A new movie about Mother Teresa could answer the prayers of veteran L.A. movie producer Jon Sheinberg.
After building his career on mass-appeal blockbusters, he now thinks the smart business move is pivoting to niche films that can get noticed in a fragmented marketplace.
He’s looking to prove it with a religious biographical film, “The Letters,” which got a limited theatrical release Dec. 4 but aims to generate subsequent revenue on a wide range of digital platforms over time, much like a string of faith-based independent films have increasingly done over recent years.
“It’s your ability to connect with a strong core audience that can make a film a worthwhile investment,” said Sheinberg. “When you don’t have the millions of marketing dollars of a studio tent-pole movie, you start with that core group, Catholics in this case, and hope they will be ambassadors for your film and spread the word to make it into a broader hit.”
Changes in the industry have also prompted a change of focus for the movie maker, who built his career on action hits such as 1992’s “Passenger 57,” starring Wesley Snipes, and the 1990 Steven Seagal film “Hard to Kill.”
“With the myriad of releasing platforms now, from streaming video to on-demand and more, distributors have a chance to find customers where they are and films can find success on different platforms in quiet ways,” said Sheinberg. “Although it can take months, quality rises to the top.”
“Letters,” which has a reported budget of $20 million, stars British actress Juliet Stevenson and is based on correspondence between Mother Teresa and her spiritual adviser, a Jesuit priest, over 50 years.
Sheinberg, son of former Universal exec Sid Sheinberg, is developing several other niche films in different genres through his Beverly Hills production company the Machine.
Carey Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Studio City’s Hallmark Channel, which packs its schedule each December with audience-pleasing, sentimental Christmas movies in a bid for seasonal cheer in the festive ratings charts.
This year, the network is adding some star power to the schmaltz in the form of music icon Mariah Carey, who both stars in and directs Dec.19 holiday movie “A Christmas Melody.”
Having previously directed five of her own music videos, the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singer makes her feature directing debut with this story of a fashion designer forced to start over when her struggling boutique closes.
“It’s a true honor to welcome the multitalented Mariah Carey to the Hallmark family for a classic our viewers will fall in love with,” said Michelle Vicary, programming chief.
Come on Down
Game-show icon Bob Barker, who hosted “The Price Is Right” for 35 years, was honored with the Los Angeles Press Club’s inaugural Legend Award at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles in downtown.
During a lively and amusing acceptance speech, the 91-year-old revealed that he sleeps in the nude and said what he misses most since retiring in 2007 is the weekly paycheck.
The Dec. 6 ceremony honored the best in print, online, radio and TV entertainment reporting, and the Business Journal came away with three awards on the night.
First Look
Anticipation is growing for next month’s sixth and final season of hit TV show “Downton Abbey,” but fans in Los Angeles have already had a sneak peak.
Special preview screenings of the season-premiere episode have been held around the city in recent days as PBS SoCal looks to both spread the word and reward local fans who have helped make the British show the most watched drama in the history of PBS.
“There’s a strong, passionate fan base here and this is a great way to thank the fans for their overwhelming support,” said Jennifer Vides, vice president of marketing and communications at PBS SoCal.
Adding to the hype for the show’s return Jan. 3, there will be a “Downton Abbey” float at the 2016 Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day.
Action-Packed Play
A North Hollywood theater company is aiming to start an L.A. holiday tradition with its festive play “A Very Die Hard Christmas.”
Rave reviews and sold-out early performances suggest return engagements in future years for Theatre Unleashed’s stage parody of the 1988 Bruce Willis action movie “Die Hard,” which is set in Century City on Christmas Eve.
“We’ve translated one of the most influential Christmas movies of all time into a blood- and tinsel-coated stage masterpiece,” said director Gregory Crafts.
The show stars local actors Wade Wilson, who appears in Spike Lee’s new film “Chi-Raq,” as hero John McClane and David Foy Bauer as villain Hans Gruber.
Staff reporter Sandro Monetti can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext 200.
