Christian Screenwriters' Newsletter
Vol 4, No 1, January 2008
1. Faith Article: Let Everything that Has Breath Praise the Lord
2. Interview: David A.R. White, Producer, Pure Flix Entertainment and Outreach Cinema
3. News Release: Striking Writers in Talks to Launch Web Start-Ups
4. Announcement: International Family Film Festival (IFFF)
5. Upcoming Contests
Happy New Year, Christian Screenwriters! I trust you all enjoyed Christmas and New Year’s with your loved ones, and hopefully, you also had some time to work on a new idea or a script!
There are two wonderful articles in this issue. The first is the interview with David White, who has started Outreach Cinema. The second is the article about the striking writers who are now looking to investors and venture capitalists to launch new web start ups. It is something to seriously think of for yourself if you desire to broaden your focus from screenwriting to producing!
Also, some subscribers have asked me about whether they can donate to the newsletter, just as a means of showing their support for the work. In the past, I have always denied them the opportunity, saying I’m doing this as a service to Christian screenwriters and therefore I don’t want any donations. But then, I thought that if subscribers really want to show that they stand with me in promoting Christian screenwriters and the gospel, they should have the opportunity to donate.
So if you would like to stand with me in this work, just go to the website at www.ambassadorcommunications.biz/donate.html and click on the Donate button or mail me a check (address on website).
I also want to make it clear that you DON’T have to donate to remain a subscriber. This is a free newsletter!
Claire, Editor.
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1. Faith Article: Let Everything that Has Breath Praise the Lord
Psa. 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
As Christian screenwriters, we long for the day when the movie screens will be filled with God-honoring movies that will lead audiences to the knowledge of the saving grace of Christ. We long for the day when everyone who has seen our movies will praise the Lord. David longed for the same thing. He loved God so much that he desired that every living creature would praise the Lord. Take heart. The time is near when God will act on our behalf. It is already starting with the growth of Christian moviemaking. And it will continue until the knowledge of the Lord goes out to all the earth, and covers it as the waters cover the sea. Soon everything that has breath will praise the Lord. Praise God we can be a part of bringing in this harvest!
My prayer to help bring the knowledge of the Lord to my audience: Lord Jesus, You long for the day when everyone will worship You. Use me and my screenwriting to hasten the coming of that day. Let my scripts be filmed and let the films move the audience to search for You and come to know You. Let them praise Your name and tell others about You, until the knowledge of You covers the whole earth. Amen.
What is it about your screenplay or idea that will lead your audience to praise the Lord? Write down your thoughts and then share your script or idea with someone else and see whether they agree.
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2. Interview with David A.R. White, Producer, Pure Flix Entertainment and Outreach Cinema
1) When and why did you start Pure Flix Entertainment? We started Pure Flix Entertainment to make more Christian Faith Based films that up lift the human spirit instead of tear it down. Since we know that distribution is such a key factor in getting your film out, we wanted to have a production/ distribution entity.
2) What are some of the major releases of Pure Flix Entertainment? We are excited, because we have several films coming out this year. The first is a movie called The Wager, it stars Randy Travis, Bronson Pinchot (True Romance, Perfect Strangers) and Jude Ciccollela (Mike Novak on 24). It is being released straight to churches through our direct church network www.outreachcinema.com on April 25, then to dvd May 13.
We have Hidden Secrets, which is an ensemble piece, stars John Schnieder, Tracy Melchoir and myself to name a few. It comes out in August,
We have Holyman Undercover!, which is a zany comedy starring Fred Willard, John Schneider and myself. This comes out in November.
3) You have started Outreach Cinema as a division of Pure Flix Entertainment. Randy Travis and his wife Lib are partners with you, along with veteran film producers Russell Wolfe and Michael Scott, and marketing pro Byron Jones. Could you please outline why you started Outreach Cinema, how it works, what its purpose and ultimate goals are, and how it can benefit the churches?
