Program Currently

in Production

ROAD TO WAR

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

The program traces the path to the Iraq war in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks.  It assesses how that event galvanized the Bush presidency, and led to a controversial transformation of American foreign policy.  President Bush’s ambitious but risky plan would not merely be to remove Saddam from power, but to replace his rule with a government intended to catalyze democracy in the Middle East.  The program is set to air in late August on National Geographic Channel in the USA.

Series Currently

in Production

SPORTS ACTION TEAM

HDNET / NBC

Sports Action Team is a weekly semi-scripted half-hour comedy series that follows the antics of a team of reporters who cover the national sports beat.  Each week, in their delusional and misguided bid to reach the pinnacle of sports broadcasting, the cast interacts with real-world professional and amateur athletes, managers, sports enthusiasts and celebrities, including Randy Moss, Conan O’Brien, Mike Ditka, Don King and many more.  The cast is made up of alumni members of Chicago-based improv comedy groups Improv Olympics and Second City.

Series Currently

in Production

THE FINAL REPORT

National Geographic

Each one-hour episode of The Final Report examines the biggest historical events of recent decades.  Through the personal accounts of those who were there The Final Report raises provocative questions about the event, explores the story behind the story, then offers conclusions about how and why it happened.  The series utilizes extensive archival images and offers a new look from the inside at some of the most complex and compelling stories of our time, and in doing so, assesses the lasting effects on society.

THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS ROADS: BOLVIA

THE HISTORY CHANNEL

In this pilot episode of The World’s Most Dangerous Roads, Towers traveled high into the Andes to a road that has more deaths per mile than any other byway in the world.  Our host, Marsh Mokhtari drove this road and explored the people and places along it’s treacherous path.

INSIDE SADDAM’S REIGN OF TERROR

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

For 24 years, Saddam Hussein and his Baath party executed political rivals, Shias, Kurds and anyone else who dared disagree with the regime.  Now, a chorus of testimonials, captured war tapes and unearthed mass graves reveal the extent to which Saddam and his Baath Party tortured, maimed, raped and murdered Iraqi citizens.

TRIPLE CROSS: BIN LADEN’S SPY IN AMERICA

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Towers Productions presents the untold story of Ali A. Mohamed, a radical ex-Egyptian Army officer who became a CIA asset, joined the US Army and spent five years as an FBI informant, but who all the while was really Osama bin Laden’s chief intelligence agent, playing a key role in Al Qaeda terror plots and “triple crossing” U.S. officials on the road to 9/11.

NATURE’S FURY (2 episodes)

The History Channel

Storm of the Century

On Labor Day Weekend, 1935, the most intense hurricane to ever make landfall on America’s shores hit the Florida Keys.  The country was just starting to recover from the Great Depression when the ferocious beast with its 200 mile-an-hour winds and violent storm surge overpowered nearly everything in it’s path.

New England’s Killer Hurricane

On September 21, 1938 the residents of New England and Long Island are enjoying the last day of summer.  They are completely unaware that the hurricane barreling toward them at near record speed will become one of the deadliest in U.S. history, claiming more then 600 lives.

FACING LIFE: THE RETRIAL OF EVAN ZIMMERMAN

A&E

FACING LIFE: The Retrial of Evan Zimmerman documents one man’s choice to reject a tainted freedom in an effort to prove – to his family, friends, and everyone else – that he’s not a murderer.  Along the way, TPI producers follow Zimmerman and his defense team through their final trial preparations and then on to a startling conclusion in court.

SECRETS OF THE KORAN

The History Channel

HD

Secrets of the Koran gets at the heart of one of the world’s most spiritual documents, capturing it’s majesty and mystery, while shedding light on the very foundation of Islam.  The programs looks at the verses in the Koran, why they were revealed, how they were preserved, and their influence on modern life.  Delving even deeper, the program explores the similarities and differences between the Koran and the bible and the ways in which Muslims believe the Koran corrects some of the Jewish and Christian scriptures.

