On Feb. 1, The Creightonian brought you fifth year senior and former basketball star Josh Jones’ letter to the community about his forced resignation from basketball due to his ever-worsening heart condition. Since then, Jones has been seen cheering on his fellow teammates from the bench, with a continuous smile on his face despite his inability to play.
Local Omaha production studio Stream Light Productions knew the importance of this Omaha legend’s story, and has produced a documentary that aims to tell it. Created in the ESPN style, “30 for 30,” the company’s film on the basketball star’s life premiers Tuesday.
“We are big fans of Josh Jones and wanted to arm him with a powerful documentary as he pursues his passion of motivating people to rise above adversity … especially since he was forced into retirement at age 23 from the game of basketball,” Stream Light Productions president and producer Dan Schneider said.
The production company received approval from Jones, the NCAA and Creighton, and were then on a tight schedule to squeeze what normally takes six months into four weeks. Though the task seems daunting, Jones brought all he could offer to the table in order to help.
“We asked Josh to bring to our first meeting a list of 10 to 12 names of people who were influential in his life,” Schneider said. “He brought a list of 80.”
With a long list and a short amount of time, the production team was able to interview 42 of Jones’ life-long supporters, from high school teachers and coaches to high profile Omaha citizens.
“It was a whirlwind of a schedule, but everyone was extremely willing to help,” Schneider said.
The producers of this documentary aimed to make it one that will be unique for the city of Omaha in many ways. One way is that most of the soundtrack is starring local rap/hip-hop artist Marcey Yates.
“People will be blown away by how good this guy is,” Schneider said. “Nebraska football great and radio personality, Damon Benning, [also] provided the narration for the film. [He] has covered Josh, and known him personally, for years … so it was a natural fit.”
In addition to making it a documentary for all of Omaha, the company has hopes to get the documentary to a wider audience, with the goal, according to Schneider, being to help Jones help his family even after he graduates. Further, Stream Light Productions’ purpose extends beyond that of telling a story.
“The purpose is to share Josh’s testimony of how he rose, and continues to rise, above extreme adversity in his life,” Schneider said. “Inspiration was naturally drawn from Josh himself but also from the people who know [him]. People have fierce loyalty and love for this young man, and we think it’s because he’s a living example of a person who refuses to let negativity bring him down.”
The film will begin showings on Tuesday at Marcus Midtown Theater at 4:00 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Those interested in attending must order tickets in advance by calling 402-916-4717 or contacting Brent at [email protected]. Tickets must also be picked up before the showings at the Stream Light Productions Office, which can be found in Omaha at 1065 N. 115th St., Suite 151.
In addition, Jones will be attending all three showings on Tuesday, March 12th. He will also be available after the film for questions for the audience, and an after party will be held at Saints Pub & Patio in Midtown Crossing. The party will begin at 10 p.m. and go until midnight, and will be open to all who attended the showings.
“We hope viewers get to know Josh on a much deeper level,” Schneider said. “He’s an extremely complex individual, and we’ve discovered that his “happy-go-lucky” demeanor and big smile often times masks the inner struggle he battles with everyday.”
For a sneak peak of what this powerful documentary will look like, visit this link to watch the trailer: http://youtu.be/CHswo-g2i6A