The Heart of the Game (2005)

Director:

Ward Serrill

Writer:

Ward Serrill (written by)

Release Date:

7 July 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Sport

Tagline:

THE HEART OF THE GAME captures the passion and energy of a Seattle high school girls' basketball team, the eccentricity of their unorthodox coach, and the incredible true story of one player's fight to play the game she loves.

Plot:

A documentary Roosevelt Roughriders, a girls' high-school basketball team in Seattle, and one player's fight to regain her eligibility to play. |

Plot Keywords:

Comeback | Seattle Washington | Coach | High School | Courtroom

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Ludacris	...	Narrator (as Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges)
Darnellia Russell	...	Herself
Bill Resler	...	Himself
Devon Crosby Helms	...	Herself (as Devon Crosby-Helms)
Meghan Miller	...	Herself
Jade White	...	Herself
Lindsey Wilson	...	Herself
Mike 'Riderman' Silva	...	Himself
Emily Watson	...	Herself
Hillary Seidel	...	Herself
Aaron Jack	...	Himself
Maria Mendoza	...	Herself
Keasha Beward	...	Herself
April Swafford	...	Herself
Maude Lepley	...	Herself
Joyce Walker	...	Herself
Joel Waters	...	Himself
Marjorie Russell	...	Herself
Jerry Ronk	...	Himself
Shannon Costello	...	Herself
Jenny Wild	...	Herself
Alex Jessup	...	Himself
Emiko Harris	...	Herself
Leondrae Morris
Betty Harris	...	Herself
Urika Russell	...	Herself
Leyla Khastou	...	Herself
Tracey Leddo	...	Herself
Secoy Clemmons	...	Herself
Trekayla Clemmons	...	Herself
Kenyon Luce	...	Himself
Malia O'Neil	...	Herself
Mike Colbrese	...	Himself
Kelli Cutright	...	Herself

Directed by
Ward Serrill

Writing credits
Ward Serrill		(written by)

Produced by
Alice de Muizon	....	associate producer
Larry Estes	....	executive producer
Lois Greenberg	....	associate producer
Liz Manne	....	producer
Richard Palacios	....	associate producer
Ward Serrill	....	producer
Amy Stodghill	....	associate producer (as Amelia Stodghill)

Original Music by
The Angel

Cinematography by
Ward Serrill		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Eric Frith

Production Management
Mary Daisey	....	post-production manager: Flying Spot
Kelli Garces	....	post-production manager: Flying Spot
Thomas Carl McGuinness	....	post-production supervisor

Art Department
Alex Bates	....	graphic designer
Lucy Woodworth	....	graphic artist: Flying Spot

Sound Department
Pat Cockburn	....	sound recordist: narration, Bad Animals
Gideon Cohen	....	sound recordist: narration, Bad Animals
Mark Griswold	....	additional sound: Bad Animals
Steve Heinke	....	sound recordist: narration, Bad Animals
Dave Howe	....	sound mixer: Bad Animals
Matt Hutchinson	....	sound recordist: narration, Bad Animals
Michael McAuliffe	....	sound designer: Bad Animals (as Mike McAuliffe)
Joshua Monroy	....	sound recordist: narration, Bad Animals
Peter Roberts	....	additional sound: Bad Animals
Ward Serrill	....	sound recordist: Bad Animals
Eric Soma	....	additional sound: Bad Animals
Wendi Wills	....	sound supervisor: post-production, Bad Animals
Daniel Sperry	....	sound consultant: Dolby (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Katherine Bragdon	....	additional camera operator
Wendy Jo Carlton	....	additional camera operator
David Fox	....	additional cinematographer
Bruce Hudson	....	additional camera operator
Charlie Kirkwood	....	additional camera operator
Kirk Miller	....	additional camera operator
Richard Palacios	....	additional camera operator
Ryan Purcell	....	additional camera operator
Ryan Purcell	....	lighting
Hilary Seidel	....	additional camera operator
Scott Seidel	....	additional camera operator
Aaron Stadler	....	additional camera operator
Diana Wilmar	....	additional cinematographer
Ray Woodhouse	....	additional camera operator

