When the credits roll to the motion picture “Next Day Air” there will be a familiar name that scrolls across the screen.
Thunder point guard Shaun Livingston served as one of the film’s executive producers, which was released in movie theaters on Friday. The movie stars Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Donald Faison and hip hop recording artist Mos Def.
“We had a hand in it,” Livingston said via cell phone from Miami, where he concluded a three-day workout with Thunder player development assistant Brian Keefe. “It was minimal, as far as creative control. But we were there and we were in it.”
By “we,” Livingston meant he and his business partner Steve Belser, who together formed the production company Rock Capital Films, which was a third party investor to “Next Day Air.”
Producing film was a backup plan for Livingston shortly after he suffered season-ending multiple knee injuries back in 2007 with the Los Angeles Clippers. The point guard started to think about how he could support himself financially should his basketball career be finished.
Luckily for Livingston, he landed with the Thunder on March 31 after two years of intense rehabilitation and stints with the Miami Heat and Tulsa 66ers.
But Livingston and Belser always had an interest in cinema, so it was a natural fit for both and something Livingston planned to pursue away from the court.
Production for “Next Day Air” took place in Los Angeles during May and June of 2007, shortly after his knee injuries. Being on set opened Livingston’s eyes to the film industry and all that went into producing a major motion picture.
He had a hand in just about everything and spent ample time around directors, the casting crew, photography staff and associate producers.
“I was taking it all in,” Livingston said. “We came in last minute there. When we were there we were on set everyday, just watching and soaking in everything and consulting with the director and producers and adding feedback.”
Moving forward, Livingston said that “instead of being on the creative side of things, my interest has been putting the right people in place, formulating the right budget in order to make a good movie that looks good on-scene. All those things are crucial.”
Livingston, who spends his off-season between Miami, his hometown of Chicago and Los Angeles, has already been to the “Next Day Air” preview in L.A. and has done multiple interviews with both the entertainment and sports media.
His first major project with Rock Capital Films is the movie “Pastor Brown,” which is in production.
Somewhere down the line, though, Livingston said he would like to broaden his horizons as a movie producer.
“I like autobiographies,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind making one of those. Right now what I think is attracting me is finding the right market, whether it’s an action flick or a drama. I’m really into kind of a ‘Sixth Sense’ type of movie – mysteries, thrillers a little bit. Right now we’re going with what works best with the marketing and the whole project in general – what can sell, what does the audience want to see? Then maybe we can go with something that we prefer with our personal preference.”
Contact Chris Silva