Growing content archive includes over 2,000 never seen before video and audio interviews with frontline WWII combat vets to date.
Award-winning digital media network Little Dot Studios and History Hit, the SVOD and content platform co-founded by historian Dan Snow, have signed an exclusive cross-platform, multi-year content deal with WWII veteran interviewer and documentary maker, Rishi Sharma.
Having produced an archive of over 2,000 video and audio interviews with WWII vets from all corners of the globe so far, Rishi Sharma owns the largest, unexplored personal archive of first hand interviews from those that fought on the frontline. Each in-depth interview lasts between 2-4 hours and have been captured by Rishi over the past 8 years with the ambition to document and preserve as many personal accounts as possible. With the average age of a surviving US WWII veteran now 99, and even older in Europe, the partnership with Little Dot Studios and History Hit will enable Rishi to continue his efforts and complete more interviews before any more experiences are lost for good.
As well as an upfront investment to fund further filming, the deal will also see Little Dot Studios take on channel management and publishing of Rishi’s YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels. Additionally, Little Dot Studios and History Hit will acquire exclusive FAST, broadcast and AVOD/SVOD rights to Rishi’s full library which will be available via Little Dot Studios’ owned and operated media network (including the Timeline, War Stories, Real History and The American Story channels) and FAST output as well as History Hit’s SVOD and Podcast network.
History Hit has also commissioned a 1x30’ documentary following Rishi across the US as he continues to meet more veterans, which will premiere on the platform ahead of Veterans Day / Remembrance Day on the 11th of November.
2024-25 will mark 80 years since numerous key events that brought the war to a close took place. From Iwo Jima to D-Day, through to the liberation of Paris and VJ Day, Rishi’s detailed interviews offer unparalleled access to the survivors who fought those battles. With the vast majority of these interviews never having been seen, nor heard, by an audience before, this deal will allow for these very personal and important stories to travel and reach millions of viewers worldwide.
Dan Jones, CEO, Little Dot Studios, said: "Rishi Sharma's dedication to preserving the firsthand accounts of WWII veterans is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of remembering history. As we approach the 80th anniversary of pivotal moments in the war, his exhaustive archive of interviews stands as a remarkable tribute to those who served on the frontlines. The partnership between Little Dot Studios, History Hit, and Rishi Sharma not only ensures the continued documentation of these invaluable stories but also paves the way for millions around the world to connect with the personal narratives that shaped our world. These stories, once hidden, now have the opportunity to inspire and educate for generations to come.”
Dan Snow, co-Founder and Creative Director of History Hit, said: "History Hit was founded on the belief that there is a huge appetite around the world for stories and people like these. These are the accounts of people who were there when history was made, when our present and future were shaped. Witnessing Rishi Sharma's dedicated efforts to capture the firsthand experiences of WWII veterans reaffirms the urgency of our mission and as time marches on, their voices become even more precious.”
Rishi Sharma, interviewer and documentary filmmaker, added: "WWII veterans are not just personal heroes; they are heroes for us all. Their incredible courage, unwavering tenacity, and immense sacrifices paved the way for the comfortable lives we enjoy today, often taken for granted. I am hugely grateful to Little Dot Studios and History Hit who are supporting my journey to capture the stories of every single living WWII veteran on camera, creating the world’s largest archive of eyewitness accounts. These first hand testimonies from WWII combat veterans are invaluable treasures that should be shared with the world in perpetuity. I've dedicated a substantial part of my life to ensuring that these interviews are recorded for posterity, ensuring that their sacrifices all those years ago were not in vain and that future generations will never forget the true price of our hard-fought freedoms.”
Little Dot Studios is represented for television by CAA.
To make a donation enabling Rishi Sharma to continue interviewing WWII veterans, head to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Rememberww2.
Little Dot Studios is an All3Media company. This article was originally written for Little Black Book, and the original article can be seen here.