As a New Yorker familiar with the hard-nosed West 4th street pick-up b-ball games that attract many onlookers (natives and tourists), I'm definitely interested in seeing this upcoming new documentary feature titled Doin' It In The Park.

Co-directed by Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau (their debut) what's Doin' It In The Park about? The film:

… explores the definition, history, culture and social impact of New York's summer b-ball scene, widely recognized as the worldwide "Mecca" of the sport. In New York City, pick-up basketball is not just a sport. It is a way of life. There are 700+ outdoor courts, and an estimated 500,000 players, the most loyal of which approach the game as a religion, and the playground as their church.

The film lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of playground legends, NBA athletes, and most importantly the everyday non-pro ballplayers who just love the game.

The co-directors visited 180 courts throughout NYC's five boroughs to compile footage for the film, said to have traveled to a majority of the locations by bicycle, carrying camera equipment and a ball in their backpacks, providing an unprecedented perspective on one of America's most popular, and accessible forms of recreation.

By any means necessary, right?

A few of the folks you can expect to see in the film: Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Kenny Smith, "Pee Wee" Kirkland, "Fly" Williams, God Shammgod, Tim "Headache" Gittens, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Kenny Anderson, Jack Ryan, Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon, Niki Avery, Milani Malik, and the Park Pick-Up Players of NYC.

The film has a release date of 2012, but no specific month yet; however, if you live in NYC, you should know that it'll screen at Marcus Garvey Park, in Harlem, on August 12, as part of the 10th annual ImageNation Outdoors event, which includes FREE film screenings and music performances. More on that event HERE.

Watch the trailer for Doin' It In The Park below:

DOIN' IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC – Trailer from Doin' It In The Park on Vimeo.