Analysts said the economy is perking up, making this recession one of the mildest ever. But even though the economy is on the mend, Latter-day Saint filmmakers struggle to get and keep investors.
Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chairman, said, in a testimony before Congress last week, the economy seems to be emerging from the recession which started last March.
However, he warned the rebound would be moderate compared to past economic cycles.
MSNBC reported steady consumer spending has provided the bedrock for the economy. The economy was badly shaken after Sept. 11, but has recovered far faster than most economists anticipated.
"Despite the disruptions engendered by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the typical dynamics of the business cycle have reemerged and are prompting a firming in economic activity," Greenspan said.
However, even with economic rebound, the recession and Sept. 11 have negatively affected the film industry's investors.
Lance Williams, the producer of "Charly," said one of the film's investors pulled out three days after Sept. 11 because of concern for the stock market and the overall economy.
"It was a huge blow to the production because each investor represented a sizeable part of the budget," Williams said.
However, Williams was able to rebuild the budget with new investors.
"Production went ahead as scheduled and we established some new financial relationships," he said.
Some investors never abandoned film because they understood how well it does in a depressed economy, Williams said.
Steve Lee, a freelance unit production manager, said the film industry's economy goes where the general economy goes, based on the World War II era.
"A lot of the Hollywood companies disappeared. Companies that, at the time, were very well known we don't even hear of anymore because they couldn't handle that. Hollywood had to pull back and be very conservative in what it put out after that time," Lee said.
Film is a luxury not a necessity, Lee said.
Though people want to be entertained, investors may be looking for something more solid than film, he said. Investors are coming back slowly now, but are more apprehensive than before the recession and Sept. 11.
"Everybody is still a little nervous about where the economy is and wanting to see before they jump in too far," Lee said.
Kels Goodman, producer and director for "Handcart," said investors pulled out of his film because of a slump in their businesses.
His investors relied on the success of South Padre Island, Texas.
The only bridge to the rest of the state was destroyed when a barge crashed into the middle section of the bridge, Goodman said. After that, his investors called and said they could not help his film.
However, a benefit concert by Garth Brooks helped boost the island's economy. Investors returned to Goodman a few months later.
Goodman said investors are coming back to film, based on his own experience.
Some filmmakers reassured investors that after all the terror, the public would turn to feel-good movies.
"More than ever, people would need good, high-quality entertainment to help lift their spirits and help get them through what would surely be troubled times ahead," Williams said.
There seems to be a general trend with moviegoers now to embrace the 'feel-good' films.
"It isn't so much a trend with the Latter-day Saint demographic as it is a sensibility that tends to remain fairly consistent," Williams said.
Goodman agreed. "PG films still rule in the box office."
With most Latter-day Saint films being rated PG, it would be expected that audiences embrace the films. However, the quality of those films and the cost of production compared to profits at the box office cause some concern.
"LDS film is doing well now," Goodman said, "but I think it could be washed out through time unless LDS filmmakers start producing product that is near Hollywood levels."
Unless the product starts to match that of Hollywood's material, it will be as exciting as something produced by Deseret Book, Goodman said.
The possibility to mix good quality stories and values in a Hollywood level production is high, Goodman said.
Filmmakers can make a movie for half a million dollars and make a good return, he said. But once budgets increase to $2 million or more, the films may lose at the box office. This makes it harder for other filmmakers to raise money for future films.
Goodman said investors are concerned about investing in film, especially when filmmakers do not have sensible plans.
"As I have met with investors, one of their major complaints is that most filmmakers, especially LDS, don't think about how they are going to make their money back, only that 'it's going to be good,'" Goodman said.
Williams said film is a risky business at any level, and investing in an emerging genre does not help.
"Five years from now, if we are all still making and releasing LDS feature films, it might be more of a sure bet," he said.
Other than investors, Williams said the Latter-day Saint genre's survival is dependent on two things. First, films have to be quality works and second, they have to continue to be made.
