There’s some stuff going on. I know it’s been quiet, but really, there’s some great stuff happening behind the scenes.
Like new retail outlets, new stations, and even a pretty fancy award. I just can’t talk about it yet. Soon as I can, you’ll be the first to know!
Make sure you are a fan of our Facebook page and follow us on twitter to get the latest info.
We’ve been adding new broadcast outlets as much as possible. Currently we are broadcast on 4 networks (JCTV, NRB Network, The Walk, and CTN Lifestyle), a satellite network in Africa called Lifezone, and several individual stations. We just added another station that will start in November and cover the state of New Mexico, potentially reaching 600,000 homes there.
We are still looking for more places to place the show. I think it’s safe to say, that the old model of Christian broadcasting is dead. But this new model is still figuring itself out. It is possible to get your show onto TV without buying time. It’s almost impossible to get paid by a Christian station for the show.
Make sure to watch for the September issue of Technologies for Worship Magazine, there is an article I wrote about how to produce a series like Peculiar.
CTN Lifestyle, a new CTN network, will begin broadcasting Peculiar this week. In fact, they have agreed to broadcast it 4 times per week: Sundays at 3:00 PM, Wednesdays at 3:30 AM, 10:00 PM, Thursday at 8:30 AM EST.
Wednesday night at 10:00 PM is primetime. If you are in Tampa or West Palm Beach, you can see the show now. Soon, CTN-Lifestyle will branch out into satellite, and will be seen around the world.
I need your help.
Seriously, I do. I know, you’re thinking you’re just someone reading a post on the internet, how can you help me? It’s easy, but first let me tell you why you should help out.
Over at my personal blog I’ve written a lot about the ways Christian TV needs to change. I believe it has to change or Christian TV will cease to exist. One of the ways it can change is for Christians to produce more dramatic content, more narrative stories, and less talking head and preaching/teaching programs. (I’m not suggesting those should all go away, but they shouldn’t be the bulk of Christian content.) That means the funding model has to change.
No more begging for money. There’s a lot more to say there, but I’ll leave it at that for now.
Peculiar doesn’t ask for money. In fact, pretty much the only way we will see any money for the show is if people buy the DVD. Peculiar is a relatively unknown show with unknown actors and an unknown director. A lot of people don’t even know it exists. People you know don’t know it exists.
That’s how you can help. You can tell them about it.
I will make it super easy for you. Below are some sample posts you can use on twitter, Facebook and send out via email. You can write your own, or just copy and paste these. Send them out to your friends, family and acquaintances.
Why am I asking this? Simple, if we sell enough DVDs, we can make more shows like Peculiar. You can help make sure that happens.
Sample Posts:
twitter:
Option 1: Check out this Christian sitcom called @Peculiarshow: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
Option 2: Here’s a new show I really like called @Peculiarshow: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
Option 3: You should buy a DVD of this new show called @Peculiarshow: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
Facebook:
Option1: Check out this Christian sitcom called Peculiar. It’s a show about a college kid whose life is different: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
Option2: This show I like, Peculiar, has a DVD available: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
Option 3: If you’re looking for a way to support independent Christian TV, check out a DVD of Peculiar: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
Email:
Hey, you should check out this new show, Peculiar. It’s a Christian sitcom about a college kid whose life is different. The first 6 episodes are available on DVD. They even come with Bible study questions. It’s an independent show, so they are selling DVDs to raise mony to make more shows like this. Here’s the link: http://goo.gl/GfGljo
That’s it. Just copy and paste those and send them to the people you know. Or write your own. Buy you can be a huge help, just getting the word out.
Thanks!
Scott Link
The 7th Episode can be seen on JCTV this Saturday. A few months after the events of episode 6, Blake is still dodging professor Fitzpatrick, Joe the Wizard and Sarah.
This episode also includes an original song, composed for and performed by members of the cast.
There I am with a huge first in my life. The very first time I could go to a store and buy a DVD that I produced. Yes, I was sporting the latest in Peculiar fashion, as well. It was a big deal for me. Thanks to everyone involved. Go get your copies!
And then…
Go to the “Own the Show” page and leave reviews of the show on all the online stores. The more positive reviews, the better the DVD will do. Amazon, CBD and bestbuy.com are big ones, but every store with a review page is important.
So, I will leave you with one of my favorite sights, the show’s DVD stocked on a shelf. Kind of pretty isn’t it. Right in the middle of the “P” section.:
As a part of the promotion for the DVD at church, I was asked to summarize a history of the show, and general information. Typing it today, the day of the DVD release, I had a hard time not getting emotional. This was specifically for First Baptist Orlando, so the people mentioned are part of that congregation. I’ll have an update about the DVD later, but here’s the short history of the show’s relationship to First Baptist Orlando:
Why We did this-
A couple of years ago I was looking at the ratings for our TV show on WFTV at the church. We have been on for 51 years, and we have been extending the ministry of the church into Central Florida. Near as we can tell between both broadcasts (the hour and the 30-minute) we are reaching about 100,000 people each week. That is great.
The ratings from WFTV tell us that 75% of our viewing audiences is over age 50. Most are well over age 50. The broadcast ministry fills a vital role in the lives of these senior adults.