INSIDE HURRICANE KATRINA

National Geographic

HD

Inside Hurricane Katrina is a minute-by-minute chronology of the events leading up to, including, and following Hurricane Katrina.  For years, it was widely predicted that a monstrous Category 4 or 5 storm could devastate the Gulf Coast, including the vulnerable city of New Orleans.  And yet, when the storm came, the world watched as chaos broke out, people were trapped in their homes, hundreds died, and government failed at all levels.  Shot in HD, this special includes interviews with elected officials, disaster experts, journalists on the scene as well as ordinary citizens to answer the question that everyone is asking: What happened?

INSIDE 9/11

National Geographic

Inside 9/11, a four-hour mini-series event of unprecedented scope that goes beyond what’s been widely reported to reveal a clearer picture of events.  With meticulous attention to detail and firsthand storytelling, this series presents a comprehensive and compelling perspective on that tragic day.  Inside 9/11 has been awarded the 2005 New York Film Festivals Gold WorldMetal for the categories of Best Writing and Best News Documentary/Special.

THE CASE AGAINST SADDAM

Discovery-Times Channel

In The Case Against Saddam we follow the American-led team of investigators helping the Iraqi investigative judges build the case against the captured dictator.  Our crew traveled with the investigators as the case took them from Baghdad to a killing field in the northern Iraqi desert to a remote village near the Iranian border.  The result is an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at an historic trial in the making.

OUTDOOR INVESTIGATIONS

Outdoor Life Network

Series in Production. In the new, half-hour series Outdoor Investigations, OLN is sending their correspondents, Holly Morris and Jon Prescott, into the field to uncover the truth behind some of the most riveting cases set in the Great Outdoors.  Using Holly’s focus on science and forensics alongside Jon’s quest to get to the emotional heart of a story, OI will follow their hands-on investigation as they work together to unravel mysteries ranging from environmental mishaps to deadly extreme sports accidents.

STORM STORIES

The Weather Channel
Series in Production. Storm Stories is an action-packed nightly primetime series featuring the real-life experiences of survivors and rescuers who have battled nature’s most astonishing weather events. These emotion-charged half-hour episodes bear witness to weather at its most capricious and most deadly, and to ordinary people who have faced weather extremes that none will soon forget. Renewed for its third season, Storm Stories continues to generate the highest long-form documentary ratings in the network’s history.

AMERICAN JUSTICE

A&E Network
Series in Production. One of the longest-running series on cable television, American Justice has set the standard for objective, comprehensive, and compelling stories about the American legal system. Each episode takes the audience on a journey that starts with an event or crime, and through interviews with key players and participants, follows it to its resolution. In the process, the inner workings of our criminal justice system are revealed along with the complex human dramas behind the case.

CHRISTMAS TREE SHIP: A HOLIDAY STORM STORY

The Weather Channel - Holiday Special

The holiday tradition began a century ago.  A ship loaded down with freshly cut pine trees would dock along Chicago’s waterfront while the captain jovially welcomes families aboard to select a tree for Christmas.  This one-hour Storm Stories special explains how The Christmas Tree Ship and its captain became a part of holiday lore.

ISAAC’S STORM

The History Channel

This feature length special is based on Erik Larson’s book “Isaac’s Storm” about the devastating hurricane that hit Galveston, TX on September 8, 1900.  In this special presentation, Larson, along with weather experts, historians, and descendents of those lucky enough to have survived the violent storm, guide us through the events of that horrific day.  They detail the stories of the heartbreaking loss, selfless heroism and the tragic folly of one man’s faith in science that resulted in the most lethal storm in American history.

TRANSPLANT

A&E Network

This A&E special documentary follows four patients whose lives are forever changed by the miracle of transplant surgery.  The program gives viewers an inside look into their world, where they face the anticipation and fear of waiting for a donor, undergoing surgery, organ rejection and recovery.

CONSPIRACY?

The History Channel

The weekly, hour-long series CONSPIRACY? examines many of the most controversial historical events of the last 40 years. Were there secret, sinister forces guiding these tragedies, or have conspiracy theorists warped the truth with their allegations?   Through interviews with eyewitnesses and experts, This taut, compelling series sifts fact from fiction, rumor from truth, so that viewers may draw their own conclusions.

AFTER SADDAM

Discovery Times
This one-hour film chronicles the immediate post-war period in Iraq. A portrait of a country poised between hope and chaos, After Saddam documents the physical, political and cultural landscape of Iraq in the spring and early summer of 2003. The program features exclusive access to meetings held by Iraq’s emerging leaders, as well as their tense encounters with US and British officials.

