A Christmas Snow movie to be a stage production

Award winning director Tracy J Trost delivers another production experience with his compelling and inspirational stage adaption of his nationally acclaimed film, A Christmas Snow. The much-talked-about stage version has been greenlighted and goes into production in October with performances starting November 1, 2011 and running through the Christmas season at the Starlite Theatre in Branson, MO.

Filmmaker Tracy J Trost earned national praise for his moving story telling in the A Christmas Snow movie. With thousands of new devoted fans, Trost is aiming high for this anticipated project. He has developed the screenplay for the stage and is enthusiastic about bringing the live theatrical performance to Branson. Original music and Christmas favorites from the movie soundtrack will be used along with original music written specifically for the stage production.

"I couldn't be more excited to bring the live production of A Christmas Snow to the Branson stage", states director Tracy J Trost. "We at Trost Moving Pictures recognize Branson has a vibrant theater community and all of us agree that the Starlite Theatre is the perfect place to continue this extraordinary story of forgiveness and reconciliation that has already touched and changed thousands of lives around the world in book and film form."

Muse Watson (NCIS), who has a background in theater, will reprise his role as Sam. In addition to Watson's role, original cast member Catherine Mary Stewart (The Last Starfighter, Night of the Comet, Weekend at Bernie's) will again take on the charismatic and inspiring role of Kathleen.

Trost is currently securing other cast members that will include local talent.

Director Tracy J Trost has a full slate of projects lined up for 2011. His newest film, The Lamp, starring Jason London, Meredith Salenger, Sarah Brown, L. Scott Caldwell and Cameron ten Napel, with Muse Watson and Lou Gossett, Jr. will be released in Spring 2011.

Read our interview with Tracy J Trost.

Courageous movie to hit theaters September 30 2011

ALBANY, Ga – Dec. 6, 2010 – COURAGEOUS – the next movie from Sherwood Pictures, makers of FIREPROOF – debuts nationwide Sept. 30, 2011, with an exciting story of the difference that dedicated fathers can make in the lives of their families. What FIREPROOF – the No. 1 independent film of 2008 – did to encourage couples to bring unconditional love to marriage, COURAGEOUS stands to do for parents and their children. The film will be distributed by TriStar Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Produced by Sherwood Pictures in association with Provident Films and AFFIRM Films, COURAGEOUS follows the lives of five men, four of them deputy sheriffs in Albany, Ga.
A sudden and unexpected tragedy forces each man to consider what kind of father he has been . . . and just what God intends of fathers.

“My hope is that COURAGEOUS will cause men to re-think what success really is,” said Michael Catt, executive producer, and senior pastor of Sherwood Church, the ministry home of Sherwood Pictures. “Success in life is not in things, but in your most intimate relationships. You are successful if you have a strong faith, children who love you, and a wife who adores you.”

Across the country, churches, ministries, support organizations for fathers, and fans of Sherwood Pictures are mobilizing to see and use COURAGEOUS for the important conversation it starts. Sherwood Pictures has a well-deserved reputation for entertainment with a purpose, producing faith-based films that entertain and enlighten, in theatrical and DVD hits such as FLYWHEEL, FACING THE GIANTS, and FIREPROOF.

The Sherwood Pictures executive team is Sherwood Church Senior Pastor Michael Catt, Executive Pastor Jim McBride, and Stephen and Alex Kendrick. COURAGEOUS was co-written by Stephen and Alex, and directed by Alex, who also plays one of the law enforcement officers in the ensemble cast.

Fatherhood Under Fire

COURAGEOUS debuts at a pivotal period.

“We live in a time when 40 percent of children are born in a home with no father around,” Alex Kendrick said. “Our guide for moviemaking is simple: ‘What does the Lord want us to do?’ Every member of our team felt strongly that now is the time for the message that COURAGEOUS brings to life.”

Statistics continue to mount related to the importance of fathers to their children. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sites studies showing:

- good father-child relationships produce children who are more secure and less likely to suffer from depression.
- children with fathers at home enter school at higher levels of academic readiness.
- homes with mothers and fathers present produce children who earn more A grades and are less likely to have to repeat a grade.

Movies That Make a Difference

Well before COURAGEOUS opens, many churches will buy out entire showings and build sermons and curricula on the topic of fatherhood. At pre-theatrical screenings, influencers will receive “resource DVDs” with movie excerpts for lessons and discussion. Local action groups already are volunteering to promote and publicize the film. The film’s ministry partners and many smaller groups will spread the word that COURAGEOUS spurs conversations that can change lives. Books and study guides will support the film and expand its impact.

