MTV Documentary Starring Hip Hop Artist Travis McCoy Explores His
Life-changing Journey in Support of HIV/AIDS Campaign Staying Alive
'TRAVIS MCCOY'S UNBEATEN TRACK' TO PREMIERE ON MTV CHANNELS AROUND THE WORLD
ON WORLD AIDS DAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009
LONDON, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Staying Alive, MTV Networks International's
global HIV and AIDS prevention and awareness campaign, has produced a new TV
documentary, Travis McCoy'sUnbeaten Track [www.theunbeatentrack.com], which
shows first hand how young people are fighting back against the spread of HIV
within their communities in South Africa, the Philippines and India.
The special will air on MTV's global networks of 64 channels, reaching 632
million households on World AIDS Day December 1, 2009 (check local listings
for times). It will also be made available rights and cost free to
broadcasters around the world.
McCoy has also created a single titled One At A Time, which is based on his
experiences and will be available as a digital download from iTunes on
December 1, with all proceeds going to The Staying Alive Foundation.
The MTV documentary features Travis McCoy, lead vocalist and songwriter for
alternative hip hop band Gym Class Heroes, who, in his role as Ambassador for
the Staying Alive Foundation, traveled with an MTV film crew to South Africa,
the Philippines and India to raise awareness about youth-driven HIV and AIDS
prevention initiatives, supported by The Staying Alive Foundation. Directed by
MTV's James Barnes, the hour-long programme captures McCoy's experiences in
Cape Town, Manila, and Mumbai, and his interaction with some of the grassroots
youth-led HIV prevention projects supported by The Staying Alive Foundation.
During the course of the documentary, McCoy talks with this year's Staying
Alive Foundation grantees to learn more about how their personal experiences
with HIV/AIDS has led them to become actively involved to help fight the
epidemic in their communities.
McCoy speaks about experiencing, first hand, the living and working conditions
of the people and communities he visits, and then discusses the impact that
this ambitious and emotional journey has had on his own attitudes towards
HIV/AIDS, and his music.
Travis McCoy said: "It's been an incredible experience. To see so many people
across the world united in their determination to make a change and make a
difference has opened my eyes. When you hear their unbelievable stories and
see what they are doing in their own communities it really makes you think -
why can't we make a difference?"
"Travis' commitment to the Staying Alive Foundation has enabled us to produce
a truly unique piece of programming," said Georgia Arnold, Executive Producer
of The Unbeaten Track and Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, MTV
Networks International/ Executive Director, Staying Alive Foundation.
"Visiting Staying Alive Foundation grantees on the ground allowed Travis to
highlight their great work as well as gain a deeper understanding of the
issues they're facing.
Importantly, he was also able to take the inspirational personal stories of
the young leaders he met and use them as the building blocks for a brand new
track. Through music, Travis will be sharing his experience and amplifying the
HIV awareness message to MTV audiences, globally, in a creative and memorable
way."
Highlights of Travis' trip include:
South Africa -- Travis visits Khayelitsha, Cape Town, the second largest
township in South Africa where he meets Bulelani Mvotho and his project
Snapshot Mobile Cinema. The experience opens his eyes to the physical and
social effects of HIV/AIDS, the need for education, and the misconceptions and
prejudice that exist around the disease.
India -- Travis meets Mandakini Behara who runs the Utkal Network of People
Living with HIV (UNP+) project in Cuttack, Orissa State, who turned her own
experiences of being ostracized by her family and local community after her
husband died of AIDS into a force for change.
Travis learns how Mandakini turned her personal tragedy into triumph by
educating her own community about how to prevent and control the spread of HIV
and work towards a time when the stigma and discrimination associated with the
disease will no longer exist.
Manila -- Travis meets Alex Sarza, who runs the BALUTI (Protect the Child from
Infection) project in Barangay, Manila to see, first hand, the work they have
been doing to help combat HIV infection, by working directly with gang
members, drug-users, out-of-school youth and youth in prostitution.
Whilst in Manila he also witnesses the close proximity of life and death for
60 families who live and whose children play among the tombstones of the dead
and where he demonstrates to teenage school children how to have safe sex and
protect themselves against possible infection by wearing a condom.
The above highlights -- and exclusive footage -- can be viewed online at
www.theunbeatentrack.com. Travis' updates can also be followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/travismtv.
The documentary was shot tapeless in HD on Sony EX-1s, with stills and promo
shots captured on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
Notes to editors:
ABOUT MTV INTERNATIONAL'S STAYING ALIVE FOUNDATION
Founded in 2004, The MTV Staying Alive Foundation is a global public charity
operating in affiliation with MTV Networks International. Its mission is to
empower and support young people who are protecting themselves and their
communities against HIV and AIDS. The Foundation donates money and provides
grants to youth-led initiatives committed to educating their peers about HIV
and AIDS. It is dedicated to fighting stigma and discrimination and
empowering young people to protect themselves against the disease. For more
information log onto www.stayingalivefoundation.org.
About MTV Networks International:
MTV Networks International, a division of Viacom, Inc., includes the premier
multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF
(The Music Factory), VIVA, Flux, Paramount Comedy, Comedy Central, Game One,
Neopets, GameTrailers, Shockwave, Addicting Games, Atom Films and Xfire. MTV
Networks' brands are seen globally in 632 million households, in 162 countries
and 33 languages via 68 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more
than 200 digital media properties. The company's diverse holdings also include
interests in television syndication, digital media, publishing, home video,
radio, recorded music, licensing & merchandising and two feature film
divisions, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom
Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
SOURCE MTV Networks International
Danielle Robinson, Freud Communications, +44(20)3003-6316;
danielle.robinson@freud.com, or Katy Wickremesinghe, Freud Communications,
+44(20)3003-6385; katy.wickremesinghe@freud.com, both for MTV Networks
International