TRUE CRIME AUTHORS

The History Channel
True Crime Authors is a series of noirish docudramas that tell famous true crime stories through the eyes of top authors in the genre, lending a unique insight into some of the century’s most infamous criminal cases. At eleven episodes to date, profiled authors have included Vincent Bugliosi, Joseph Wambaugh, Peter Maas and Nicholas Pileggi.

BIOGRAPHY

A&E Network
A&E's Emmy Award-winning series has been called "one of cable's true landmarks," bringing viewers a remarkable variety of profiles of important and interesting people, represented with depth, detail and historical accuracy. Since 1994, Towers has produced more than 60 hours for A&E's longest running series, including episodes on J. Edgar Hoover, Karen Silkwood, John Adams, Chris Farley, Robert Duvall and the House of Versace.

THE LAUGH TRACK

A&E Network
The Laugh Track, a one-hour special for A&E, offers a fascinating, funny, and ultimately poignant look at one class’ final semester at the Second City Training Center, also known as “the Harvard of Comedy. ” There, every year, hundreds of hopefuls are schooled in the fine art of improvisation. We follow three students as they work with their “teammates” to craft an hour-long comedy revue…and maybe catch the eye of one of Second City’s star-makers along the way. But when one scene threatens to split the class in two, a year and a half of hard work—and a lifetime of dreams—hang in the balance.

UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE

The History Channel
This two-hour special explores ancient forms of unconventional warfare and looks at how these techniques have created a blueprint for modern warriors. From the mythic ruse of the Trojan Horse to the modern Trojan Horse computer virus, and from English colonists infecting Native Americans with smallpox blankets to the post-9/11 threat of biological terrorism, Unconventional Warfare takes a close look at this compelling and frightening subject.

MINUTE BY MINUTE

A&E Network
Each episode of this groundbreaking series focuses on a seminal moment in recent history, from the attempted assassination of President Reagan to the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase. The stories come to life through interviews with the direct participants in these pivotal events. Attack on the Pentagon, an episode deconstructing the events of September 11, 2001, was nominated for an Emmy in 2003.

CLASSIC YO-YO MA

PBS
This 90-minute celebratory film chronicles the renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s unique work process and legendary performances, woven together to create a comprehensive onstage and backstage profile. Like a Pied Piper, Ma leads viewers on a winding road through the familiar and unfamiliar, teaching them how to listen and how to dream.

MAKING A BUCK

The History Channel
Each year in America, an average of $250 million in counterfeit money is pulled from circulation. The history of counterfeiting is as old as money itself, proving that there have always been people interested in Making a Buck. Hosted by Arthur Kent, this 2-hour special traces the evolution of counterfeiting from fake coins in 6th century B.C. Greece to the high-tech forgeries of the 21st century.

ORGANIZED CRIME: A WORLD HISTORY

The History Channel
All over the world, criminal organizations have used violence and fear to carve out empires of power. These organizations have become mythologized in books and movies, but the true history of organized crime is more complex and brutal than any fiction. Organized Crime: A World History goes around the globe to discover the truth behind the world’s five most prominent criminal organizations: the Sicilian Mafia, the Russian Red Mafia, the Colombian Cartels, the Chinese Mob, and the Indian Underworld.

AMERICA’S HAVEN: THE YMCA AT 150

The History Channel
This documentary celebrates the 150th anniversary of the founding of the first YMCA in America. It chronicles the organization’s transformation from an evangelical group of young, urban Protestant men to a broad-based secular, community organization serving men, women and children across all religious and social lines. It features interviews with former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley and former U.N. ambassador Andrew Young — both longtime YMCA members.

BLIND MAN'S BLUFF

The History Channel
Based on The New York Times best seller by Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew, Blind Man’s Bluff is a two-hour documentary that exposes the role submarine espionage played in the Cold War—and brings to light the sacrifices and harrowing experiences of the men who risked their lives to be a part of this elite silent service.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS, PUBLIC MONEY

CNN Productions
This documentary takes you to the front lines of the battle for the soul of American education. It weaves together the stories of three families to create a complex and compelling portrait of the nation's largest and longest-running experiment with school vouchers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The program tackles some of the most debated issues and raises tough questions surrounding the use of tax dollars for private schools.

