Thursday, May 29, 2008

Towns, Crowns, and Widgets

We have some quick hits for you in this FIREPROOF Blog post:
  • Provident Films is currently working with Sony and Samuel Goldwyn to determine the cities where FIREPROOF will open on September 26. (We hope to have a list to you shortly!) While many of the markets across the nation have already been selected, we’d love to know this: If you could pick one town to have FIREPROOF open in, what would that be?
  • Last week, we told you that the video for “Slow Fade,” the new single from Casting Crowns, debuted on Yahoo Music. The video for the song, which is featured in FIREPROOF, can now be seen at FireprooftheMovie.com.
  • If you were an early adapter and went to Take Action to downloaded FIREPROOF widgets or banners that said “In Theaters This Fall,” we’d like to ask a favor of you: please download the brand new widgets and banners that say In Theaters 9.26.08. Thanks!

Friday, May 23, 2008

September 26

September 26 is the 270th day of 2008. It’s the anniversary of the birth of St. Francis of Assisi (1181) and George Gershwin (1898). It’s the anniversary of the death of Daniel Boone (1820) and Levi Strauss (1902). It’s the anniversary of the first televised presidential debate, which featured Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy (1960).

All good, historical, factual information about September 26.

And, on September 26, 2008 … you will get to see FIREPROOF! That’s the date the new movie from the creators of FACING THE GIANTS hits theaters.

If for some unknown, strange, odd reason you can’t make it to the theater on September 26, plan now to be there September 27 or 28.

Why? Because Opening Weekend is the key to any movie’s success. If a movie does well on Opening Weekend, it plays longer in the theaters where it opens and expands into other cities. If it doesn’t do well …

In other words, we have three days—September 26, 27, and 28—to show the movie industry that FIREPROOF is the type of film we want playing in our local cineplexes.

Plan to help FIREPROOF make history in theaters when it opens on September 26!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Yahoo for Casting Crowns!

In the FIREPROOF eBlast that went out today, we talked about today’s Yahoo premiere of “Slow Fade,” the new Casting Crowns single. Mark Hall, the band’s lead singer, talks about the song:

“‘Slow Fade’ is essentially dealing with moral decay in fathers, but it applies to all believers. Inspired by friends, peers, couples falling apart, ministers losing their ministries, all because of moral failure. … This song is my way of trying to run out ahead of that, trying to say that people don’t crumble in a day. You don’t fall; you fade. It’s a slow series of compromises that eventually take you where you thought you’d never go. The only way to avoid it is to develop your relationship with Jesus every day.”

“Slow Fade” will be one of the great songs featured in FIREPROOF when it opens in theaters on September 26!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Home Run for Singles

FIREPROOF is the story of firefighter, his wife … and a marriage worth rescuing!

That would mean it’s a movie for married couples, engaged couples, and dating couples. So, what about singles?

We found out recently when the film was screened for a large conference of Single Adult Ministry leaders that was held in Orlando. The response? Laughter and tears throughout and a standing ovation at the film’s conclusion!

Orlando-based cast and crewmembers Erin Bethea (Catherine Holt), David Nixon (producer), Bob Scott (director of photography), and Rob Whitehurst (sound) were also at the screening. David and Erin introduced the film, and the group stayed for an hour after the screening to answer questions from the audience.

FIREPROOF is already proving to be a movie that married couples, engaged couples, dating couples, and singles are all enjoying … and being impacted by!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Guest Blogger: Stephen Kendrick

The folks at Sherwood Baptist Church saw the first fruits of their volunteer labor last evening when the church hosted a screening of FIREPROOF for the congregation. Senior Associate Pastor (and movie producer/co-writer) Stephen Kendrick fills us in with how things went in Albany, Georgia.

What an incredible experience: Sherwood was able to see a private screening of FIREPROOF together! We rented a high-def projector, a huge screen, and turned our worship center into a massive movie theater. About 1,000 of our closest friends came, including the church family, out-of-town crewmembers like producer Dave Nixon, Albany’s fire chiefs and captains, the mayor, and the city manager. We reversed the red carpet and had the actors and producers cheering the church family and city leaders as they walked down it and into the room.

