For the second consecutive season, the OKC Thunder participated in the DeadCenter Film Festival, this time debuting the short film; Growing Up George.
Last year in mid-June, when the OKC Thunder debuted Mr. Thunder at the Myriad Gardens during the DeadCenter Film Festival. The presentation fell short. The documentary itself was executed nicely. It was the lack of pazazz surrounding the screening that was underwhelming.
The second time around, the Thunder brass worked out those first time kinks. The teams hype personal including their Drummers and Storm Chasers were on hand to set the tone ahead of the premiere of the latest Thunder film; Growing Up George.
Takeaways from the Short
The illustrations in the film were inspired by Japanese artist Nanae Yamano. She was flown in from Japan to attend the screening of the short. She documented her adventures in OKC and shared them via her Instagram story, which is saved on her profile.
The film highlights Paul George‘s childhood, describing how his rivalry with older sister Teiosha and his mother’s stroke both had a huge impact on his life. What stood out most from the short film, was when George described what a prominent influence the strong woman and his father had on himself:
"My sisters and my mom were strong female influences, and I learned so much from them; and my dad. About how to be a great father. Because now, I have a family of my own. And, we want to instill in our daughters everything I learned growing up. We want them to confident, positive and smart."
The above excerpt is from the film.
PG’s sibling rivalry with his older sister is reminiscent of another former Pacer. Reggie Miller and his sister Cheryl; they also shared a healthy, yet constant sibling competition. Growing Up George can be viewed by clicking here.
Social Highlights From the Evening and leading up to the premier
The screening of Growing Up George was not the only involvement from the Thunder at the 2019 DeadCenter Film Fest. The organization sponsored the event, and movie buff Patrick Patterson also partook in the festivities.
Perhaps, the OKC Thunder have started a tradition, each summer they will debut a film at the DeadCenter Film Festival. Maybe even one day, the team can release a feature documenting the run of their first championship. Until then, backstories and retirement tours must continue captivating the audience.