Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment to Release 20 New Family Values Dramatic Films

Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment to Release 20 New Family Values Dramatic Films

Distribution to Begin in 2007 with the Release of Four Highly Emotional 'Capra-esque' Type Feature Movies

LAS VEGAS, July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Grizzly Adams(R) Productions announced at the VSDA Convention that Grizzly Adams is joining with Flynn-Daines Productions to produce a minimum of 20 highly emotional "Capra-esque" type dramatic films over the next five years with the first four films being released under the Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment (GAFE) brand starting in 2007.

"In 2006, GAFE released 41 documentaries into the family-friendly DVD marketplace," says Ray Pipella, President of GAFE. "With the addition of four dramatic films per year from Flynn-Daines/Grizzly Adams Productions, GAFE will be filling a vacuum in the DVD retail market for quality family-friendly dramatic films."

With the addition of dramatic films to the GAFE lineup of family-friendly and faith-based documentaries, GAFE has accomplished two of its three objectives to becoming a leader in the distribution of family-friendly DVDs. GAFE's third objective is to add a line of children's films in 2007 - targeted at 2- to 7-year-olds - which will be acquired from several existing children's producers that will be under a production contract with Grizzly Adams.

"There's a yearning among the public for family values, feel-good movies that used to be produced by Frank Capra 50 years ago," says Charles E. Sellier, President of Grizzly Adams Productions. "In our partnering with Flynn-Daines, we're going to bring back highly emotional 'Capra-esque' themed movies in contemporary situations."

Sellier illustrated what he means by highly emotional films in citing former Capra movies such as It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Arsenic and Old Lace (1948), Pocketful of Miracles (1961), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).

Flynn-Daines Productions, which will be producing and directing the movies under Grizzly Adams' development and supervision, is a partnership formed by film and TV actor/producer Michael Flynn and writer/producer/director McKay Daines, who are currently finishing a new romantic comedy film entitled The Dance, based on the award-winning play by Carol Lynn Pearson.

Both Grizzly Adams and Flynn-Daines believe in making these films on modest budgets to insure a good revenue flow to investors, retailers, and the producers. "Our philosophy is one wherein you assess the potential of the film at the box office and in DVD sales and then adjust your budget accordingly," says Michael Flynn, President of Flynn-Daines who goes on to say, "The formula works!"

McKay Daines, Chairman and Co-Founder of Flynn-Daines, says "Family- friendly filmmaking is not all about big budgets - but rather all about emotionally powerful stories that move people's minds and hearts."

What will be the story content of these new "Capra-esque" movies? "That depends," says Sellier, who over 30 years developed an audience proprietary polling system to determine what audiences want to consume in their entertainment and when it will be successful in the marketplace. "With our audience testing system, we'll know what will be crowd-pleasers and financially successful before we even write the screenplay," says Sellier.

Grizzly Adams will be in charge of program licensing and distribution, with DVD distribution going through Grizzly Adams Family Entertainment. "But, we are keeping our options open on a film by film basis as to whether it goes the theatrical or made-for-television route upon initial release," says David W. Balsiger, Vice President of Business Affairs for Grizzly Adams. "Both release methods do in fact drive DVD retail sales."

Michael Flynn has appeared in over 70 films and television shows including Halloween Town High, The Last Sin Eater, The Dance, Edge of America, Everwood, Con Express, Touched by an Angel, Stranger Than Fiction, Partners in Crime, Stolen from the Heart, The Paper Brigade, Matlock, Perry Mason, Moonlighting, The President's Child and The Promised Land. Before going into film and TV acting, he produced and directed theater for several years including large musicals such as A Chorus Line, The Music Man, 1776, The King and I, Camelot and many others. He continues his acting career hosting Grizzly Adams' most recent TV specials Apocalypse and the End Times, Miraculous Mission, and Portrait of Courage: The Untold Story of Flight 93.

McKay Daines is a producer, writer and director whose credits include a novel The Cats of Storm Mountain - an action adventure with the same appeal as The Lord of the Rings. He is partner with Ron Maxwell (Gettysburg and Gods and Generals) and producer of Maxwell's Joan of Arc, a $90 million trilogy starring Albert Finney, Derek Jacobi and Cary Elwes. He was the research producer for In the Face of Evil, a documentary based on the acclaimed Pulitzer-nominated Reagan War by Peter Schweizer. He's the producer-director on the upcoming Dream Weaver film, a Native American romantic comedy. He'll also be producing and directing the upcoming LaKota Dawn film, based on the best-selling novel by Janelle Taylor.

Grizzly Adams Productions, named after its long-running NBC Network TV series The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, produces network "Sweeps" TV Specials and series for the i Network (formerly the PAX-TV Network) and major cable channels. During the past 30 years, Grizzly Adams producers Charles E. Sellier and David W. Balsiger have produced more than 500 family-friendly TV specials and series for NBC, CBS, PAX, Discovery, SciFi, The Learning Channel and other networks. Eleven of their theatrical films are still among the top 100 all-time independent grossing films (non-studio), with six of those releases ranked in the top 25.

One of the company's most successful theatrical films and TV series, which ran for 10 seasons including reruns, was the Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. This remains one of the most successful family entertainment franchises next to Disney productions.

Contacting Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment/Grizzly Adams(R) Productions and Flynn-Daines Productions:

To place a DVD order, obtain quotes or interview Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment executives, call Lynn Stewart (509) 570-0057 or email Lstewart@grizzlyadams.com. Mass market retailers can acquire DVD program titles from Grizzly Adams Family Entertainment at (866) 328-0057 or http://www.grizzlyadams.com/.

For quotes or to interview Grizzly Adams(R) Productions' principal producers, contact Ann Strauss at (970) 690-4554 - cell, or email petie87@aol.com. For program TV/DVD licensing, contact David W. Balsiger at (970) 663-3820 or dwbalsiger@ultrasys.net. For more information on GAP's library of 400 TV specials/VHS/DVD programs, visit http://www.grizzlyadams.tv/. Religious retailers may order Grizzly Adams VHS/DVD programs from Triumph Marketing at (678) 947-5615.

For quotes or to interview Flynn-Daines Productions' principal producers, contact Michael Flynn at (801) 362-9811 or michael@harvestfilms.biz and McKay Daines at mckayd_22@msn.com or (801) 414-7754.

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

Source: Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment/Grizzly Adams(R) Productions

CONTACT: Lynn Stewart of Grizzly Adams(R) Family Entertainment,
+1-509-570-0057, Lstewart@grizzlyadams.com; or Ann Strauss of Grizzly Adams(R)
Productions, +1-970-690-4554 - cell, petie87@aol.com; or Michael Flynn,
+1-801-362-9811, michael@harvestfilms.biz, or McKay Daines, +1-801-414-7754,
mckayd_22@msn.com, both of Flynn-Daines Productions

Web site: http://www.grizzlyadams.com/
http://www.grizzlyadams.tv/

-------
Profile: intent