The OTHER Authentic Films

This is not the first time this has happened. In August of 2009, sports reporters and football fans in Alabama were calling us to get more information about Authentic Films' new documentary project on the Auburn University football team. The school had just announced the plans to shoot a Hard Knocks/HBO-style series following the team.

I had to tell them all that they're looking for a different Authentic Films. A few of them wanted to buy the DVDs, a few of them wanted to be in it, and a few even wanted to hire us. I did some research at that time about the partners of this project and couldn't find them online. And calls to Auburn's sports staff were not returned. The reporters who called me didn't find anything, either. So, I gave up - I don't have a lot of time to work on their behalf... this is an unfortunate confusion for the two men who were actually behind the Auburn project - they might have enjoyed those phone calls. One sports reporter wrote a story about this mix-up, since he didn't have any info from the real guys.

The irony is that we do have a sports documentary under our belts: Running America (on sale now at Amazon and at www.nehst.com and in select theaters). Can you imagine the confused caller:

caller: hi, is this Authentic Films?

me: yes, hi, how can i help you?

caller: you make those sports movies, right?

me: yes, that's right, what can i do for you?

and that's how it begins...

And now we're at it again! They have a new project for Marquette University basketball, assumedly with the same approach. And the calls and emails have started again. Can you believe that these guys have absolutely NO online presence, even after producing a TV series for a regional cable channel? Apparently, one of them is a former marketing exec for Under Armour, hence a tidy sponsorship arrangement. He should know better.

So, in hopes that they might have a Google alert in place for their own names:

I beg you, Bill Kraus and Jess Atkinson of that other Authentic Films, please, post a web site, blog, phone book listing, linkedin profile, or even a facebook page, so that we can find you and forward all of your messages. Please email me through our Authentic Films website and I'll trade you a DVD of Running America for a copy of your football and basketball docs.