NEWS - Economic Development

Called “BlockHeads,” Pilot Premieres Weds. Sept. 8

SBJ Staff Report

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) plans to launch a new original program focusing on the resurgence of neighborhoods. A Savannah neighborhood will be featured this fall. 

The show will premier on Weds. Sept. 8 at 7:00 p.m. and with a segment on Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, the pilot program of “BlockHeads: The Return of the Neighborhood.”  The program will run statewide.

The show will be previewed in Savannah this week at the Georgia Environmental Conference, with some of the development team in Savannah this week.  There is current discussion to feature a Savannah neighborhood at some point in the new future, according to a spokesperson for the show.

“The show’s name denotes the singular commitment of urban dwellers to their neighbors and the revitalization and sustainability of their neighborhoods. BlockHeads tells their moving stories and offers their insights on how to create and maintain a thriving community,” according to the show’s producers.

The pilot of BlockHeads will feature Old Fourth Ward pioneers such as Mtamaneka Youngblood, former director of the Old Fourth Ward Historic District Development Corporation, Charles Johnson, founder of the Spirit of Sweet Auburn, and Joan Garner, Fulton County Commissioner, talking about their experiences in addressing the neighborhood’s needs and overcoming its obstacles. Myrna Perez, owner of LOTTAFRUTTA Market, and glassblower Matt Janke, owner of Janke Studio, discuss the area’s economic and artistic rebirth.

The show is a collaboration between Eastwood Productions  and Centergy Studios, and will highlight the efforts of sustainability advocates and city dwellers to reclaim and restore the vitality of their urban landscape, unveiling the shopping, arts, dining and architectural heritage that their city neighborhoods contain.

“We want to show viewers the inspirational efforts of the individuals and organizations that are making our city neighborhoods inviting, nurturing and livable again,” said David Mook, president of Centergy Studios, who serves as the Executive Producer of the production. “Cities throughout Georgia and the nation are reversing the urban declines of the 1970s and 1980s block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood. We hope viewers will join us in celebrating the return of this essential element in the national social fabric.”

The pilot episode also will be rebroadcast at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, and at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12.

“BlockHeads is inspiring, thought-provoking and fun. In my many years of broadcasting seldom have I seen a production that takes a topic as complicated as the re-building of community and successfully distills it into personal stories that will make viewers care, and more importantly encourage them to get involved,” said Bob Olive, GPB’s assistant general manager. “We look forward to getting it on the air and sharing its message with Georgians across the state.”

Andrew Treglia, creator, producer, and director of BlockHeads, has been creating high-quality film, video, and high definition products for a decade.  Andrew is the founder and creative director of Eastwood Productions. 

David Mook, Centergy Group president, is a professional project manager with extensive experience in large, complex, and critical initiatives. He has guided broadcast and technical projects for CNN, Turner Entertainment, Invesco, and BellSouth among many others.

Also working on the project is B.J. Rentfrow, Centergy’s senior project manager, who brings a decade of experience in management, marketing, advertising and graphic design to the Centergy Group team, with clients such as Coca-Cola, Water Systems Council, and Clean Cities Atlanta.