For 43 years, The New York Festivals has honored excellence in communications media that touch the hearts and minds of readers, listeners and viewers worldwide. Founded in 1957 as an international awards competition designed primarily to reward outstanding achievements in non-broadcast media, in the course of its first twenty years The New York Festivals achieved pre-eminence in the area of industrial and educational film and video. Harlan is unique in having won both a Silver and Bronze medal for his work writing and narrating 'An Almost Painless Guide to The Constitution, and to the Election Process'.
The "Almost Painless Guide" series received 3½ stars in August's "Video Librarian" magazine. Reviewer R. Pitman said: "The Almost Painless Guide to the Branches of Government is a fun, informative introduction to our Federal Government. Highly Recommended!"
In 1999 "The Almost Painless Guide To The U.S. Constitution" won a Silver Worldwide Medal for excellence in the New York Festivals competition for Educational videos, and "The Almost Painless Guide To The Election Process" took bronze in the 2000 contest.
All the videos in the series were produced for United Learning at Broadview Media, in Chicago, with Richard Hawksworth as executive producer and Harlan and Marie Burke handling the voice-over duties.
"Although I've scripted some 'straight and serious' programs, my heart is in adding humor to otherwise dull subjects" Hogan said. Harlan is very selective about which and how many scripts he can handle each year... "My time is limited and my voice work has never been better. But I do think writing scripts, as well as reading them, has given me a new perspective when interpreting other writers' words, and I think it helps keep my voice work fresh."