Elton Brand is shocked – somewhat startled.

The NBA All-Star, who has entered the movie production game, has just found out that on his company’s Web site, his name is listed as an executive producer of a film starring Paris Hilton.

“No, no, no. Are you serious? No, no, no. I’m not producing that. My name’s not attached to that at all,” he says in disbelief.

When Brand, the Los Angeles Clippers’ franchise player, decided to invest money that he earned playing basketball in film production, working with Paris Hilton apparently wasn’t part of the plan.

“Wow. I’m going to make sure that comes off tonight.”

The boy who once couldn’t afford to see a movie is now the Hollywood big shot who keeps getting approached by fellow basketball players for parts in his films. (”Cuttino Mobley swears he’s an actor now,” Brand says.)

Brand co-founded Gibraltar Films with nightclub owner Steve Marlton three years ago. Their first joint-venture, the thriller Rescue Dawn, is now playing at select North American theatres.

Christian Bale (Batman Begins) stars a German-born pilot who is captured during the Vietnam War era in the Werner Herzog-directed project, which debuted in September at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Brand’s interest for films started as a child.

His family grew up in a housing project north of Manhattan, where they had to use pliers to change the channels on their knobless black-and-white television set. Going to the theatres wasn’t a usual occurrence; it was a treat.

“Sometimes we got sponsors from summer camps and they would take us to the movies. Even corny stuff like Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It was the best thing [and] that started my love affair with movies.”

He’s rich enough to retire today and never have to think twice about spending money – he’s heading into the fifth year of a six-year, US$82 million deal – but he’s smart enough that he evaluates every investment carefully.
With Rescue Dawn, he could have put up the money, trusted his partner to handle the day-to-day business, and waited to see his name in the credits and a return on his money.

“I’m not in it just to get the money,” he says. “I’m in it for the business experience. That’s why I’m in Thailand for 21 days. That’s why I went to the editor’s room. That’s why I’m looking at the budget.”

Brand sees film production as an investment, but he says making money isn’t his only motive.

“I have tons of stocks. I have tons of t-bills. I have tons of bonds. I have that. That’s my actual nest egg,” he says. “But I like to have a little fun. I have some money allotted to the side for some more fun investments that I like to do that I can be a part of. You can sit back and make a great living in the NBA and then retire, but I wanted to have fun and I have that opportunity.”

But as he promotes the release of Rescue Dawn – which is playing in Toronto and Vancouver, and hits theatres in Calgary and Edmonton on July 27 – Brand hasn’t been able to stop thinking about basketball.

He’s had it on his mind ever since the final day of the season, when the Clippers fell out of contention for a post-season appearance.

Missing the playoffs by just a half a game, he says, has left a bitter taste in his mouth, which is why he is working out daily with the Clippers all summer.

“I take it personally,” he says. “I remember I missed a jumper against Seattle. We could have won that game. I made a jumper in New Orleans to put us into overtime but we ended up losing that game and I could have taken over. All that stuff is still in my head.

“That’s why I’m here at 5 a.m., to really get to that next level. I guarantee it won’t be a half a game next year.”

In case the Clippers were curious about Brand’s priorities, he says even if Rescue Dawn becomes the No. 1 movie at the box office, it still wouldn’t ease the pain of missing the playoffs.

“[Even] if my wife comes home happy or something,” he laughs timidly, “it still doesn’t take away the pain.”

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