Glenn Beck Moves Into Movie Production/Rick Santorums Movies To Play In Churches

[benjipwns]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/glenn-beck-moves-movie-production-696274

Beck says he is developing three original stories as theatrical films -- one set in ancient history, one in modern history and a third he considers "faith-based" -- and has optioned several other ideas, some of which could be adapted into VOD features. He adds that he has purchased rights to his 2008 best-seller The Christmas Sweater back from Sony and will turn the story into a movie for television or theatrical release.

The Christmas Sweater is a semi-fictionalized recounting of a 12-year-old Beck celebrating his last Christmas with his mother before she died. He says his later real-life problems with drugs and alcohol (he's been sober since 1994) can be traced back to that Christmas.

"The meaning of The Christmas Sweater is that there are second chances," says Beck. "It is based not only on my childhood but a dream that I had as an adult after I sobered up."

Beck notes it's too early to specify budgets or potential financing partnerships, though he probably has leverage to attract interested parties, considering TheBlaze lands an estimated $40 million in revenue annually and he earns $20 million a year hosting the radio show, according to sources familiar with his business. He also declined to identify the Hollywood moviemaking talent he has hired so far.

"I bought a movie studio for a reason," he says. "I have every intent of finding great artists who will tell great stories that aren't typical. Everybody thinks they know who I am because of my stint on Fox -- that was two years of my life. I'm much more into culture than I am into politics, and that's where I intend on making my stand."

Beck says he has great respect for "artists who risk big," citing filmmakers Baz Luhrmann and even Darren Aronofsky as examples (despite having called Noah a "Babylonian chainsaw massacre" on his radio show). "Hollywood is missing this moment to reconnect with the American people because they don't speak the language," he says. "Some of it is out of spite -- they might not like people of faith."

Beck, though, says he isn't interested in making movies that preach and cites Divergent, Lone Survivor, Moulin Rouge!, 2010's True Grit, The Magnificent Seven and The Princess Bride as inspirations, along with The Lego Movie, which he calls "tremendous storytelling and great for the whole family, without the double meanings and adult humor that I just hate. It was truly brilliant. I took everyone on my staff one afternoon to see it."

He also loves Frank Capra's 1941 political dramedy Meet John Doe, calling it a timely story. "The message of that film is: Help each other and just be decent," says Beck. "We're beginning to agree that Republicans and Democrats suck -- they've built this machine to grind people into the ground. I hate this stuff. I hate politics. I hate politicians and I feel like I'm wasting my life. Don't we all know what's happening? George W. Bush was taking us down a road, and Barack Obama is taking us down that same road. What difference does it make? I don't want to waste my life anymore."

[Great Rumbler]

[Great Rumbler]

Can't wait to see more conservative movie classics like these:

[Himu]

[Himu]

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

[benjipwns]

http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/rick-santorum-echolight-studios-faith-based-films-release-plan-churches/

EchoLight Studios, the faith- and family-based production entity headed by self-professed Christian politician and former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, said it will distribute four films a year starting in September 2014 then one a quarter after that. But here’s the twist: The films will be playing in churches throughout the country instead of theaters. One of those films is Hoovey, starring Patrick Warburton (Rules Of Engagement) and Lauren Holly — a true story about a Midwestern basketball family who, with God’s help, stayed in the game and won. The film is an unlikely candidate for the nation’s theaters to begin with, but there is a larger goal for Santorum, who is the CEO and not in politics any longer — to bring in flocks to the churches. “We want to be a part of empowering the church to elevate its role as a cultural change agent,” EchoLight President Studios Jeff Sheets said in a statement. “Our vision is not to create sermons wrapped in a movie but to create content that inspires, fascinates and incorporates a strong Christian worldview.”

The Franklin, TN-based company is developing content with “strong ministry value as tools for the Church to use in their in-reach and outreach ministries.” They also said that a portion of the revenues generated from these films will “fuel the missional needs of the hosting local church.” So instead of the money going into Hollywood coffers, it’s going back to Santorum’s churches. And therein lies the business model.

