Half Nelson

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• Was originally made as the short film Gowanus, Brooklyn (2004), which won an award at the Sundance Film Festival. Shareeka Epps and Karen Chilton reprise their roles as Drey and Drey's mother. Matt Kerr, who plays the substitute teacher Mr. Light in this film, played Mr. Dunne in the original short.
• (According to the filmmakers' commentary on the DVD) the film was shot hand-held, except for a short sequence in Dan Dunne's apartment. The sequence in Dunne's apartment happens when he is not there, and it contains all static shots. These static shots were shot on a tripod.
• Although it was produced and shot in New York City, the Toronto band Broken Social Scene is featured prominently on the soundtrack. Broken Social Scene even recorded some original music for the film.
• The school used in the film (with the bright "Neon Celery" and "Key Lime" colored classroom doors), was painted by students from the school through an innovative nonprofit youth development program called Publicolor in NYC.