“License to Operate,” Documentary About Ex-Gang Members Turned Interventionists, to Make Television Premiere on VICELAND
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 17, 2017 -- VICELAND, the new Emmy-nominated channel from Vice Media and A+E Networks, will air “License to Operate” – the critically-acclaimed documentary following former Los Angeles gang members as they work to clean up the streets they once controlled – for the film’s television premiere on January 20 at 10:00 PM EST/PST.
The documentary, created by Omelet, an LA-based creative agency and directed by James Lipetzky, first debuted at the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival and is currently enjoying a highly-successful streaming run on iTunes and Amazon, and on other video-on-demand platforms.
As if spun from recent headlines on the growing tension between many citizens and law enforcement across the country, “License to Operate” is a film truly of its time. Filmed on the streets of Los Angeles’ most violent neighborhoods, the documentary features former L.A. gang members – hailing from some of the nation’s most feared and violent gangs including Bloods, Crips, and Florencia 13 – working to clean up the streets they once controlled.
Now professionally trained community interventionists, these men and women are defying their pasts and have found a respectful and professional coexistence with local law enforcement. This allows them to provide real, hands-on expertise in situations where officers can’t arrive fast enough, or more likely, where they don’t have the community respect needed to get the right answers to truly assist the residents that they serve. Due in significant part to the interventionists’ combined efforts with law enforcement, violent crimes in the areas they work in have dropped to a 20-year low.
“This documentary was more than just a film to us. It’s our promise to support these courageous men and women for the work they’re doing in the most underserved communities of Los Angeles, while also recognizing their inspiring stories of redemption and dramatic self-improvement,” said Mike Wallen, Omelet’s Chief Content Officer and Producer of License to Operate. “We’re proud to give these interventionists a voice on VICELAND, a network that strives to innovate through provocative storytelling.”
“License to Operate” will premiere on VICELAND on January 20 at 10:00 pm EST/PST.
About License to Operate:
Across the country, there is a growing distrust between members of the community and those who are meant to protect it. “License to Operate,” Omelet’s first feature-length documentary, follows a group of former gang members in Los Angeles who work in partnership with community leaders and law enforcement on a mission to break the cycle of violence that they were once a part of creating. This film is about redemption, hope, and change. It’s about rebuilding relationships and forging new alliances. It’s about healing the wounds of a community. It’s about how the effort of a few can change the direction of an entire city. This documentary was directed by James Lipetzky, and represents his feature directorial debut. To learn more about the key subjects and their unified mission, visit http://www.ltomovie.com.
About Omelet:
Omelet is an independent boutique creative agency that works with progressive partners including AT&T, Pokémon, Smashbox, and Walmart. The Omelet Studio division creates original content for both brands and its own networks.
http://www.omeletla.com
About VICELAND:
Most TV channels are just a collection of shows – VICELAND is a collection of personal points-of-view. Everything at VICELAND has a reason to exist and a strong perspective. Our mission is to examine the world we live in, and explore the things that confuse us, make us curious, make us laugh, or awaken our sense of wonder.
VICELAND features series examining all things culture, including music, food, technology, sex, fashion and more. The channel is overseen by Oscar-winning writer/director Spike Jonze, a long-time VICE partner and creative director for the company, and features series hosted by VICE newcomers like Ellen Page, Ian Daniel, Michael K Williams and Hailey Gates, as well as longtime VICE hosts like Action Bronson, Thomas Morton and Eddie Huang and its new late night show “Desus & Mero.”
http://www.viceland.com
About A Better Los Angeles:
A Better Los Angeles (ABLA) is dedicated to funding and training community intervention workers — many of whom are former gang members. Operating at the forefront of this pivotal work, the organization empowers these men and women in inner city Los Angeles to take charge of their own destinies and create a more prosperous future for themselves and their families. For more information, please go to http://www.abetterla.org.
Contact:
Devin Desjarlais
Director of Communications, Omelet
devin[dot]desjarlais[at]omeletla[dot]com
424-672-8606
Devin Desjarlais, Omelet, http://www.omeletla.com, +1 (424) 672-8606, [email protected]
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