Several original Tuskegee Airmen were invited to the screening, including William Fauntroy, who was featured in AMS Pictures’ documentary, A Defining Moment. After his trip to the White House, Fauntroy recounted his experience to AMS Pictures Producer/Director Monika Watkins.

“Just like at the inauguration we met at the Bolling Field AFB. Dabney (Montgomery) was there from A Defining Moment and Flying for Freedom. He walked in and I spoke to him, ‘Hey, I know you!’ We all got on a bus and went over to the White House where we were greeted with inspections. Each of us had to show our identification and then they let us in. For me and some others they had wheel chairs. There was a very nice buffet of hors d’ oeuvres. After that they assembled us in a reception area.”

Also in attendance at the screening were Red Tails Producer George Lucas, Director Anthony Hemingway and several of the films’ cast members. Fauntroy and his fellow DOTAs (Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen) had a chance to visit with the cast and crew before the screening.

“The stars of the movie were there and George Lucas. I had a chance to talk to Cuba Gooding for a long time and Elijah Kelly. I kid Elijah that he was playing my part because he’s a little guy. I wanted to thank George Lucas. What he’s doing is letting people know more about the Tuskegee Airmen than I’ve ever seen. The advertisements on television and every ten minutes someone’s mentioning the Tuskegee Airmen…he started the ball that’s rolling. AMS has done the same thing except they didn’t have the promotion that this movie is having. It’s causing people to ask questions. I saw kids last night that had no idea who the Tuskegee Airmen were until they heard about this movie. I’m so sorry I didn’t take the time myself to thank him (George Lucas) for what he’s doing. It’s one of those things that you don’t often get in your lifetime. People recognize that things have been done because of you. It makes me feel good that I was a part of something like this (Tuskegee Airmen legacy).”

Prior to the screening, President Obama and First Lady Michelle arrived in the reception area to greet the Tuskegee Airmen and their guests.

“They came to each of us. As he (President Obama) shook our hands he gave each of us a coin with the presidential seal. Then she (Mrs. Obama) came through and hugged each one of us. There were about twenty of us DOTAs there. She didn’t have to hug anybody and she hugged each one of us. I’ve been hugged by Mrs. Obama – that was a thrill. Up until that time my big thrill was working with you guys, but Mrs. Obama hugging me – I’m sorry, you’ll have to take second place.”

After meeting with the President and First Lady, the Airmen and Red Tails cast and crew were seated in the White House Theater, where the Tuskegee Airmen had a surprise for Mrs. Obama, whose birthday is January 17.

“They have a theater that seats about forty people. They had popcorn for us. It was the best popcorn I’d ever had. The President spoke to us in the theater. Just before he began talking, the president of our chapter said to me, ‘would you sing happy birthday?’ I stood up and said, ‘Mr. President, there’s some unfinished business we need to take care of first. Happy Birthday to you…’ Everybody joined in and she showed real emotion. That was a wonderful experience.”

The screening began immediately following the President’s speech. Fauntroy has now seen Red Tails a couple of times, but the excitement of having the Tuskegee Airmen story brought to the masses has yet to wear off.

“I think the movie’s great! My son has seen it twice and he enjoys it each time he sees it. It’s exciting. The fight scenes and stuff.  Unless, and I really mean this, unless they (the audience) have seen your series they don’t get the information of what the Tuskegee Airmen are about. Your series is the closest thing to telling people what the Tuskegee Airmen did and what they went through. The history books don’t include us on what is history.”

Red Tails is currently showing in theaters across the nation.  For more information on the movie, visit the official Red Tails website.

To further explain, I hope you’ll let me brag a little on one of my kids, who started working at AMS Pictures, when she was just 8 years old, filing accounts receivable, and whose work today fully embodies the need for versatility.

Rachel worked for AMS Pictures throughout high school and college – and then later on when she was on the team for our documentary Shock as an associate producer.

When Rachel was going to college at Washington University in St Louis – she interned at CNN in Washington, D.C. A year after she graduated from college, she went back to CNN as a freelancer. Now, five years later, she is a writer/producer/reporter on the campaign trail…as an embed traveling with the Romney campaign. It is incredible to see and hear about her work.

Rachel is doing the job of an APJ – or All Platform Journalist – at CNN. That means she does it all, and she does it seven days a week, often fifteen or sixteen hours a day. She tweets, writes for the web, shoots her own stories, occasionally does on-air work – and, get this, actually transmits her own footage back on a satellite uplink in a backpack called LiveU! Now that’s being versatile!

