HOW CHRISTIAN RETAILING WILL SELL MOVIES

As the Film Commissioner of CBA, I am beginning to spend critical time focusing on some priorities related to the faith based industry who is marketing their products into Christian Retail.  I've been meeting with some film studios, leaders in the film industry, actors, directors, exhibitors and more.  There is much to be done.  We have some very real problems which need to be addressed for the faith based industry and I want to use this blog to share my prayerful concerns to those of you in the V300, who are praying for us in our overall impact as a ministry.

The home DVD market place is changing as technology always changes and it begins with delivery.  Ever since the early days at Disney with Jim Jimarro, head of Family Entertainment, we have identified there has been an evolving market even since the birth of the Disney Channel in 1983.  Technology changes, delivery systems change and it impacts all of us in how we get product to our homes.  Whether we had purchased VHS tapes, to DVD's, to Blu-Rays and now to streaming deliverables, the retailers are continually trying to find answers how they can be a part of a digital based product line, like motion pictures.  What makes this hard, is the economic model is broken. You can buy a movie cheaper at Walmart than any Christian bookstore or ministry outlet.  

Great faith based retailers like Hobby Lobby, whom I had the honor to serve for eight years at Every Tribe Entertainment have equally been plagued by optimal answers in delivery of products with a shrinking profit margin. This is a lot of commerce based modeling where answers are again, vague at best.   So we need your prayer at every level. 

The National Religious Broadcasters, the Evangelical Christian Publisher's Association, the Gospel Music Association and the "Christian Market" voice found in the Christian Bookseller's Association is on the horizon looking for answers.  Everyone needs to be involved to create a win win opportunity but this is going to be difficult.  Already, the big box retailers like Walmart and others who have large chain buying power, makes it difficult on the independent ministry outlets out there.

I believe everyone is going to have to think "outside the box".  We are going to need to do a better job of sharing the vision and dream of why films can impact culture, learn to live the golden rule and from retail to the filmmaker, begin meaningful dialogue that are solution based. While I normally do not write about a commerce based issue, I do believe we have to take a stand together for those things which are right.  I'm so thankful for so many friends who are in the film industry and I am encouraging the film community and the retailing community to come together.

This year, in Cincinnati Ohio the CBA is putting on their international convention in June.  Please pray for the FILM SUMMIT we are going to hold with all of these groups to openly discuss the importance of growing our industry.  Thank you so much for being a prayer group who cares. I am thankful for John Dickey from Stillwater Hillcrest Baptist who is serving as our chaplain for our team.  We need ministers and people praying for us who believe in a mission to use the visual language of film to impact culture.

May God bless each on elf you and let's get behind making a positive difference in the market.

Caring For Our Future,

Your CBA Film Commissioner
​Kevin