Small Market, Big Heart

by jjham15 on Oct 24, 2011 11:49 PM PDT

Hello Sactown Royalty family. For the last few months, I have been a bit of a ghost, both here and on Cowbell Kingdom. In part, my absence is due to the lockout, but that is only the half of it. Since July, I have been working on a very special project with a great group of people and today we are proud to release our website, trailer and kickstarter page. The official media release and other notes after the jump.

Sacramento, Calif. – Small Market, Big Heart is a full-length documentary designed to share the compelling story of the people of Sacramento and their battle to acquire and preserve a professional sports franchise over the last 26 years. The film, set to be released in December, is a collaborative effort between leaders of the Here We Stay grassroots campaign and other fellow Sacramentans.

As a small market, Sacramento has faced enormous adversity, first in landing an NBA franchise and then maintaining that franchise through both good and bad economic times, relying on support from the community. The film, which is currently in post-production, illustrates Sacramento’s struggle to remain relevant in the high-stakes game of professional sports. It also delves into the battles the community faced in getting Arco I and Arco II built, as well as the current fight to build a new entertainment and sports complex in downtown Sacramento.

Small Market, Big Heart sets the stage for what is to be the future of our region. The story is told through the eyes of long-term members of media, former and current figures of the Sacramento Kings franchise, local politicians and lastly, the common people of the Sacramento community who stood tall in the face of adversity. Some of those featured in the film include Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, TV and Radio Broadcaster Grant Napear, Sacramento Developer David Taylor, Former Kings Guard Doug Christie, Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna, Kings Radio Voice Gary Gerould, Former Kings Managing Partner Gregg Lukenbill, Sacramento Bee Columnist Marcos Breton, Sacramento Kings Director of Player Personnel Jerry Reynolds, and KHTK 1140 Radio Host Carmichael Dave.

Small Market, Big Heart Productions will release the film in early December, with subsequent showings around the region. Following its release, the film will be revisited when a final outcome is decided on the fate of a new entertainment and sports complex.

The film’s website (www.smallmarketbigheart.com) features more information, including a trailer. A Kickstarter page has been set up for those interested in the project and to help the group through the final stretch of production.

Who are we? Hopefully most of you know me, the blogger formerly known as JJham15, now better known as James Ham from CowbellKingdom.com. I am producing the film, along with Blake Ellington, the founder of Here We Stay and writer for the Kings blog Bleed Black and Purple. Local independent film maker Tobin Halsey is our director and a big thanks goes out to the incredible camera work of Jesse Tavares as well as the research of Mike Tavares and his team- Lynne, Ron and Jeff.

We are in post production now, working feverishly to finish this incredibly challenging project. Our release is planned for early December, before Mayor Kevin Johnson lays out the funding mechanism for the new entertainment and sports complex.

This has been an amazing journey and I can't wait to share the finished product with my friends here at StR.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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Easiest $125 I've ever pledged

If the NBA doesn’t want my money, then people I admire can.

I can’t wait for this to come out.

Author of NBA Mashups. Follow me on Twitter here.

by Aykis16 on Oct 25, 2011 12:11 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs

I'm in for $50

I was going to go for the $125, but I feared that when the final credits rolled that I would look something like this –

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Oct 25, 2011 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm just going to submit this picture for the credits...

Author of NBA Mashups. Follow me on Twitter here.

by Aykis16 on Oct 25, 2011 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions

I kind of prefer this one of you and Ed -

What were you guys drinking?

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Oct 25, 2011 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions 9 recs

What were we drinking?

Manna from Heaven.

Author of NBA Mashups. Follow me on Twitter here.

by Aykis16 on Oct 25, 2011 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 8 recs

Hiyoo!!!!

"Children want what they want when they want it." ... Andy Sims

by edm7 on Oct 25, 2011 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Mangria!

Wait....Why is everybody clapping? Everyone around me is clapping.... I guess I should be clapping too... GO LAKERS!!! I hate living in So Cal

by 27freethrows on Oct 25, 2011 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Thank you so much for doing this, man!