The new URL reflects the new official full title of the film. It has originally been titled "Charly, Forever," but was changed to "Jack Weyland's Charly." The jackweylandscharly.com URL appears to be the one the film's producers will officially promote, but the old URL still leads to the same website.
The website now appears to have been created mostly by lawyers, as most of the text there part of legal documents outlining the site's privacy conditions, rules of the contest the producers are running to promote the film, etc. Ironically, the amount of legal jargon on the website is roughly equivalent to the length of the novel Charly. But it's a short book, so maybe that shouldn't surprise anybody. Entire national governments have been chartered with fewer words.
The home page now reads as follows:
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Click here to ENTER Win exciting prizes Receive more information (click the ticket to enter) The Jack Weyland's Charly website launches in May 2002! Visit again soon!
Jack Weyland's CHARLY Official Website - Copyright © 2002 Focused Light Films and Kaleidoscope Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
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I'm certain the actual film will be more exciting than this animated GIF.
There isn't really any information about the movie on the website. Which is, of course, why they said the website will officially "launch" in May, one month from now.
Clicking on the movie ticket GIF sends the browser to the Contest Entry page. Except that the file name for the page is "contestEntry.txt," and the "txt" file extension causes the source text to be displayed in Netscape Communicator, instead of the intended HTML rendering of the form page. To the unwashed browser, this would simply look like a lot of computer code, and seem like a mistake. The page should be titled "contestEntry.html"
The Contest Entry page opens with the following text:
Jack Weyland's CHARLY is coming soon to a theater near you!
Enter to win exciting Jack Weyland's CHARLY prizes!
Several prizes will be awarded before the official release of Jack Weyland's CHARLY in movie theaters. Enter today to be eligible to win these and other exciting prizes:
Round-trip airline tickets
Palm handheld personal computer
Original soundtrack recordings from the film
Free Charly movie passes
Autographed photographs of Charly stars
More!
Plus, you can sign up to receive our Jack Weyland's CHARLY newsletter and stay current with the latest news and announcements about the film. Simply complete the form below!
Please note: Prizes awarded are governed by the Official Rules of the contest. All information submitted via this website is protected by our Privacy Policy. You must be 18 years or older when you enter to participate in this contest.
This is followed by an HTML form browsers can use to enter their name, address, and email address. Only the name, zip code and email address fields are required.
The person submitting the form can also answer "Yes" or "No" to a question asking if they would like to receive more information about the "Charly" movie. There is a popup for indicating where they heard about the movie website, and blanks that can be used enter the email addresses of other people who will be sent a notice about the Charly movie website.
Pretty standard stuff.
The following line is at the bottom of the Contest Entry page:
Don't want to enter the contest right now? Click here to view Charly news and information without entering the contest.
The "click here" link send the browser to a page at: http://www.charlythemovie.com/noEnter.html
The text on the "No Enter" page reads:
Jack Weyland's Charly in the News
Jack Weyland's Charly is already making headlines! Read the movie's recent press releases and news coverage.
Bookmark this site!
This Jack Weyland's Charly website will officially launch in May 2002. Visit us often to view movie trailers; meet the cast; get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film; read the latest movie news; learn about release dates, times, and locations; and win great prizes!
The title of each news item is a weblink to the original source.
The source of the oldest news item is listed as "Adherents.com", which is the old location for this archive. But the URL in the link is to the proper, current location of this archive at LDSFilm.com.
Contest Rules
The "Contest Rules" page is topped by the words "Focused Light Films and Kaleidoscope Pictures Contest Rules." This looks like a boilerplate contest legal rules file. The contest will run "12:00 a.m. on 1 April 2002 through 11:59 p.m. on 31 December 2002." Prize winners will be selected by drawings. The prizes aren't even ennumerated yet. Essentially the rules boil down to this: If we send don't send you a prize, you can't sue us. If we do send you a prize, such as a free soundtrack CD, and it gets a scratch on it, and this causes you mental anguish because you can't listen to your favorite track, then you can't sue us for the billions of dollars that Jack Weyland, Adam Anderegg, and Jeremy Elliot are going to make from this movie.
