The DataDad

Christian Filmmakers Creating An Industry Of Faith

2009-06-06T04:41:00.000-07:00

NPR has a great story by Barbara Bradley Hagerty that discusses Fireproof, investing in Christian films and the trend towards redemptive entertainment.

Weekend Edition As Hollywood crowns its favorite movies and actors at the Oscars on Sunday, another group is trying to create a rival movie industry. Fed up with sex and violence in mainstream entertainment, conservative Christians are turning out their own films. And they've made surprising inroads.

If you don't believe us, take this quiz: What was the biggest grossing independent film in 2008? No, not Slumdog Millionaire. Not Milk. It was a movie you've probably never heard of... read more

An Audience Waiting To Be Tapped

Steve Morales concurs. "There's just a hunger. This is a market that has not been tapped with high quality media," he says. Morales is the executive director of Franklin Springs Family Media Fund, a group that invests in Christian films.

Morales was in San Antonio scouting for talent. He says because the emphasis is more about wholesome stories than big stars and budgets, Christian movies are cheap to make — and quickly turn a profit through box office and DVD sales.

"We're out for good, strong, economically viable films which serve a purpose, which fill a niche that is unmet right now," Morales says. "Blockbusters are great, but that's not the end goal. The end goal is to glorify God with our skills and talents." .... read more

"The Terri Schiavo Story" DVD selected as Semi-Finalist for the SAICFF

2008-11-25T20:42:00.000-08:00

The Terri Schiavo Story, from the Producers at Franklin Springs Family Media (http://www.franklinsprings.com), has been selected as a semi-finalist at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. Two other must-see DVDs which were also selected are:

When Robin Prays
“When Robin Prays” is an inspiring story of hope - one that celebrates the gift of life! This special episode of the “Joni and Friends” television show, hosted by much-loved author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada, features the incredible story of Robin Hiser. Born with Down Syndrome, Robin’s life has been extraordinary. Her service to others, and her commitment to the Lord, distinguish her as a woman who has had tremendous impact on countless individuals.

An American Adventure: The Living Legacy of Jimmy Gentry
An American Adventure: The Living Legacy of Jimmy Gentry traces the life of 82-year-old WWII veteran Jimmy Gentry from his Depression-era boyhood in historic Franklin, TN, to his military service in WWII, to his life-altering experience as one of the first liberating soldiers through the gates at the infamous Dachau concentration camp, to his over 50 years as a renowned football coach.

With these nominations, Franklin Springs Family Media continues to be a leader in providing inspirational DVDs that promote strong, united families coupled with a love for God and a love for neighbor.

Fireproof Rocks the Box Office

2008-09-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

An amazing thing happened last weekend in the world of film distribution. A film with a production budget of $500,000 opened in 4th place nationally and grossed $6.8 million dollars, while a $45 million dollar film came in 9th place with only $3.5 million in ticket sales. FIREPROOF SUCCESS

How did this happen?

The answer is the incredibly underserved market for Faith and Family films. This category includes films that simply portray the benefits of noble character and hard work and also the traditional Christian film that goes all the way with a full presentation of the gospel.

The Christian retail market is in excess of $4.6 billion dollars annually, yet very few faith-based films enjoy theatrical releases. Instead, independent Christian filmmakers rely on the Direct-to-Consumer model which will move anywhere from 3000 units to 250,000 units depending on the director and the distribution channels in place.

However, a new distribution paradigm is taking shape as grass-roots organizations, associations, churches, and youth groups employ the power of online social networks to create awareness and buzz without the need to spend millions of dollars on traditional media buys. With these networks in place, the economics of Faith and Family films finally makes sense for the investment community.

As traditional studios, film producers, distributors, and investors come together to further develop the distribution channels for Faith and Family films, look for more edifying films, higher and higher production values, and finally, entertainment that has a positive impact on the culture for what is truly good, true and beautiful.

Steve Morales is the Executive Director of Franklin Springs Family Media Fund I based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Steve@franklinsprings.com

The Maxwells are Coming to Charlottesville

2008-08-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

Central Virginia’s Largest Family Conference for 2008 is coming to Charlottesville, Virginia!

The Maxwell Family will be in Charlottesville September 26th and 27th for a family conference and a FREE Gospel Bluegrass Concert. This remarkable family with eight children are self-taught musicians and have had an incredible impact on thousands of families world-wide. After reading the Maxwell’s eye-opening book “Keeping Our Children’s Hearts” and dozens of other available resources, families have started down a new path towards family harmony and unity.

For more informatoin email me at steve@franklinsprings.com.

The New Film Distribution Model

2008-07-07T18:33:00.000-07:00

Times are changing for film distribution.

The age of PRODUCER to CONSUMER has arrived for filmmakers. Using state-of-the-art equipment, industry standard software, and digital distribution channels, movie producers can shoot, edit, and distribute directly to their audience without ever signing away the rights to their work.

Companies like Franklin Springs Family Media are teaming up with investors to produce broadcast-quality family titles for a market desperate for uplifting, quality entertainment. While traditional channels will not go away, they must work together with this new breed of film producer in a way that is fair and equitable. For every producer, the world market is just a URL away.

If you are interested in learning more about the disruptive technology that is coming soon to the movie industry, you MUST read The Long Tail by Chris Anderson! While I do not agree with everything he predicts, his theory is an eye-opener if you have not kept current with the latest digital distrubution technologies. The Long Tail is definitely worth the time to read, just chew up the meat and spit out the bones!

Restoring the Family

2008-06-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Families are the building block of our society. As the family goes, so goes our culture.

Stay tuned over the next few months as I outline a plan to restore the family through the power of film.

Teamed together with investors from around the world, we will provide a glimpse at the beauty that comes from a family that lives together, works together, plays together, and serves those around them.

Steve Morales
Executive Producer
Franklin Springs Family Media

2008 GMAC MBA Leadership Conference

2008-01-12T23:57:00.000-08:00

My presentation this year at the Leadership Conference is titled "Using Data for Effective Decision-Making." See you there! GMAC Conference

When
Wednesday, January 30–Saturday, February 2, 2008

2007 AACSB Associate Deans and Data Management Conference

2007-11-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

From December 13–15, 2007 I will be in Tampa, Florida with the CTO from the University of Chicago GSB, Ligia Moreno, to present a session on paperless faculty recruitement. We will also be displaying our latest interactive dashboards that are under development.
A Streamlined Faculty Recruitment Process.

2006 AACSB Associate Deans and Data Management Conference

2006-11-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

This year we are in Charlotte, NC December 7-9, for the AACSB Data Management Conference. The title of my presentation is The Darden DataMall - Finally, A Lifetime View for Contacts and Companies

2005 AACSB Associate Deans and Data Management Conference

2005-11-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

Come visit me on December 5th in Atlanta, GA for an interactive presentation entitled "Understanding Data Using Predictive Modeling"

2005 AACSB Deans Conference