Jeff Rodgers and I have been working hard for many years to make films. The Imposter took a ton of blood, sweat and tears to turn it into a reality. We have more movie ideas ready to go-- except for a problem. You see, it's too easy to steal these days.
I provide for my family through these movies. I'm not looking to get rich and we're still in our first small house we bought seventeen years ago. We don't have excess. To make the movies work, we have to have your support. When you buy a DVD, a portion does go back to us, with which we pay our investors. And then they'll be glad to invest more to make more movies.
The problem is pirating and incorrect use of license. When you go to LifeWay and buy the $17 DVD and then show it at your church, it hurts us. It's against the license and against the law. Now an entire congregation of people won't need to go to LifeWay to buy the movie-- they've seen an unlicensed exhibition.
If you believe in the message we're telling, please support us. Buy the DVD for home use. License through PureFlix cinema the church exhibition version. Please, please, please, don't steal.
I remember talking to one Christian recording artist who said he thinks 75% of his income has been taken away over the last six years because of pirating. Fellow disciples, this is wrong and I do not believe God can bless your efforts or your ministry if you're stealing (pirating).
And if you see fellow Believers participating in this, please talk to them, nicely and in order, and ask them to not do that. Besides the spiritual ramifications of stealing, playing this forward-- more and more talented and gifted Godly artists will have to give up their art because their livelihood was stolen.
You see, I keep hearing about this church or that ministry showing The Imposter. Then I checked with PureFlix Cinema-- the church/ministries are not getting the exhibition license.
To make a movie requires a lot of money. A micro budget is several hundred thousand dollars. A micro marketing/advertising budget is almost a hundred thousand dollars. The people who invested in The Imposter are honest, hardworking people that I want to do right by-- I want to return their investment.
Indisputably, we are called by God to walk in Integrity. Playing home version DVD's in your church for an audience is stealing. If you continue to do that, I pray that God deals with you like you've dealt with these artists. If it's by Integrity, so be it. If not, so be it.
How's this for a nice, warm and fuzzy post?
Well said, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering, I watched your movie Striking Range the other day, and I had rented it from Netflix. What I was curious about was "Is Dan getting anything from this?". Because I want to support the best way possible, but some things I only want to rent.
Silly question, but I was wondering. And now that they have "watch it now" streaming on Netflix, does the artist get a kickback for each stream?
Just curious.
Thanks again!
Tony.
I couldn't agree more with what Dan is saying. We as "Christians" need to be good examples & spread the word of the gospel, but that also means that the details along the way count to such as using media properly and with the right license to use. I have been thrilled with the high quality of christian film/media that has come available lately, but the only way the quality will stay high, is if we support the christians who create the media. Please support the creators of christian film/media in any way you can. You become a hypocrite when you don't, and it doesn't reflect well of Christ.
ReplyDeleteExactly - if your church cannot afford the license, then don't show it until you can raise the funds through donations. We need to support those who are making quality entertainment rather than garbage.
ReplyDelete- S. Davis