The Caribbean unplugged

Advanced Media Productions unloads host of documentaries on the region

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

For Advanced Media Production's principals, the 2009-2010 Jamaica Broilers Fair Play Award to the first feature in the 'Our Very Own: Locked up Abroad' series seems welcome confirmation that they are headed in the right direction.

Not that Racquel Reece, executive producer, and Julius J. Levy, general manager and presenter, ever doubted the feasibility of their taking the much-less-travelled route of the documentary film.

"It is not by coincidence that we got the Fair Play Award," Levy said. "It is because of the quality in content and the storyline was absolutely compelling."

And they tell The Gleaner that the award-winning work, which focuses on media personality Kerie Ann Lewis (popularly known as 'Kiki'), is one of a raft of programmes telling Caribbean stories.

"We capture and tell Caribbean stories on a global scale," Reece said.

Stories from home, abroad

Levy noted that while the stories Advanced Media tells are about Caribbean people, it includes those living outside the region as well.

The company was started in September 2009 and Reece says Kiki's story "came to us when we were looking for the right story to do". So, when Kiki spoke to them about an experience she had never shared previously, "it was right within one of the topics we were interested in".

"We kind of wanted to see more quality stuff coming out of the Caribbean and more documentaries. The Caribbean is very rich and we have a lot of entertainment and that is fine," she said.

And Levy has seen the potential of the Caribbean market in far-flung places.

"Having travelled to different countries and seen the level of Caribbean content in places where there is a high concentration of Caribbean nationals, I know that we need programming," he said. Among the countries he bases his analysis on are Holland, Germany and Switzerland.

Plus, he says, "a lot of people outside the Caribbean are very interested in Caribbean culture".

And a lot of people from the Caribbean have contributed significantly to countries they have relocated to, Reece said, pointing to the Notting Hill Carnival in London as an example. Positioned to document these activities is another of Advanced Media's products, 'Our Very Own Living Abroad'.

Entertainment is not left out, as the 'A Caribbean Story' programme, which has three segments - E-Carib, CaribLife and CaribMinutes - will have an entertainment component. However, Reece and Levy are quick to point out that the content will be angled towards features and not "the news of the day". Then there is 'Goodwill Hunting', which not only tells someone's story, but gives access to practical assistance.

"It has to be someone who has given so much of themselves, but not got much back," Levy said.

Artistes featured

There are two other documentaries still in the developmental stages. One focuses on four Caribbean music artistes.

The pilot of 'Goodwill Hunting' has been completed and the intention is to do seven episodes annually. Two episodes of 'Locked up Abroad' are in the can and another two at the half-way stage. Levy says the next episode to be released features "a gentleman who had never been to Jamaica. He was born in Germany. He was deported to Jamaica after being declared stateless".

Reece and Levy point out that there is an educational aspect to the programme, as, while the person involved tells the tale from their personal perspective, there is also expert input which gives viewers practical advice.

Advanced Media's principals see a larger purpose to their documentaries. "We want to create this awareness about the Caribbean. We want to be part of that glue that holds the Caribbean islands together," Levy said. To that end, Advanced Media has partnered with CMC in the Caribbean, while outside the region they are in partnership with CMP TV (which covers New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts) and CIN, which provides access to the New York and the wider Tri-State area of the US.

"We do not intend to have a channel. We aim to provide content to the Caribbean and around the world," Reece said. "We are hoping this becomes a legacy, because our aim is sharing the Caribbean legacy. We are really hoping this lives on."