Video 1: That’s A Rap! (2017)

For our 2017 annual report video, I wanted to create a humorous skit that showcased the fun and creative vibes of our community and its members. The video, titled “That’s a Rap,” was the sequel to an earlier annual report video that featured a rap from a popular local rapper, Professor Toon. In this 2017 skit, AU members humorously tried to cast themselves in what they thought would be a new rap video. There were also cameos from Durham’s former mayor and the mascot of the Durham Bulls baseball team. The video was a hit with our community and helped American Underground stand out from other similar organizations.

Video 2: We Are The AU (2018)

For our 2018 annual report video, I took a more serious approach and created a spoken-word poem that I recited underneath different shots of our member companies. The goal was to capture the spirit of community, eclectic creativity, hard work, and hustling in a way that could serve as both a badge of honor to current American Underground members, and a rallying cry for outside innovators to join the movement. This video was a powerful way to showcase the spirit of AU and the hard work of our members.

A Captivated Crowd

Our annual report videos were a huge success and were well received by our community, including members, local government officials, economic development experts, and journalists. These videos helped to showcase the unique culture of AU and the achievements of our member companies. By creating engaging and creative videos, we were able to stand out from other traditional annual reports and create a buzz about AU in our community.