Chicago-Made ‘Channels Changers’ On WTTW
The Chicago-made documentary, Channels Changers, will make its television premiere on WTTW on February 20th. Chronicling the rise of Black advertising professionals, the film celebrates the creative pioneers who bucked a tradition of thick-headed whiteness to make ads, win awards and shape popular culture.
In the film, African-American advertising veterans talk about institutional bias and corporate ignorance. Given that everyone’s dealt with office politics, they tell a relatable tale. But since these people faced a degree of unfairness that extended throughout the country in occasionally violent ways, they describe a part of a larger revolution.
A mélange of television commercials and magazine advertisements for Betty Crocker, Coca Cola, McDonald’s and other national brands complement the narrative. They encapsulate the undeniable success that agencies like DDB, FCB and Leo Burnett reaped through the hard work of future advertising stars like Emma Young, Jim Glover and Al Hawkins.
CHANNELS CHANGERS TRAILER
The effort to complete the film required a specific kind of collaborative resilience that may only exist in the advertising world. Among the players who lent a hand are Co-Executive Producers Terry Peigh, Cotton Stevensen and Lowell Thompson; Director/Cinematographer Bill Youmans; producer Laurel Dobose; and Consulting Producer Alaric C. Martin. Holding it all together was Chicago’s Gypsy Productions and a thriving gofundme page.
Together, they documented an altogether noble yet occasionally unpleasant struggle with astonishing optimism.
Channels Changers is a lesson about the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the professional world and a first-hand account of the creative process in advertising. But perhaps most importantly, it’s about friends and colleagues meeting up after a hard day’s work.
‘Channels Changers’ will air on WTTW on Thursday, Feb 20 at 9:00 pm; Friday, Feb 21 at 11:00 am (WTTW Prime); and Sunday, Feb 23 at 1:30 am. For more information, click here.
CREDITS CHANNELS CHANGERS
Executive Producers Cotton Stevenson, Lowell Thompson, Terry Peigh
Producer Laurel Dobose
Writers Lowell Thompson, Alaric C. Martin
Consulting Producer Alaric C. Martin
Director/ Director of Photography Bill Youmans
Editor/Motion Graphics Alaric C. Martin
Title Design Animation/ Webmaster Dani Dudovick, Double Dog Productions
Videographers Dennis Thompson Joe Brooks Cal Evans
Location Sound Dustin Berta, Case Chamberlain, Daniel Hernandez
Main Title Music Darryl Duncan, GameBeat Studios
Colorist Pete Jannotta, COLOR BY PETE, INC.
Trailer Colorist Bob Sliga
Sound Design /Editor Sidney Jones, Jr. BAM STUDIOS CHICAGO
Hair and Makeup Marcus Geeter
Wheel Man Michael J. Manhoff
Legal Ellen Duff Ratcliffe, Duff & Peel LLC
Transportation Coordinator Maura Donahue
Special Project Consultant Bill Izzo
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