(MENAFNEditorial)
iCrowdNewswire - Mar 29, 2017
We Run New York A documentary series about the different facets of running within New York City's diverse landscape. We Run New York is a docu-series focusing on different running groups and/or individuals within New York City's diverse running scene. Each episode will have an overarching theme (e.g. immigration, community, gentrification, tradition). The goal is to highlight the more humble and unassuming qualities of each episode's subject matter, such as the daily routine and struggle of a runner in an environment seemingly inhospitable to one, rather than focusing only on flashy success stories.
The Series
We Run New York is adocumentary-series focusing on the different running groups and/or individuals within New York City's diverse running scene. Ourgoal is tohighlight the more humble and unassuming qualities of each episode's subject matter, e.g. the daily routine and struggle of a runner in an environment inhospitable to one, rather than focusing on just flashy success stories. More than anything else, it is the humanity of running that we want to examine, and explore the different reasons people are drawn to running.
The Crew
Director/Editor/DP:Harry McFann ran track and studied film at Columbia University. While there,he ran a personal best of 1:47 in the 800, was anAll-American, and won multiple conference titles. He is based in New York City, andcontinues to be part of the running community there. As a freelance videographerhe has worked on projects ranging from pieces forThe Yes Network to promotional material for aBroadway show.
Producer/Creator: Paul Snyder is a freelance writer, currently living in Flagstaff, Arizona, but with every intention to relocate back to the City in a year's time. His work's been featured inRunning TimesandMeter Magazine, and he's currently a staff writer forCitius Mag. He was teammates with Harry at Columbia, but was much slower. He loves writing about New York and running, and hasbeen wanting to work on a project like this one for years.
Additional Photography: Gus Reedand Harry have worked on numerous projects together over the years. A videographer specializing in dance, he has created video for organizations including Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, New York City Ballet Education, and The George Balanchine Foundation.
Music Composer:VincentOppidoholds a BA and MM in Music from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and a Graduate Certificate in Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television from The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Vinny has scored numerous films, some of which have screened at film festivals around the world, includingCharlie Joe's Hotel Motel(Hollywood Film Festival and Madrid International Film Festival - nominated for Best Short Film), Cineastes(Greek Film Festival), andLovely Day(Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival),Panofsky's Complaint(winner of Best Score in ‘Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood').
Not Your Typical Running Documentary
Most sports related videos or documentaries amount to little more than extended promos. We want to avoid the typical flair and cliches that many of these sport documentaries find themselves repeating endlessly. It is not our goal to onlytell stories about people runningimpressive times or races. Rather, it is the runner's lifestyle itself that we want to focus on, and how it manifests differently for different runners - the struggle to balance one's running life with one's "civilian life". We hope that while following the lives of these different runners we will be able to explore larger socio-political issues that relate to American culture as a whole.
Whose Stories Are We Telling?
We have five30-minute episodes planned out and they will be distributed via YouTube. Each episode willfocuson a differentteam,individual, and/or race.
West Side Runners: A group consisting primarily of immigrants, many of whom make their living off the prize money they earn from races. These are some of the fastest runners in the region, but also some of the worst off, financially. Some of the athletes who can't afford housing even live with the team's president, Bill Staab, in his apartment. McCarren Park: When most people think of Brooklyn, they think of Williamsburg, hipsters, and gentrifcation. We will use McCarren Park as a lens to examine the rapid changes occurring inBrooklyn, and check in with the different people who use the park, including The Williamsburg Track ClubandNorth Brooklyn Runners.Francis'Gags Gagliano: Born in the Bronx,Gags is a legendary figure in the running community who has established himself as one of the greatest middle distance coaches in the country. He is currently the head coach of the NJ★NY Track Club. We will take a look athis legacy throughout the running community, from the teams he coached, to the coaches who ran under his guidance. New York Athletic Club: NYAC is ahistoric New York club whose members include some of the most elite in the city, both athletically and socio-economically. We will explore the different roles tradition plays in this club's long history and current place in the national running circle. The 5th Avenue Mile: The final episode will focus on the history anddifferent runners preparing for this unique New York road race. Here we will see many of the runners we have followed in previous episodes come together in a single event.
The Big Picture
In this docu-series we will shed light on the smaller, more intimate moments in the lives of runners so as to craft anarrative where anyone can find something to relate to. We want to capture the smallest of details so that the viewer sees the unseen, the minor, and the hidden. That which is subtle to the point where they are invisible to most eyes.
These are stories whose appeal is not limited to only runners and New York residents. One of our goals for how we tell these stories is that the inherent drama that comes from the difficulty in running, combined with the human element to each story that we will focus on, will create a wide reach in the show's appeal. In addition to the wide audience that can be reached with this series, there is also room for the show to grow. These stories are everywhere across the country, and we are uniquely positioned to not only find them, but to tell them the way they should be told.
How You Can Help
We want this to be the best documentary possible, and your generous donations will help make that happen! Any donations will help fund:
Compensation for all crew and collaborators
Lighting and other equipment rental
Travel Expenses (any out of town races we cover)
Post-production
Music licensing
Race and archival footage licensing
There are many more stories to tell about New York running, and any additional funds will go towards producing additional episodes, including one about the New York City Marathon.
Contact Information:
Harry McFann
Via Click here for more information
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