Last year the church spent about a half of billion dollars on media equipment. We live in a sight and sound generation, our culture is impacted by the media. The church has been seeing the power of the media more and more and is getting more involved. We believe that they want to support films that uplift the human spirit. As christian film producers, we make films primarily first to encourage the church, then, the church can use them as outreach tools to reach into their community. Outreach cinema is the perfect link between producers like ourselves and the church to do just that.
4) Outreach Cinema’s first movie to be released is “The Wager” starring Randy Travis. Describe for our audience why you chose this story.
It is based off best selling Christian author Bill Myers’ book. It was an interesting story that we felt needed to be told.
God and Satan have a Wager. Can someone in today’s society live out Jesus’ most famous teaching the sermon on the mount.
So Satan picks this actor who’s about to win the academy award in 10 days and he says that he can’t do it. And that Character is played by Randy Travis. It asks the question, when adversity comes, will we stand in our faith or fall?
5) Randy Travis stars in “The Wager.” Could you describe how it was to work with Randy? And could you describe what you think some of his best scenes in this movie are?
Randy is such a dream celebrity to work with. He’s been a star for a long time, so he fit this character perfectly. He also loves the Lord, and it shows.
The best scene for us in the movie is when his life is falling apart, and he takes out his guitar and plays this amazing hymn. There won’t be a dry eye in the audience. He’s great!
6) You come from an acting background, is that correct? Were you a Christian when you first starting acting or did you find Jesus later? Describe how you came to Christ.
I received Christ when I was young. My father was a minister and led me to the Lord. I went to Moody Bible Institute for a year right out of high school. But really had the desire to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. That’s what I did when I was 19. Picked up and came out here.
7) What are some of the best acting roles you’ve had and why did you like them?
I did a movie called Mercy Streets in 2000. That was one of my favorites. I played twins from different sides of the tracks. It was challenging for me as an actor, and I loved the people I worked with. Then I just finished bringing to screen my one man comedy show, Holyman Undercover!. It was my baby, I wrote,directed and played a couple roles in it as well.
8) Is Outreach Cinema accepting films from other Christian producers? How does this work? Would the film producer approach you with his or her finished film and then you would decide whether it is suitable for release through the program?
Yes, we would love to partner with as many Christian Film Producers as possible.
Look at the website, and if you feel like your film might fit into what we are doing, please submit your film to our office
Pure Flix Entertainment
8040 E. Morgan Trail Suite 25
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
9) Are there any opportunities for Christian screenwriters to get involved in either Outreach Cinema or Pure Flix Entertainment? If so, what kinds of scripts are you looking for?
We are looking for fun stories that ultimately direct people to God’s love. I know that’s pretty broad, but if your script fits into that, we’d love to take a look at it.
10) Do you have any prayer requests that this group can pray for?
Thankyou for asking, we love prayer for wisdom and growth. So we can make more of these films and to know which ones we should make.
11) How can churches support the Outreach Cinema program and have “The Wager” shown at their churches?
Go to www.outreachcinema.com and it gives all the info on how to get these movie nights to your church.
12) Is “The Wager” available for individual purchase and how can our subscribers purchase the film?
It will come out everywhere May 13 on dvd.
13) Please leave your email address/contact information if you would like our subscribers to contact you. Thanks very much for the interview, David, and best wishes in 2008 with Pure Flix Entertainment and Outreach Cinema!
Thank you so much,
David AR White
david@pureflix.com
if you’d like to submit scripts, you can also e-mail them to
cjones@pureflix.com
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3. News Release: Striking Writers in Talks to Launch Web Start-ups
Dozens are turning to venture capitalists, seeking to bypass Hollywood and reach viewers directly online.
By Joseph Menn, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 17, 2007
Dozens of striking film and TV writers are negotiating with venture capitalists to set up companies that would bypass the Hollywood studio system and reach consumers with video entertainment on the Web.
At least seven groups, composed of members of the striking Writers Guild of America, are planning to form Internet-based businesses that, if successful, could create an alternative economic model to the one at the heart of the walkout, now in its seventh week.
Three of the groups are working on ventures that would function much like United Artists, the production company created 80 years ago by Charlie Chaplin and other top stars who wanted to break free from the studios.
