American Go E-Journal

Just back from extensive filming in Asia, The Surrounding Game  documentary team is now in post-production. “We’ve hired an assistant editor to prep us for the editing and organizational process,” reports co-director Cole Pruitt. “We’re now in the process of transcoding, logging, and labeling all of our footage, which totals over 200 hours and includes several languages, countries, and of course, dozens and dozens of go players!” The filmmakers expect to begin fulfilling promised rewards to Kickstarter backers “as the materials trickle in,” Pruitt adds, while they continue to do “small bits of filming here and there” to assemble the last pieces. “We’re extremely grateful for the continued support of the American and international go communities and are looking forward to the next several months of making the film,” Pruitt says. With some 30 hours of interviews in Chinese or Korean, the filmmakers are looking for translation help. “These exclusive interviews include Chang Hao 9P, Lee Sedol 9P, the editor-in-chief of the World of Weiqi magazine, and several more high-profile figures,” says Pruitt, “so this a chance to see them before anyone else!” Translators need to be fluent readers/speakers in English and Chinese or Korean. Anyone interested should email surroundinggame@gmail.com.
photo: Co-director Will Lockhart (l), photographer Colin Sonner (middle) and Field Producer/Translator Cherry Shen (r) interview an 11-year-old Chinese 5 dan and her father in Shanghai at the Holiday Go Club; photo by Nik Gonzales