Chris Herren, Jonathan Hock Teaming Up For Another Film
Chris Herren, a former NBA player and current advocate for addiction recovery, is teaming up with award-winning director Jonathan Hock for a second film — titled “The First Day.”
Back in 2011, ESPN released one of their greatest 30 for 30 documentaries ever: Unguarded. The film, directed by Jonathan Hock, detailed the rise, fall, and redemption of former basketball star Chris Herren through archived footage, interviews, and clips of his motivational speeches from around the country.
At the time of the release, Herren was three years sober with his speaking career still in its early stages. Now, thanks to the publicity from the film and an outstanding message, he’s one of the most sought after speakers in the country and the proud founder of the Herren Wellness Group in Seekonk, MA.
Also at the time of the release of “Unguarded,” his son, Chris Herren Jr., was a kid; these days, Herren Jr. is a rotation player for Boston College in the ACC. Prior to his transfer to Fresno State, the eldest Herren played for BC but had his freshman season cut short by injury.
Herren’s message is clear: instead of focusing on the widely-used “rock bottom” in an addict’s journey, people need to concentrate on the first day. And it’s with that message that, according to Herren Talks, Jonathan Hock and Chris Herren are teaming up again for a new film, aptly named The First Day.
Chris Herren and Emmy Award Winning Director, Jonathan Hock, bring you The First Day, an innovative film project with a look into the struggles facing our youth today. From substance use to mental wellness and harmful behaviors, Chris Herren is able to tackle the most difficult issues with a unique connection that can be felt through the lens of the camera. His words resonate and make an impact with a focus on the beginning; The First Day.
According to the release, the film is “coming in 2019.”
Most recently, Jonathan Hock directed 14 Back for SI.TV, a documentary about the 1978 Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
Herren Talks is a website dedicated to Chris Herren’s speaking career. As mentioned before, he also has Herren Wellness, as well as The Herren Project and Project Purple.
In August of 2018, Chris Herren celebrated 10 years of sobriety.
