Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC
A film by Bobbito Garcia & Kevin Couliau
Worldwide Digital Release: May 1, 2013
In Select US & UK Theaters: May 22
World Tour, presented by Nike: May thru August
Soundtrack EP Release: May 1, 2013
On May 1, 2013, filmmakers Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau independently release DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC, winner of the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Urbanworld Film Festival 2012. The documentary explores the history, culture and social impact of New York’s summer b-ball scene. Digital downloads/streams will be available at doinitinthepark.com, powered by vhx.tv.
DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK opens in theaters Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at Harlem’s prestigious Maysles Cinema (mayslesinstitute.org), founded by legendary director Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens). A limited national release follows, including special one-night screening events, powered by tugg.com.
Beginning May 9th in Mexico City, co-directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau commence a DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK world tour, presented by Nike, with theatrical as well as outdoor screenings throughout Mexico, China, South Africa, Philippines, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and US, followed by director a Q&A. Pick-up basketball games featuring the filmmakers with local players will also be activated in each city.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
NYC native and world-renowned DJ Bobbito Garcia is the critically acclaimed author of Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 (Testify Books). In recent years, “Kool Bob Love” has done sideline reporting for the NY Knicks on MSG Network, voiced NBA 2K video games, and has hosted ESPN2’s It’s the Shoes series. Currently, he is the play-by-play announcer for the Elite 24 Game on ESPNU and the Red Bull King of the Rock Championship, and tours the world spinning records at events for Red Bull, Nike, and Fania Records, among others. facebook.com/bobbitogarciaakakoolboblove
Frenchman Kevin Couliau is widely recognized as the most prolific outdoor basketball photographer of the last decade. His images have appeared in Reverse Magazine (France) and Fadeaway Magazine (UK). As a videographer, his work has been seen on Canal + (France) “The New Explorers” documentary series, Jordan Brand’s annual Quai 54 TV/DVD series, the New York Knicks “Battle of the Boroughs” videos, and Nike’s “Basketball Never Stops” campaign. In 2010, he directed a music video titled “Heart & Soul Of New York City,” which has accumulated 1,000,000+ views online and counting. He currently lives in Paris. Official site: kevincouliau.com
The soundtrack, titled EDDIE PALMIERI IS DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK, also drops May 1. Eddie Palmieri is a nine-time Grammy Award winner, and recently received the prestigious National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master Award, our nation’s highest honor for the genre. The EP features original compositions Palmieri recorded for the DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK score, plus memorable sound bites from the film. The release will be available on digital/CD/vinyl.
ABOUT THE FILM
Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC is an independent documentary directed by Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau. The film explores the definition, 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 basketball 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: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of playground legends, NBA athletes, and most importantly the common ballplayer who all day looks forward to calling “next” game at their local schoolyard. Co-directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau visited 180 courts throughout NYC’s five boroughs to create their debut documentary. They traveled to a majority of the locations by bicycle, carrying camera equipment and a basketball 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 Urban America’s most popular, and accessible, free recreation.
