James and Gilbert had previously worked together on the well-received Kartemquin Films documentary Hoop Dreams, on which James was the producer and director and Gilbert served as producer and director of photography.
The film follows William Gates and Arthur Agee, two African-American teenagers who are recruited by a scout from St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominantly white high school with an outstanding basketball program, whose alumni include NBA great Isiah Thomas.
Under the new stage name, "Deacon", Mosley recorded a song, "Fast Break" for the Hoop Dreams soundtrack.
Field of Dreams | California Dreams Tour | Island Dreams | Hoop Dreams | Winter Dreams | Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) | Dreams That Money Can Buy | Jesca Hoop | Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams | Dreams | Winter Dreams (ballet) | Vegas, City of Dreams | The Hall of the Olden Dreams | Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (song) | Joseph: King of Dreams | Dreams of Children | Cocktails & Dreams | Violet's Dreams | The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True | The Stealers of Dreams | These Dreams | The Interpretation of Dreams | The Book of Dreams | Public Dreams Society | Power of Dreams | Ordinary Dreams; Or How to Survive a Meltdown with Flair | Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams | Nice Dreams | Memories, Dreams, Reflections | Interpretation of Dreams |
Between 2008 and 2011 Kotlowitz worked with documentary production studio Kartemquin Films and Hoop Dreams director Steve James as a producer on the documentary The Interrupters, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011 to widespread critical acclaim.
The New Americans was executive produced by Steve James (who also produced the acclaimed 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams) and Gordon Quinn, both of Kartemquin Films.
Upon his return, Hyde moved to Chicago, IL where he interned with the prestigious Kartemquin Films and was introduced to his mentor, Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Stevie, The New Americans, The Reel Paradise.) There he worked as a translator on The New Americans, and began writing the screenplay for Chicle Y Postales.
After receiving the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Hoop Dreams was released theatrically by Fine Line Features and became the highest grossing documentary at that time and one of highest-rated documentaries broadcast on PBS.