1977 NASA WAS IN NEED OF RECRUITS FOR SPATIAL THE PROGRAM AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT
AND THAT IS WHEN A FAMOUS FACE
FROM THE FINAL FRONTIER STEPPED
IN.
>> CLIPS OF DOCUMENTARY FILM
YOU JUST CHRONICLE THE LIST OF
STAR TREK’S FIRST LADY MICHELLE
NICHOLS AND HER MISSION WITH
NASA TO HELP RECRUIT THOUSANDS
OF MINORITIES AND WOMEN FOR
NASA IN THE 70S AND SO MANY OF
THEM HAVE TIES TO SPACE COAST
HISTORY.
>> THE MAN BEHIND THIS FILM BUT
IT WAS NECESSARY TO HIGHLIGHT
NICHOLS RULE AND IS
DIVERSIFYING SPACE EXPLORATION.
JOINING US NOW TODD THOMPSON
THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER OF
WOMEN IN MOTION.
WILL COME AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US THIS MORNING.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> WE ARE ALL FASCINATED BY THE
STORY.
WHAT’D YOU FEEL IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO TELL THIS IN HIS
DOCUMENTARY?
>> IT IS FUNNY I DO NOT THINK
OF MYSELF AS A DOCUMENTARY
FILMMAKER.
A STORYTELLER SO MY PARTNERS
CALLED ME IN NOVEMBER 2014,
ADMITTEDLY RECOGNIZE JUST A
REALLY GREAT STORY.
AND LITERALLY CHANGE THAT ONLY
THE FACE OF SPACE PROGRAM BUT
THE FACE OF THE WORLD.
BRINGING CLOSURE INTO SPACE.
SO WAS YOUR CLASSIC HERO’S
DREAM.
SOMEBODY WHO SET OFF TO
ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
>> SO TELL US HOW YOU CAME TO
MEET MICHELLE NICHOLS AND PUT
THIS FILM TOGETHER TO TELL THIS
PART OF HER STORY BECAUSE SO
MANY OF US ASSOCIATE HER WITH
TRAILBLAZING WITH TELEVISION
AND WHAT SHE DID FOR STAR TREK
BUT MANY PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE
STORY OF THE CONNECTIONS.
WHOLE LIFE IS PRETTY MUCH THE
SAME STORY.
SHE WAS A SINGER AND DANCER IN
THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
BALLERINA BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
SHE HAD SOME BREAKTHROUGHS IN
TELEVISION AS YOU SAID FIRST
AND A TV SHOW CALLED
LIEUTENANT.
IT WAS EARLY BACK IN THE DAY.
AND THEN JEAN HAD HER IN MIND
ALWAYS FOR STAR TREK THE FIRST
CREATED THAT SHOW.
SO FOR US IT WAS A FOUR YEAR
JOURNEY TO BRING THIS IDEA TO
SCREEN IF YOU WILL.
WE CONTACTED MICHELLE VERY
EARLY ON WITH THE PROJECT TO
SEE IF YOU’D BE INTERESTED IN
HAVING THE STORY TOLD.
IT WAS JUST REALLY A HUMBLING
AND AMAZING.
>> THIS FILM PRESENTED AT THE
ORLANDO FILM FESTIVAL TO
STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD.
THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
SO YOU WORK FOUR YEARS ON THIS
DOCUMENTARY AND THEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN YOU SIT BACK AND WATCH
EVERYBODY IN JOY.
WHAT IS IT FEELING LIKE YOU.
>> IT IS GRATIFYING TO SIT BACK
AND HEAR THE AUDIENCES GASP OR
CRY OR LAUGH.
IT IS ALWAYS GREAT FOR A
FILMMAKER.
BUT IT WAS REALLY MORE
IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TELL
STORIES THAT ENLIGHTEN MANKIND
IF YOU WILL OR THE WORLD AND
MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
AND THIS CERTAINLY DID THAT
WITH THE EFFORT FROM NASA.
SO TO TELL THAT STORY WAS AN
HONOR.
>> THERE SOME BIG NAMES MISS
DOCUMENTARY.
TALK ABOUT THE INFLUENCE SHE
HAD ON THAT.
FILM IS QUITE A CAST.
WE INTERVIEWED 60 PEOPLE FOR
THE FILM.
ONLY ABOUT 30 ENDED UP DOING IT
BUT YOU START OFF WITH YOUR
NASA ASTRONAUTS CHARLIE WAS THE
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
ADMINISTRATOR FOR NASA.
TYSON IS THE FILM IN PHARREL
WILLIAMS.
THE LIST GOES.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR THE
THIRD IS IN THE FILM.
AL SHARPTON AND MAXINE WATERS.
SO IT IS QUITE A LINEUP OF
PEOPLE.
BUT IT’S A TESTAMENT TO HOW
THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS AND HOW
MUCH THEY APPRECIATE WHAT SHE
DID TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
>> WAS A LIKE MEETING HER AND
TALKING HER.
SHE SEEMS LIKE A FUN
PERSONALITY.
>> SEEMS LIKE THE PERFECT
GRANDMOTHER.
TO ME SHE IS HOLLYWOOD REALTY.
SHE’S THE STORM THE HOLLYWOOD
BOULEVARD.
SHE IS PICTURES OF ALL OVER
TOWN.
AND STAR TREK IS A PIECE OF OUR
CULTURE AT THIS POINT.
>> I NOTICE SHE IS ACTIVE ON
SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHE’S DOING A
RETIREMENT PARTY NEXT YEAR.
>> YES WHICH IS HARD FOR ME TO
BELIEVE ACTUALLY.
SHE IS ALWAYS ON THE GO.
YES SHE IS UP THERE IN AGE, SHE
COULD SET A BETTER DAY FOR THE
FANS.
SHE LOVES MEETING THE FANS AND
TALKING WITH THE FANS.
>> SHE IS A COMIC-CON A LOT.
>> ALL THE TIME.
>> I LOVE IT.
>> FOR ALL THE FANCY WANT TO
KEEP UP AND WHAT THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS
DOCUMENTARY.
HOW CAN THEY FOLLOW ALONG?
I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT THE
ORLANDO FILM FESTIVAL BUT WHERE
ELSE CAN WE GO?
>> THE BEST THING TO DO IS
EITHER STAY IN TOUCH WITH US TO
THE PRODUCTION COMPANY OR WE
JUST DEDICATED WEBSITE FOR THE
FILM.
YOU CAN ACCESS THAT THROUGH
THERE.
SO THAT IS THE BEST WAY MORE IN
THE PROCESS OF SEEKING A
DISTRIBUTION FOR THE FILM.
[LAUGHTER] HBO, WHOEVER COMES
FORWARD WE ARE INTERESTED IN
TALKING TO THEM.
THE FILM IS BRAND-NEW.
SEVERE KIND OF DOING SOME SNEAK
PEAKS RIGHT NOW AROUND TOWN AND
DOING SOME SCREENINGS AND
SCHOOLS AND WHATNOT.
>> THAT IS COOL.
>> IT IS AMAZING.
IF YOU LIKE DOCUMENTARIES ARE
REALLY STARTING TO BLOW UP.
I FEEL IT PEOPLE HAVE LESS AND
LESS TIME TO WATCH TELEVISION.
SO SOMETIMES BEING ABLE TO
FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON ONE