"It's in development and rapidly incubating," said Aaron Mendelsohn, a guild board member and co-creator of the "Air Bud" movies.
Writers walked off their jobs Nov. 5, virtually shutting down television production and throwing 10,000 people out of work. The Writers Guild is fighting the major studios over how much their members are paid when their work is distributed online.
Silicon Valley investors historically have been averse to backing entertainment start-ups, believing that such efforts were less likely to generate huge paydays than technology companies. But they began considering a broader range of entertainment investments after observing the enormous sums paid for popular Web video companies, including the $1.65 billion that Google Inc. plunked down last year for YouTube, a site where users post their own clips.
They also have been emboldened by major advertisers, which prefer supporting professionally created Web entertainment to backing user-generated content on sites such as MySpace that can be in poor taste.
"I'm 100% confident that you will see some companies get formed," said Todd Dagres, a Boston-based venture capitalist who has been flying to L.A. and meeting with top writers for weeks. "People have made up their minds."
What effect this would have on the strike is unclear. So far, the percentage of the guild's 10,000 striking writers who are in discussions with venture capitalists appears to be small. Any deal of this kind, however, could put pressure on the studios and help the writers' public relations campaign. Writers who are talking to venture investors say the studios would suffer a brain drain if high-profile talents received outside funding and were no longer beholden to them.
Mendelsohn and others said they would stick with their ventures after the strike ended.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios in negotiations, declined to comment on the issue, as did the Writers Guild.
Already this year, a handful of sites have received venture backing, including FunnyorDie.com, co-founded by comedic actor Will Ferrell, and MyDamnChannel.com, launched by former MTV executive Rob Barnett.
MyDamnChannel pays for the production of original content by a handful of artists and splits ad revenue with them.
Under the Hollywood system, writers, in most cases, are employed by the studios to create and manage TV shows and movies. The studios own the copyrights and pay writers for the initial use of the material and a small percentage of the licensing fees they collect when the work is rerun or sold on DVD.
With television viewership and DVD revenue declining in the digital age, writers have sought bigger rewards when their work is distributed online. There have been isolated successes, such as Viacom Inc.'s agreement in August to give the co-creators of "South Park" 50% of a new online entertainment venture based on the TV program.
For the most part, however, the studios have argued that Web economics are still too uncertain for them to give a larger share of the proceeds to writers.
Most writers who have been talking with venture capitalists declined to discuss their plans on the record, saying it was too early to provide details. Yet an array of strategies have emerged from interviews with writers, investors and others involved in the process.
The groups modeled after United Artists (which eventually was bought by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and recently was revived with the help of Tom Cruise) envision creating and distributing programming for the Web and recouping their investments by selling rights to the most successful properties to TV networks or movie companies.
The initiative would change the career paths of many writers. They would be leaving well-paying jobs in television and film for the Internet, which often has been viewed as a steppingstone to Hollywood.
Some high-profile writers and technologists are trying to create a collaborative studio they hope would be officially sanctioned by the Writers Guild. They want to build on the popularity of strike-related videos on the guild-inspired blog UnitedHollywood, YouTube and elsewhere.
"We are uniquely positioned to take our case and new business model directly to consumers," said a leader of that effort, the primary writer on a TV show that was a blockbuster a decade ago. "This will be the officially sanctioned Hollywood union portal."
Others seek to create a privately owned studio that would develop episodic series for the Web. The studio could turn a profit even without cutting movie or TV deals if it developed an audience coveted by advertisers.
Dagres said he had met with one group focused on developing material for potential theatrical distribution and another concentrating on Web series.
At least two additional groups plan to create companies that would distribute material on Facebook or other online gathering places where they might quickly become popular.
Facebook director Jim Breyer, a partner at Silicon Valley venture firm Accel Partners, said he was weighing deals that would rely on Facebook's platform. "It is likely we will make investments in Los Angeles screenwriter/content-oriented companies in 2008," he said.
Accel and Dagres' Spark Capital are among four venture firms that have been meeting with writers since the strike began. Hedge funds are also interested in investing, writers who have met with them said.
