FADER FILMS AND BORN & BREAD WITH DEN OF THIEVES LAUNCH BORNREADY.TV
Series Of Webisodes Profiles High School Basketball Phenom Lance Stephenson;
Offers Glimpse Into The Making Of A Potential Superstar
New York, January 2, 2008 – FADER Films and Born & Bread in production with Den of Thieves today announced a partnership to bring an inside look at the development of basketball’s hottest young prodigy and next superstar. Capitalizing on Born & Bread’s ability to identify and capture compelling stories in a saturated market, FADER Films’ expertise and reach in producing compelling content aimed at a young and hip demographic and Den of Thieves’ extensive background producing cutting edge music and reality programs for TV, BornReady.tv (www.bornready.tv) will follow Coney Island and Lincoln High School basketball prodigy Lance Stephenson as he develops as player and as a young man. The webisodes, which will be released in near real time, will follow Lance through his sophomore and junior years in High School, with plans to continue to document his journey for the next three years.
Following in the footsteps of fellow New York basketball greats Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, Lance Stephenson is widely considered to be the #1 ranked high school basketball player in the country and is known as the pride of Coney Island. He has led his team to two NYC City Championships, once as a Freshman and once as a Sophomore, when he was also named NYC Player of The Year. He followed up his Sophomore City Championship with a New York State Championship and became the youngest player to play in the Pro Am division at EBC (Rucker Park). Although the championship game featured five NBA players, Stephenson was named its MVP and since then has been actively recruited by every major college program in the country. After a summer that included workouts with NBA superstars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, Stephenson is now entering his Junior season poised to re-write the high school record books and is on pace to become the greatest high school scorer in New York City history.
“We decided to film Lance because he is the most talented and dynamic high school basketball player in the country,” said Justin Leonard, co-founder of Born & Bread. “He’s on pace to becoming the most decorated high school basketball player in the history of NYC. Even non-basketball fans will be compelled by the journey of a tight-knit family trying to make their dreams come true.”
BornReady.tv will post a new episode every week offering viewers insights into the progress of Stephenson’s season as well as insights into his off-the-court exploits. It will showcase Stephenson’s talent on the court, from the street-grit intensity of summer pickup games to his school’s run for another City and State title. However, the drama will not only unfold on the court – where Stephenson dominates – but will also reveal the complexities of his personal life off the court in an environment where the outcome is far less predictable.
“The web offers us limitless potential to make the reality format a more immediate and interactive experience for the viewer,” says Den of Thieves’ Jesse Ignjatovic. “Lance’s life is so compelling and unpredictable and we’re able to capture it and make it accessible in near real time.”
About Born & Bread
Founded by Paul Rivera and Justin Leonard in 2005, the New York based film company specializes in documentary projects. Much of Born & Bread’s inspiration comes from the cultural and social issues that are relevant today.
About FADER Films
Founded by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen, New York-based FADER Films is the film production division of The FADER. FADER Films develops alternative business models as well as secures traditional production and distribution deals.
The FADER is the definitive voice of emerging music and the lifestyle that surrounds it. Through in-depth reporting and a distinct street sensibility, The FADER aggressively covers the most dynamic breadth of music and style emanating from the fringes of the mainstream to the heart of the underground, and was also the first publication in history to be released on iTunes. The FADER is the authority on what’s next.
About Den of Thieves
DEN OF THIEVES (DOT) specializes in the development and production of original content for TV, DVD, the Internet and emerging media platforms. Launched as a Warner Music Group company in 2007 by former MTV executive Jesse Ignjatovic and former Island Def Jam executive Evan Prager, DOT creates first-rate, original content. By capitalizing on its unique position as a WMG company, DOT produces a wide range of video content, much of it aimed at promoting and enhancing artist brands. DEN OF THIEVES is based in Los Angeles and represented by CAA. For more information, visit www.thedenofthieves.com.
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