Official Press Kit Directed by Jon Bunning TRT: 15 Minutes Not Rated Jon Bunning 146 S 4th St Apt 5D Brooklyn, NY 11211 Contact: hello@jonbunning.com 917-692-6276 Website: http://www.thetablesfilm.com https://www.facebook.com/thetablesfilm/
Tagline Rain or shine, they ll be there. Logline A look at the powerful connection between a pair of outdoor ping pong tables in the heart of New York City and the unlikely group of people they ve brought together, from homeless people to investment bankers to gangbangers. Synopsis In the middle of New York City, tucked away in the corner of Bryant Park, sit two outdoor ping pong tables where anyone is free to play. Young or old, rich or homeless, it doesn t matter. During the day, the park provides paddles and balls, but after 7pm the regulars show up, armed with their own. Every night they come together to battle each other and the elements, playing in the wind, rain and even snow. And out of this shared love of the game, a bond was formed between an unlikely group of people. This is the story of the many lives these tables have touched, including the gangbanger who helped put them there.
Production Notes The Tables was filmed over the course of four years. It all began when I was walking by Bryant Park one day and noticed some ping pong tables. Being a huge fan of the game, I stopped to check it out and was immediately drawn to all the interesting characters. After visiting a few times, I discovered there were tournaments so I signed up to play. I got destroyed in the first round! But I learned that at night, there s a whole regular crew and they come armed with their own paddles and balls. Each regular had a story. One in particular was an older African American gentleman named Gregory. We quickly bonded over our shared love of film. What I didn t know at the time was that Gregory was homeless. You certainly wouldn t know it if you met him. Having just recently completed my first short film, Stroup Guitars, I was looking for a new documentary subject and this seemed like a gem. At first I just hung out for a few weeks and got to know everyone. Then I brought my camera to take pictures of one of the tournaments and posted them on Facebook. Everyone loved the photos and it got them comfortable with me being around and filming them. Gregory was instrumental in helping me wrangle people for interviews and get them excited about the project. He would also watch my gear and stand in when I was blocking interview shots. He even met me in a blizzard to film some winter shots! When you re a one-person crew, filming in a public space with so many moving parts can be a daunting task. Imagine even a bare bones crew and think about the stress of each person s job. Now combine all that stress into one and that s what I was feeling! The irony is that the park is where everyone goes to get away from their stress, but for me it was the opposite. I was always worried about the sound levels, or keeping the shot in focus, or trying to get good interview answers, etc. But luckily everyone was very supportive of the project and it was always great to show up at the park and get fist bumps from the whole crew. Nothing good comes easy and making this film was an incredibly rewarding experience.
Director s Statement One of the first things that struck me about the tables in Bryant Park was that a homeless person and a Wall Street banker could play as equals. People from all over the world had been brought together by these tables. Social status, nationality, religion, age, sex it didn t matter. And the more I got to know these people, the more I discovered just how much these tables meant to them. For some, it helped them to find work and a place to live, for others it helped them get off drugs, and for many it gave them a sense of community and belonging that helped them overcome hardships. In the wise words of Gregory, The Tables allow you to become a better person.
Festivals and Awards
Press Link: http://www.dailytidings.com/news/20170410/thats-wrap-aiff-awards-presented
Press Link: http://www.theartofbrooklyn.org/blog/dont-miss-these-10-world-class-flicks-fromkings-county-at-the-2017-art-of-brooklyn-film-festival
Press Link: https://vimeo.com/217900234
Press Link: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/comment/festivals/ new-chance-short-documentaries
Press Link: http://www.jamesweggreview.org/articles.aspx?id=2036
Press Link: https://www.wallawallamoviecrush.com/news
Biography Jon Bunning - Director Jon Bunning grew up on Air Force bases around the Midwest eventually landing in Omaha, Nebraska. After college he moved to New York to pursue a career as an advertising creative director. In recent years he branched out into photography and documentary filmmaking. His photo essay on Bhutan was recognized by National Geographic. His first two films were shot entirely by himself, playing the roles of director, producer, cinematographer and sound recordist. His second documentary The Tables won the audience award for best short documentary at the world premiere in the Ashland Independent Film Festival. It sold out at the New York premiere in The Manhattan Film Festival. The success of The Tables has already led to his first commercial directing project for Google. Karen Kourtessis - Editor Editor Karen Kourtessis distinguishes herself with powerfully effective storytelling - regardless of the genre. Her commercial projects have consistently garnered acclaim, including Clios, Cannes Lions, and an EMMY nomination, among other honors. Karen began her career as a sharpshooter in the US Army. It was during her four years in the military that she shot and edited training films and news stories. After concluding her service, Karen landed in NYC where some time later she was invited to be a Partner at Crew Cuts. She proudly held that position until early 2013, and followed it with a tenure at Beast. She joined the Union family in May 2015.
Credits Director Jon Bunning Editor Karen Kourtessis Music Composer Christopher Keyes Colorist Elias Nousiopoulos Sound Mixer Stefano Campello Music Supervisor Maxwell Gosling
Credits Special Thanks Gregory Williams Wally Green The After 7 Guys Bryant Park SPiN New York Union Editorial We Are Walker Heath Raymond Heard City The Mill
Photos Photos available at this link: http://thetablesfilm.com/pr/images.zip The Tables hero image. Photo by Jon Bunning Gregory Williams - game face. Photo by Jon Bunning Gregory Williams - playing in the snow. Photo by Jon Bunning Gregory Williams Photo by Jon Bunning Taking shelter from the rain. Photo by Jon Bunning
Photos Photos available at this link: http://thetablesfilm.com/pr/images.zip The Tables title film still. Photo by Jon Bunning The Tables Poster. Photo by Jon Bunning The Tables poster with laurels. Photo by Jon Bunning
Director Photo Photos available at this link: http://thetablesfilm.com/pr/images.zip