Projects in Development
Both Fission Films and Atomic Productions are actively pursuing potential narrative and documentary subject matter. Each of the projects below are in various stages of development, all beyond "pitch" status and with principle photography commenced and/or assets already acquired. Contact us for more information.
"6 Yards Away"
In the waning minutes of the 1981 NFC Championship Game, legendary announcer Vin Scully called them “the upstart 49ers” and in memorable fashion remarked “They’re 6-yards away from Pontiac” referring to an unlikely Super Bowl appearance in Pontiac Michigan that would cap a season like no other in 49ers history. Seconds later he’d call out “Clark caught it! Dwight Clark!” and at that moment… everything changed.
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In the late 1970’s the City of San Francisco, not unlike today, found itself wallowing in the turmoil and struggles of a time that would unravel the very fabric of the Bay Area. Race and gay rights activism reached peak heights, violent protests, resistance to those advocating for individual freedoms, all rocking the very core of the City itself. Fear reigned as the AIDS crises raged, horror stories of the Zodiac killer and the Jonestown Massacre, all culminating in the public assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk. Political unrest, a housing crisis and economic downturn all foreshadowed the challenges the city would face again decades later. But in 1981, a city once brought to its knees, was lifted onto the shoulders of a rising dynasty. The San Francisco 49ers became an unlikely source of hope that united a people and created a catalyst for change.
6-Yards Away is a story lifted from the pages of Bay Area history, where a football coach becomes legend, and through tragedy a local politician is thrust into the national spotlight launching a political powerhouse. Social and political movements are forged through fire and struggle, and where the improbable season of a football team lifted the spirits of a once great city, a city that will one day… rise again.
"Vallecitos-
Memories of the World's First Commercial Nuclear Reactor"
The Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, California has a rich history, including being the site of the first privately owned nuclear power plant to supply electricity to the public. Becoming operational in 1957, it was licensed by the US Atomic Energy Commission as "Power Reactor License No. 1". The main reactor was shut down in 1977 when an earthquake fault was discovered under the reactor building, but the site would endure for decades with its Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR) used for nondestructive material imaging of components from the Apollo program to the Space Shuttle. The NTR's neutron radiography led to the refinement and development of military technology from ejection seats to the F-35 fighter. The NTR contributed to the fabrication of radioactive materials used in medicine and industry.
All culminating in a fascinating history from the very beginning of the nuclear age.
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Vallecitos- Memories of the World's First Commercial Nuclear Reactor is a compelling oral history told by those who lived it, and stands as a sequel to the Fission Films award winning documentary sponsored by General Electric and titled: Vallecitos- Powering the Future.
C.R. Roberts
"The Legend who Overcame Segregation and Changed the Game"
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1936, C.R. Roberts broke down barriers in every aspect of his life. Part of America’s Great Migration, Roberts’ family moved to San Diego, where Roberts worked alongside his father in the railyards, while excelling in sports and academics.
After graduating from Oceanside High School, Roberts attempted to breakdown racial barriers and chose to attend college at USC, rather than the more integrated UCLA program. In 1956, Roberts played in an historic game, one of the first African-American players to compete against an all-white Texas team, in a segregated stadium. Roberts performance that day was so legendary, dominating playing both offense and defense, he had to be pulled from the game at halftime fearing fan reprisals.
After college, Roberts played professionally for the San Francisco 49ers before deciding to transition to a career in education. Earning a master’s degree in education, Roberts became a Superintendent of Schools and contributed significantly to education in Los Angeles. He passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of courage, perseverance, and achievement both on and off the field.
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In 2014, Atomic recorded one of the last interviews with CR Roberts at his home in Los Angeles, his story demands to be told and Fission Films is exploring various opportunities to bring his life story to the screen. Stay tuned as this project evolves.
