Amplifying Light
Less than three years ago, I wrote an article about a tiny company that had allowed users to set custom filters to block explicit content on streamed movies. As you might think, the big studios didn’t like someone filtering swear words and nudity from their movies. In 2016, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm, and Warner Bros. filed a federal lawsuit against the upstart company and in 2017 VidAngel was forced to file for bankruptcy protection. But that isn’t even close to the end of the story.
Founded by Neal and Jeffrey Harmon, VidAngel endured four years of lawsuits before emerging from bankruptcy with two successful moves forward. In 2016 the brothers created Dry Bar Comedy. This successful stand-up comedy club provides clean comedy without alcohol. The live event is held in Provo, Utah, and then streamed online via Roku, Apple TV, for iPhone and Android, computers, and smart TVs. There is a YouTube channel featuring a wide variety of comedians. Check out the show embedded with this post.
Because the Harmon brothers are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the studio produces significant Christian content, many believe that Angel Studios gets its name from Angels of the Bible. Actually, it is named after the “angel investors” that crowdfund the productions. With crowdfunding, small investors purchase shares in a project. If enough money is raised the project moves forward. Last year the studio announced that they had 50,000 individual investors and this non-Mormon writer is one of them.
In 2017, the group used crowdfunding to finance The Chosen. That series is now in its fourth season and has become a viral success viewed by over 100 million and translated into 600 languages. Another title most readers would be familiar with is the movie Sound of Freedom. Produced on a budget of $14.5 million, this movie has earned over $250 million. (Click here for our review of Sound of Freedom) Angel Studios now produces animation, such as the Wingfeather Saga, television programs, and theater release content such as His Only Son.
The mission of Angel Studios is to build, “a home for stories that amplify light, which is also what we call our North Star. Angel Studios is proud to be a film studio that emphasizes stories that shed light in the darkness and focus on brightening the world around us.” While faithful to the core of that mission, The Shift is something different. This film is a darker multiverse science fiction adaptation of the book of Job. It was that film that convinced me I had to update my post on the studio. The trailer is embedded with this post.
Angel Studio is growing because it offers thoughtful content with value. I’m certain Angel Studios will continue to grow. Have you seen The Chosen or watched any of the other shows mentioned here? Are you interested in seeing more of this type of programming? Let us know what you think about these new entertainment options in the comment section below.
