independent media
Our independent projects at Aspire Street allow us to put our creativity where our heart is. In all our work we try to apply something Stephen Covey said: "Communicate to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves."
Film & Video
Music Videos are one of our great loves at Aspire Street. In our independent music projects, our videos amplify the emotion of the song with visually striking images and visually elegant storytelling. The Dream Box and We Are The Wheels are two of our favorites.
Using his award-winning research skills, Michael Angelo Colgan PhD has produced and directed documentaries in the US and Europe. His work includes comprehensive biographies on people who have made a difference through their personal and professional lives, as well as nature documentaries that explore scientific issues within their social and historical context. Explore our Portfolio to see trailers of our documentaries
Music
Michael teamed up with Country artist Jim "JP" Pirinelli to create a new series of songs that speak to the heart and soul of the American experience. Recording at GCR studios in Buffalo NY, Michael and JP have crafted music that honor the extraordinary lives and loves of ordinary people. The Dream Box song is just one of the music projects with Aspire Street that JP composes and performs. You can hear more of JP's music by visiting the Call Me JP website.
We Are The Wheels is a Country-Rock song written by Michael and composed and performed by Carolina musician Mack Sanders. It's all about the pride and dignity of average Americans who still care about the core values and little things that make us who we are. We Are The Wheels is available on Apple Music.
Books
At Aspire Street, inspiring children to dream — and achieve their dreams — is one of the core values with our book projects. Michael Angelo Colgan PhD and Holly Sood have teamed up on several children's books that feature Holly's gentle and imaginative watercolor art and Michael's simple but thoughtful words. See more of Michael and Holly's work at the MAC & Holly website.
The Dream Box is a children's book written and illustrated by Michael that tells the true life story of his grandfather, an Italian immigrant who arrived in America in the 1920s. The Dream Box book is just one part of a multimedia project that also includes a Country song and inspirational music video.
Instructional Stories
Helping children to understand safety — and to reach out for help when they need it — are the hallmarks of Staying Safe Stories. These honest and open educational tales are designed to empower children to recognize the warning signs of dangerous situations and take the right steps to protect themselves and others.
Drawing on years of real-world police experience, Staying Safe Stories practically guide parents, caretakers and their children to quickly use realistic and sensible techniques to respond to a variety of safety issues with courage and confidence.
Screenplays
Aspire Street president Michael Angelo Colgan has gotten some buzz about his screenwriting. In 2019 his screenplay 'Crayons' placed in the Top 10% of scripts in the Academy Nicholl Fellowship.
Crayons also won the 10th Annual StoryPros 1st Place Drama Award, Best Screenplay in the Contest of Contest competition (which only considers screenplays that have already won other competitions), was a Fresh Voices Top 5 finalist, and earned Best Screenplay at the Sunscreen Film Festival West.
The Austin Film Festival and Nicholl Fellowship have good things to say about Michael's work:
This script takes us on an emotionally powerful journey with the protagonist, David. From the moment we meet him, we can sense his inner torment . . .
The voice here is a unique one, very distinctive and subtle.
— Nicholl Fellowship
Crayons is a quiet, yet compelling story of one man's life journey that is complicated on several levels from loss to redemption . . .
Creating a world where the past is juxtaposed with the present...is brilliant.
The descriptive use of color and light creates a powerful visual image.
— Austin Film Festival
See the trailer for Crayons on IMDB.