ABOUT PROVIDENT FILMS

Provident Films, a division of Provident Music Group, produces and distributes faith-based films. Nashville-based Provident Music Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, has been one of the world’s leading Christian entertainment companies for more than three decades. Under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville, Provident Music Group is comprised of Provident Films, Provident Label Group, Essential Music Publishing, and Provident-Integrity Distribution. ProvidentFilms.org

ABOUT AFFIRM FILMS

AFFIRM Films is a division of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company, dedicated to producing, acquiring, and marketing films that inspire, uplift, and entertain audiences. AFFIRMFilms.com

ABOUT TRISTAR PICTURES

TriStar Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at SonyPictures.com

To learn more, visit:
COURAGEOUS at CourageousTheMovie.com

EMMY-WINNING DIRECTOR STEVE FELDMAN TO DIRECT “A SEASON OF MIRACLES”

Producer Dave Moody Signs Feldman to Rusty Whitener-created Film

(Nashville, Tenn) Four years ago, after thirty years in the motion picture industry, Emmy-winning director Steve Feldman decided to pack up and leave Hollywood for greener pastures.

“When I realized that 75% of the nation’s population lives within a 700-mile radius of Nashville, I knew I’d found the right town,” Feldman said. He moved his family to Music City and settled in, quietly meeting with fellow industry veterans at Edgehill Café, taking his time to find the right story. “By living here, I find stories that are appropriate for the general population, not just the ‘idea’ of the population that Hollywood holds.”


Now, four years after his move and hundreds of meetings later, Feldman is once again applying his directing skills to a project—“A Season of Miracles” written by Rusty Whitener, produced by Elevating Entertainment, and based on the novel of the same name that released from Kregel Books in August.

“As soon as I met Steve earlier this year, I knew I wanted to work with him,” said Dave Moody, President of Elevating Entertainment. “His credentials and background will be tremendously helpful in creating a quality film from Rusty’s screenplay.”

Filming is set to begin next year. For more information, visit www.elevatingentertainment.com. Moody and Feldman are available for interviews.

Steve Feldman is an Emmy award winning TV director who’s worked with talent as varied as Bill Nye, Linda Ellerbee, Bill Maher and Elmo for PBS, CBS, Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, MSNBC and Discovery. His credits include Sesame Street, the ‘Nick News, Politically Incorrect, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Suess, LazyTown and the debut musical theatre production for Walden Media, Rock Odyssey. He is Owner of The Sam Hill Group.

Dave Moody is an artist, songwriter, producer and filmmaker with numerous industry awards and peer acknowledgements to his credit. As a member of his family group, The Moody Brothers, he earned two Grammy Award nominations in the ‘80s, and spent most of the ‘90s in Paris, France working for The Walt Disney Company. From 2001 to 2010, he won 2 Dove Awards and earned 19 nominations. As a filmmaker, he has won numerous festival awards for the motion pictures he’s directed, produced, and contributed to, working with Hollywood veterans and respected actors, including: BILL COBBS (Night At The Museum, That Thing You Do), Golden Globe nominee LEE MERIWETHER, ROB SCHNEIDER (Saturday Night Live), JOHN de LANCIE, CATHERINE HICKS, MARGARET O’BRIEN, and others.

Official Voyage of the Dawn Treader Movie Trailer

It's here! Finally! Read our review of the Prince Caspian the movie here.

Karen Kingsbury Like Dandelion Dust movie trailer unveiled

The trailer for the movie version of Karen Kingsbury's novel Like Dandelion Dust has just been unveiled! Coming to theaters in September, you can watch it now on the official movie website.

Synopsis:
Based on the novel by New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury, "Like Dandelion Dust" is a compelling drama that focuses on a young boy who lives an idyllic life with his parents on the coast of Florida. Joey’s days are spent playing with his cousins, sailing with his dad, and making up stories with his mom. It's a perfect life until the day they receive a disturbing phone call: a stranger's decision could tear Joey away from the comfort and security of the only home he's ever known. One family is determined to keep the son they love, the other is determined to begin a new life, the life they've always dreamed of. Joey's future rests in their hands and someone must make the bravest decision of their life. Sometimes the greatest love is letting go.

Read our interview with Karen Kingsbury.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Movie Poster

Thanks to our friends at NarniaFans.com for revealing the first official Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie poster!

Click the image to enlarge and see all the cool details.

Then head on over and read our feature on The Characters of Narnia for a recap of some of our most memorable Narnia friends.

You can also check out our review of Prince Caspian the movie.