I’m very proud of all that Rachel is doing – and even more proud to know she learned a good part of what she does right here at AMS Pictures! With her ability to adapt to new challenges and the passion she has for her work, I know she’ll continue to do great things!

Trapped in the sub-zero degree temperatures for over 72 days, the survivors faced circumstances that no human should ever have to endure. Fighting just to stay alive, hope was a cruel mirage in a landscape that offered nothing but despair and death. Against all odds one man led an expedition into the mountains in a desperate attempt to reach civilization. For the first time ever, the hero of Uruguayan Flight 571, Nando Parrado, tells his story in its entirety.

Parrado, who lost his mother, sister, and scores of friends among the 29 victims of Uruguayan Flight 571, shares a complete, candid and unflinching account of the 72 days of suffering that followed the crash, including factors that led to his courageous decision to climb out of the mountains and—together with fellow survivor Roberto Canessa—save 15 others.

For more information about “How Sweet the Sound” click here.

Step inside a one-of-a kind house that revolves like no other  – in both directions, see an Arizona desert mountain turned private villa, and for the first time ever, get an all-access tour of the completed Malibu Wing House… made from over 4 million parts of one airplane!  Plus, ever heard of the lady who lives in a shoe?  You’ll get to meet her! All that and more on Home, Strange Home!

FLIGHTMARES chronicles these personal tales through vivid re-enactments and emotional storytelling. Don’t miss what happens when the safest way to travel goes terribly, terribly wrong.

Why did he do it?  What would make a man give up everything to silence an assassin who was already in custody?

Shunning the press for nearly 50 years, Tammi True—a top-billed stripper in Jack Ruby’s Carousel Club—is finally ready to reveal the answers. As his number one girl, she witnessed firsthand the secrets that drove Ruby to murder.

The events surrounding the death of President John F. Kennedy – and the obscure, 24-year-old Texas assassin who shocked the world – continue to capture the public’s imagination. And while over 2,000 books and dozens of documentaries have been produced on the assassination, never before have audiences experienced it like this.

Shot at actual locations, including the house Oswald shared with wife Marina, the Texas Theatre where he was apprehended by police, and the Dallas Jail where he was imprisoned, interrogated and murdered.

A Defining Moment examines the personal stories of these four valiant men whose contribution to the civil rights movement helped pave the way for this historic event. Through courage, discipline and faith, these men come full circle to witness this defining moment in history.

Includes HD footage of never before seen interviews with Tuskegee Airmen Dabney Montgomery, Calvin Spann, Eugene Richardson and William Fauntroy.

Available for U.S. and international distribution
60 Minutes – HD

Purchase DVD

I have enjoyed some of my favorite moments at AMS Pictures while working on our Tuskegee Airmen documentaries. Four years ago, when Tom Rubeck (my creative, talented and extremely enjoyable co-producer) and I began the first story on this revered group, there were several docs and an HBO movie already on the market. One of the major challenges we faced was how do we produce a unique doc about this legendary group? What can we say that hasn’t been said? Well, once we began talking with the airmen we realized they had many unique stories to share.

In case you aren’t familiar with the Tuskegee Airmen, they were young, educated black pilots who were instrumental in the US military’s success in WWII. The team of pilots, mechanics, parachute riggers, and so many more were determined to prove the idea false that blacks were not capable of flying airplanes. Not only did they dispel that belief, but in doing so they achieved the best record in the US Army Air Corps during their service.

Now with this month’s release of, A Defining Moment, our third Tuskegee Airmen documentary I’m happy to say I’m still learning new things about the men and women we have grown to love and am feeling a bit reflective. This final story focuses on four men who are now, like others of this esteemed group, in the twilight of their lives. As they travel to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama they see a lifelong dream realized.

We have lost many friends since we began this documentary collection, and while their passing has brought deep sadness it also brings a well of gratefulness. Individuals like Howard Baugh a sharp, witty man who encouraged me to be assertive and courageous in my career or Lee Archer a resilient, accomplished gentleman who generously gave an interview late one evening after a full day of engagements or the beloved Mildred Carter who was the epitome of delightfulness – bright, present, and lovely. To have known them and through this creative platform get the opportunity to share their stories for posterity has been more than a blessing. These experiences will be lifelong gifts to me.

I’m proud to help spread the word about these greats, who are the best examples of courage, preparedness and possibility. And with the upcoming release of the George Lucas film, “Red Tails,” I couldn’t be more excited that people who have never heard of the Tuskegee Airmen before will now learn a little about these giants. One example of the word spreading can be found in a recent publication from The Root that lists ten Tuskegee Airmen products in pop culture. And guess whose documentary made the list?