Project of the Day: 'Brooklyn Castle' Profiles Inner City Chess Team

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A caption from "Brooklyn Castle."

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"Brooklyn Castle"

Tweetable Logline:

Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the hopes, challenges and triumphs of five members of an inner city champion chess team.

Elevator Pitch:

Brooklyn Castle takes a look at a year in the lives of five members of the champion chess team at I.S. 318, a middle school where 65% of students are from homes living below the federal poverty level -- that also happens to have the best junior high school chess team, bar none, in the country. The school's chess program has given students a chance for success and transformed I.S. 318 from a school once cited as being in need of improvement to one of New York City’s best. Unprecedented budget cuts now seriously threaten to derail those strides.

Production Team:

Director/Producer: Katie Dellamaggiore
Editor/Producer: Nelson Dellamaggiore
Director of Photography/Producer: Brian Schulz

About the Production:

"When we began shooting 'Brooklyn Castle,' we mostly wanted to document a great story: An underserved school where kids were thriving and the staff was tirelessly dedicated. But as we shot, we realized the film was a counterpoint to the tired notion that public schools – and public school students – can only fail. When budget cuts suddenly threatened to destroy the programs that make the school special, we knew we had to chronicle this new turn in the story. I.S. 318 represented countless schools, and countless students, around the country – and the sheer unfairness of it all." -- Katie Dellamaggiore

Current Status:

Post-production, set to be completed in December 2011.

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Kickstarter Page
Film Website

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TAGS: Project of the Day

4 Comments

| Reply
Stephanie | December 11, 2011 10:03 AMReply

Wonderful! You've captured the fact that these children deserve a chance to achieve their goals even in the midst of many obstacles. For me, 'hope' is the message. Cant wait to see the finished version!
Jenn Finazzo | December 10, 2011 3:08 PMReply

Can't wait to see it on the big screen guys!
Robert | December 6, 2011 10:54 PMReply

Inspiring trailer. Can't wait to see the finished version!
Matthew | December 6, 2011 10:35 PMReply

Looks great!