I’ll be at a premiere screening for sure. The fact that you’ve been working your ass off shows in the trailer! Good stuff!

"Put Kobe or Lebron in a wheelchair, and I can GUARANTEE Tyreke would demolish either. You might want to rethink what you just said." - MarcusC.

"I never read those trade threads. They seem to be mainly populated with the sports equivalent of people who think the Rapture is imminent." - andy sims.

"I regularly sacrifice good taste for great laughs." - Section214 (speaking of which, check out my comedy website, where you can access video clips of my stand-up @ here

by PhutureKings on Oct 25, 2011 12:38 AM PDT reply actions

Great job guys

We’ll all very proud that you made this happen. I for one can’t wait to see it. It’s a story that deserves to be told.

BRING BACK THE ARCO THUNDER....STOMP!

by kfipp on Oct 25, 2011 12:43 AM PDT reply actions

We're*

BRING BACK THE ARCO THUNDER....STOMP!

by kfipp on Oct 25, 2011 12:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Looks great

Can’t wait to see it.

In most polarizing arguments, the truth is found somewhere in the middle.

Follow me on Twitter
Author of Inside-Out Game

by Exhibit G on Oct 25, 2011 4:59 AM PDT reply actions

CANNOT WAIT

by Tom Ziller on Oct 25, 2011 5:54 AM PDT reply actions

Fantastic work

I can’t thank you enough.

by Gabraham on Oct 25, 2011 6:57 AM PDT reply actions

Great job

Hopefully there’s a good ending!!! Best of luck with the project, it looks fantastic

by IamPurple on Oct 25, 2011 7:12 AM PDT reply actions

good ending

I hope it has a wonderful ending too!

by Boot Scoot Baby on Oct 25, 2011 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Great job guys!

I Came, I Saw, I Conquered.

by dspohn55 on Oct 25, 2011 8:12 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

What a bunch of ballers.

"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!

by caseycheesecake on Oct 25, 2011 8:49 AM PDT reply actions

Feature Length? Awesome!

I cannot wait for this to come out.

Great work James!

by CoolFinity on Oct 25, 2011 9:40 AM PDT reply actions

Sweet!

by otis29 on Oct 25, 2011 9:55 AM PDT reply actions

I was interviewed outside PBP before the last game

I wonder if that was this? Either way, this is just great

I like that, and I like Kings basketball.

by CLopez63 on Oct 25, 2011 10:27 AM PDT reply actions

Great Work!

This is just another act in a long line of them by diehard Kings fans.

"The mustache is the epitome of all that is manly" -George Parros

by Cincy Kings Fan on Oct 25, 2011 10:34 AM PDT reply actions

This is coming out no matter what right?

Even if the lockout is still going on?

by FTFeli on Oct 25, 2011 11:04 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

Well, ya... We can still celebrate our new arena even if there's a lockout

In fact that will just give us an entire year of celebrating until the reality of the Kings record puts us back in our place

by HeuristicLineup on Oct 25, 2011 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions

awesome

by Dub_TC on Oct 25, 2011 11:35 AM PDT reply actions

This is great!

Thank you, thank you, thank you

by Boot Scoot Baby on Oct 25, 2011 12:49 PM PDT reply actions

Is this going to go straight to DVD?

"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!

by caseycheesecake on Oct 25, 2011 1:15 PM PDT reply actions

I believe they are working on setting up a venue (or venues)

to show the documentary at.

"Children want what they want when they want it." ... Andy Sims

by edm7 on Oct 25, 2011 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I hope they get a date set soon

So i can figure out if I can make it or not. If I’m in CA, then there’s no way I’m missing this.

by CoolFinity on Oct 25, 2011 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Allright,

Had to fight back a tear just watching the trailer, dammit!
On a side note, Jerry looks as though he’s lost quite a bit of weight, looking fantastic Mr. Reynolds…!!!

