TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY
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Images
Wat Misaka, 1944 University of Utah Championship Team
Website
Topics
Human Development: Social Exclusion
Human Rights: Race Politics, Social Exclusion
Peace and Conflict: Arms & Military
Politics: Civil Society
Project Geography
US: National, California, Hawaii, New York, Utah
International: Asia
Identity Niches
Budget
Raised to date: $117,000.00
Estimate to complete: $40,000.00
Total Estimated Budget: $157,000.00
The budget numbers above are accurate as of 06/14/2009
Status
Post Production
Media Type
Video
Project End Use
TV
Key Personnel
Christine Toy Johnson
Executive Producer/Co-Director
Christine Toy Johnson is a filmmaker, playwright, and actor. Her shortfilm about inadvertent discrimination, ALL AMERICAN EYES, (which she wrote,starred in and produced) was the winner of the Audience Award at the WavesInternational Film Festival, and played the Hearts and Minds and New YorkInternational Film and Video Film Festivals. Awarded two consecutive grantsfrom the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, she produced andco-directed TRANSCENDING – THE WAT MISAKA STORY with her husband, filmmakerBruce Johnson. TRANSCENDING – THE WAT MISAKA STORY, a full-length documentaryabout the first person of color to be drafted into what is now the NBA, by the1947 Knicks, has had over 20 community screenings across the country, won the“Gold Kahuna Award” from the Honolulu International Film Festival, the "Emerging Eye Directorial Discovery Award from the Roving Eye Documentary Film Festival and is anofficial selection of , the 2009Rhode Island International Film Festival and the 2009 San Diego Asian Film Festival.
Christine’s first play, THE NEW DEAL, was theinaugural play to be developed in the "Different Voices" program atthe Roundabout Theatre Company in NYC, while its prequel, PAPER SON, wasrecently added to the Mutli-cultural drama curriculum at the University ofMichigan as well as the Playwriting curriculum at Wesleyan University. Otherplays: THE PERFECT WIFE, INTERNAL BLEEDING, ADVENTURES OF A FAUX DESIGNERHANDBAG, and "EVER SEE A FAT CHINESE?" (produced by New PerspectivesTheatre Company in NYC). Screenplays: NO WAVE WITHOUT WIND (with CharlesRandolph-Wright), JUMPING THE THIRD RAIL, DULLY FOR PRESIDENT and OLD, FAT ANDUGLY.
As a performer, she has appeared extensively onBroadway, off-Broadway, in regional theatres across the country, in film,television, and concerts worldwide for over 25 years and is the recipient of a2008 Boomerang Fund for Artists Grant Award in recognition of her acting andwriting careers.
Christine is agraduate of Sarah Lawrence College and the Certificate of Screenwriting Programat NYU. She is part of the elected leadership of Actors’ Equity Association, onthe board of Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, a member of the Barrow GroupTheatre Company, AEA, SAG, AFTRA, and The Dramatists Guild. More about her work can be found at www.christinetoyjohnson.com
Bruce Alan Johnson
Co-Director/Editor
Bruce Alan Johnson Directed the audience award-winning shortfilm ALL AMERICAN EYES written by and starring his wife Christine Toy Johnson,and with a grant from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program,has collaborated with her again to make TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY, a documentary about the first AsianAmerican professional basketball player, Wat Misaka. TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY has had over 20 community screenings across the country, won the “Gold Kahuna Award” from the Honolulu International Film Festival, the "Emerging Eye Directorial Discovery Award from the Roving Eye Documentary Film Festival and is an official selection of , the 2009 Rhode Island International Film Festival and the 2009 San Diego Asian Film Festival.
He has worked Off-Broadwayas Production Stage Manager for FALSETTOLAND and the world premiere of VICTORWOO and as a performer, on Broadway as "Joe Gillis" opposite ElainePaige in SUNSET BLVD. Bruce was also the lighting designer for the "AsianAmericans on Broadway" concert series at the Brava Theatre and Palace ofFine Arts in San Francisco and the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston. Anaward-winning photographer, he is the founder of Bruce Johnson Photography andGraphic Design, whose clients have included Oscar nominated and Tony and GrammyAward winning artists.
He is a graduate of the University of Iowa (film production).More about his work can be found at www.brucealanjohnson.com
Outreach/Engagement Plan(s)
We have been doing (and will continue doing) community screenings for cross-generational Asian American and sports communities in cities across the country. So far we have had capacity audiences in San Francisco, Los Angeles, NYC, Brooklyn, San Jose, Sacramento, Honolulu, Hilo, and Salt Lake City. We are making our festival debut at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and hope to attract a distributor there. We believe the film is best suited to broadcast television, and are submitting it to the appropriate venues.Funders
| Name | Amount | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Civil Liberties Public Education Program/California State Library | $15,000.00 | 07/01/2008 | |
| California Civil Liberties Public Education Program/California State Library | $15,000.00 | 07/01/2007 |
Location
160 Cabrini Blvd.
Suite 23
New York, 10033
Short Synopsis
TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY is a documentary feature about Japanese American basketball star, Wat Misaka, who in 1947 was the first person to be drafted into what is now the NBA. Overcoming the political climate of WWII, Wat led the University of Utah to the NCAA and NIT championships, before becoming the first draft pick ever for the New York Knicks.
Description/Treatment
TRANSCENDING - THE WATMISAKA STORY is a feature length documentary film about Wat Misaka, the firstperson of color to be drafted into what is now the NBA. A second generation Japanese American who was born, raised and isstill living in Utah, in 1947 Wat became the first draft pick ever for the NewYork Knicks. Overcoming the national political climate during World War II, Watwas a star player for the University of Utah 1944 and 1947 championship teams,taking 2 years off in between to serve in the U.S. Army. His perseverance andloyalty to his teammates, other Nissei friends (including those interned atTopaz) and his family are a testament to the unflappable Japanese Americanspirit. This film includes in depth interviews with Wat and his family,teammates from his championship teams (including All-American star Arnie Ferrinof the Minneapolis Lakers) sports authorities (including Knicks HistorianDennis D'Agostino and ubiquitous New York sportscaster Spencer Ross), and manywho continue to look up to him as both a role model and personal hero. The filmalso has video clips from his 1944 and 1947 college tournament games, rarefootage from a visit to the Topaz Internment Camp, and countless photos of histriumphant career. The 1940s soundtrack consists of music that was meaningfulto Wat, and indelibly sets the context of the time period. The film is complete, but we have not finished securing music rights.Click here to ask for more information about this project: