Hi 19x19ers,

This is Cole Pruitt from The Surrounding Game documentary - I wanted to make another general community announcement about the film to any folks interested.

First: we've hired an editor, Richard Miron, to start working full-time on the first rough cut of the film! This is one of the biggest steps we've taken so far, and will have a really big impact on the final product. He'll be working directly with Will in NYC into next year to iron out the 'first draft', at which point we'll screen the work-in-progress to get feedback from people all throughout the Go and non-Go communities.

Also, based on feedback from you, we've consolidated our web offerings and information into a monthly newsletter, complete with new footage, stills, a game commentary of the collaborative game on our site (courtesy of KGS 8dan zyoda), and other goodies. You can subscribe to the newsletter on the website (and get updates on the status of the film as we march forward).

And lastly, we wanted to reach out again to the lifein19x19 community just to hear any thoughts/questions/concerns/suggestions you have related to the project - this is a film by and for the Go community so we want to be as transparent and inclusive as possible.

Thanks for your input and support!

Cole (and the Surrounding Game team)

I'd like a tight cut aimed at the general and non-go player audience. Then I'd like an extended cut aimed more at the go fans. And finally a 'making of' video, and as much additional/full interviews and footage that will fit into the bonus sections.

Nice to see the project continuing at a good pace. I look forward to seeing the finished product.

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Poka King of the south east.

While recognizing that this may not be feasible as a suggestion, I'd like to second this.

Thirded again

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“The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.” — Salvador Dali ★ Play a slooooow correspondence game with me on OGS?

I saw the extended trailer and loved it! The documentary cannot be released sooner. However, this is only a beginning.

I think a Hollywood film, or something like it, that presents Go as a profound game to which everyone can relate - as opposed to presenting it as just another intellectual pursuit or a cameo - would do more to help popularize the game, at least in the States. I was thinking of a film with a plot where, let's say, a Japanese drug chemist running from the Yakuza has to go into hiding in an inner city neighborhood in a major US city. His experience with Go not only helps him survive in such a place, but also helps other characters along the way. How it ends? I'll leave it up to your imagination.

Or, to touch upon something more relevant, we can revisit Christian Duguay's film The Art of War. Go is a game in which Sun Tzu's strategies are demonstrated on a regular basis. I don't think it's a good time for a remake of that film, but one can draw inspiration from it to create another film which uses Go to expose the principles mentioned in the 兵法 . The possibility of a military conflict - however remote - between China and Japan is a hot topic in 2013 and beyond, so this might be a good theme for the film in question. The plot can center on a a US diplomat working to protect US interests in the Far East before a China-Japan conflict compromises them. During the crisis, he comes to understand the underlying causes of the conflict through the prism of Go. I have a feeling that such a film might end up looking something like Stephen Gaghan's Syriana.

This topic can go on for days.

Although the budget does not exist at the moment for a Go-themed Hollywood film or the like, this might be one of the catalysts for wider public awareness of Go in North America.

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Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before the fight, while the ignorant fight to win.
- Ō-sensei Ueshiba

Another documentary on a nerdy topic was recently released: It is called I Dream of Wires and is about modular synthesizers.

They released a 'Hardcore Edition' for the real fans, 4 hours long, purchased through Kickstarter I believe. Then they released a tighter cut for the more general viewer.

Maybe of interest.

The team can get some production ideas from that. Produce something deep and informative for hardcore Go fans and something "superficial", yet catchy for casual observers. In the latter, the casual observer's interest in the game will be stimulated. The extended cut should not be too difficult to produce, but the tight cut has to be able to convey a lot of undeniably relevant information in a short length of time. Since Go is not yet widely known in North American or Western culture, this may be somewhat challenging.

In any trailer meant for casual observers Go will have to be linked with other things already present in these. Anyone care for a link between Go and martial arts? Or Go and business? It might even be possible to draw parallels between - wait for it - Go and love!

I would prefer the filmmakers to exercise their own artistic judgment and produce the film they envisioned all along.

Special features and extended cuts can be released at any time, as a later supplement.

Agreed.