We started the night with worship music and a time of prayer. As a church, we dedicated the movie to God and asked Him to impact the world—and marriages—through it.

Then, the lights went down and the opening credits began. After months of working and waiting, we were finally getting to enjoy the movie together as a family. Immediately, you could see and hear the improvements in image and color quality, acting, and musical score from a live orchestra. After the first few scenes, the room became electric. The tears were flowing with the drama and the laughter was so loud in many of the scenes you couldn’t hear what was going on next in the movie. There was a standing ovation at the end of the film … and a lot of buzz in the room.

Michael Catt, our Senior Pastor, closed the night with a prayer time, and a challenge for people to evaluate where they stand with God. It was a really meaningful moment for us filled with lots of joy and tears.

Afterward, our local Chick-fil-A provided food as the church’s volunteer actors and crew hung out and shared their feedback and set stories. For them, it was a thrill to watch the whole film in context instead of rough cuts of individual scenes on the set.

We now all feel like it was worth all the hard work, long nights, and incredible corporate sacrifice. We all feel like God again has faithfully carried us through to the end and He’s done more than we could ask or imagine!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Highly Recommended!

For the past month or so, Provident Films has been taking FIREPROOF on the road to show leaders of churches and ministries the new film from Sherwood Pictures. We have received incredible responses from Christian retailers, marriage ministries, denominations, and others that have seen the rough cut.

In the past few days, we had our first opportunity to show the final cut of FIREPROOF to regular moviegoers. Along with Sony, Provident hosted a pair of research screenings—one in St. Louis and one in Birmingham.

Research screenings not only give the studios an idea of how the film will play to audiences when it opens, it allows them to get feedback on elements such as the movie’s trailer and the poster. Moviegoers are invited to these screenings by firms that organize these types of pre-release showings.

The results of the FIREPROOF research screenings? Better than 90 percent of the people that saw the film gave it an excellent or very good rating. Better than 90 percent said they would definitely recommend the film to their friends. And, you guessed it, better than 90 percent said they’d tell people to see it on opening weekend!

Putting those numbers to words: astounding!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Warren Barfield Online Video Premiere

A new eBlast is going out today with exciting news about the online premiere of the new Warren Barfield music video only on the FIREPROOF movie website. Check out “Love Is Not A Fight.” (btw: You can sign up for our regular eBlasts right here.)
FIREPROOF producer Stephen Kenrick, Warren and Megan Barfield, and executive producer Jim McBride (l-r).

Speaking of music, take a look at this impressive array of Provident Label Group artists and their songs that are part of FIREPROOF.

Third Day: Otherside; This Is Who I Am
Leeland: Brighter Days
Webster County: Help Me Love
Casting Crowns: Slow Fade
John Waller: While I’m Waiting
Grey Holiday: You Belong To Me
Warren Barfield: Love Is Not A Fight

As he did with FACING THE GIANTS, Mark Willard once again provides the movie’s score.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Preparing for Rain

As you may know, Stephen Kendrick is the co-writer (with his brother Alex) of FIREPROOF and one of the movie’s producers. What you may not know is that one of his roles as a Senior Associate Pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church is leading the church’s active prayer ministry.

With the release of FIREPROOF yet another day closer to reality(!), we asked Stephen for ways we all can be praying for this film. Here are some of his thoughts:
  • Pray for the film output and transfer, which is occurring right now, to go smoothly and be great.
  • Pray for the Lord to help us find right date and the right number of screens for the movie’s release this fall.
  • Pray that God will bless FIREPROOF with power, inspiration, and grace so that lives will be changed by it.
We’ll keep you updated on prayer requests. Thanks for your commitment to being part of the FIREPROOF team!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

eBlast Off

An eBlast from Provident Films is scheduled to go out later today, so be sure to watch for it in your email box. Among the highlights: a link to a three-minute behind-the-scenes video that was shot on location in Albany during the filming of FIREPROOF.

If you don’t currently receive these regular updates from Provident Films, be sure to sign up. As always, we’d appreciate it if you shared the sign-up link with your friends as well!