Meet BlackRook Media
Announcing a new business education documentary series: leading the future
We are thrilled to announce a new documentary series, Leading the Future, a collaboration between the Association of MBAs (AMBA),The Business Graduates Association (BGA), and BlackRook Media.
Leading The Future will explore the vital role of business schools in fostering leadership excellence and driving positive change in society. The series will delve into the innovative programmes, inspiring faculty, and exceptional students that are shaping the future of business.
- Through compelling video storytelling, the series will showcase how business schools are:
- Equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge to lead effectively in a complex global marketplace.
- Instilling a sense of social responsibility and a commitment to ethical business practices.
- Preparing future leaders to address the challenges and opportunities
- Setting the standard for sustainable business practices
Andrew Main Wilson, CEO, AMBA & BGA, “This series is a testament to the impact which business schools have on ensuring best practices in the business world. It will showcase the dynamic and important work being done by our network of schools in their communities and their expertise in developing the future organisation leaders. We are pleased to partner with BlackRook Media on this impressive project. This series will inspire and inform viewers about the transformative power of business education”.
“We are proud to bring this ground breaking series to life. By sharing the stories of these exceptional business schools, we hope to inspire a new generation of leaders.” says Adam Harrod, Chief Content Officer, Executive Producer at BlackRook Media.
The company’s Managing Director is award-winning documentary maker Alan Rook, the former network Head of News for both ITV Breakfast in the UK and globally for the British Forces Broadcasting Service. He was also Editor of ITV’s network daytime show This Morning.
Alan is Creative Director for all films produced in partnership with AMBA and will also work as a hands-on Executive Producer across the entire series in 2024 and 2025.
He said: “We anticipate telling a fascinating story of global achievement and innovation with AMBA and its members - and that’s familiar territory for us. Our teams have travelled a lot in recent years, in corporate film production and in our events work. Last year alone we were in Canada three times, the U.S twice as well as making films in Mexico, Norway, France and the U.A.E. In all of that, we always use a core group of filmmakers and journalist/producers who’ve been at the heart of all our production for more than a decade now. That provides dividends in quality, client relationships and the all-important return business that every company needs to succeed.
“We have a major focus on domestic work too and that’s an offer that, in common with our international projects, ties together producing high quality documentary video assets for businesses – along with guaranteed engagement at scale on social media. We firmly believe that any investment in professional video, whatever the budget we’re working to, absolutely has to provide more than a beautiful set of films. That spend must come with content that has a meaningful shelf-life for lasting value, as well as confidence that the audience businesses want to reach are actually going to see what we’ve produced.”
The series will be launched at the AMBA & BGA Global Conference 2025. Following that there will be an extensive distribution campaign which will provide visibility to prospective students and the business school community through social media around the world. We encourage our members and the wider business school community to have an exploratory conversation with Adam and his team at BlackRook Media to see whether this opportunity might be something of interest. To find out how you could get involved, please contact Adam Harrod.
Client Testimonial: Sean Smith, CEO at Eden Research
Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-smith-60aba9/
We worked with Alan and his BlackRook team on the production of a very high quality piece covering our company. He was thoroughly professional, efficient and fun to work with (it is always great to work with people who clearly know what they are doing).
The final ‘product’ surpassed our expectations, and we still use elements of it today when trying to help people understand what it is that we do.
We would happily work with Alan again and hope for the opportunity to do so.
Client Testimonial: Caroline Canty, Registered Corporate Coach
Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinecanty/
Alan Rook and his team at BlackRook created a series of videos for my brand and were an absolute pleasure to work alongside from start to finish.
Their skill level, attention to detail and expertise was evident at every stage of the relationship – plus, they were just a great bunch to work with, which always helps!
I would not hesitate for a moment to work with them again on any future brand work; I have complete trust in them to not only bring a vision and story to life, but to deliver real quality during the creative process.
Highly recommend!"
Client Testimonial: Elizabeth Fisher-Robins, Content Director, Executive Producer
Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfisherrobins/
I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Alan as our Executive Producer and Creative Director for the past few years, and I can confidently say that he is a true visionary in his field. Alan's brilliance, coupled with his exceptional warmth and creativity, consistently result in not only satisfied clients but also the creation of outstanding films.
What sets Alan apart is his unwavering commitment to excellence. He goes above and beyond, always willing to go that extra mile to ensure the success of each project. His patience, support, and generosity with his time have been invaluable, creating a positive and collaborative atmosphere that enhances the creative process.
Working with Alan is a joy, he is a driving force behind our shared success. I wholeheartedly recommend Alan and his team to anyone seeking top-tier creative expertise. He delivers excellence wherever the film shoot may be, making him an exceptional choice for projects worldwide.
Client Testimonial: Adrian Mackinder, Corporate Host, Author, Presenter and Comedian
Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianmackinder/
Alan is an exceptional creative director and collaborator. I had the good fortune of working with him and his BlackRook colleagues for a promotional video all about sustainable travel and tourism for the Danish tourist organisation VisitDenmark.
Prior to shooting I had several pre-production meetings with Alan, who showed himself to be at once highly experienced, seasoned and knowledgable about the craft of filmmaking and scriptwriting, while also being approachable, present and open to fresh angles and ideas.
On the shoot itself he further demonstrated his directorial skills, both in executing pre-planned, storyboards in camera and also making the most of opportunities off script and capturing candid moments shot on the fly. The loyalty and good humour of his crew also reflected how much he was valued as a patient and agreeable director. He's also a really smart, thoughtful, funny and interesting guy, which only adds to the already potent mix.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Alan and would definitely recommend his services, skills and expertise to anyone.