Ocean Avenue Entertainment Announces the Release of THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story

THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story – Available on DVD and Digital Platforms March 22.

Film shares powerful story of a wife, mother, and friend sharing her long goodbye after a cancer diagnosis.

Film to release on the 4th anniversary of Kara’s homecoming

Los Angeles, CA – In 2014 and 2015, one young woman in Colorado dared to explore the raw edges of dying with grace and dignity in real time, and, in the process, unknowingly impacted tens of thousands around the world. Now, her powerful story is being shared in the documentary THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story, distributed through Ocean Avenue Entertainment and available on DVD and digital channels, on the 4th anniversary of her passing, March 22.

A new trailer for the film has just been released: https://youtu.be/ToS3zVdZlqQ 

Kara was a 38-year old pastor’s wife and mother of four young children who had begun a mommy blog titled “Mundane Faithfulness”, sharing the concept of parenting with kindness. The website already had a successful following when she began facing and processing a cancer diagnosis on the site. The site became a sacred space, as people around the world were touched by Kara’s faith, honesty, and candor. She allowed the world to walk with her as she chronicled first what it meant to be a young wife and mother battling a disease, and then ultimately what it means to live and die, with love and dignity. 

Kara was thrust into the spotlight with her letterto Brittany Maynard going viral.  Kara’s vulnerability had an incredible impact on thousands of people around the world, and grew that community of support in surprising ways.  Faith influencers from around the globe began to find ways to assist Kara by sharing her posts, sending personal messages, serving the family’s needs, as well as just becoming her friend.  A few of these friends have reflected on her life: 

“I want more of what Kara Tippetts had.” - Ann Voskamp, Kara’s writing mentor

“I think Kara and I both understand that deep suffering stretches the capacity of the soul.” -Joni Eareckson Tada

“The impact of her life was huge. I’m blessed to know her.” - Joanna Gaines 

During her journey with cancer, Kara was able to write and publish three books, including Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking Through Suffering Together and And It was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye.  Her third book, The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life’s Hard, won the 2015 ECPA Inspirational Book of the Year award. The award was announced after Kara’s passing, but she had been informed of the win in her final days.

Kara’s story came to the attention of filmmakers Jay and Sofia Lyons early after her diagnosis, and the couple felt led to do something for her. Sofia states how God led them down a path to create the film by a series of ‘breadcrumbs’:“First, we just wanted to do something special for Kara and her family. This evolved into creating a 7-minute video about her life, which ultimately opened up a conversation about fully documenting her last few months on earth.

“Sharing this time with her family was nothing short of a holy experience.” 

One of the unique views of THE LONG GOODBYE is experiencing their local community that gathered to help the family in their time of need. “Their impact in Kara’s story is remarkable. These friends walked alongside the Tippetts through every aspect of her diagnosis, and truly show us how to love and honor someone who is at the end of their journey.”

“We know that Kara’s story will continue to have an incredible impact,” continues Jay. “Cancer and other similar diseases are impossibly prevalent in our society. If we aren’t personally facing any number of health crises, we know someone who is. Kara helps us understand what it means to be facing an impossible health battle. She helps us understand how God walks with us in our pain. She helps us understand what it means to say goodbye with grace and an abundance of love.”

In association with Freely, LLC, THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story will be available March 22 on DVD and Digital formats.http://karatippettsdocumentary.com/

About Ocean Avenue Entertainment: 
Ocean Avenue Entertainment, Inc. is the destination for productions that offer hope to audiences looking for inspiration in entertainment. Ocean Avenue is committed to releasing inspiring and redemptive films and television programming. Its distribution strategy optimizes each release platform to find the widest possible audience theatrically on VOD, DVD and ultimately on streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime. For more information, please visit www.oceanave.tv. 

About Freely:

Freely specializes in projects that touch the human spirit.  Freely is building content across all platforms including film, TV, live events, digital media, and has recently launched a talent management division. www.freely.com 

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For more information, to receive a screener, or to schedule and interview, please contact:

Lori Heiselman

714-553-5181

Lori@BiscuitMediaGroup.com 

THE HEART OF MAN & VICTOR Get Theatrical Release in France

Granite Bay, CA October 31, 2018 — Ocean Avenue Entertainment announces the upcoming theatrical release of THE HEART OF MAN and VICTOR in France through Saje Distribution. This marks the first time a film distributed by Ocean Avenue will be released theatrically in France.

