Home of the Giants
Encyclopedia
Home of the Giants is a 2007 American film, written and directed
by Rusty Gorman that stars Haley Joel Osment
, Ryan Merriman
and Danielle Panabaker
. The film has been described as a coming of age tale and sports drama.
In Indiana, high school basketball is a way of life. This fanaticism serves as a backdrop for a story that explores peer pressure, perspective and the difference between a friend and a hero. Gar believes Matt can do no wrong. While he supports and encourages his best friend’s antics, Gar finds himself falling in love with Bridgette, an outsider who doesn’t embrace the celebrity status given basketball players in her new hometown. From high school parties, pep rallies and Hoosier hysteria, to robbing a drug dealer, being stalked and blackmailed, defying a hero and confronting his adversaries, Gar comes to terms with his false belief, and gains a new level of awareness about himself and his hometown.
Shortly after the first screening Home of the Giants was screened 3 times at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2007.
The next screening was in Chicago at the Landmark Theatres in Chicago on July 12, 2007. This was for a private audience mainly consisting of Rusty Gorman's friends and associates. Haley Joel Osment, Ryan Merriman and Nona Merriman attended this screening as well.
The next series of screenings where at the Chicago International Film Festival (3 times) and Heartland Film Festival (6 times) in October 2007.
While a distribution deal is still in the talks, several articles have suggested a spring 2008 release. The distribution deal should be finalized somewhere in November 2007.
The next series of screenings are at the 6 Palm Beach International Film Festival (April 14, 2008) and Omaha Film Festival (February 20, 2008 and February 23, 2008).
On October 10, 2008, the film screened at the Midwest Independent Film Festival in Chicago, and was later nominated for Best feature and Best director at the Best of the Midwest Awards.
On January 7, 2009, the Region 4 DVD was released in Australia and on February 23, 2009 the Region 2 DVD was released in South Africa.
Although the movie is set in Indiana
, the basketball scenes were filmed in North Carolina
. Many of the extras included students from area high schools and Wake Forest University. Both the Giants' and their opponents' pep bands were made up of members of the Walter Hines Page Senior High School Band of Greensboro, North Carolina
. These musicians appear around the actors in many other shots. The Giants' cheerleaders are members of the Greensboro Allstars cheerleading squad coached by Amy Tyler.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Rusty Gorman that stars Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment is an American actor. After a series of roles in television and film during the 1990s, including a small part in Forrest Gump playing Tom Hanks' title character’s son, Osment rose to fame with his performance as Cole Sear in M...
, Ryan Merriman
Ryan Merriman
Ryan Earl Merriman is an American actor. He began his acting career as a child actor during the mid-1990s and has appeared in several feature films and television shows.-Background:...
and Danielle Panabaker
Danielle Panabaker
Danielle Nicole Panabaker is an American actress. She was a cast member in the CBS drama Shark, and appeared in the films Mr. Brooks, Sky High, The Crazies and Friday the 13th, among other projects...
. The film has been described as a coming of age tale and sports drama.
Plot
Like everyone in Riverton, Indiana, seventeen-year-old Robert Gartland (Haley Joel Osment) loves his school's basketball team, the Riverton Giants. His best friend, Matt Morrison (Ryan Merriman), is the star of the Riverton Giants. When Matt makes Robert take part in the robbery of a small-time drug dealer, things don’t go as planned and Robert faces the challenge of saving the team from a desperate predicament with the state championship and Matt’s future on the line.In Indiana, high school basketball is a way of life. This fanaticism serves as a backdrop for a story that explores peer pressure, perspective and the difference between a friend and a hero. Gar believes Matt can do no wrong. While he supports and encourages his best friend’s antics, Gar finds himself falling in love with Bridgette, an outsider who doesn’t embrace the celebrity status given basketball players in her new hometown. From high school parties, pep rallies and Hoosier hysteria, to robbing a drug dealer, being stalked and blackmailed, defying a hero and confronting his adversaries, Gar comes to terms with his false belief, and gains a new level of awareness about himself and his hometown.
Cast
- Haley Joel OsmentHaley Joel OsmentHaley Joel Osment is an American actor. After a series of roles in television and film during the 1990s, including a small part in Forrest Gump playing Tom Hanks' title character’s son, Osment rose to fame with his performance as Cole Sear in M...
as Robert "Gar" Gartland - Ryan MerrimanRyan MerrimanRyan Earl Merriman is an American actor. He began his acting career as a child actor during the mid-1990s and has appeared in several feature films and television shows.-Background:...
as Matt Morrison - Danielle PanabakerDanielle PanabakerDanielle Nicole Panabaker is an American actress. She was a cast member in the CBS drama Shark, and appeared in the films Mr. Brooks, Sky High, The Crazies and Friday the 13th, among other projects...
as Bridgette Bachman - Kenneth Mitchell as Keith Morrison
- Brent BriscoeBrent BriscoeBrent Briscoe is an American actor and screenwriter.Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After finishing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a theater actor. He then segued into screenwriting and acting in feature films...
as Prock - 50 Cent50 CentCurtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
As The Night Time
Release
Home of the Giants was first screened on May 9, 2007 at The Zanuck theater in Los Angeles. This screening was mainly for meant for the industry but fans also got the opportunity to attend the screening for free.Shortly after the first screening Home of the Giants was screened 3 times at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2007.
The next screening was in Chicago at the Landmark Theatres in Chicago on July 12, 2007. This was for a private audience mainly consisting of Rusty Gorman's friends and associates. Haley Joel Osment, Ryan Merriman and Nona Merriman attended this screening as well.
The next series of screenings where at the Chicago International Film Festival (3 times) and Heartland Film Festival (6 times) in October 2007.
While a distribution deal is still in the talks, several articles have suggested a spring 2008 release. The distribution deal should be finalized somewhere in November 2007.
The next series of screenings are at the 6 Palm Beach International Film Festival (April 14, 2008) and Omaha Film Festival (February 20, 2008 and February 23, 2008).
On October 10, 2008, the film screened at the Midwest Independent Film Festival in Chicago, and was later nominated for Best feature and Best director at the Best of the Midwest Awards.
On January 7, 2009, the Region 4 DVD was released in Australia and on February 23, 2009 the Region 2 DVD was released in South Africa.
Reviews
- 'Intense, superbly crafted thriller' - Indianapolis Business Journal
- 'Skillful, believable and genuinely suspenseful' - Chicagoist.com
- 'A dark-laced "Hoosiers" that scores from all over the story court' - Hollywood Reporter
Production
Principal photography for Home of the Giants occurred September 6, 2005 through October 9, 2005. The film has been completed.Although the movie is set in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, the basketball scenes were filmed in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Many of the extras included students from area high schools and Wake Forest University. Both the Giants' and their opponents' pep bands were made up of members of the Walter Hines Page Senior High School Band of Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
. These musicians appear around the actors in many other shots. The Giants' cheerleaders are members of the Greensboro Allstars cheerleading squad coached by Amy Tyler.