What If movie trailer debut!

The movie trailer for the upcoming PureFlix & Jenkins Entertainment movie What If has just debuted! Watch it below and check out more at their Production Blog. Or visit the official movie website.

What If Theatrical Trailer from Pure Flix on Vimeo.

Dallas Jenkins & Stephen Baldwin on FOX News

Great clip here from filmmaker Dallas Jenkins and actor Stephen Baldwin on Hollywood and faith-based films. They talk briefly about The Blind Side and trends in faith-based filmmaking.

Next Sherwood Pictures Movie: Courageous

Sherwood Church, home of the hit independent movies FLYWHEEL (DVD only), FACING THE GIANTS, and FIREPROOF (2008’s top indie film), at its Sunday evening service tonight, announced the theme and title for Sherwood Pictures’ fourth movie. Senior Pastor Michael Catt, Executive Pastor Jim McBride, and ministers Stephen and Alex Kendrick—collectively the leadership team of Sherwood Pictures—made the announcement.

“The movie is about fatherhood and the title is one word: COURAGEOUS,” Alex Kendrick said, briefly outlining the plot. “Four fathers who are all in law enforcement—who protect and serve together—go through a terrible tragedy,” he said. “They begin looking at their role as fathers . . . and they begin challenging one another to fulfill God’s intention for fathers."

That single-word title, Pastor Catt said, echoes God’s call for men to “rise with courage” in their homes and as leaders. This at a time when 4 of 10 marriages end in divorce* and more than a third of all children live away from their biological fathers.

“The statistics on fatherless children are devastating,” McBride said. “And because the family is the building block of society, one important place to rebuild families is through fathers who stay and lead and love."

“God led us,” co-writer and producer Stephen Kendrick said to the audience of church members, many of them volunteer crew, cast, or catering in earlier Sherwood movies. “We believe God is calling men to rise up with strength and with leadership in their homes, with their families and with their children."

"For more then a year we’ve prayed to be sure that we’re pursuing God’s idea and not our own,” Catt said. “With action, drama, and humor, this film will embrace God’s promise in the Bible to, turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers."

Focusing on Fatherhood

“We focus on the crucial role of father; it’s not just to be a father who loves his kids,” said Alex Kendrick, co-writer/director of COURAGEOUS. “It’s to be engaged with a purpose—to be a father on purpose."

All four leaders of Sherwood Pictures are husbands and fathers. Pastor Catt has two children; Pastor McBride has four; Stephen Kendrick has four; and Alex Kendrick has six.
More Than a Movie

Sherwood movies entertain as they touch audiences where they live, and they show the means to live more fully through faith in God. FLYWHEEL focused on compromise and business integrity; FACING THE GIANTS on despair and hope; FIREPROOF on a dying marriage rekindled.

With previous Sherwood movies, fans, churches, and organizations across the country (and world) became “partners” in the movie’s impact—giving prayer support for production, distribution, and the movies’ messages. Ministries and outreaches used the films in creative ways. Churches built series and group studies on the topics; Sunday schools seized the momentum of good entertainment that emphasizes life-changing truths.

“It’s been the Bible’s story of Jesus multiplying the boy’s fish and loaves,” Alex Kendrick said. “God has multiplied these movies beyond our wildest dreams."

Principle filming of COURAGEOUS begins March 2010 in Albany. Like the previous three Sherwood films, COURAGEOUS will be marketed by Provident Films.

Sherwood Pictures is a ministry of Sherwood Church of Albany, Georgia, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Michael Catt and Executive Pastor Jim McBride.

To learn more, visit:

COURAGEOUS www.CourageoustheMovie.com
Sherwood Pictures www.SherwoodPictures.com

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick.

What's Next for Sherwood Pictures?

This just in from Sherwood Pictures:

The leaders of Sherwood Productions have been "preparing their fields" for another motion picture. They believe God has directed them to a new story line for the next Sherwood movie.

What is it?

We have an answer for you ... almost. What we can tell you is that the question will be answered next month!

The leaders of Sherwood Pictures—Michael Catt, Jim McBride, Alex Kendrick, and Stephen Kendrick—have been praying about the story for the next movie. Their prayer hasn't been for a good movie; it's been for a God movie. As was the case first with Flywheel, then with Facing The Giants, and most recently with FIREPROOF, they believe God has answered their prayers.

Can't bear to wait? Each week between now and mid-November, we will be releasing a video that searches the Sherwood archives for hints about what the next movie might be. Find out more at The Next Sherwood Movie website.

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick.