Doin' It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC

Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau, 2012, 83 min.

Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC explores the history, culture and social impact of New York’s summer b-ball scene, the worldwide “Mecca” of the sport. In New York City, pick-up is not just a sport. It is a way of life. There are 700+ outdoor courts, and an estimated 500,000 players, the most loyal of which approach the game as a religion, and the playground as their church. “You can play high school or college for four years. You can play Pro for a decade. You can play pick-up . . . for life.” Doin’ It In The Park lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of ajority of the locations by bicycle, carrying cameras and a ball in their backpacks. The film’s title refers as much to the subject matter as it does to the method of filmmaking, providing an unprecedented perspective on inner-city America’s most popular, and accessible, free recreation.

Wednesday, May 22nd following the 7:30pm screening there is a Q&A with key characters Jack Ryan, Niki Avery, and Milani Malik, moderated by SLAM Magazine Editor-in-Chief Ben Osborne.

Thursday, May 23rd following the 7:30pm screening there will be Q&As with dirs. Bobbito Garcia, Kevin Couliau, dir. of Wild Style, Charlie Ahearn, Henry Chalfant, Style Wars producer and moderated by author/filmmaker Raquel Cepeda (djalirancher.com).

Friday, May 24th following the 7:30pm screening there will be a Q&A with co-director Kevin Couliau and photographers Charlie Samuels and Pete Kuhns, moderated by author/historian Claude Johnson of Black Fives (blackfives.com).

Saturday, May 25th following the 7:30pm screening there will be a Q&A with directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau and author of “Heaven is a Playground,” Rick Telander.

Sunday, May 26th following the 7:30pm screening there will be a Q&A with Co-director Kevin Couliau and Executive Producer Nick Quested of Goldcrest Films (goldcrestfilms.com).

Tuesday, May 28th following the 7:30pm screening there will be a Q&A with directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau.

Official Website:www.doinitinthepark.com

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/65081192

FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/291410907658459/

BPT: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ref/17367/event/366468