DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
2020 began with the tragic death of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, which set the tone for what would be a year that felt like a kick in the balls… on loop. The hits kept coming and after a while I became numb, which is worse than actual pain. When you start to not feel anything emotionally you’re not living, you’re surviving. My goal of directing a feature in 2021 seemed not just impossible but trivial. As I took drives around town looking for toilet paper and picking up take-out, I kept seeing Kobe Murals. These larger than life images of Kobe’s storybook life brought some joy to me, reminding me of better times with friends, family, and Lakers Nation. I admired how the artists were able to channel our grief and speak for all of us by capturing Kobe’s memories that had filled our lives with so much joy. Triumph began to overshadow tragedy. Now with some time to reflect on it all, I wanted to bring something good into the world by telling a story that showed how Kobe and Gianna’s legacy will live on in our hearts and city’s walls. For the past months, we’ve been working on a special project that has reinvigorated my passion for life and my love for this city, even if you can’t see my smile through my mask.
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
Patrick Green is an award-winning filmmaker and journalist who tells inspiring and thought-provoking stories through a genre film lens. After having written and/or directed projects for the likes of Tony Scott, ID Agency, and various Hollywood producers, he struck out on an indie film path. Over the past three years, his narrative and documentary films have screened at over 75+ film festivals worldwide, winning numerous awards, and are now streamed on Amazon Prime, Tubi, Vimeo On Demand and others. His latest film, ‘Bundini,’ is a documentary on Bundini Brown, Muhammad Ali’s longtime trainer and Svengali, which world premiered on ring magazine in July 2020 and is set to hit the festival circuit in 2021.
PRODUCER
James T Armstrong is a multi-talented filmmaker whose skills touch every film department. The Ocean City, MD native’s love of skateboarding, music and storytelling cemented a deep interest in DIY indie film early in life. As the former Head of Video Production at Evolve Media, he produced hundreds of video pieces across multiple platforms for over eight years. In addition, he’s worked as a DOP, editor, and producer on films that have played at dozens of film festivals including the documentary short ‘For Your Consideration‘ and narrative comedy ‘You Got The Part‘.
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Brian Nguyen is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles, CA. He received his Masters of Fine Arts at the AFI Conservatory where he studied under the industry’s most esteemed cinematographers such as Steve Yedlin, ASC, Stephen Lighthill, ASC, and many more. Brian’s cinematography aims to evoke emotion and feeling through his imagery.