Editorial Department
Shane Dillon	....	on-line editor: Flying Spot
Kurt Feldhun	....	additional editor
Tim Harader	....	additional editor
Steve Harris	....	on-line editor: Flying Spot
Troy Murison	....	on-line editor: Flying Spot
Stephen R. Myers	....	post-production consultant (as Stephen Myers)
Tim Neff	....	on-line editor: Flying Spot
Amy Stodghill	....	assistant editor (as Amelia Stodghill)
Jeff Tillotson	....	electronic film timer: Flying Spot
Tiffany Verzal	....	additional editor
Dan Niemiec	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
The Angel	....	music producer
The Angel	....	music programmer
The Angel	....	musician: all other instruments
The Angel	....	score recordist: synthesizers
Steve Delbert	....	music recordist: band
Kurt Feldhun	....	additional composer: score
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Robert Russell	....	musician: upright and electric bass

Transportation Department
Steven 'Crash' Arroz	....	driver: van

Other crew
Alex Bates	....	technical supporter
Katherine Bragdon	....	story advisor
Matt Clarke	....	story advisor
Tricia Cooke	....	story advisor
Jake Farmer	....	web site designer
Steve Hay	....	story advisor
David Hunsaker	....	story advisor
David Liu	....	story advisor
Michael McMann	....	story advisor
Bill Neal	....	legal services
Cathleen O'Connell	....	consultant: stock footage
Allison Roberts	....	tape logging
Pat Sanford	....	chief executive: Flying Spot
Doug Serrill	....	usher
June Serrill	....	usher
Daniel Steinman	....	legal services
Amy Stodghill	....	tape logging (as Amelia Stodghill)
Neil Sussman	....	legal services
Lucy Woodworth	....	title designer: Flying Spot
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances (uncredited)
Kurt Feldhun	....	story consultant (uncredited)
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Woody Creek Productions
• Flying Spot Pictures
• Welb Film Pursuits Ltd. (in association with)

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2006) (USA) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• 911 Media Arts Center  fiscal sponsor (as 911 Media Arts)
• Bad Animals  sound design and mix
• Cinetic Media  distribution advisory services (as Cinetic Media and Duopoly)
• Flying Spot Pictures  post-production services (as Flying Spot)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

Runtime:

97 min | Canada:102 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Washington, USA

Company:

Woody Creek Productions

Quotes:

Bill Resler: Devour the moose!

Movie Connections:

References Superman (1941)

Soundtrack:

Believe It

Teachers! Required viewing!!

The Heart of the Game This is one of the great documentary achievements of the year. There have been so many stunning documentary films lately that they are beginning to provide far more revelation and insight into our times than most fictional works. The Heart of the Game is one of the most stunning examples. To review this as a sports film gives it little of the credit it deserves. What these remarkable filmmakers have done is to fashion a "sports genre" movie into a perfect gem of a film about adolescence, class, race, education, competition, gender, inspiration, and the gallant nature of the everyday the heroes and heroines in our midst. Directed by Ward Serrill, edited by Eric Frith and co-produced by Liz Manne, I think it rivals Grizzly Man in its ability to resonate beyond its own expectations and achieve something akin to poetry.

The filmmakers have put together a rousing portrait of two lives - University of Washington tax professor and women's basketball coach Bill Resler and basketball prodigy Darnellia Russell. Together with an ensemble of colorful and committed women athletes and coaches, they overcome a string of obstacles and turns of good and bad fortune that couldn't be scripted into a work of fiction any more powerfully. That the events you see actually unfolded as the film was being shot is remarkably good luck. They have taken the two hundred hours of footage over six years and beautifully fashioned it into a riveting story that will not only inspire but will blow your mind. The audience is evidence. I cannot remember the last time that heard a sophisticated older audience such as attended this screening, actually yell at the screen, comment out loud, sit on the edge of their seats, and applaud DURING the film. I'm not a sports fan at all. I dislike in many ways the tribal mentality of the commercial sporting event. But this film is way beyond a film for sports fans. It ought to be required viewing for any teacher, and for that matter, any high school class. Rather than another tired anecdote from the rarified world of celebrity let's see Bill Resler and Darnellia Russell on Letterman, Leno, Oprah. These are heroes worth hearing from.