"This Old Cub" Question & Answer Session

[Chris]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/DJAXXFAN/thisoldcubposter.jpg

 

In honor of the upcoming showing of "This Old Cub", NSBB.com is proud to announce a very special question and answer session.

 

Tim Comstock and Jeff Santo, writers and producers of the film "This Old Cub", have graciously agreed to answer questions from posters on NSBB! If you would like to send a question or comment to Tim or Jeff, please feel free to post it here. Questions will be received until Wednesday, July 20th at noon CT. Once the interview has been completed their responses will be posted in this thread. Since this thread is for both Tim and Jeff, please be sure to remember to address your question or comment to your intended recipient.

 

This session will be coordinated as in accordance with

The NSBB Q & A Guidelines

 

"This Old Cub" will air on WGN on July 16th at 7:00 p.m. CT.

 

To discuss the film, please visit the NSBB.com thread on the film by clicking here

 

For more information on the film, please visit the official "This Old Cub" website by clicking here

 

Thank you to Tim and Jeff for taking the time to interact with us on such an up close and personal level! In addition, thank you to all of you for making NSBB such a wonderful community!

Edited August 15, 2005 by Chris

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Jeff,

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Your father is truly an inspiration to us all.

 

Could you please explain when you decided to make the documentary? What was Ron's initial response to the idea?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Tim and Jeff,

 

Thank you for making such a wonderful movie and for taking the time to answer questions. I was wondering if you have an idea of how well the film was received outside of "Cubdom". It seems to me that this is a story that just about anyone could embrace, and I hope it was not lost outside of the upper-Midwest.

[Roast]

:shock:

 

Wow, NSBB is really getting noticed!

 

Anyways,

 

Jeff, This is more of a silly question. Where did Ron get his Cubbie-prosthesis? I thought those were very cool.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Jeff,

 

How are the fundraising efforts going for JDRF? Is there any way this site could help in those efforts?

[Scott G. F.]

Jeff,

 

Since your father, Ron Santo, has held the torch for the Cubs for decades and their sucess seems to be such a driving force in his life. How would you view a Cubs World Series win from the persective of a the son of Ron Santo? Would the excitement be tempered with a bit of sadness knowing that something that has been such a driving force in his life and held your father's passion for years has finally came to pass?

[Laura]

Thanks so much for answering our questions!

 

When you were developing the concept for This Old Cub, what concerns did your family members raise and how did you address those issues?

 

Today it seems that every other family has a reality show, but I would imagine that inviting cameras in to film some very personal moments would be something to which people need time to adjust. Since Ron Santo is a broadcaster and former player, was he more comfortable with the filming process than other family members?

 

I absolutely loved the film and bought the dvd as soon as it became available. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to This Old Cub!

[mhuber92211]

Hi Gentlemen,

Thanks for the time.

 

How did you get your film financed and distributed? Also how does it feel to see it have so much sucess and be deemed as the defivintive voice for your father's story and JDRF?

 

What will be your next filmmaking subject? Do you want to be part of Hollywood or continue the independent route?

[Omar]

Hello there. For Jeff and Tim (or whoever decides to answer) What was Ron Santo's reaction when he found out there will be a movie made about his life?

 

How long did it take you guys to film this movie?

[CubinNY]

Thanks for answering our questions.

 

Jeff, how much do you think it hurts your dad that he is not in the Hall of Fame?

 

And tell your dad we all love him and wish him well.

 

CubinNY

[USSoccer]

Jeff,

 

Thanks for taking the time to talk to our community!

 

My question is this: How mich longer do you feel your father will continue to broadcast on the radio? How difficult is it for him to travel with the team for the duration of the season?

 

 

Thanks!

[Jazz]

I loved this movie but i gotta ask

whens the sequel featuring the southside called "This Old Sock" coming out? :)

[erik316wttn]

Hey guys. I loved "This Old Cub." It is truly an inspiring movie.

 

How did your father take the trade to the White Sox at the end of his career? Did you ever hear him talk about the year he spent on the South Side?

 

Also, do he and Pat Hughes keep in touch during the offseason?

[Chris]

Greetings everyone! Below are the answers to your questions to Tim Comstock and Jeff Santo, Writers and Producers of "This Old Cub." Thank you to Jeff and Tim not only for their time and for making such a great film, but for helping to raise so much money for the JDRF! I encourage everyone to look at the film's website and see how you can help the cause! Their responses are in bold text.

 

Hi Guys,

 

Congratulations on the money you raised for the JDRF. Thanks to all

of you guys for the great comments you've made about both Ron and the

movie. It means a ton to us, it really does. We'll answer the

following ?s below each question.

 

Best,

 

Jeff Santo

Tim Comstock

 

 

vance_the_cubs_fan

Location: Monroe, LA

 

Jeff,

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Your father is truly an inspiration to us all.

 

Could you please explain when you decided to make the documentary?

What was Ron's initial response to the idea?

 

When my Dad underwent his second leg amputation I went to help him through it. He told me the greatest stories from his career as a Cub and now as a broadcaster. I remember talking with my Mom one day and she said Ron's story would make a great movie. It kind of went from there.

 

My Dad agreed to make this movie because he's been dedicated to finding a cure for Diabetes for over 30 years. He felt this movie would help raise awareness and possibly generate some dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). He was right on both counts.

 

Jeff,

How are the fundraising efforts going for JDRF? Is there any way this site could help in those efforts?

 

This Old Cub has raised through direct and indirect donations upwards

of $300,000 for the JDRF over the last two years. We have a form on our

website at http://www.thisoldcub.com that was created during Wild Bill's

Walk-the-Walk for the JDRF where people can print out the form and write a check to the JDRF, mail it to us and we send it to them. 100% of the proceeds go to the JDRF.

