Heart-pounding triumphs, heart-wrenching set-backs and heartfelt efforts to change the course of history … “IF NOT FOR THEM” is projected to be a multiple-episode documentary series that captures the historical and personal stories of those that built the foundation of college women’s basketball through the decades preceding the NCAA taking over in the early 80s.
Profound, personal interviews of the legends, and those close to them, conducted by veteran women’s basketball broadcaster Brenda VanLengen will anchor the documentary series. The first-hand accounts, along with historical photos, videos and media accounts, will preserve and illuminate the compelling stories that are fading away or have never been told.
A great deal of preliminary work has already been done to interview subjects, identify storylines and create the foundation for the project. To produce a multi-episode series in the highest quality for extensive distribution, we are launching a professional fundraising effort to raise just over $1 Million.
All donations will be tax deductible because the series will be produced under the guidance and fiscal sponsorship of the nonprofit agency, Do Good Productions. Do Good Productions is operated by a group of volunteers including Academy Award winning producer, Kevin Willmott. The mission of Do Good Productions is to produce and disseminate films that raise the public’s awareness with respect to important issues facing both local and regional communities as well as our nation.
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Interviews have been conducted with coaches, athletes and supporters that won championships, shaped national policies and changed social norms. Formal interviews with legends such as Jody Conradt, Sonja Hogg, Marsha Sharp, Fran Garmon, several Flying Queens All-Americans and the Texas Tech All-Time Leading Scorer, Carolyn Thompson, have been already been recorded along with preliminary interviews on Zoom with Billie Moore, Donna Lopiano, Vivian Stringer, Lusia Harris, Lucille Kyvallos, Theresa Grentz, Marian Washington and Charlotte West. Many more interviews will be accomplished through the fundraising campaign.
Veteran women’s basketball broadcaster, Brenda VanLengen, is leading the “IF NOT FOR THEM” documentary project with advisement from a diverse team of women’s basketball enthusiasts. VanLengen has announced over 1,200 women’s basketball games on ESPN, Fox Sports and other networks throughout her 26-year broadcasting career and has gained the respect and trust of generations of coaches and athletes. She coached basketball at the high school and college levels after twice earning Academic All-American honors playing basketball at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, all of which would not have been possible IF NOT FOR THEM.
Filming and production work will be done by Real Media whose expertise is in compelling storytelling with purpose. Their incredible facilities in Overland Park, Kansas, will be the headquarters for production. If Not For Them will be produced using Red Monstro 8K cameras and all the latest tools and techniques that will allow the project to be approved by top potential broadcast partners including Netflix, Amazon Prime, ESPN and more.
www.realmediakc.com
