Monday, August 11, 2025

After Altadena Fires, TV Producer Puts Youth Voices at Center of New Drama Series

Local television producer transforms wildfire tragedy into groundbreaking storytelling opportunity

From his temporary refuge at the Oak Tree Inn in Monrovia, veteran television producer André Barnwell watched wildfire coverage of his beloved Altadena and noticed something missing: while adults discussed rebuilding, no one was asking the teenagers how they planned to move forward.

Barnwell, a 12-year BET veteran and creator of groundbreaking sketch comedy “The Way We Do It,” is now developing “Altadena,” a high school drama series that centers authentic youth voices in disaster recovery. The project aims to fill a critical gap in media representation by focusing specifically on teenagers’ perspectives during crisis situations.

“When I was sitting there and they were showing some high school students, interviewing them about their losses during this fire, I just triggered,” Barnwell said. “They’re talking to adults about rebuilding… but they never went back to the young person’s perspective.”

The series is more than just a television show. Barnwell plans to shoot entirely in Altadena during summer 2025, with a fall release. His production model prioritizes local hiring and economic investment, establishing a post-production facility directly in the fire-affected community.

“Well, Altadena is my second home,” Barnwell explained. “After 26 years, it just becomes who you are. The fires remind us how precious your time is and how saying hi to a neighbor, even if you don’t feel like it, you should do it anyway.”

Drawing from his extensive background in entertainment and teaching, Barnwell understands the unique resilience of young people. “The beauty of young people is they departmentalize things,” he noted. “What they want to do is get back to normal as soon as possible.”

Unlike typical high school shows that focus on teachers’ perspectives, “Altadena” will be told entirely from students’ viewpoints. “When I was in high school, my life wasn’t from the teachers’ point of view, it was from me and my immediate friends,” Barnwell said.

The project represents a creative breakthrough in youth storytelling and community-centered economic development. Barnwell wants to challenge industry assumptions about Gen Z representation and provide an alternative financing model with immediate and lasting community impact.

“I want to put a little pressure on people,” he said. “A lot of people come to Altadena saying they want to do something, and I want to give them an alternative way of financing that has an immediate impact in our area.”

A Howard University graduate and former BET executive, Barnwell brings significant television expertise to the project. His previous work includes “Comic View,” which reached 61 million homes at its peak, and “The Way We Do It,” the first Black sketch comedy series created and owned by a Black production team.

As Altadena continues to recover from the devastating wildfires, Barnwell’s “Altadena” promises to be more than entertainment—it’s a testament to community resilience and the power of authentic storytelling.