“EchoLight wants to empower the church to bring in people to see films,” EchoLight Studios spokeswoman Kristin Cole told Deadline. “3-14-Gods-Not-DeadThey want good, family content, and this ensures that. A lot of these churches are already equipped with the HD cameras.” This comes as the success of two faith-based films has surprised Hollywood already this year. The first was Fox’s Son Of God, which was re-cut from History’s miniseries The Bible, along with new footage; it opened at $25.6M and since has grossed $59M. The second was God’s Not Dead which has continued to play in the Box Office Top Ten after four weeks in release. On a $2M budget and another roughly $2M spent to bring to market, the film has grossed $40.8M. Smartly distributed by Freestyle Releasing, by the way. Both of those films are still in the Top 20. And then there’s the big-budgeted Noah from Paramount which has grabbed $84.9M domestically.  This weekend will see the bow of Heaven is For Real from director Randall Wallace and starring Greg Kinnear. The movie is based on the bestselling book of the same name about the four-year-old boy named Colton who had a near-death experience and then started recounting seeing people in Heaven — including his great grandfather and also unborn sister (whom his mother has miscarried) — relatives he clearly had never met or knew about before but recognized.

BOOM TAKE THAT LEFTYWOOD

[Himu]

What the fuck is with all these spiritual movies this year?

[Trent Dole]

The right strikes back! Against, uh, something. Take that Obama!

[Joe Molotov]

What the fuck is with all these spiritual movies this year?

God's Not Dead cost $2 million to make and made back over $40 million. Time to get on that Jesus gravytrain!

[benjipwns]

Sherwood Pictures I think started this.

Facing the Giants cost $100,000 and made $10 million.
Fireproof cost $500,000 and made $33 million.
Courageous cost $2 million and made $34 million.

[Himu]

Facing the Giants is awful. I watched that with some people in college and I had to leave mid movie. The movie is racist, stupid in its portrayal of Christianity, and just plain bad. Dude literally goes from being unable to impregnate his wife to knocking her up due to his faith in God and God's sport Football. There's a sermon a coach gives the kicker to have his faith in God when he kicks because dammit, God cares so fucking much about football than less important matters like starving children and AIDS patients.

Also, God Is Not Dead got 40 million at the box office?

[Phoenix Dark]

Perhaps we can appreciate the greatest Christian film of all time, The Buttercream Gang

[Himu]

[Phoenix Dark]

added the trailer

Basically a member of a wholesome gang of Christian bros leaves a small, quaint town to live with his mom in the city. He comes back a year later as a certified goon, and its up to his friends to bring him back to Jesus. I legit enjoy the movie and have watched it many times.

my next secret santa pairing is getting it on DVD.

[Himu]

I already know what it is. We watched it in school and at church camps. Fuck that movie and fuck that series.

[Phoenix Dark]

Religious media has always had an audience, and has been successful. It's only natural that it's more popular now than previously simply due to natural market increases (more Christians, digital media, cheaper access to high quality film production, etc). The idea that a Christian film grossing $40 million proves morality is on a rebound strikes me as ridiculous. Like Tyler Perry films, Christian films have a specific loyal audience that helps make them a success. Throw in people suckered in by the "inspirational" angle and you have a low budget high return hit film.

My grandma used to live in a retirement home run by one of the largest mega churches in Detroit. They'd bus many of them to the movie theater to see each of Tyler Perry's films. Or they'd buy rights to show the film at the church. I know white churches do the same for films like God Is Not dead and Son of God.

[TVC15]

Did anyone else watch that Christian flick about the haunted porno mag?  It's pretty great. The christian kids find the porno mag while dumpster diving.

[Brehvolution]

What the fuck is with all these spiritual movies this year?

“EchoLight wants to empower the church to bring in people to see films,” EchoLight Studios spokeswoman Kristin Cole told Deadline.

Like Joe said. The time is now to profit off the persecution complex.