Online Privacy Policy
The "Online Privacy Policy" for the Charly movie website is pretty standard stuff. Apparently the producers of the film will not run any software that automatically links your computer's IP address to satellite imaging software and infrared lasers to take a photograph of you sitting in front of your computer, feed the photograph into their supercomputers running facial recognition software, and verify that you actually do, at some point in the future, go to a movie theater to see this film. The Online Privacy Policy makes no mention of any of this, and I assume, by extension, that they will not do this.
My favorite part of the "Online Privacy Policy" is the line that says "For Parents Concerning Privacy: Content on Focused Light Films and Kaleidoscope Pictures Sites is intended for use by users over the age of 13 years."
Because heaven help us all if any innocent twelve-year-olds were subjected to the type of language and imagery one can only imagine is going to be in this movie. Why, the Ferris wheel scene alone could result in a wave of copycat amusement park attendance.
Online Terms and Conditions
The "Online Terms and Conditions" page includes many of the same words and sentences found on the "Contest Rules" page and the "Privacy Policy" page, providing further insulation between the film's makers and the hordes of ravaging trial lawyers chomping at the bit to go after Jack Weyland's immeasurable financial assets. The "Online Terms and Conditions" also protects Kaleidoscope Pictures from termite infestations, hurricanes, asbestos, and attacks by radical Basque separatists. This page includes phrases such as "Focused Light Films and Kaleidoscope Pictures parent, subsidiary, and affiliated companies", "By accessing and browsing the Site, you accept, without limitation or qualification, these Terms and Conditions", "not be liable for any damages to or viruses that may infect your computer equipment or other property resulting from your access to, use of, or browsing in the Site or your downloading of any materials, data, text, images, video, or audio from the Site" and "You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Focused Light Films and Kaleidoscope Pictures (including its affiliates and suppliers) from any liability, loss, claim, and expense (including attorneys' fees) related to your violation of this agreement and your posting of material to this site."
SALT LAKE CITY, April 2002 -- Deseret Book has signed a cooperative marketing deal with Focused Light Films and Kaleidoscope Pictures, the Utah-based film companies producing the motion picture Jack Weyland's Charly, to promote the upcoming film. In conjunction with the film's release, Deseret Book will reprint the novel, Charly, upon which the film is based. Jack Weyland's novel, originally published in 1980, still ranks as one of Deseret Book's all-time best sellers.
The book and film are set for release in August and September 2002, respectively. Details of the marketing agreement include television, radio and print advertising, as well as in-store and Web-based promotion.
"We couldn't be more pleased with our relationship with Deseret Book," says Micah Merrill, producer with Kaleidoscope Pictures. "It goes without saying that Deseret Book is the perfect partner for the film with its marketing expertise and reputation with the film's core audience. It's a privilege to work together to promote both the re-release of the book and the debut of the film."
The book will be reprinted as a special edition, featuring a new cover reflecting its ties to the film.
"Since its publication over 20 years ago, we've considered Jack Weyland's first novel a landmark piece and its adaptation into a feature film is long overdue," said Chris Schoebinger, Deseret Book marketing director. "We are confident the film will be a huge success among our customers, and we are thrilled to be a part of promoting the film and the re-release of Jack Weyland's book."
Set to premiere in Salt Lake City in fall 2002, Jack Weyland's Charly will play in theatres throughout the Wasatch Front, with an expanded national release beginning in Idaho, Arizona and California. For upcoming information, visit www.JackWeylandsCharly.com or www.deseretbook.com.
The new version of the website is a Flash presentation. Actually, it is two Flash presentations: a brief introduction and an information hub. Both files are fairly small and load without a long wait, even over slower internet links, although they do require Flash plugins.