For independent filmmakers today, it is imperative to secure distribution on as many platforms and territories as possible. Ocean Avenue negotiated the release of both of these films earlier on Netflix, which represents the widest possible audience for a film here in North America. In addition to Netflix, platforms like iTunes, Amazon Video, Vudu and especially DVD will help a film expand its audience. In France, where Netflix is not as widely viewed, a theatrical and subsequent home video release are key to the overall success of a film.

Therefore, Ocean Avenue Entertainment is committed to a distribution strategy that can reach the widest possible audience here in North America and throughout the world.

VICTOR to Premiere in Theaters March 24.

Brooklyn, NY.  March 6, 2017 – GW Films has announced the US Theatrical Release of VICTOR, beginning in select markets on March 24, 2017. VICTOR stars Patrick Davis (IN THE NAME OF GOD, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series”), Josh Pence (LA LA LAND, THE SOCIAL NETWORK) and Lisa Vidal (STAR TREK, “American Horror Story”). 
 
Based on the autobiography “Son of Evil Street”, VICTOR is inspired by the true story of Victor Torres, a teen from Puerto Rico forced to survive the dark streets of 1962 Brooklyn. Enslaved by the power of gangs and an addiction to heroin, Victor (Davis) must find faith and freedom before he destroys his family and himself. VICTOR tells the redemptive story of the rebellion of a son, the love and faith of a mother (Vidal), and finding the faith to overcome impossible odds.

VICTOR also stars Jose Zuniga (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Lobo Sebastian (THE LONGEST YARD, “CSI: Miami”) and Haley Ramm (INTO THE WILD, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND). VICTOR was directed by Brandon Dickerson (SIRONIA, A SINGLE FRAME), and written by Dickerson and Thomas Ward (SIRONIA, IN THE MIDDLE).
 
Today, the film unveils a new website, trailer and key art at http://thevictormovie.com/.
 
VICTOR released in Torres’ native Puerto Rico, where the film opened with an impressive $3,216 per-screen average (BoxOfficeMojo). With distribution through Ocean Avenue Entertainment, VICTOR will launch it’s US theatrical run in New York City, Richmond, VA.,San Marcos, TX., El Paso, TX., and Brooklyn, NY where the story is set. Additional cities will be added in the weeks following. 

Chris Bueno, CEO of Ocean Avenue Entertainment, shares, “We were compelled to help share this powerful story and are confident that Victor’s story of redemption will give hope to both those personally struggling with addiction, and those who have a loved one who has fallen away.”

Many will recognize some of Victor’s story from the classic 1970 film THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE, which shared the era through the life of David Wilkerson, who is a prominent character in the personal life of Torres.

Victor Torres has dedicated his life to giving hope and healing to those struggling with addiction. In 1971, he and his wife Carmen opened New Life for Youth, to help those struggling with addiction in Richmond, VA. Since that time, they have also opened some of the most successful drug recovery programs in the country, including The Men’s Ranch, Mercy House and Mercy Mom’s House.  Torres continues to pastor New Life Outreach International Church.

Rosalinda Rivera, Associate Producer and daughter of Torres, shares “With the growing opiate addiction epidemic growing in America, this story sadly reflects much of current culture. VICTOR is a story of hope – that there is a way out. You can overcome issues surrounding addiction.”  Rivera keeps her father’s passion alive, serving as Executive Director at New Life For Youth, a place for people struggling with addictions. 
 
Follow VICTOR on social media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Victorthemovie2017
Twitter - https://twitter.com/the_victormovie
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thevictormovie/
 
About GW Films:
Greg Wilkerson’s GWFilms is focused on creating films that inspire powerful family values. As a motivating speaker at high schools, Wilkerson travels across the US, speaking to teens and collaborating on several documentary films including his award-winning short film SHATTER THE MOLD that was used in high schools to provide hope to students struggling with drugs, alcohol and suicide. Greg also is executive producer of the award-winning documentary LIFE IN A BOX. After receiving thousands of letters in response from teenagers expressing how the movie transformed their lives, He was lead to create the VICTOR. 

About Spiral Films:
Since 1997, Spiral Films has been the creative hub for writer/director Brandon Dickerson.  The Berkeley, CA based-company has helped the films SIRONIA, VICTOR, A SINGLE FRAME, and WHEN JACK WENT GLAMPING develop from script to screen.

About Ocean Avenue Entertainment:
Ocean Avenue Entertainment, Inc. is the destination for productions that offer hope to audiences looking for inspiration in entertainment. Ocean Avenue is committed to releasing films and television programming that are inspiring and redemptive. Its distribution strategy optimizes each release platform to find the widest possible audience theatrically on VOD, DVD and ultimately on Netflix. For more information, please visit www.oceanave.tv.
 
