Hart is executive producer for On the Potomac, a D.C.-based film production company. The company has produced nationally acclaimed documentaries, including “Believe: The Barack Obama Story,” “MLK: The Making of a Holiday” and “James Brown: The Man, The Music & The Message.” Hart also serves as vice president of government affairs for the U.S. High Speed Rail Association.
How are things going at OTP?
The “Believe” program did very well. It went nationwide on ABC and TV One — we had over six million viewers throughout the country, and it was well-received in many markets.
What else do you have in the works?
I’m interested in doing a feature film and discussion with some folks about a sci-fi/terrorist type film, but it’s not your traditional story, [and] it’s not your traditional terrorists. It involves high-technology terrorism.
MLK day is Jan. 18th. Are you working on another project involving Dr. King?
[Yes. A] piece being released this week … called “The King and the President” is a juxtaposition of Martin Luther King and Barack Obama. It’s an interesting comparison … Barack used a lot of Dr. King’s themes in his speeches, and he incorporated a surprising number of Dr. King’s … phrases in his speeches.
What’s going on with high-speed rail right now?
I’m working very actively in bringing high-speed rail to the United States. This month, $8 billion is going to be awarded by the Department of Transportation. It’s one of the few issues in Washington that’s got bipartisan support, and that’s a good thing.
Have you attended — or crashed — any events like the state dinner?
I’ve attended some events with President Obama, but I did not go to the state dinner [laughs]. Nor was I invited. I’d be more interested in playing pick-up basketball with him than I would be attending a state dinner.
— David Sherfinski