The introduction
The introduction shows Jack Weyland's novel Charly, with its cover filled by the face of a young blonde woman ("Charly"). The book is sitting on a director's chair against a black background. The chair is lit by an overhead spotlight. A motion picture reel sits in front of the chair. The words "fall in love with Charly" flash on the screen, followed by "all over again." Then the cover of the book is replaced by the face of Heather Beers, who plays "Charly" in the movie. This image expands, replacing the director's chair image with a still image from the movie. The image shows a smiling Heather Beers ("Charly") sitting next to Jeremy Elliot (who plays "Sam"). Charly is holding Sam's arm, and Sam is looking at her with bemusement. This image is held for a couple seconds, and then about 5 more stills from the movie are flashed in rapid succession. This is followed by a black screen with the words "in theaters September 2002". Then the introduction is over, and the main information hub Flash file is loaded.
The new "Charly" website features five links to sections:
In addition, the movie ticket graphic from the previous version of the site is still shown, accompanied by the text "Click on the ticket to enter the Charly giveaway." Clicking there leads to the same pages that were previously on the site, where browsers can sign up for the still-running contest.
About the Movie
There are three sub-sections in the "About the Movie" section:
Synopsis
The text of the "Synopsis" screen reads as follows:
JACK WEYLAND'S Charly . . . A Synopsis
Sam Roberts thinks he has all the answers: the purpose of life, the meaning of love, the plan for a perfect future. Until Charly walks into his life.
As opposite as New York and Salt Lake, Charly and Sam are thrown together by circumstance and repelled by differences. She's spontaneous and cynical. He's scheduled and idealistic. She's open and mischievous. He's guarded and practical.
Differences lead to interest, however, as Charly finds depth in Sam's idealism and Sam seeks the vibrance of Charly's joie de vivre.
But all is not smooth in the Rockies as their relationship accelerates -- cultural differences, family issues, former loves, and life-altering challenges threaten to shake things up.
Adapted from Jack Weyland's best-selling novel Charly, the film is at times light-hearted, at times soul-searching, and above all a thoughtful journey of love, of laughter . . . and of hope.
[Editorial comments: This is actually a very cool description of the movie. It may be the best synopsis I've read among those found on websites for LDS-themed feature films. Perhaps best of all, it does make me more interested in seeing the movie.
One thing that strikes me as a bit amusing, or perhaps just interesting, is how much this description makes "Charly" seem like it has almost the same plot as "Out of Step", except that now Jeremy Elliot plays the Salt Laker rather than the New Yorker. Of course, the two movies are quite different. "Charly" is based on a twenty-year old novel and "Out of Step" was made from an original screenplay. But of all pairs of cities in the world, both movies are about Salt Lake City and New York City. (Although "Charly" takes place primarily in Salt Lake; "Out of Step" takes place primarily in New York.) Both movies feature love triangles with one Latter-day Saint woman, one Latter-day Saint man, and one non-Latter-day Saint man. Both feature Jeremy Elliot in the lead male role. Neither movie is derivative of the other, but there are some interesting parallels.]
Charly Then/Charly Now
This is really a unusual page, something I've seen on few websites. Perhaps in a spirit of full disclosure, this page actually details the main differences between the book and the movie. I suppose one reason this was done is that the book is so widely read -- and well-loved. Although it certainly looks as though the movie has aimed to capture the spirit of the novel, there are definitely some major differences. This is quite understandable, and is commonly done when adapting movies from books. To someone familiar with the process, these changes simply seem like the efforts of filmmakers who are trying to make the best movie possible. But this is the first LDS-themed feature film (post-Dutcher) that is adapted from a novel (although The Other Side of Heaven was also adapted from a book -- from the non-fiction memoirs of John H. Groberg). It's possible that some moviegoers familiar with the book might react negatively to the changes. Getting this information out beforehand looks like a good way to snip such criticism at the bud.
