Through the Fire: the project kids of Coney Island

The paper examines the documentary style film Through the Fire which traces the fortunes of high school basketball player Sebastian Telfair. It is posited that the principles of Fordism best explain the underlying narratives outlined in the film in which the sporting youth of Coney Island are located within a culture akin to a basketball production line process. Four key themes are used to explain these narratives, namely 'Chasing the Dream', 'Staying Focused', 'Managing the Brand' and 'The End of the Line, and Start of the Next'.