Director Nzinga Blake calls the process structural and story-based. Blake collaborates with Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo on the documentary “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island.” Other collaborators include ABC Owned Television Studios, National Geographic, and various indigenous communities. The creators magnify indigenous activists’ environmental work. On November 25, 2022, the documentary will premiere across streaming services. Check out our interview with Nzinga Blake below.
The Knockturnal: How has working with Black Eyed Peas inspired you to make creative content?
Nzinga Blake: Taboo is highly creative and passionate, so it’s easy to be inspired by his creativity. The concept for “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island” was sent to him, and it was surreal to get a personal call from him expressing his interest in being part of the special. Having him as a part of this project is very special to us all.
The Knockturnal: Have you collaborated on video projects before?
Nzinga Blake: No, this is our first project where we collaborated with each other (me and Taboo), but I hope it isn’t the last. We both really enjoy working together, and with both of us being part of the Disney family, we are definitely looking at exploring other synergy opportunities.
The Knockturnal: What challenges arose in the project’s development? How has the team overcome them?
Nzinga Blake: The music video process vs a documentary special production is very different because, with a music video, you have to conceptualize a story without using words. Yes, you have the song’s words, but the music video’s overall thematic focus must be conveyed through a visual story, which I find exciting because it’s challenging. With documentaries, there is more of a structured format that you can follow because of the interviews and interactions that are captured to help craft the overall story. Sometimes that’s not always the case, though; you can start with an initial concept, which can change while you are out on the road filming. However, with Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island, we were able to capture everything we set out to do!
The Knockturnal: What challenges arose in the project’s development? How has the team overcome them?
Nzinga Blake: This project came together serendipitously. It was a great example of the power of collaboration between ABC Owned Television Stations, National Geographic, and members of various Native American communities, specifically those featured in the special. The elements came together well, letting me know that we were supposed to do this work. However, I would say that if I had a challenge, that was wanting to ensure we got it right. We made sure to include people from the Native American community. I specifically have to thank our colleague Dawn Jackson, who is Native American and served as a consultant on the project. This is part of our inclusive storytelling practice. We wanted to make sure we told these stories accurately, respectfully, and with authenticity, and I think we’ve done that.
The Knockturnal: What has become your favorite part of the documentary process?
Nzinga Blake: My favorite part of this process was having the opportunity to amplify indigenous voices of the powerful individuals highlighted in this program. So often, their authentic story doesn’t get the visibility it deserves. I loved being able to create this platform for all of the people featured in the doc to tell their stories – I just added certain creative elements to it. It’s always refreshing to be in this position because I feel like there are times when people think Black storytellers can only tell Black stories – but we are human, so we can connect with all humans and tell stories that celebrate our common humanity.
The Knockturnal: What do you hope viewers will get from watching the documentary?
Nzinga Blake: With this film, I, along with ABC Owned Television Stations, aim to raise awareness and elevate the conversation around Native American sovereignty as we commemorate Native American Heritage Month this November. “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island” will also strive to inform and serve those underrepresented communities in the United States today by shining a light on voices and important work of the Indigenous activists featured in the documentary. We hope everyone will tune in. The documentary will be available on November 18 at ouramericaabc.com/reclaiming-turtle-island. The documentary special will debut beginning Nov. 19-20 on linear across eight ABC stations, its 24/7 streaming platforms, 32 connected TV apps across streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and Roku, and available on Hulu November 25, Native American Heritage Day.