For people not familiar with the novel, this page does give away major plot points in the novel. So consider this a spoiler alert.
The text reads as follows:
What's Different?
How the Film Compares to the Novel
Since the novel Charly was first published in 1980, plenty has changed. Back then, Jimmy Carter was waving good-bye; Ronald Reagan hello. Disco was dying; alternative was catching its first breath; and somewhere in between, Air Supply was ushering the nation into a new decade.
With the film set in 2002, the setting, the people and the details have been updated. But whether its 1980 or 2002, Jack Weyland' story had endured - a tale of the timelessness of truth and love, and the faith it takes to find them.
For Charly aficionados, here is a peek at some of the film's details that are different from the novel's.
From Avon to Art
In the novel, Charly is a philosophy student who eventually shelves Plato for Avon to help support her young family. In the film, Charly is an accomplished artist - a passion she shares with her grandmother, Ena. After she and Sam are married, Charly continues her work as an artist, selling commissioned pieces.
On the Mark
The film deepens Charly's quandary over "Utah life" with the allure of her former New York state of mind - and man - Mark Randolph. No babysitting-shopping-spree-antics for this sophisticate - he's as smooth as silk when it comes to charming Charly back to the Big Apple.
Grandma Ena
The film expands Charly's family with the addition of Ena Riley, Charly's savvy, irreverent grandmother and sister-at-heart.
No - Dakota
The novel takes the newlyweds to South Dakota; in the film, the couple starts their young family in Salt Lake City.
Charly's Circle
The faces change but the story's the same - Charly is just as outgoing and caring for those around her. However, in the film, characters like Sister White Horse and the rodeo clown's wife are replaced by neighbors, policemen and others whom she takes into her heart.
[Editorial comments: Well, of course I haven't seen the film or read the script, but from this description of changes, it seems almost as if Charly has been transformed from an amusingly real tragic heroine to a superhero. She's one of "Charlie's Angles," now -- a mixture of Jenna Elfman from "Dharma & Greg" and Minerva Teichert.
The move from South Dakota to Salt Lake City is probably a sensible one -- as it greatly simplifies the structure of the whole film and brings focus to the central themes, such as the Latter-day Saint/New York City dichotomies. But this means we still owe South Dakota a movie. Maybe Richard Dutcher will step up to the plate with "The Sculptor: The Story of Gutzon Borglum."]
Jack Weyland's Critique
Another interesting section, apparently intended to send the message: "Yes, the movie is different from the book, but Jack's okay with that." Whatever the rationale behind them, Weyland's comments are a welcome and interesting addition to the website. They answer some basic questions that many fans and researchers would be expected to have.
The text reads as follows:
Jack Weyland's Comments
On the Film
I have been closely involved in the transition of Charly from novel to movie. It was a difficult job to take a book published in 1980 and make it contemporary, while at the same time preserving what thousands have loved about the book.
Janine Whetten Gilbert, a colleague of mine in the English department at BYU-Idaho, wrote the screenplay for the movie. She has [sic] infinitely more patience than I'd have had trying to please everyone, but finally she did it! Good job, Janine!
I'm grateful that Adam Anderegg, the director, and producers Lance Williams and Micah Merrill made this a labor of love. I am wholeheartedly enthusiastic about the screen version of Charly and encourage everyone who loved the book to go see it.
[Editorial comments: One thought that comes to mind when reading this is: What would the movie have been like if they filmmakers had simply made it as a period film, set in 1980? It's interesting to contemplate, but I think it would have made for a more challenging film to produce and market. A contemporary version seems like the best bet. I had never really thought about the challenges in changing the time period by a mere twenty years.
