Movies and films have gone a long way in including more people of color in entertainment. But while things have improved, there is still a lot to be done in the name of inclusivity, diversity, and representation. ArieCan Productions, a Baltimore-based production company, aims to fill the gap and provide better opportunities for aspiring actors in the Baltimore area.
Established in 2017, ArieCan Productions was founded by friends Larry Harris and Leonard Martin. They are both people of color who wanted to open more doors for homegrown artists and provide quality content for their viewers. Larry Harris said, “Baltimore has a wealth of talented individuals and especially talented people of color. But unfortunately, they don’t get as much opportunity to shine, so Leonard and I built this platform to amplify their voices.”
Larry Harris and Leonard Martin started small, teaching themselves everything they had to know about production. Then, ArieCan Productions released their first show on YouTube titled Chapter 2. This web series was warmly met, with its first nine episodes reaching over 300,000 views. The success of their first show paved the way for partnerships with Amazon Prime Video. “That partnership helped tremendously in solidifying ArieCan Productions’ status as a film company to be reckoned with,” Harris said.
ArieCan Productions was born out of a desire to bring diverse stories by diverse talent. And talent is the primary metric Larry Harris and Leonard Martin use when hiring talent for their productions. “So many people have been told no even when they have the talent. Even Leonard and I have experienced a lot of rejection in the industry. So we built this company intending to hire based on talent and nothing else,” Harris shared, “No one wanted to let us come through their doors, so we built our own doors.”
These film underdogs have proven that they can deliver quality content that will have audiences coming back for more. Since their launch, ArieCan Productions have become one of Baltimore’s premiere production companies. What’s even more impressive is that they focus on giving opportunities to Baltimore residents. “There is so much untapped potential here, and we want to give them a platform where their talents can truly shine,” said Harris.
2022 is set to be an exciting year for ArieCan Productions. The company will release two groundbreaking shows that will be available online and on streaming platforms. The first show, called Secrets, is a drama series. Their other upcoming release is a comedy series titled Dear Diary. Of course, both shows feature stories that are set in Baltimore.
“We have been focused on developing and creating high-quality content here at ArieCan Productions,” Larry Harris said, “We hope to bring more diverse storytelling to audiences across the country. We want everyone to know that they can find compelling stories and talent here with us and that artists can find a home with our company.”
It is vital that television shows and films represent real people. Stories are for everyone and not for the select few. ArieCan Productions continues to lead the way for more diversity in storytelling.
ArieCan Productions is a film company based in Baltimore. To learn more about their shows, you can visit their website.