The screenwriters have been consulting with writer-entrepreneurs who say they earn their living from their work online by running low-cost operations.
"I basically give them a 'Come on in, the water's grand,' " said news website owner Andrew Breitbart, the coauthor of a 2004 book on celebrity culture who worked on the Drudge Report and Huffington Post websites.
"There is no one answer about what works," Breitbart said. "The great thing about online is you can adapt to the changes."
Another common stop on the educational tour is Kent Nichols, co-creator of the profitable "Ask a Ninja" franchise, a two-man Web operation.
His advice is, "You have to think like Jerry Bruckheimer," the television and movie producer who keeps ownership of everything he makes and tries to wring profit from every revenue stream, including merchandise, advertising and licensing.
Even before the strike, changes were afoot that made the recent ventures possible.
The spread of broadband access has allowed more Americans to watch video online. That has prompted the big entertainment companies and a host of others to put more clips on the Web, which in turn has brought in more viewers.
Among broadband users, the proportion who watch videos at least weekly has risen to 61% from 45% a year ago, market research firm Horowitz Associates Inc. reported this month.
"I think it's a great opportunity," said Silicon Valley investor Gus Tai of Trinity Ventures. "This trend started prior to the strike and is only accelerating."
Some of the writers who are drafting business plans said that if the strike had lasted only a week, they would have just gone back to work. But now they've had time to plot strategy -- and to realize that a prolonged strike with reruns and reality shows filling the airwaves might allow them to grab a wandering audience.
"The companies are pushing us into the embrace of people that are going to cut them out of the loop," marveled one show runner who is tracking the start-up trend but not participating.
"We are one Connecticut hedge-fund checkbook, one Silicon Valley server farm and two creators away from having channels on YouTube, where the studios don't own anything."
joseph.menn@latimes.com
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4. Announcement: International Family Film Festival (IFFF)
IFFF Mission Statement:
The International Family Film Festival (IFFF) promotes and encourages the creation and sharing of family films and screenplays through seminars, networking and film camps for kids.
The IFFF is celebrating its 14th year, and it’s second at Raleigh Studios in the heart of the entertainment industry, Hollywood, CA. The IFFF has a target audience of Filmmakers, Producers, Distributors, Press, Critics, Industry small businesses, Families and Kids. The IFFF reaches over 6,200+ families in the Los Angeles area. According to Chris Shoemaker, IFFF Executive Director, "Following the successful market for the independent family films screened at the last IFFF, it became apparent that the family film genre has come of age and is ready to hold its own in Hollywood."
Raleigh Studios has hosted a number of film festivals and serves as a perfect home for the IFFF with three screening theaters, a studio based restaurant and plenty of break-out space for seminars, screenplay readings and networking. The IFFF is also a cultural melting pot, and has already received submissions from eight countries and is expecting many more. The IFFF is scheduled for February 28, 29 and March 1, 2 at Raleigh Studios on Melrose Avenue across from the Paramount Studio Lot.
For more information on purchasing Festival tickets to screenings, special events and seminars, Visit Our Store or contact:
Patte Dee McKee
(661) 257-3131
info@iffilmfest.org
For Sponsorship opportunities, contact
Suzanne Shoemaker
(818) 332-7951 ext. 703
sshoemaker@iffilmfest.org
***Note from Editor: They are also accepting scripts for the screenplay contest. See Moviebytes link below.
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5. Upcoming Contests
(Thanks to Moviebytes.com)
The following contests have deadlines coming up in the next
month:
IFFF
Deadline: January 10, 2008
http://www.moviebytes.com/contestdetail.cfm?ContestNumber=35
Ed's Dead
Deadline: January 11, 2008
http://www.moviebytes.com/contestdetail.cfm?ContestNumber=2216
WriteMovies/TalentScout
Deadline: January 11, 2008 (late).
http://www.moviebytes.com/contestdetail.cfm?ContestNumber=324
Eastgate Films
Deadline: October 15, 2007 (early); January 15, 2008 (regular).
http://www.moviebytes.com/contestdetail.cfm?ContestNumber=2187
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