I was also impressed by the decision to use a different writer for the screenplay. This is usually what is done in movie adaptations, and in this case it was the only sensible decision, really. There are some great screenplay adaptations written by original authors, such as William Goldman's The Princess Bride. Orson Scott Card is adapting his own Ender's Game, and I think that will work out well. But there's no way Weyland could have done this. Disregarding the fact that he is a physics professor, and no a screenwriter, there is the fact that this book is just too close to his heart. Asking him to make the cuts and changes necessary to adapt Charly to the screen would be like asking him to choose one of his children to give up for adoption.]
Cast and Crew
The "Cast and Crew" section provides very detailed biographies about the people it lists. These biographies go far beyond what one finds on most movie websites. Unfortunately, although no less than three producers are profiled, only two actors are listed. One wonders if perhaps Grandma Ena and Mark Randolph are computer-generated characters. I know from previous newspaper articles that actors Jackie Winterrose-Fullmer and Adam Johnson have roles in the movie. Maybe they play Grandma Ena and Mark Randolph. But there's no way to know. The part of Mark Randolph sounds like one that actor Jeremy Elliot could play, but he's already playing Sam, so it's probably not him.
The "Cast and Crew" section currently has the following sub-sections:
Cast
Heather Beers: Charly
Jeremy Elliot: Sam
Crew
Adam Anderegg: director
Herbert Christensen: executive producer
Lance Williams: producer
Micah Merrill: producer
Tip Boxell: associate producer
Heather Beers: Charly
Heather Beers' film career began on stage. Well, actually behind the stage . . . under the seats . . . atop the props. Her mother was an accomplished community theater director in Southern California, and her playground was often found in the recesses of a theater.
Her youth was filled with leading and supporting theatrical roles, including Betty in The Egg and I, Zaneeta Shin in the ever-popular Music Man, Miss Jones in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, and Ruby in Good Night Firefly Ravine - roles which earned her regional amateur theater awards. Her college credits include supporting roles in Shakespeare's Hamlet and Madamoiselle Y in The Stronger, at Brigham Young University.
Graduating in English from the University of Utah, Heather traded the stage for the public relations arena, where she spent five years at a Salt Lake City-based advertising and public relations agency.
Within a few years, acting gnawed its way into her life again, and she has since appears [sic] on USA Network's Cover Me, the independent film Fortune Cookie (J&L Productions), and several national television commercials. Voiceover credits include work for WB/Saturday Night Live, RC Willey, Maverik Country Stores, McCune Mansion, Utah Transit Authority, and more.
Her other professional pursuits include freelance writing for Utah Business Magazine, Salt Lake Magazine, Utah Style + Design, Entrée Magazine and copywriting for several advertising agencies in Utah and California.
Heather most enjoys spending time with her husband and their young sons.
Jeremy Elliott: Sam
From his early starring roles in regional musical theater to his lead role in The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd, by Academy Award winning director Keith Merrill [sic: should be "Kieth"], Jeremy Elliott as proven himself an accomplished leading man. He trained on scholarship at Brigham Young University in its acclaimed Theater and Media Arts Department, where he received many awards, including the national Irene Ryan Award for Best Scene Partner.
Since earning his degree, Jeremy has been acting professionally and appearing in numerous films and television productions. His film credits include the lead in Out of Step, by Vision Star Entertainment (a feature film that Jeremy co-wrote); appearances in Brigham City, a Zion Films production directed by Richard Dutcher; The Singles Ward, a Halestorm Production; and the Showtime original movie Just a Dream, directed by Danny Glover. His television work includes appearances in the Sci-Fi Network miniseries Firestarter Rekindled; CBS's Promised Land; USA Network's Cover Me and Pacific Blue; The King's Falcon; Perfect Town Perfect Murder (the Jean Benet Ransey story); Beyond the Prairie (the True Story of Laura Ingalls-Wilder); and several appearances on CBS's Touched by an Angel, among others.
Along with being an accomplished actor, Jeremy is also a well-trained singer and prolific songwriter. His songs are featured in Out of Step and Jack Weyland's CHARLY.
