoting and still making the best film possible.” 

Although Holman has never worked in film, he understands how similar the two fields can be. His son studied film at Biola for a year and believes that baseball and filmmaking share qualities that will be beneficial in the long run.

Holman added, “Baseball is the most self-deprecating game ever invented. So if you can use failure and  adversity as fuel because you can beat that.” 

In baseball, the greatest players fail 70 percent of the time, and in film, if you make 80 percent of the movie that you want to make, you’ve had massive, unprecedented success. Regardless, both baseball and film are tedious passions that require perseverance. Baseball helped Terrell build character and taught him persistence, which helped him transfer over to his career in film. 

PRODUCTION 

Headed into his second semester at Biola, Terrell was assigned the project the second week and assembled a crew. 

“I was blessed to have made really solid connections the first semester of my freshman year,” said Terrell. 

The biggest challenge the crew faced was the time constraints. As the class project was due in six weeks, it was difficult to make a 16-minute movie in that time frame. Eight days into the assigned project, they flew Holman in from Texas for two days.

“If it’s a good opportunity for [Ben], I’d love to do it,” Holman stated. “I was blown away by how professional [he] was and how he wanted things done a certain way. This speaks volumes to how much he loves, cares about, and is passionate about film.”

At age 59, Holman was able to reminisce on his 25-year-old self. 

“The ability to compete at the major league level was so much fun,” said Holman. “To be able to go out and play is a special thing. So when you see it again on tape, you relive that stuff, and you’re going, Yeah, I did that one when I was a young man. So it’s kind of neat.” 

POST-PRODUCTION

Terrell’s editing process took two weeks. 

“The first three and a half minutes are the most edit-heavy, which is the most difficult and requires the most problem-solving on an editing level,” Terrell said.

Crunch time: The final week before the documentary was due, he flew to Texas to get a b-roll of Holman. Editing the documentary consumed his life, and he spent 16 hours a day editing. 

“It was challenging but also the most exhilarating editing experience,” Terrell said. “I got in this groove where all my ideas started working quickly. Not facing as many creative issues, and your vision just scopes out immediately, is rare for an editor.” 

MOONSHOT

Terrell has been running “Almost Perfect: The 99th Pitch” in short film contests and receiving positive feedback; he even won best documentary at Biola. 

In addition to the great success, he had an idea to reach out to the Mariners’ stadium, T-Mobile Park.

Life can change in the blink of an eye. One moment, Terrell was sitting in film class; the next thing he knew, he was running outside to text Mariners’ current President of Business Operations, Kevin Martinez, who told Terrell the film would be broadcasted and shown on the Jumbotron at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2024. 

“It was cool,” Holman stated.  “I had a lot of friends, and people that I knew, even former players, said, ‘We just saw this, and the kid did such a great job.’”

Terrell got a glimpse of his work being seen by millions.

THE FRIENDSHIP

Holman was proud of Terrell. 

“To see a young man be so passionate about something, get an idea, and then go, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go do this, is what I’m most proud of,’” said Holman. “Go do what you’re passionate about, what God’s called you to do, and you go do it.”

After knowing each other for four years, Holman and Terrell have shared a meaningful journey. The bond they developed during the documentary will be unforgettable.

“We had a very good relationship beforehand, but it was a coaching-student relationship. After the documentary, it surpassed that,” said Terrell. “He’s more than a coach now. He’s a mentor, and he’s a friend.”

Terrell’s creation of “Almost Perfect: The 99th Pitch” captures Holman’s near-perfect game and illustrates the deep bond formed through mentorship and shared passion. Their journey reflects the perseverance required in filmmaking and baseball, proving that pursuing one’s dreams can lead to extraordinary opportunities.