LINGK: Is there any source of reference or inspiration
when creating film for this market?
JEFF: Aside from the performance of similarly-themed fare in the
marketplace, and my own experience with inspirational driven
product, I simply look for spiritually centered projects which are
either unique or conversely, those which speak directly to the urban
audience at large (both in and out of the church) and which have
a very strong moral compass.
LINGK: Do you approach creating films differently for
the urban market from the urban Christian market?
JEFF: Not necessarily. A strong, quality storyline, with a solid cast
and great production values are always at the forefront - the only
core difference being that those [films] that are being tailored to the
Christian community will obviously have an overriding Christian/or
inspirational message. There is no strict genre however and they
are not all somber. On the contrary, I welcome films which have a
comedic center- much like "Preaching to the Choir" which had a
limited theatrical run last April.
LINGK: Major film companies are recognizing the
general Christian market as a profitable market, how
does the urban Christian market fit into this calculation?
JEFF: The urban Christian market is equally large and has demonstrated that their strength and numbers at the box office
parallel those of the general Christian community. One only
need look at the success of the Tyler Perry films, T.D. Jakes'
"Woman Thou Art Loosed" and the Sony Screen Gems release
"The Gospel" to see that this is a very profitable niche market
with numbers that can rival "Passion of the Christ."
LINGK: In your genre who are your major critics and
how do you address them?
JEFF: Fortunately we haven't had many detractors as we have
been careful to choose quality product which we can stand by.
We are intimately familiar with our target audience and ensure
that from a marketing standpoint we are sensitive to the spiritual
essence of our properties. We know when it's appropriate to
push the envelope with them and when to be respectful of and
a proponent of the Christian purview.
LINGK: Are you interested in expanding into other
markets, general, Hispanic, etc?
JEFF: We have always been a very diverse organization with a
rich and varied catalog mix that encompasses a wide spectrum
of genres that speak to the urban and multi-cultural audience. Our
product is not all inspirational or Christian in nature however we
always strive to maintain a certain caliber and distinctive quality
across the board. So yes, we do embrace all ethnic groups and
specialty markets and currently have titles reflective of Latin
and other cultures.
LINGK: What type of impact has the Hip Hop culture
had on the films you produce?
JEFF: We certainly are mindful of the prominence and prevalence
of Hip Hop culture and its impact on not just entertainment, but
all industry, and where appropriate we do incorporate elements
of the art in our product. For instance we may use music which
is Hip Hop influenced in our film; we also may employ popular
Hip Hop artists if it's fitting, and finally, dialog may be contemporized
to include catch-phrases popularized by the Hip Hop culture within
reason. We are ever mindful of our multi-generational audience
and consequently, you can not ignore the buying power of the
Hip Hop consumer.
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