Tell us a bit about your organization and what your specialty is in the film and video space.

For over 30 years, Al Roker Entertainment has been at the forefront of award-winning television programming, digital storytelling, social impact, and branded entertainment.

What is your organization’s ethos and how does it set you apart from industry competitors?

ARE is led by America’s Weatherman, Al Roker who brings daily trust, warmth, and cultural
capital to each project. Our mission is to tell stories of good.

How can people join or learn more about what you do?

https://alrokerentertainment.com/

Tell us about your Telly Award winning piece. What’s the story behind it?

Gaining Ground: The Fight For Black Land is a documentary that examines heirs property and why Black land owners and Black farmers’ ownership of land has dwindled to alarmingly low numbers.

What are you most proud of about this piece? What was your biggest challenge during production and how did you solve it?

Gratified that the doc amplifies to Black land owners and Black farmers that resources are available and laws are changing to reclaim land that was once owned by them.

Do you have any advice to other filmmakers based on your career or your team’s approach to work?

Trust and truthfulness with brands, crew and storytelling must be consistent and align with your mission.

Can you share a behind the scenes story or fun fact about the making of your piece?

There are many powerful quotes in the doc about the land, the earth and the people. The one quote that resonates the most is stated by Shirley Sherrod, from her late husband and civil rights leader Rev. Charles Sherrod that says, “all power comes from the land and the land comes from God.”

Tell us about the most memorable response you got from this work.

Viewers who have screened this film at film festivals or public/private events have expressed that Gaining Ground: The Fight For Black Land is helping families and farmers reclaim their land. They thank us for producing content with real people in the field of law, landownership and active resource groups.

Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’

… what we do!