As part of A&E’s 2017 Look Closer/Brave Storytellers campaign, the network unveiled ‘Look Closer: Across America’, a short documentary creative directed in collaboration with their agency. The film is written and narrated by applauded poet and spoken word artist, IN-Q, and celebrates individuals love letters to America, offering a lens into the life of storytellers across the country. This brand film represents A&E’s collective viewpoint at the broadest level to the broadest audience.

Overarching message: We are A&E. Home to America’s bravest storytellers. Brave enough to look closer at ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN AMERICA: LOVE, DIFFERENCE, SOCIETY, FAMILY, CONFLICT, ADDICTION AND INCARCERATION. Because it’s only by looking closer that we see the stories hiding in plain sight, the stories of BRAVERY. DEFIANCE. GRIT. BEAUTY. AND HOPE.

Our intention was always to make a verite film. It had to feel authentic. For this reason, we didn’t want to ‘cast’ in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, we took our cameras and set out on a road trip ‘Across America’. We filmed the natural sights, sounds, and people across various neighborhoods, capturing a plethora of ages, races, genders, and orientations. We wanted to capture everyday Americans as they went about their daily routines. And then showed them the footage and asked if they wanted to be part of this project. Cities covered: Washington DC, Baltimore, New York, Portland (Maine), New Orleans, Austin, Las Vegas and Denver.