From Victim to Victor: Upcoming movie will feature Senior Cory Weissman
Cory Weissman leaves the floor with the game ball following Gettysburg’s win over Washington in February 2012.
This past winter, Cory Weissman became Superman. He defied the odds and through unwavering determination and an amazing act of sportsmanship, he found himself on the free throw line for the first time since suffering a stroke in 2009.
He sank his second attempt at the shot, securing his place in Gettysburg College history.
“The story of Cory Weissman’s return to the basketball court last February is one that many in our community will not soon forget,” College President Janet Morgan Riggs told the student body in an e-mail earlier this month.
This e-mail also contained the news that writers had completed a script for a movie about Weissman’s experience.
Filming for the movie is expected to begin this fall. While Weissman and other students involved in the filming have said they cannot yet release any information about the plans, Weissman’s publicist plans to strategically release more information throughout the coming months.
The Gettysburg community will play a large role in producing the upcoming film. Not only will most of the filming occur on the Gettysburg campus, but Bruce Gordon, a media advisor who is working on the project, is the parent of two Gettysburg students.
Gordon was also former senior vice president and chief financial officer for Disney Interactive Media Group and is currently an entertainment, television and interactive media advisor in Los Angeles.
Cory Weissman sinks a shot at the free throw line. (Photo by Tommy Riggs)
While the details of the film are still under wraps, Cory Weissman’s story has already impacted many people,both on the Gettysburg campus and beyond.
The College’s Office of Communications & Marketing perhaps best describes the impact the college senior has had on people across the country: “From ESPN to Yahoo! Sports, the story of senior Cory Weissman’s return to the basketball court and the unforgettable act of sportsmanship has captured the attention of media and fans nationwide.”
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Update from President Riggs, emailed to students 8/31/12:
I am writing to provide an update on the Cory Weissman movie project. Those of you who are not familiar with Cory’s story can find more information at http://www.gettysburg.edu/news_events/press_release_detail.dot?id=3316433.
Bruce Gordon, a retired Disney executive and the parent of two Gettysburg students, came to me last spring with a proposal to produce a movie about Cory’s story that would also enhance Gettysburg College’s visibility. Since then we have collaborated closely with Cory and his family, we have established a trustee oversight group, a script has been written, and the casting process has begun. We expect most of the filming to occur on our campus in October. The goal is to produce a low-budget full-length feature film that will tell an inspiring, true story that will reflect positively on Gettysburg College.
I am very pleased that some individuals have stepped forward to help finance this project. Although casting is still underway, we have heard from some well known actors who are interested in working on this project for very little pay because Cory’s story is so inspiring. We look forward to announcing the cast once the agreements have been finalized.
There will also be opportunities for members of our community to be involved with this project and for students in particular to gain valuable experience. Professor of Theatre Arts Chris Kauffman and Professor of Film Studies Jim Udden have already been involved with local arrangements and casting, and staff members from facilities, dining, communications, finance, and human resources are collaborating on logistics to minimize disruption on campus.
This is a unique opportunity for Gettysburg College, and I am very pleased with the progress we have made to date. We’ll keep you posted as casting is completed and the production schedule is set.
