Last night I was getting my Sunday inspiration in at Barnes & Noble. I was halfway through the Cigar Aficionado story on Jay-Z when something said that I’ve read enough and it was time to go. That was strange because I usually stay until they have to come and kick me out. Nevertheless I packed it up and headed back to  Bed-Stuy. And no sooner than I hit Stuyvesant Avenue who’s standing on the corner but Alastair “Gee Lock” Christopher, with his trademarked larger than life smile . He’d just rolled into town from Boston and we were serendipitously crossing paths.

Gee Lock is a filmmaker known for his 2004 documentary “Through the Fire” which chronicled the journey of New York basketball pheom Sebastian Telfair from high School to the NBA. As we talked on the corner in front of the Bodega Gee was telling me he was in town for the Sports Emmy’s where he is nominated for his work as Director of Photography on “Streak”, a documentary about a high school wrestling team that holds the longest winning streak in high sports period. Whoa!! That’s big news. So of course we had to interview him and share it with the rest of the Hustle community. interview after the jump.

What was the experience of shooting this documentary like. As DP what did you look to capture with the visuals?

GL: I just wanted to bring the audience into the world of a small town in Brandon, Florida where wrestling is to them as street is to NY. Where wrestling is everything. Not only felt in a high school gym but embraced through out the whole city.

You said the team had the longest streak in sports history and lost as you guys were shooting. With out spoiling the story what were the emotions like after that match?

GL: It was little scary…. imagine losing a winning streak created by your fathers, older brothers, uncles……. losing something that started way before you. I felt like I lost, the whole town was affected by the lost.

Where were you when you found out it was nominated for an Emmy?

GL: I was sitting at home with my son when Jonathan Hock called just shooting the breeze. Then ever so cooly just hit me with the “congrats on the streak” and I lost it!!! My son (Alastair Jr- 2 years old) got up screaming and wilding seeing how hype his dad was. Now see, Jon won like 8 Emmy’s throughout his career for writing, directing, and a gang of other things. He’s not new to this at all, but me on the other hand I’d been waiting on this for the last 5 years-ever since “Through The Fire.”

It seems you’ve been locked in on sports documentaries, how did that happen?

GL: Working with Jonathan Hock got my name out in the sports world.

What is a story you’d like to tell that you haven’t told yet?

GL: Farragut Day!! A story about one day in my hometown, where anything can happen. It’s the day when the whole hood closing down, the roads are blocked off, BBQ’s are going off, dj sets are in front of every building, and the only day where all the gangsters are out and all the ladies are dancing…. its just a crazy day in downtown Brooklyn

Why do you do what you do?
GL: because its my life… I never been that good at anything else. Filmmaking took me around the world and opened so many doors for me. I never really ever had a day job, but my talents has been feeding my family for years.

What goes through your mind as you pick up your camera?
GL: Man… I hear music and all kinds of stuff… I see the world like its a big ass music video

Here’s A clip from Streak.

Here’s Gee Lock’s latest documentary with Jonathan Hock The Lost Son of Havana wich is at Tribeca Film Festival now plus:

ESPN has acquired the TV rights to the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival entry “The Lost Son of Havana” for its ESPN Films division. Directed by Jonathan Hock and produced by the Farrelly Brothers and Kris Meyer, the documentary explores Cuban pitcher Luis Tiant’s return to Cuba after 46 years of exile and 19 seasons playing professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians. English and Spanish language versions of the film will be televised in August, 2009 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. CAA brokered the deal with ESPN.