"THe Black Pannel" at SDCC 2006

[Sam Wilson]

Here is reggie's post from the other section, figure it would be better to move it here to discuss...

Ahem.

Here's what happened during the BET panel:

First I showed a reel of upcoming shows on BET.  Because I figured a lot people at the con either didn't know what BET was, or had an outdated idea of what it was. 

What was on the reel?

Reality shows like KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS and DMX:  SOUL OF A MAN.  Both of which are on Wed. nights starting at 9pm.

Specials like THE TOP 25 HOTTEST BODIES (hosted by Kevin Hart and Toccarra), which has already aired and was a hit on the network.

Ongoing shows like THE BLACK CARPET (which covers the world of entertainment from the Sundance Film Festival to The Detroit Player's Ball) and HOTWYRED, which covers the world of online, gaming and electronics.

News specials like SAVING OUR SELVES - ONE YEAR LATER, which offers eyewitness testimony about what IS and ISN'T happening in the wake of Katrina (this will air in August).

Then there are the shows slated for the fall. 

BEEF is a weekly series based on the popular documentary DVD line.  It will feature old and new school rap beef (LL vs. Kool Moe Dee, Jay Z vs. Nas), and also expand into sports beef (Shaq vs. Kobe), olds chool beef (Diana Ross vs. Mary Wilson), even supermodel beef (Niaomi vs. Tyra).


THE NEXT LEVEL:  VINCE YOUNG is a sports show that follows the Rose Bowl MVP as he transitions to the pros.

AMERICAN GANGSTER is a series that will profile the most imfamous gangsters in our history - Nicky Barnes, Freeway Rick, Tookie Williams, The Chambers Brothers, etc....to see not only their rise and fall, but their effect on the communities they destroyed.

Okay, all of that was just the introduction of WHO the network is. 

Then I went into what's coming up in the world of animation.

I introduced Sidney Clifton, one of the top executives at Film Roman, and showed their reel of work, which is vast - from Simpsons and Family Guy to...well it's pretty damn impressive.

BET and Film Roman are hammering out a deal to partner on projects.  Quite frankly, this deal alone is big news.

Then I explained the BET Animation roll out plan.

This winter, I will be showing animated shorts throughout our programming day.  It will be a wide range of styles.  To demonstrate my point, I showed two examples.

One is a six second short about Biggie Smalls.

Then I showed an award winning short called BID 'EM IN, based on a song by Oscar Brown Jr.

After it was over, silence, then applause.  It's that kinda short.  Knocks the breath out of people.

Then I gave a few glimpses of the future.  The series that will be debuting in fall '07. 

I started with a sketch by Denys Cowan.  Everyone I show this sketch to is blown away.  Then I said the show will be written by Dwayne McDuffie.  Yes, the Milestone team back together again...creating an original show for BET.

Then I showed 30 seconds of conceptual art from HANNIBAL THE CONQUERER, which will be produced by and starring VIN DIESEL. The African King who conquered the world will have an animated prime time series on BET. 

Then I took questions.

[Sam Wilson]

Reggie, who or whom came up with American Gangster?  That is a great idea, and damn if all the knuckleheads I teach couldn't learn from a show like that.  For the first time ever, in a public school (maybe) I'm going to encourage kids to watch BET, specifically this show.  And of course all the animation...

[Mastrmynd]

you mean to tell me that you never told your kids to watch UnCut?

:O

For shame!

[zulu801]

BET is and will be on FIRE TY and NY (next year).  Madd props Reg with an outstanding presentation to inform the world that BET will bring Black entertainment in all forms.  As much as I am looking forward into seeing all of BET upcoming projects, Hannibal animated prime time series w/ Vin Diesel will be HOTTER than most programming on BET, IMO.

[Redjack]

The BET panel wass off the chain ( are we still saying that? I missed a memo).

Although I was there primarily to see what animation shows were on deck, I was THRILLED to see the other changes Reg and Co. have made to the network. I'm one of those who spent the last decade or so pretty much hating BET and I'm both AMAZED and thrilled at the direction it is FINALLY taking.

NOW we can be proud to have this as the flagship. Now we can do in televison what we've done in all the other forms of entertainment, sports, science, literature and, hell, everything else we ever touch.

It's about damned time and, to me at least, it's clear the right folks are driving.

Keep banging, Reg.

[zeraze]

BET is and will be on FIRE TY and NY (next year).  Madd props Reg with an outstanding presentation to inform the world that BET will bring Black entertainment in all forms.

Speaking of presentation, I hope you caught Black Carpet yesterday (August 3rd).  If not you missed, a report on the BET Panel as well as the AfroSamurai Panel featuring Samuel L. Jackson.  Hence, I finally got a chance to see the very cool concept art for Vin Diesel's <i>Hannibal</i> and the new McDuffie/Cowan superhero series. 

The icing on the cake was Reggie's Black Panther #18 (The Wedding) plugged by the hosts.  Comic shops have had trouble keeping this issue in stock; things are about to get worst.

This coverage is significant since BET (a)  has never reported on Comic-Con related topics before and (b) can expose a much bigger audience to the reality that comics and animation are no longer a "White thing."

In short, if you want something done right, do it yourself.  That's what Black comic creators, animators and their fans (including network presidents)  need to do to give these projects the exposure they deserve.

zeraze