But the younger the age, the less people are watching. That’s not just for our broadcast ministry, that’s across the board, across the country.
I found a study that showed what 18-35 year olds were watching. Only 3% watched religious programming. The most popular style of programming for this age group is comedy and contest-reality shows (ie- American Idol).
We, Christian broadcasters, were missing whole generations.
God really started working on me.
Mark Ramsey, a radio marketing consultant, spoke to a group of broadcasters during this time. He asked a simple question: Were we making the kind of content that was easy for us to create, or were we making content that our audience wants?
I looked at groups like Sherwood Baptist, and David Nixon productions here locally (Letters to God) and asked if they could change Christian Movies just by doing it, why can’t we change Christian TV?
So I came up with about 14 shows ideas. Peculiar was #11. That’s the one I couldn’t let go. I worked with our drama and tech teams at the church and with George Livings to cast a preview of about 3 scenes.
I got feedback and criticism on that effort, and then expanded to the pilot, which we shot in May of 2012. We learned a ton about how to do this. Then in September of 2012 we shot 5 more episodes. Those were broadcast on a network based in Tampa called The Walk TV (240 affiliates) and locally on TV45.
Since then, in May/June of 2013, we shot 4 more episodes, for a total of 10 to round out the first year. We also added more broadcast outlets.
Currently the show is broadcast on JCTV, The NRB Network, and The Walk TV. People around the world can see Peculiar, and the ministry that was born right here at First Orlando.
Synopsis-
It’s a sitcom about a college kid. He used to be a star quarterback, but a car wreck ended his college football career before it began. He is attending a local community college and trying to figure out how his new faith in Jesus Christ impacts his life.Purpose-
Show what it really means to live with a biblical world view.First Orlando People-
The show’s main characters are First Orlando’s own Melanie Turner, Michael Shippy, and Steve Bleiler. They star along side Josh Kessler and Kaleia Giancini, who are Christian actors from the area. Becky Abu-Rahmeh (Pronounced ‘ah-boo-Rock-meh’) played the main character’s mother. Other church members with roles; Josh Weidenhammer, Kyle Harden, Amy Bohner, Katie Jennings, Stephanie Demarest, Missy Strack. Our crew was filled with church folks like Dawn West, Jaye Gragg, Doug Weiss, John Seaton, Stephen Brandt, Derrick Charleston, Shane Clevland, and more. Even staff volunteered their time on occasion: Jeff Atkisson, Dana Meeks, Bobby FalconnierFor one scene, most of the Tuesday night college ministry worship service congregation stayed as extras. And many more people came out to fill in the back ground. For one later episode, members of the dance ministry appeared in a musical number, which was written by our own Angie Elkins and George Livings, and sequenced by Robert Elkins. And background vocal provided by Sharon Coffee, Ryan Berthelot, Carlos Martinez and Joan Peterson.
I’m sure I’m missing someone, which is always the danger when you start naming people. Looking over all the people who volunteered their time, hard not to get emotional. They saw the vision, and they joined in the ministry.
First Orlando Support-
We were able to do the show on a micro budget. It was a volunteer cast and crew. First Orlando has supported us in a huge way. We were able to use the buildings and borrow gear, which kept costs way down. Many of the scenes in the show were shot right on church property.When I approached my boss and the rest of our pastoral leadership about leaving to do this kind of work, they were so supportive. It’s overwhelming to me how they responded. They recognized God’s call, and moved to help a new ministry launch. I can never thank them enough.
DVD-
I took the first 6 episodes of the show and created a DVD. The DVD also includes a set of Bible study questions for each episode, which would work great in a small group or class.The DVD got picked up for distribution at Christian retailers (Jax Distribution, partnering with Word) It’s available locally at Long’s Bookstore.
Contacts-
scott@peculiarshow.com
web- peculiarshow.com
facebook- facebook.com/peculiarshow
twitter- @peculiarshow
Youtube- youtube,com/showpeculiar
I just finished up the first commercial for the Season 1 DVD:
DVD hits stores on July 16!
Back before we started shooting new episodes we ran an IndieGoGo campaign, and one of the perks for certain levels of contributions was a thank you on the website. There were tons of supporters, some who wished to remain anonymous.
If it were not for folks like this, we would not have a show at all. Thank you all so much for your support! You are amazing, wonderful people. Thank you!
Stephen Orsatti, Matthew L Thal, Alex Beatty,Lynda Rieger,Doug Pierce, Katie Land,Jaye Gragg, Michael & April Shippy, Doug Weiss, Richard Nation, John & Chaeryl Adams, Matt & Dawn Adams, Caleb & Lisa Wilson, Stephen Brandt, Derrick Charleston, Missy Strack, Donald Tise, Joe Sindorf, Edna & Judson Turner, Ian Juby, Krista Wilson, Charles & Ann Nored, Krystle McCullan. Jacqueline Skelton, Kevin & Becky Tucker, Carrie Sheilds, Bobby Falconnier.
Words cannot express how much your support means to me, and everyone involved. You made the show possible. Thank you!
Subscribe to this page for major news and updates.
Become a Facebook fan to keep with the latest posts and pics about the show!
Peculiar 