Jeremy is married to a wonderful wife, Wendy Gardiner, who is also an accomplished professional actor. He and Wendy recently welcomed a beautiful son, Gabriel, to their family.
[Note that this actor's surname is spelled inconsistently on the site: sometimes as "Elliott" with two "t's" and sometimes as "Elliot."]
Adam Thomas Anderegg: Director
Synergy. Collaboration. Culmination. As a director, editor and producer, Adam Anderegg's career has been well-versed in the art of bringing disparate to collective fruition.
After earning a B.F.A. in film direction at Brigham Young University, Adam was trained and mentored by Academy Award-winning producer/director Sterling Van Wagenen (Trip to Bountiful, Alan and Naomi) and directors Tim Van Patten, Victor Lobi, and Sandor Stern (Touched by an Angel, Promised Land). Through their influence, Adam has developed a unique style that is fresh and compelling.
His credits also include assistant editor for over 70 episodes of CBS's Touched by an Angel and Promised Land. He has produced What Matters Most (Franklin Covey) and other corporate films. Adam has also directed Julie and Phillip (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), The Touch, and Coming Around.
His work has earned a Crystal Heart Award from the Heartland Film Festival and a CINE Award.
Adam makes his feature directorial debut with Jack Weyland's CHARLY.
Herbert Christensen: Exec. Producer
Synergy. Herbert Christensen is an inventor, engineer and businessman. He holds a master's degree in physics from BYU along with extensive upper level courses in business. With a career that spans more than 30 years, he has developed and administered many companies from start-up to profitable sale. He has designed and manufactured products from concept through to distribution. Although most of hisbusiness endeavors involve primarily the private sector, Herb is no stranger to the motion picture industry. He served as executive producer on the feature film Where's Willy, as well as Jack Weyland's CHARLY. He is also story editor on another feature currently in development, Promised Valley. Herb is a "Who's Who" in business and has acquired a reputation of accountability and reliability.
In the business world, Herb's philosophy has always been to create commerce that has a positive effect on those who come in contact with it. The shift from private sector to executive producer is a natural extension of that business credo. "One reason I've traded in the boardroom for the screening-room is that I can reach many more people through film and influence them for good in ways traditional business can't," Herb said. "My goal is to bring back that quality movie-going experience by providing excellent films that not only entertain, but edify as well."
[NOTE: Herbert Christensen's name was not included on the website when this page was originally posted online. His name and biography was not added until later, perhaps in July 2002.]
Lance Williams: Producer
From the "Little Dutch Boy" in Dutch Paint commercials to "Darth Vader's Lieutenant" in Return of the Jedi, Lance Williams has been an international performer, producer and writer whose credits span three decades. He has performed in foreign as well as domestic films, television, cable, and in numerous national and local commercials.
As Associate Producer for National Independent Pictures in Hollywood, Lance produced work for network television and feature films. National Independent Pictures also assigned Lance to produce corporate film and video through California. He has taught acting for Urban, McCarty and Eastman Agencies, JF Images (in both their Denver and Salt Lake City offices), LDS Business College, and Salt Lake Community College.
Lance graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in theatre and cinematic arts. While there, he was a member of the Professional Film and Television Network presided over by Tad Z. Danielewski. He was also the Associate Producer for Brigham Young University's Division of Continuing Education, producing many of the programs used by BYU.
Lance is the founder of American International Media, a motion picture and television production company that produced Housing the American Dream on Utah's Fox affiliate, KSTU-13. Over the past few years, he has produced the feature films Summer of the Eagle, The Creator's Game and Fielder's Choice. Lance is a published author of three works including Promised Valley, the Novel which is the historic fictional work of the play Promised Valley by Arnold Sundguard and Crawford Gates.
Micah Merrill: Producer
For Micah, a career in film was an easy choice. "Film has the best of all the arts: music, art direction, cinematography, writing, acting and directing - all cooporating in one powerful medium," he says.
