It’s been a long, like really long, journey for this project. Much of the struggle throughout has been with getting adequate events / venues / locations for the end scenes in the film. For these scenes the script calls for an arena type setting, with a huge atmosphere and crowd of thousands. When you are making a 100% independent production like Fight 4 Your Life, this is no easy feat. Hell, it’s no easy feat even if you have tons of investors backing you.
The time it takes to organize your cast and crew alone is absurd. Then add the actual preparation for the equipment, the shots, the acting, the sound, the costumes, the makeup, etc., and the multitudes of time spent dealing with your location / venue contact….or, in our case, the time spent waiting patiently for an update from your contact…..and you quickly come to a point where months have passed for the process. It can be frustrating, even more so when you are getting regular “Nos” more than you are getting “Yeses”.
It took us over a year to find a proper venue and willing promoter for our shoot at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA last year (June of 2015). And we got approval very last minute, like 2 days before. Much of our cast couldn’t make it because of that, unfortunately. So, after this shoot we spent months trying to get even a call back from Oracle to let us back in for vital additional shots.
Guess how many times the Oracle staff actually called us back? We’ll just say it was less than one. Yep, if it hadn’t been for our awesome friends at Roc Nation Sports, we never would have even seen the inside of Oracle Arena.
Oracle Arena, Roc Nation’s Ward vs Smith Event. June 2015
It’s been eight long months since that Oracle shoot. Despite our best efforts, we’ve had no luck in finding a worthy venue that approves us getting our vital shots needed….until now.
You see, we’re not complaining about the process we’ve went through. Not to seem like we are psychics or know-it-alls, but we anticipated this. And that’s why our patience has been possible. But even our patience has its limitations. After all, it’s time to get this thing done!!!
As fate would have it, Roc Nation is putting on another gigantic boxing event at Oracle Arena on March 26, 2016. We have been in contact with our friends again and things are looking good for us getting back in Oracle, finally, for this event. It seems we are for sure getting in in some capacity. How many people we’ll be able to get in and how much we’ll be able to do is still up in the air, as we have to play the waiting game. But things are looking good!
Ward vs Barrera by Roc Nation
Another venue we’ve been pushing to get into is Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, CA. We actually shot some stuff previously in one of the exterior parking lots at Sleep Train. Having done that we already built a relationship with the staff to some degree. And, so, we then approached them with the need to shoot interior shots in the actual arena.
As it sits, we are in the process of getting approval by the NBA to get into Sleep Train, which is home to the Sacramento Kings. A hefty fee is likely going to be required before we step a foot in that place. But, with any luck, we’ll soon have this location to get our final shots for the spectacular ending scenes in the film!
After years of trying, it seems we might very well end up having two large arenas to complete Fight 4 Your Life. It’s quite amazing.
Please come out and support F4YL at the March 26th Roc Nation event at Oracle. Local legend Andre Ward is fighting in the main event! It’s sure to be a banger! Last time celebrities such as Michael B. Jordan, Steph Curry and Sway were in attendance. You can always watch on HBO also! We’re telling you, this is big!!!
B with Sway……nice cool face B. Hahaha!!!!
And we very well may need lots of extras for the future shoots at Sleep Train, all depending on how we organize our shoots with the arena. More info on that to come as we solidify things. But do note it can be a great way for you to not only support, but be a part of the project! For more info contact us HERE.
Thanks for the continued love everyone! Keep up the fight!
– The one studios crew
