FACT SHEET: Four Directions MediaIn the past, American Indians used runners to deliver the message. Since 1994, the Oneida Indian Nation has been investing in technology, staff and other resources to make its enterprises and services leaders in their fields. Today, the Nation is home to Four Directions Media, which consists of Four Directions Productions, Indian Country Today, Four Directions Talent, and First Allies. Four Directions Productions Four Directions Productions is a high end animation and multimedia production house, specializing in 3D animation and interactive projects. Our work includes a PSA with Graham Greene for Disney ABC and a tribute video for Maria Tallchief for the Producers Guild of America, an animated children's story for the Oneida Indian Nation, and the “World of American Indian Dance” (an hour-long program on the beauty of Amerian Indian Dancing that ran on NBC in 2003. The program was created by Four Directions with help from NBC executives Rob Wright, Jeff Zucker, and Marc Hirschfeld. Four Directions Productions was established in 2002 to help develop, produce, and distribute original film and television projects with an American Indian touch. The department also completed work on an interactive kiosk for the Children's Museum in Utica. “Raccoon and Crawfish,” the group’s first 3D animated short has won various honors world and was screened at the Cannes Festival in May 2008. Awards include:
Four Directions Media purchased Indian Country Today in 1998, establishing corporate headquarters in New York State. Since that time ICT has become a national information source on American Indian people and issues produced by Indian people. In 2008 ICT received top honors from the Native American Journalism Association for Best Online Visual Graphic and Best Editorial. NAJA serves and empowers Native journalists through programs designed to enrich and promote Native cultures. The NAJA awards were among ICT's most recent accolades. In 2008 ICT launched a revamped website at www.indiancountry.com. With enhanced functionalities, site visitors can communicate with ICT’s audience. Upgrades to the site include new design and navigation, advance media tools for streaming audio, video, and slideshows, reader comment sections, polling, quick links to popular social networking sites, and the addition of “YourICT” and “iTellers” to encourage input from citizen journalists. Four Directions Talent Four Directions Talent brings American Indian actors, comedians, directors, models, singers and writers to the attention of the entertainment industry. With the support of NBC Universal, Four Directions Media has created an internet database of established and up and coming American Indian talent. Four Directions Talent was launched in 2001 by NBC Entertainment and the Oneida Nation. The goal is to find Indian actors, comedians and writers with the potential to be cast in and write for programs in development and on the air. It also serves as a tool for directors and talent agents to find new artists and utilizing a web site to provide search tools for casting directors, agents, producers, directors, etc, searching for talent. The site posts news and current events related to the American Indian community and job listings for in-front and behind the camera. Four Directions Talent provides and entry into the business and an opportunity for American Indians to showcase talent. First Allies Proud of the Oneida’s role in history, the First Allies Living History Group continues to portray the Oneida story. In 2008 the group earned a President’s Volunteer Service Award for its work at Fort Stanwix National Monument and other National Park Service sites over the past five years. The honor is given to individuals and groups who have logged at least 4,000 hours of volunteer time and, since 2002, the First Allies group has completed more than 11,000 volunteer hours. Members also find themselves busy at other sites including the Oriskany Battlefield, Valley Forge, and Saratoga. Information, photos, video or graphics from www.OneidaIndianNation.com may not be republished, uploaded, posted or distributed in any way without the prior approval of Oneida Indian Nation Communications. Permission is for one time use only. Any use of this material must be credited to: Oneida Indian Nation.
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