ATMOSPHERES

The Weather Channel
A primetime magazine-style show that explores how weather affects everyday life. Episodes feature dramatic tales of rescue, in-depth reports on severe weather, as well as trips to exotic locations to learn about unique weather patterns.

KENNEDY'S: THE CURSE OF POWER

The History Channel
A two-hour special that follows the history of America's most famous family from their humble origins in Boston in 1849 to the tragic death of John F. Kennedy, Jr. It features extraordinary footage from family's own home movies, as well as candid interviews with Kennedy intimates. JFK Jr.'s death raised the old questions anew: Are the Kennedys somehow cursed? Or has their relentless pursuit of power--and pleasure--put them at risk?

THE TIMES CAPSULE

The History Channel
This two-hour special, produced in association with The New York Times for a December 1999 premiere, celebrated notable achievements of the past millennium in technology, medicine, and exploration.

HISTORY'S MYSTERIES

The History Channel
Towers has contributed seven episodes to the long-running History Channel series History’s Mysteries. The show explores little-known or unexplained events in world history by telling these tales from an individual perspective. Topics include the death of Karen Silkwood, the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, the witness protection program, and tale of the pioneering Civil War submarine, the Hunley.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS

A&E Network
Towers has produced 12 one-hour episodes and one two hour special for this critically acclaimed series. Subjects have included “Wartime Justice,” “Airport Security,” “Campus Crime,” and “Cyberterrorism”. "Sins of the Fathers," a program episode about the sexual abuse of children by priests, was nominated for a national Emmy (Investigative Journalism Program) and a CableACE award (Documentary Writing).

THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF CHICAGO

The History Channel
A two-hour special about the Third Coast: Chicago. From before the great fire, throughout Capone's reign, and past the construction of the Sears Tower, the Windy City has always managed to survive and surprise. Won a Golden Eagle at the 41st Annual Cine Awards.

THE UNEXPLAINED

A&E Network
One-hour, weekly documentary series examining mysterious phenomena from a scientific standpoint. Subjects included Voodoo Rituals, Secrets of the Pyramids, Multiple Personalities, Radical Surgeries and the Deadly Diamond: an episode which explored the dark history of the Hope Diamond and the dire events that plagued most of its wearers.

TALES FROM THE F.B.I

The History Channel
Four one-hour documentaries which chronicled the intriguing history of the F.B.I as it has evolved from a bumbling bureau into an ingenious machine of modern investigation.

WRATH OF GOD

The History Channel
This weekly one-hour series chronicled America's worst natural disasters including fires, floods, tornadoes and earthquakes.

THE DOCKS: TROUBLE ON THE WATERFRONT

The History Channel
Two-hour documentary about the colorful and violent history of the American waterfront including pirates, revolutionaries, mobsters and union bosses.

WGN-TV: 50 YEARS OF CHICAGO'S OWN

WGN Superstation
Ninety-minute documentary about one of America’s premier independent television stations which introduced viewers to personalities like Jack Brickhouse and Bozo the Clown

ON THE BRINK: DOOMSDAY

The Learning Channel
Two-hour documentary exposing various times throughout the Cold War when the world came dangerously close to a nuclear war.

THE NEW YORK MOB: EMPIRE OF CRIME

A&E Network
Two-hour documentary chronicling the rise and fall of America’s most powerful crime families and the role they played in the history of New York City.

CHICAGO'S FRONT PAGE: 150 YEARS OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

WGN Superstation, Chicago. TRIBUNE, WGN Superstation, Chicago.
Two-hour film documentary chronicling the 150-year history of the Chicago Tribune.

A STAGE OF THEIR OWN

WGN Superstation, Chicago
Half-hour documentary about the history of African-American theater hosted by James Earl Jones.

INTIMATE PORTRAITS: "WOMEN SPIES"

Lifetime Television
One-hour documentary on women spies, part of the weekly series focusing on the lives of extraordinary women.

WHEN HARRY MET BASEBALL...

WGN Superstation, Chicago
Two-hour prime-time special hosted by Bob Costas about veteran baseball announcer Harry Caray.