...Watching DeMarcus Cousins’ transformation from large human to immortal kill beast...

by Sacto_J on Oct 25, 2011 1:48 PM PDT reply actions

Maybe him and Cousins had a deal.

"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!

by caseycheesecake on Oct 25, 2011 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm in!

Hit kickstarter people and kickdown!

I see you guys had a nice bump in cash today – good luck with this, you’re doing great work.

by yokosolo on Oct 25, 2011 5:14 PM PDT reply actions

May be too late once you read this

but if you’re in Sacramento, James is about to be live on the news for KCRA 3

"Children want what they want when they want it." ... Andy Sims

by edm7 on Oct 25, 2011 6:30 PM PDT reply actions

Awesome Stuff.

I’ll be home in December, hopefully I can check out the premiere

by Travis Mays Hayes on Oct 25, 2011 7:03 PM PDT reply actions

Pony up time...

In for $50. Thank you, guys. Will wear that t-shirt proudly down in LA.

by Cyg on Oct 25, 2011 9:08 PM PDT reply actions

I just wanted to drop by and say thank you to all who have kicked in so far.

This project has been an incredible experience and I can’t wait to show you guys the final product.

The world is not your Trade Machine.

-Ziller

@James_Ham
www.cowbellkingdom.com

by jjham15 on Oct 25, 2011 11:15 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Great stuff JJ

I’m waiting to pledge, until it’s closer to the deadline. Will make up whatever is left to get you to the goal. Minimum pledge $50. As of right now, maximum pledge $1,910.

I can do that, but would rather not. So keep giving guys.

by Kfan in Korea on Oct 26, 2011 4:09 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs

I bought a shirt

without going to the kickstarter page. Can I pledge my own amount?

by james_kevin18 on Oct 26, 2011 12:24 AM PDT reply actions

Great work JJ and team

Can’t wait to see it.

by chenp22 on Oct 26, 2011 3:24 AM PDT reply actions

JJ. Saw you on KCRA 3 last night

being interviewed by Edie Lambert. Very nice job!

Purveyor of Bull Plop

by SayWhat? on Oct 26, 2011 7:06 AM PDT reply actions

AWESOME!

Don’t forget to give the Sacramento band “The Shades of Gray” a shout out for coming up with “Small Market, Big Heart”. We’ll donate some $ for sure!

Do you do music videos too?

GO KINGS!!!!

The glass is usually twice as big as it needs to be.

by BaldMatt on Oct 26, 2011 9:09 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Happily donated through Kickstarter

You donated to my cause when I was raising money through Team In Traning, so i am happy to help you out as well. Keep up the good work!

Wait....Why is everybody clapping? Everyone around me is clapping.... I guess I should be clapping too... GO LAKERS!!! I hate living in So Cal

by 27freethrows on Oct 26, 2011 3:46 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks 27freethrows

Both good causes- yours a little more important in the grand scheme of things.

We are at 92% of our goal after an incredible $1500 sponsor today. I would love to double or even triple our goal. More money = higher production value.

The world is not your Trade Machine.

-Ziller

@James_Ham
www.cowbellkingdom.com

by jjham15 on Oct 26, 2011 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Awesome. Looks like you'll make it no problem.

So, I’m in now for $50 to get my shirt.

by Kfan in Korea on Oct 26, 2011 11:44 PM PDT up reply actions

James -want finally got around to actually making a donation

Your work at Cowbell Kingdom/ESPN has continued to inspire me for a while now and this project just takes everything to a whole new level. Wish I could have contributed more but with my son in college, reality continues to intrude into my so called life. Can’t wait to see your film and more urgently can’t wait for the Kings to start playing again.

Frances Amthor: I think you're a very stupid person. You look stupid, you're in a stupid business, and you're on a stupid case.

Philip Marlowe: I get it. I'm stupid Farewell My Lovely (1975)

And in this vein I get what I want how I want it because I am the customer. You might want to remember that you thieving scumbag mongrel bitches.

nate21h@evilcowtowninc.com

by Bluejohn on Oct 27, 2011 4:16 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs