Omar Akil is a multiple award-winning writer/director whose ideas are pitch-perfect for creative that excites—captivating viewers across all platforms while maximizing budgets of all sizes. When networks need culturally competent, standout content for their advertising and brand partners, they turn to Omar, who excels at narrative, documentary, and short-form storytelling. He struck Promax BDA Gold with Leslie Jones for BET Awards, leveraging her comedic skill to personify the show’s trophy. Omar is the director behind integrated campaigns for Cadillac, Reebok, Coors Light, Doritos, Grand Marnier, and Lysol respectively. Omar recently wrapped a co-branded Hyundai commercial for ABC’s Black-ish with Anthony Anderson.
Currently, Omar is directing the passion project he wrote, entitled Speaking In Tongues: The Legend of the Native Tongue Posse. The documentary feature explores the decades-long impact of the iconic ‘80s music collective comprised of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Queen Latifah, among others. Previous documentary credits include the critically acclaimed syndicated sports documentary Black Wheels, Executive Produced by TV veteran Tim Reid, and the four-part docuseries The Message for Viacom. Omar is represented for unscripted by Adam Harris and Sara Wortman of WME.
ACHIEVEMENTS *HINT: hover over select titles to view additional work*
2020 CABLEFAX AWARD – MTV Networks “Black Ink Crew: Compton Season 1”
2018 PROMAXBDA AWARD (GOLD) – BET Awards Promo Campaign: “BETA”
2017 THE NEW EDITION STORY – “network’s highest-rated and most-watched telecast in five years” http://deadline.com/2017/01/the-new-edition-story-record-ratings-bet-1201898942/
2015 NAMIC VISION AWARD NOMINEE – “THE MESSAGE”
2014 PROMAXBDA AWARD – BET Black History Month Promo Campaign: “SAY IT LOUD”
2005 TRAILBLAZER AWARD, AFDIM (Association for Diversity in Motorsports) - “Black Wheels” (Director)
2004 BEST NARRATIVE SHORT, H2O Film Festival - "The Defendant Rests" (Writer/Director).
DIRECTOR
SPEAKING IN TONGUES: THE LEGEND OF THE NATIVE TONGUE POSSE - DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
CADILLAC: DRIVEN BY CLASS - ONE X STUDIOS/URBAN ONE | Creative Director
GRAND MARNIER: NEW TRADITIONALISTS - WMX/WARNER MUSIC EXPERIENCE
THE OVAL NETWORK SEASON 2 - VIACOM/BET
COORS LIGHT x MTV VMAs - VELOCITY
HYUNDAI TUCSON “QUESTION EVERYTHING” - ABC/DISNEY
LYSOL x NICKELODEON - VELOCITY
DORITOS x MTV VMAs - VELOCITY
BOOST MOBILE x MTV - VELOCITY
REEBOK x VH1 - VELOCITY
FACE VALUE PROMO CAMPAIGN - VIACOM/BET
UNCF: RISING STAR SCHOLARS - VIACOM/BET
COCA-COLA OPEN HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN - VIACOM/BET
RAINBOW ON THE GREEN | DOCUMENTARY - NEW MILLENNIUM STUDIOS (Executive Produced by Tim Reid)
BLACK WHEELS | DOCUMENTARY - NEW MILLENNIUM STUDIOS (Executive Produced by Tim Reid)
UNCLE POP - SHORT (Andre Royo, "The Wire")
SERIES PRODUCER
THE MESSAGE | DOCUMENTARY - VIACOM/BET
SUPERVISING/SENIOR PRODUCER
OLBERMANN - ESPN
MTV’s MADE: TREY WRIGHT - VIACOM/MTV
THE DEAL - VIACOM/BET
RAP CITY - VIACOM/BET
WEEKEND VIBE - NBC
THE SOURCE: ALL ACCESS - NBC
WRITER/PRODUCER
BLACK INK CREW: COMPTON - VIACOM/VH1
LOVE & HIP HOP NEW YORK: SEASON 9 IMAGE CAMPAIGN - VIACOM/VH1
DEATH ROW CHRONICLES PROMO CAMPAIGN - VIACOM/BET
NEW EDITIONS STORY PROMO CAMPAIGN - VIACOM/BET
BET AWARDS '17 - VIACOM/BET
BET AWARDS '16 - VIACOM/BET
BET HIP HOP AWARDS - VIACOM/BET
EDUCATION
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY - BA, RADIO/TV/FILM