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For more information:

Publicity and interview requests:
Lori Heiselman – Collide Media Group
Lori@CollideMG.com
714-553-5181
 
Distribution:
Ocean Avenue Entertainment
Info@OceanAve.tv

How Can I Get My Film or Series on Netflix?

This is a question I hear almost daily. Over the last 5 years I have brought numerous films and series’ to Netflix, which is the world’s leading Internet network. Last year alone, our company closed on 10 films and on the first working day of this year, we received an offer on another new film from Netflix. However, what they are looking for now is vastly different than what it was even a couple years back.

For example, in early 2012 Netflix had a vast library of lower budgeted independent films that it was streaming. Also, if a film was on Hulu or Amazon Prime, it didn’t stop them from licensing it on their platform. However, over the last couple of years they have focused on creating their own original content. At the same time, they are currently only acquiring films that they can exclusively stream. Because of these two primary factors, their criteria is much higher now than it has ever been before.

To better help filmmakers position their film for licensing through my company, here are 7 things that will significantly elevate the possibilities of getting on Netflix.

1. It appeals to a faith audience — My particular niche with Netflix are films or series that will appeal to a faith audience on some level. They can be gut-wrenching films like TO END ALL WARS, or THE CHRISTMAS PROJECT which is a heartwarming story that the entire family can enjoy. Because of my background in this category, my company provides Netflix with valuable insights on how a film will appeal to this demographic. They have a committed audience that is interested in this genre and so it's important to find the best films or series’ that will interest them. Because this is the focus of Ocean Avenue Entertainment, if a film appeals to this audience on some level it becomes the first qualifier.

Recent films that Ocean Avenue has released on Netflix or on other home video platforms.

2. It's entertaining — A film or series has to be entertaining. Does the story maintain your interest throughout the film? Do the first 5 to 10 minutes engage you enough to continue to watch? Some films may be more educational, but they still need to engage and entertain. Netflix is much more selective in what they will acquire, so the entertainment value must be higher now. They look for films that will attract new subscribers or help retain the subscribers they already have. 

3. It doesn't look like an ultra-low budget film — Occasionally I'll receive submissions that would clearly appeal to a faith audience and that are actually quite entertainment, but because they "look" ultra-low budget, I know Netflix will pass. This may be due to poor lighting, bad sound or other factors that overlook the fundamentals of basic filmmaking. I've licensed many films recently that were produced for under $500,000, yet they had the look and sound of a much bigger film. 

4. It's a brand new film, verified by IMDB — In those early days, much of what I brought to Netflix was mostly older, low-budget films and series. There were also a number of bigger budgeted films like END OF THE SPEAR that they licensed, which they defined as "library titles" (usually meaning older than 2 years). In the last couple of years their criteria has dramatically shifted. Now, if a film is older than even one year or if it's been available on other home video platforms for 4 months or longer, it may diminish its licensing potential.

5. Exclusive to Netflix — Four and five years ago all of the offers I received from Netflix were non-exclusive, meaning they didn't care if they were on competing sites like Amazon Prime or Hulu. Now your film must be exclusive to Netflix. So, if you've already licensed it to another streaming platform, there is no need to waste time submitting it.

6. Worldwide rights are available — Netflix is now available in almost every country. Netflix ended last year with 93.8 million subscribers, including 49.4 million in the U.S. On average, every subscriber account represents 2.5 people who are watching, that translates to roughly 235 million people and growing. Because of this, if Netflix is able to license in other territories like Latin America, UK, Australia/NZ, it will definitely increase what they can potentially offer for your film.

7. You have a good poster and trailer — When I submit a film for consideration, the first 2 things that Netflix will see are the poster and then the trailer. These 2 things are the most important tools in your promotional toolbox. Even if Netflix passes on your film, you will still need a compelling poster and trailer to promote it on other platforms like iTunes. Also, if you do end up with a Netflix deal, having a compelling poster will greatly aid in its discovery on their platform. All of us who rent or buy movies on iTunes or who look for a film to watch on Netflix, will scroll through sometimes hundreds of choices to finally pick the movie we want to watch. If your poster can't stand up to all of the other choices, people just won't be interested in downloading or streaming it.

If you submit your film to us for consideration, we will screen and evaluate it to determine if we believe it is a good candidate to submit to Netflix. We cannot guarantee that Netflix will make an offer for your title, but if it incorporates the key points about, it will definitely increase its possibilities. 

For submissions, please email us at: info@oceanave.tv

Chris Bueno, CEO of Ocean Avenue Entertainment — A full service home video distributor that will help you reach the widest audience possible on streaming, DVD, digital and other home video platforms.