Earning his degree in film with an emphasis in screenwriting from Brigham Young University, Micah has been producing since 1994. His career has taken him from Franklin Covey, where he was media director, to the sets of several productions, including The Touch, Circles, Shadows, 4th Witness, Stone Cold Dead, Pride & Produce, To Leave a Legacy, The Value of Time and The Nature of Leadership.
His efforts have already received industry recognition for excellence and positive values, including the Crystal Heart and CINE awards. But for Micah, the impact of film is his primary reward. "Film is universal, and through it, compelling stories with positive messages can not only entertain, but make a difference," he says.
As vice-president of Kaleidoscope Pictures, Jack Weyland's CHARLY is Micah's first feature film.
Tip Boxell: Associate Producer
When Tip Boxell was in high school, he was deeply committed to the arts. He contributed to and edited the school's literary magazine. He was a stringer for his hometown newspaper at age 14. He performed in Drama Club shows and a summer theater program for youth at a nearby college.
After graduating from Tufts University in history and serving a five-year stint in the Marine Corps, Tip returned to the arts by earning an M.A. degree in Theater and Film from Brigham Young University. While there, he was a charter member of the BYU Professional Film and Television Workshop, created and led by Tad Z. Danielewski. He won awards for Best Student Director, Best Student Film, and the Mormon Festival of Arts Playwriting Contest. Tip then became a professional writer and actor in the Salt Lake market. He wrote over 80 short films and videos, which were produced for business, government, and academic clients. He wrote a state historical pageant (Kanosh: Legend of the Great Paiute) and partnered with Michael Jesse Bennett in the Patrick Henry Project. He also performed in 35 feature films, 35 short business industrial films, and over 150 television and radio commercials.
Tip has taught acting for the McCarty Agency, the Saxton House Agency, UNO Talent (for which he was acting and writing sub-agent), and for Lance Williams Professional Actors Workshop. Tip has also taught Film, Theater, Communications, History, and Humanities for LDS Business College, Salt Lake Community College, and the University of Phoenix. In 1991, Lance Williams invited Tip to co-author Promised Valley, the Novel, based on the musical play by Crawford Gates and Arnold Sundguard.
The "About the Book" section contains two sub-sections:
The first of these is a profile of the author of the original novel, Charly. The second "sub-section" is a link to the same-titled sub-section ("Charly Then/Charly Now") also listed in the "About the Movie" section.
Jack Weyland: Author
Jack Weyland was born and raised in Montana to a mother who loved reading novels and a mechanically-inclined father who would have been an engineer if he'd had the opportunity. Jack must have wanted to please both parents, because he now teaches physics to engineering students and writes novels.
He first realized he loved to write in the ninth grade, when he wrote for his junior-high newspaper. The love blossomed during his first semester at Montana State University, when a teacher invited Jack to join a special writing section. "He said everyone would get an automatic A -- all we had to do is get together once a week, write and discuss reading assignments. Being lazy, I couldn't resist his offer. What a clever man. He changed my entire future in one semester. Maybe that's what he had in mind."
All through his four years at MSU, Jack couldn't decide whether to major in physics or English. Finally he compromised. He stayed in physics but wrote for the school paper and became the editor of the college literary magazine.
After graduating, Jack first saw his future wife while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York and Pennsylvania. He later recognized her while registering for classes at Brigham Young University. "Weren't you at the Hill Cumorah Pageant?" turned out to be the best line of his life.
To augment his early teaching salary, Jack turned to his other passion -- writing. For 10 years he spent his summers writing short stories for the magazine, The New Era.
But Jack's life changed forever in 1979, when he set a goal to write a novel. That novel became the regional bestseller Charly. "I wrote it in the summer my dad died of cancer. I'm sure some of my grief transferred itself into the book," he says. Since then, some 25 books have followed.
Jack and Sherry Weyland are the proud parents of five children and doting grandparents of five grandchildren. Jack continues to teach physics at BYU-Idaho.
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