On October 26th on a rooftop screen in the heart of Hollywood, indie weed brand Fidel’s premiered the first episode of its documentary series (now available on YouTube). The series will show the process of Fidel setting up his recent scaled-up grow operation in preparation for his launch on the recreational market. Fidel’s flower line will hit dispensary shelves in mid-November.
Many people from the community that have supported and befriended Fidel attended the premier and the reception to the episode was warm and supportive. Dan Wilson from Visit Hollyweed and Jon Cappetta from High Times were featured in the first episode.
According to Director Billy Barnes, the premier event highlighted the community as much as the brand.
“I felt the premiere showcased just how united and proud the cannabis community is. The support was overwhelmingly positive,” Barnes said.
Fidel himself was excited by the premier.
“The reception for episode one was amazing. I got goosebumps from peoples reactions,” Fidel said.
Fidel partnered with the production company Vending Machine to produce the docu-series, and they teamed up with Barnes to film it.
Barnes was not big into the cannabis scene before he started the project, but has not only learned a lot about the cannabis community, but has been accepted by it.
“It really opened my eyes to how far cannabis culture has evolved,” Barnes said.
By putting the series on YouTube and gaining an audience around Fidel’s story, he says he hopes to help end the stigma around cannabis and to show how much more there is to the culture of weed than people might expect.
“I want to break down the doors of perception. Brands like Fidel’s aren’t just about getting high, it’s lifestyle, it’s culture, it’s identity. I hope our work represents that,” Barnes said.
According to Fidel, the goal of the project is to show a behind-the-scenes look at an operation like his, which he hopes will help others.
“I’m hoping over time that we can show so much insight into the cultivation facility and brand that it will inspire a younger generation to do it better,” Fidel said.
The series is an ongoing project to document the rise of the brand as it heads to the recreational market.
“I want to look back two years from now and see how many episodes we have accumulated and how much of our story it tells,” Fidel said.
About a week after the premier, Episode 2 of the series was posted to YouTube.
Currently the plan is to drop a new epsiode every two weeks or so. Season 1 has about ten episodes planned, according to Barnes.
That is if the series doesn’t get picked up by a network, which Barnes is hoping it will.
Follow the series on Fidel’s Youtube. Follow Fidel on Instagram at Fidelsworldwide and possessiondontmakeyourich. Follow Billy Barnes on Instagram.
