Lightyear shines for Faith
URBAN MARKET GUIDE: Lightyear to release faith-based titles Keepin' the Faith
By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 6/30/2008
JUNE 30 | URBAN MARKET GUIDE: Lightyear Entertainment has announced an output deal with actor and filmmaker Marcello Thedford. The deal, which runs through 2010, encompasses eight films per year to be released under the label Onyx Films. The films are geared toward the African-American and Latino communities and fall under two categories: faith-based romantic comedies and mainstream urban comedies.
All the titles will be released through Lightyear's distribution agreement with Warner Home Video, and the faith-based titles also will be distributed to the Christian market through Word Distribution, according to Lightyear CEO Arnie Holland.
The first Onyx release will be the faith-based title Keepin' the Faith: Lookin' for Mr. Right, which will be the initial title in a series of Keepin' the Faith films. Lookin' for Mr. Right will be released Aug. 19 (prebook July 15; DVD $19.97).
Thedford formed Onyx after co-producing the faith-based film Color of the Cross for Jean Claude LaMarre, who also has an output deal with Lightyear.
The Onyx deal is the latest movie-related announcement for Lightyear, which has turned “from a music company that does a little bit of movies to a movie company that does a little bit of music,” Holland says.
Rather than using a slightly higher price point for a DVD's initial release, as do some independents that sell films largely to the rental market, Holland says he uses the under-$20 price point so films will work at the outset in the sell-through market, including Wal-Mart, as well as be affordable to indie rental stores.
