Although the media and film industry has progressed leaps and bounds over the years, we still have a long way to go. So if we do want to put out stories through the camera lens and portray real historical events, there are many facets still left untouched. One such chunk of time is the black history events that happened before slavery. Due to the societal pressure of doing the rightful, people are intimidated even to approach the topic.
So it only made sense that this was put out by people who would be sensitive to experiencing it, portraying it and making it worthwhile. Hence, a talented trio of African Americans, Manuel and Geiszel Godoy, and Teunis, put a strong step forward to take control of this narrative and change it once and for all. They created a genre-based empire showcasing black characters for the black historical events.
Their main focus was on comic books. But they decided to expand their publishing house into more media categories like games and movies to become an all-encompassing production house called the Black Sands Entertainment. That’s how the brand came to be. Soon, a story started getting popular, so they commemorated it into a signature storyline, including all mediums.
The idea behind it was to help viewers move past the agenda-based coverage of black events and give them something genuine. Hence, their main story, The Seven Kingdoms, got much recognition for portraying all that. They also created comic books, chapter books, graphic novels, picture books, and DVDs for the story to be enjoyed in every medium.
Moreover, they had their former career backgrounds to help them with their newly launched venture too. Geiszel and Manual are a married couple and army veterans. On the other hand, Teunis is an animation genius, having worked with big names in the industry like Disney and Pixar. Together they had the skills and knowledge to create the biggest black-owned publishing and production house in the USA.
However, with all this success, they wanted to have a television license with Nickelodeon to create a running series of the story. For this, they initially sought funds from Kickstarter campaigns, raised more than $102,000, and collected around $1,300,000 from WeFunder. They put together this fund to create an app that allowed people to access their content from their smartphones and devices, while you could buy their titles from Amazon.
All this was proving to be successful for the entrepreneurs and getting popular with the media consumers. However, they wanted to carry on the storyline and create something more grasping with increased viewership. So they agreed to create an animated series in partnership with Nickelodeon to distribute the content via television. However, that’s when they came to Shark Tank seeking funding to plan their animated series idea.
Hence the trio enters Shark Tank with a pitch of $500,000 in exchange of 5% company stake. However, it doesn’t take long for the sharks to realize that they are doing well independently. But certainly, the Nickelodeon deal going through with a televised animated series is a huge shift in revenue. So Mark Cuban is naturally the first one to take charge and start negotiating for a favorable deal for his end.
After some back and forth, Kevin Hart wins over the Black Sands Entertainment trio as he offers to provide $1 million instead of half and take a 10% stake with $1 per comic book sold. Manuel shakes his hand in affirmation of the deal, and it is a huge celebration for the trio. You can check out their successfully running website Black Sands.com for details about the upcoming animated series and products they sell through Amazon.
Our Review of Black Sands Entertainment
We were fortunate to get our hands on the very first volume of the Black Sands Entertainment storyline through Amazon. It is called The Seven Kingdoms, and it revolves around a young boy who goes on to rule an ancient African kingdom. It has been created by taking inspiration from many real-life African community’s experiences in the historical timeline. It is an all-around entertainer for every age group and not only children.
Pros of Black Sands Entertainment
Naturally, the pros of Black Sands Entertainment lie with the rightful representation of the Black community. Having struggled so long for the truthful portrayal of their experiences, how those events shaped them as a community, and how they have been treated ever since, post-slavery – it makes sense that a black-owned company stepped forward with a respectful and sensitive dynamic of it all while being entertaining at the same time.
Cons of Black Sands Entertainment
The only con as of now for Black Sands Entertainment is that they haven’t closed the deal they got from Kevin Hart at Shark Tank. So naturally, they haven’t moved ahead with the animated series either. It has been a work in progress for over two years now, and when we can get the final product to enjoy is unpredictable. Regardless, they have plenty of other content on their website that you can enjoy in the meanwhile.
Who Is Black Sands Entertainment For?
Black Sands Entertainment is for anyone and everyone. If you like comic books, comic book-based series, etc., it is for you. The genre has been popular for so many years now, and there are so many crazy fans of this medium. Moreover, it is also for the Black community to feel represented in a positive and realistically correct portrayal of their history. Many people can use their works as an example to learn and be entertained at the same time.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Black Sands Entertainment is mainly a comic book publishing house. So most of their work is based on that medium. Hence, the biggest alternative to their business is the Marvel and DC universe. They take up a huge chunk of the comic book-based media fraternity. Also, they have so many characters that you are bound to find someone relatable and representative of your community. For instance, Black Panther was one of the biggest hits of all time, representing a Black character in a positive light.
Our Final Thoughts
Black Sands Entertainment has a long way to go, but undoubtedly, they are on the right track. One may find that it is exceptionally difficult for people of color to find representation in a positive light. But, thanks to people like Geiszel, Manuel, Teunis, and many more such creative individuals. One can find hope and assurance that the future is brighter than the past. The colored communities can find solace in the change being shaped for their kids.
Cheers!
