Meet The Black Film Producer “Flipping The Script” With New Films About African American History And Lifestyle

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — After more than 40 years, developing and producing client driven video projects, award-winning filmmaker Bob Lott and his colleagues at TMGI Films in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, shifted gears in the direction of original television programming aimed at the global market, but with a twist. Before entering the film, video & television production business, he was a senior associate in a prestigious architectural firm for over 16 years, responsible for the design, form and execution of over 200 buildings, many of which have been several churches that have won various architectural awards. He has an eye for design, form, and execution, and a facility for following the needs of a demanding public.

It was 40 years ago that Bob and then partner Walt Gavin pioneered Black music in video form, producing the first nationally syndicated Black music video show on commercial television with The Gavin & Lott Show that aired in 55 cities nationwide, including 11 of the top 20 TV markets. The program ran for three years and featured a Who’s Who of Black music artists and garnered ad support from Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Burger King, McDonald’s and other national advertisers.

Between then and now, Bob has developed a reputation for excellence and customer satisfaction in the area of non-broadcast video and TV documentaries and has pumped out hundreds of productions ranging from video to film, many of them education tools to help uplift the African American community in particular.

Teamwork Media Group International (TMGI) was founded on the belief that we, as African-American people, with our singular historical experience as descendants from African slaves, have a unique social and cultural foundation from which to view the social, political and economic issues that affect our current environment and which will continue to shape the future of our world.

TMGI’s mission is to bring more African American history to both the big and small screen globally. Projects completed and on the drawing board cover sports, film, ancient history, archaeology, music, finance, education, and biographies of influential Americans, all from a “black” perspective. “We want to bring a new perspective to the African American experience before and after the so-called MAAFA (The African American Holocaust),” says Bob.

The late Dr. Edward Robinson, Jr., African and African American History scholar provides the basis for most of TMGI’s new programming slate, utilizing his African Genesis Theory including several documentary series that deal with the spiritual and cultural connection of African Americans with the Motherland. The reason for TMGI’s programming is to build race-esteem among African Americans, as well as respect for African Americans by other ethnic groups. “Intrinsic Value is rooted: Race-esteem is the flower. Self-esteem is the fragrance. Without the flower, there is no fragrance,” as Dr. Robinson used to say.

Some of TMGI’s projects completed and ready for distribution include: I Am an American: The Making of an Anthem, produced and directed by Bob, is a documentary revealing the decades-long mission by legendary music pioneer Kenny Gamble of Philadelphia International Records fame, and utilization of Temple University’s Orchestra and choir along with superstar Patti LaBelle. The film had its world premier at the San Diego Black Film Festival.

Ghana: The Door of No Return is part of a future series. The ninety minute film won first place in the Capital City Black Film Festival. The film was also screened at the San Diego Black Film Festival and has won awards in three other film festivals including a silver medal in The Philafilm International Festival. A documentary on the life and legacy of Dr. Edward Robinson, Jr. On The Wings of an Eagle, aired in Philadelphia on several occasions on CBS’ CW Philly channel.

An expanded feature length film series, Journey of the Songhai People: The Real Roots is currently in production. The 90 minute film, places events into the larger context of the Global African Presence that has shaped and continues to shape, influence, and impact cultures East and West, North and South. First there was Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed, then Roots: The Saga of an American Family followed a decade later. Now comes Journey of the Songhai People.

The film series is named after Dr. Edward W. Robinson’s successful book of forty years, Journey of the Songhai People. The first two parts explores Egypt and Ghana in a way that brings you face to face with both the majesty and splendor of ancient Africa and the horrors of captured Africans whose freedom and dignity were stolen from them and their descendants.

4 The Hard Way, the film. Knowing that success doesn’t come without hardship, during their 36 years in business the four founders of ComproTax have faced many oppositions. Where others may have folded and given up, Jackie Mayfield, Yusuf Muhammad, Craig Johnson & Fredrick Zeno did not faultier… even when they were up against the IRS.

The Renaissance Period of the African American in Sports tells the story of the nine (9) African American Olympic medalists who were members of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games Track & Field Team. When the Games were finished, these nine athletes had collected 13 medals—four of them by Jesse Owens. Bob, along with Executive Producer Herb Douglas, the oldest living African American Olympic Medalist at age 99, produced this documentary on the “Renaissance Nine.” The film includes Olympic Gold Medalists Edwin Moses, John Carlos, the late Harrison Dillard and Gabrielle Douglas along with other notables. The film was screened as part of a reunion of Olympians from around the country in Las Vegas and received a silver medal in the 2016 PhilaFilm Film Festival.

Another “historical” film called, The Birth of Black Film hosted and co-produced by Dr. Beverly Richards, deals with the birth of an independent Black Cinema and its impact on America. It takes viewers on a journey through the early years introducing the pioneers –the studio owners, producers, directors and actors who created a viable black-owned industry. Birth of Black Film won the Gold First Prize Award in the PhilaFilm Festival.

Victim No More: The Joan Pendergrass Story is the story of the widow of the late Teddy Pendergrass who finds the courage to overcome abandonment, sexual abuse and cultural dislocation as a chance meeting with R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass changes both their lives and leads to true undying happiness and love.

The former Mayor of Philadelphia, W. Wilson Goode documentary, entitled Still Fighting the Goode Fight, takes viewers from Goode’s early days as a little boy living on a share croppers farm in a one bedroom house with his parents, brothers and sisters.

The documentary takes viewers to City Hall and his triumphant election to become Philadelphia’s first Black Mayor in 1983. The story also shares the devastation of the Move House bombing and consequent burning of an entire block on Osage Avenue, which left several Move members dead in the aftermath.

Several films have already been viewed by hundreds of thousands of cable television subscribers who have access to the Black News Network (BNC), which made its debut in America on February 10, 2020.

TMGI is looking for additional support and more distribution opportunities to continue its mission; Educating our people As To Who They Are, Where They Came From, And How To Improve Their Lives.

For more information, go to TMGIFilms.com