Spare Parts Movie Out Next Week!

falconmaster · January 8, 2015, 7:01pm

Some of the original members of Team 842 are portrayed in a movie about an event that took part in during the FIRST off season. It stars George Lopez as combination of two teachers, Fredi Lajvardi and Allan Cameron. It comes out Jan 16! https://secure.static.tumblr.com/fbe566adbf947ef668b907b526016d78/twsnwzo/860ng118s/tumblr_static_a342u6yh3agok8g8owc8kgg88_640_v2.jpg
The four boys portrayed in the movie are Oscar Vazquez, Lorenzo Santillan, Luis Aranda and Cristian Arcega. They beat MIT in an underwater robotics competition in 2004! Go see the movie!

bobjones227 · January 8, 2015, 7:02pm

I will find some way to go see the movie, it looks really interesting!

Thromgord · January 8, 2015, 7:17pm

We’re planning on seeing it on opening night, as a team. Very cool stuff, have some Reputation, and looking forwards to the movie!

falconmaster · January 9, 2015, 7:44pm

Thanks we are trying to get all first teams go see it the opening weekend. It will be brought to more theaters if the opening weekend is big! So please help us out! Spread the word! Thanks!

Jim_Wilks · January 9, 2015, 8:09pm

Is this the movie that was played at Championships last year?

falconmaster · January 9, 2015, 8:13pm

No that was the documentary Underwater DREAMS

This is the Hollywood feature Spare Parts.

Amanda_Morrison · January 10, 2015, 2:23pm

Fredi & Allan -

After reading the book by Joshua Davis, I was surprised. After all, I’d heard some of your David vs. Goliath story floating around FRC for years but had never quite fully understood the adversity your team had - and continues - to face.

As a somewhat long-time veteran of FRC, I join my peers in frustration when the media doesn’t quite “get it”. Reporting on engineering competitions must be incredibly difficult because it seems as though there’s always details that are misrepresented or missing. Well, it is obvious from the book that the author understood the hardships and the nature of the creative engineering process necessary for competitive robotics, and I thought that was conveyed very well.

I’m roughly 11 years too late to congratulate you properly on your achievement, but I wanted to say that I found this incredibly insightful and I’m looking forward to the movie. Although it may not be an exact portrayal, your story is powerful and needs to be heard.

Best of luck in the 2015 season. And FIRSTers, I highly recommend you check out the book linked above - I genuinely enjoyed it.

N7UJJ · January 10, 2015, 2:51pm

Amanda Morrison:

Fredi & Allan -

After reading the book by Joshua Davis, I was surprised. After all, I’d heard some of your David vs. Goliath story floating around FRC for years but had never quite fully understood the adversity your team had - and continues - to face. Amanda,

Thanks for the kind words.
Over the years, Josh has become a good friend. He has been to several regionals and a championship with us, as well as an underwater competition. He understands the FIRST goals.

The Spare Parts movie is highly fictionalized. The book (which in my opinion is well written) is not a retelling of the Hollywood or documentary film, but a far more accurate telling of the story of the four kids. There are actually hundreds that have similar stories who have been on our teams.

Ore tag line goal has been"We are attempting to change the culture". Hopefully, the book will get a lot of attention. It is already in its second printing.

YAK_ker · March 22, 2015, 7:06pm

I just watched Underwater Dreams - it’s amazing! I’m not sure I will like Spare Parts as much, frankly…I’m always a bit taken aback by how Hollywood changes the focus of the message.

And the messages in UD are so important.

Last year, all of our drivers and officers were undocumented Hispanic youth, and I am a mentor in Oregon. Knowing the obstacles these kids face, I believe it’s profoundly important that we don’t let the Dream Act die.

I know the video says “public exhibition prohibited” but can I share UD with my team members and their families?

thanks in advance for your replies,
Liz

N7UJJ · March 23, 2015, 7:42am

I show my copy of the DVD with friends and relatives. Just don’t charge admission :]

Mary Mazzio, the producer, is very active in trying to get the film shown to students, parents and policy makers regionally and nationally. She is responsible for having the film shown in hundreds of schools and youth organizations. While I cannot speak for her, I think you are promoting the kids interests and that is exactly her goal. “Change the culture”

Or you can ask them directly: http://www.50eggs.com/contact-us/

50 eggs? If you are a Paul Neuman fan, remember Cool Hand Luke?

YAK_ker · March 23, 2015, 11:40am

I not only remember that movie, I read the Mad Magazine satire when it first came out…I loved how they handled the eggs and the sunglasses, too.

I do have another question for (my two favorite mentors in the world, right now): how do you structure your builds so that everyone stays engaged? I’m so impressed that your program has gotten so popular at Carl Hayden and your member numbers are huge.

We have around half the number of members and find it difficult to keep more than 3 core groups of 2-3 students/each (mechanical/electrical, programming, and grant/awards) engaged at any one time. This translates to a lot more students basically playing cards, hitting each other with pool noodles, etc. We are considering branching out and doing MATE next year, simply because a lot of students aren’t getting any build experience with FIRST alone.

thanks for your reply and all you do!
Liz
Oregon coast

adammiller3122 · March 24, 2015, 1:36am

I have not gotten to see spare parts, but I just bought Underwater Dreams and it is a very interesting and good movie. It is actually quite inspiring!