Producing Authentically Black Stories with Oya Media Group
“We want to be on the biggest stages and biggest platforms, and have people view our stories and see them for the beauty and importance that they are.”
- Ngardy Conteh George
Forgive me if I’m a little starstruck this episode — my guests are Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George, co-founders of OYA Media Group and winners of the 2021 RBC Women of Influence Ones to Watch Award.
Alison and Ngardy founded OYA Media Group to bring an authentic perspective to media through socially relevant, life-changing stories that amplify Black experiences. Their documentary Mr. Jane & Finch, which they co-produced and Ngardy directed, premiered on CBC Docs POV in 2019 and won two Canadian Screen Awards.
“It’s hard for us to keep up with how fast we’re growing,” Ngardy says. “A lot of the time, this industry is about timing — and it is our time. I think the industry is finally ready for our stories.”
Press play for a fascinating look into a successful and uplifting creative partnership!
In this episode of the Road to Seven podcast, you’ll discover:
How Alison and Ngardy first launched OYA Media Group
How they hired the right team
The work they put into nurturing their creative partnership
About Alison Duke & Ngardy Conteh George:
Alison and Ngardy are award-winning storytellers and co-founders of OYA Media Group. The documentary Mr. Jane & Finch, which the two produced and Ngardy directed, won two Canadian Screen Awards. Ngardy’s feature-length documentary The Flying Stars won Best Documentary at BronzeLens Film Festival in 2015. Alison just concluded Year 3 of the OYA Emerging Filmmakers program, an initiative she kick-started that supports Black youth.
Highlights:
00:01 Intro
02:11 Meet Alison Duke & Ngardy Conteh George
05:47 Mr. Jane & Finch
07:45 Diverse storytelling
10:17 Partnership
13:43 Challenges
15:42 Shared vision & hiring
17:30 OYA Emerging Filmmakers & partnerships
22:05 What they know now
24:21 What’s next?
Links:
Alison Duke & Ngardy Conteh George
https://www.facebook.com/OYA-Media-Group-657967711330357
Instagram: @oyamediagroup
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