 

 

Is_Pedro_There

Location: Iowa City

 

Tim and Jeff,

Thank you for making such a wonderful movie and for taking the time

to answer questions. I was wondering if you have an idea of how well

the film was received outside of "Cubdom". It seems to me that this

is a story that just about anyone could embrace, and I hope it was

not lost outside of the upper-Midwest.

 

Obviously the film was embraced in Chicago and other Cub Sections in

the mid-west but we have found through our theatrical and television release that this film has been embraced around the entire country. We played theatrically in AZ, SF and LA also in NY and Denver among others.

Now through the WGN TV release we're getting orders from all 50 states. We've also had some correspondence from the UK, Germany, Japan and Canada. So at least a small percentage of Americans everywhere know about This Old Cub which is pretty cool.

 

 

RoastTheD---Goat

 

Jeff,

This is more of a silly question. Where did Ron get his Cubbie-prosthesis? I thought those were very cool.

 

From Ray McKinney in AZ, who's a dear friend of my Dad, a

great doctor and of course, a Cub fan.

 

 

Scott G. F.

Location: Palmetto, FL

 

Jeff,

Since your father, Ron Santo, has held the torch for the Cubs for

decades and their sucess seems to be such a driving force in his

life. How would you view a Cubs World Series win from the persective

of a the son of Ron Santo? Would the excitement be tempered with a

bit of sadness knowing that something that has been such a driving

force in his life and held your father's passion for years has finally came to pass?

 

Not at all!!! We need to win!!! We'll worry about the come down later.

 

 

Serena

 

Thanks so much for answering our questions!

 

When you were developing the concept for This Old Cub, what concerns

did your family members raise and how did you address those issues?

 

Their concerns mainly centered on wanting to protect my Dad and his

private life, particularly going through such a difficult time. I assured them that no one was more aware of this than myself. I promised to make a movie that my Dad would be proud of and if he wasn't, we never would have released it.

 

Today it seems that every other family has a reality show, but I

would imagine that inviting cameras in to film some very personal

moments would be something to which people need time to adjust.

Since Ron Santo is a broadcaster and former player, was he more

comfortable with the filming process than other family members?

 

He was comfortable during the sit down interviews where we had a crew around, it was a fun atmosphere. With the private moments such as when he put his prosthetics on in the morning before a game, I was the only one with him. He knew we had to film that to show people what some long term diabetics have to go through on a daily basis.

 

I absolutely loved the film and bought the dvd as soon as it became

available. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to This Old Cub!

 

 

mhuber92211

Location: Hemet, CA

 

Hi Gentlemen,

Thanks for the time.

 

How did you get your film financed and distributed? Also how does it feel to see it have so much sucess and be deemed as the defivintive voice for your father's story and JDRF?

 

The JDRF provided a generous grant and we got the rest of the

financing from private investors. We're always touched when we hear from someone who liked the film on some level. It's a great feeling.

 

What will be your next filmmaking subject? Do you want to be part of

Hollywood or continue the independent route?

 

That's a funny question, we're not sure whether Hollywood even knows

about us. We're working on Jake's Corner, a story about an uncle who

is forced to raise his young nephew. It's a poignant drama with a lot of comedy, like This Old Cub but Jake's Corner isn't a documentary. We're going independent again.

 

 

HHHBK21

Location: Hinsdale/Willowbrook, IL

 

Hello there. For Jeff and Tim (or whoever decides to answer) What was Ron Santo's reaction when he found out there will be a movie made about his life?

 

Ron was hesitant at first because he was 1)going through such a

difficult time and 2)He likes his privacy and 3)because he didn't want

it to be a piece of junk. However, as we mentioned earlier he agreed to do it because of the awareness it could generate if it was done in a professional manner.

 

How long did it take you guys to film this movie?

 

11 months from December 2002 - October 2003

 

 

CubinNY

 

Thanks for answering our questions.

 

Jeff,

how much do you think it hurts your dad that he is not in the Hall of Fame?

 

You can tell by watching the movie, how much it means to him but he's

been through so much that I don't think he really thinks about it too much...except every two years.

 

And tell your dad we all love him and wish him well.

 

Absolutely!

 

 

USSoccer

Location: Chicagoland, IL

 

Jeff,

Thanks for taking the time to talk to our community!

 

My question is this: How mich longer do you feel your father will continue to broadcast on the radio? How difficult is it for him to travel with the team for the duration of the season?

 

He'll broadcast for as long as he possibly can - he loves it. The traveling is tough at times but he manages to do it pretty well.

 

 

CpattFan27

Location: Greenville, South Carolina

 

I loved this movie but I gotta ask whens the sequel featuring the southside called "This Old Sock" coming out?

 

Maybe after the Cubs win the World Series, someone will remember how long it's been since the Sox have won the October Classic.

 

 

erik316wttn

Location: Southeastern Wisconsin

 

Hey guys. I loved "This Old Cub." It is truly an inspiring movie.

 

How did your father take the trade to the White Sox at the end of his career? Did you ever hear him talk about the year he spent on the South Side?

 

It was tough because he was so close to his teammates on the Cubs, also because the disease was starting to affect him more as he got older. He doesn't mention that year often but said the people, the fans treated him well.

 

Also, do he and Pat Hughes keep in touch during the offseason?

 

They sure do, they're great friends.

[Laura]

Thanks so much for the Q&A on this ... I bought the dvd, so I appreciate the opportunity. :)