Help promote the movie Noëlle

The world of entertainment & promotion has changed during this Entertainment Revolution we are experiencing. Write history with us as we pioneer this new internet age of entertainment! In the beginning with the band Stryper, we were inspired to pioneer the concept of 'Street Teams' which is now a common concept in the industry. It was the power of the fans working together that changed the music world. Synergy is a key to this GENERATION

!!! TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !!!

If you would like to help promote Noelle, I have created some fun tools for you to add to your websites & social networks, bulletins & blogs. Join our team as we write history together. We appreciate you!!!Daryn Hinton

Promo tool sites:

•  Noelle promotion main page go 2: http://EntertainmentRevolution.com/Noelle.htm

•  Noelle promotional tools go 2: http://EntertainmentRevolution.com/Noelle_promotools.htm

•  Noelle promo trailer & videos go 2: http://EntertainmentRevolution.com/Noelle_videos_trailer.htm

• Home http://EntertainmentRevolution.com

Noëlle Websites:

•  Myspace: http://myspace.com/Gener8xion

• Shoutlife: http://shoutlife.com/Noelle

• Gener8xion: http://8x.com

Noëlle Synopsis Father Jonathan Keene - a cold, impatient Catholic priest arrives in a tiny fishing village the week before Christmas to do what he does best: shut down a dying parish. But things take an unexpected turn as he becomes entangled in the various lives of the village's eccentric characters, including their beautiful librarian, the childlike priest he is displacing, and the magical experience of Mrs. Worthington's legendary Christmas Party, where everyone is welcome and anything is possible. you should drop by...

Here is useful information for promotion, chatboards and internet forums. We appreciate you helping perpetuate the Noëlle Buzz. It is interesting that it is being released the same day as the controversial movie 'The Golden Compass'.  Below are the credits for Noëlle &  a message from Matt Crouch CEO of Gener8xion Entertainment and interesting behind the scene information from the production notes of David Wall. The production notes include a couple of miracles such as the beautiful & timely snow and how David's wife Kerry got the lead female roll. Gener8xion Entertainment was introduced to the film by Michael Sweet (solo artist and lead singer of Stryper) and his wife Kyle who were so taken by Noëlle that they felt Matt & Laurie Crouch who own Gener8xion should be involved with this touching & beautifully made film. Matt has been asked continually to release films that he has not totally created and he never has, up until Noëlle. With Gener8xion Entertainment joining forces and putting their final touches on the film, the rest is history as we are living it out...Daryn Hinton

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Special Message from Matt Crouch CEO of

 Gener8xion Entertainment about Noelle

Christmas Greetings!

I know Christmas is still several weeks away, but I bring you “good tidings” from Gener8Xion Entertainment and the announcement that our newest film, “Noëlle,” is coming to theaters December 7th.   With a charming and quirky feel of “Waking Ned Devine” meets “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Noelle” is like no movie you’ve ever seen, a parable of forgiveness and grace wrapped in an enchanting veil of eccentric small town characters and Christmas spirit.   

Everyone who sees the film takes away something different, yet what so many find interesting is the film’s ability to balance several very powerful themes as it explores with both wit and pathos the differences between legalism and relationship, guilt and grace and just why any of us do what we do.  

Father Keene is an obedient but troubled young man who has buried himself in religion as a way to cover past guilt.   He arrives at a snowy Cape Code fishing village as a “hit man” for the local archdiocese, to shut down a dying church with nary a care for its oddball assortment of parishioners or their lovable but seemingly inept pastor.  It turns out, however, that someone has a better idea.   For Keene is haunted by visions of a little girl – “Noëlle”- a Dickens-like reminder of his unwanted child from a past relationship, the very reason he turned to the priesthood in the first place.   She pursues him relentlessly, longing only to deliver a simple message, “All is forgiven.”    As he finally comes to embrace these words, it changes not only himself but the entire community.

What makes the film so powerful is that it’s not simply festive and humorous with a pro-life subtext, but because it’s set at Christmas, it becomes an allegory of Christ himself coming to us as a child, sent to a world running from God in guilt and shame, to deliver the very same message… “All is forgiven.”

Imagine how many people can be affected by a modern day parable built on the very foundation of what Christmas is all about - the good news that “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”    All of us have been burdened by condemnation and guilt in one form or another.   Whether it be deeds of our past or those of others we wish we could have prevented, we all have been in need of experiencing this truth.   And how many who have heard, believe in it even, still feel they have no choice but to carry their burden forever?

In the past Gener8Xion Entertainment has produced “China Cry,” “The Omega Code,” “The Champion,” “Megiddo” and most recently “One Night With The King.” “Noëlle,” is unique, however, because it the first film that we’ve acquired after its completion, then re-edited and made ready for theatrical release.  As the major studios scramble to release anything with the word “faith” stamped on it, I receive countless films each year all in search of theatrical distribution yet have never acquired a single one.  Until now.   The reason?  “Noëlle” is the most faith-filled, yet non-churchy, non-“Christian-ese” film we’ve ever seen. Not only is “Noëlle” quirky and fun, but it says to us “All is forgiven” in a way never before shown on film.

Please visit our website www.8x.com  to see the trailer and learn more about the film.  We’ll be posting a list of cities and theaters very soon.    Please help support it in any way you can: purchasing group tickets, getting the trailer played at your group functions & churches, rallying your friends…   I believe “Noëlle” will be a blessing to you, your congregation and your community.

For this generation,

Matthew Crouch
CEO Gener8Xion Entertainment

P.S.  This will be an extremely limited release, opening in about 200 theaters across the country, and thus may not be playing in your area.   If that’s the case and you’d like to get it near you and can get your church to commit to buying out two or three showings (or getting other pastors in your area to team together) this would make it possible to bring it to your area by covering the cost of striking additional prints and buying the newspaper advertising required by the theaters.   

Special Groups & Churches etc can contact our offices direct at (323) 874-9888 for more info.

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About the Production

 David Wall wrote the screenplay for Noëlle in early 2000 and spent the next five years trying to raise the shooting budget.   But no one would look at the script, let alone invest in it.  Finally Wall, and his wife Kerry decided to sell their small home on Cape Cod to fund the majority of the shooting budget.  “When folks saw how crazy we were willing to be” said Wall, “they were willing to be crazy with us.”  The first outside investors came from the Neighborhood the Walls lived in with their 4 children.  “They would walk up while I was working on the garden,” said Kerry “and say, ‘if I wanted to donate to the movie, who would I make the check out to?’  It was amazing” 

 David and Kerry both had careers in Hollywood while in their twenties yet initially had no intention of playing the lead roles in Noëlle.  But as the budget was tiny - a “non budget” by Hollywood standards which is less than a “shoestring” - David decided he’d take on the role of the troubled priest – Father Jonathan Keene.

“I wanted to tell a story that dealt with hypocrisy in religion, and who better to play a hypocrite than myself.  I couldn’t use a Protestant minister as a dramatic vehicle because there are so many different versions and theologies.  I went with a Catholic priest because they are very specific and are, after all, the only clergy who still take vows.  I have huge respect for priests and the Catholic Church.  Their vows are extremely dramatic things, and dramatic things come in handy for a filmmaker!  I wanted to show a man bound by vows, by guilt, yet surprisingly devoid of faith.  I wanted to follow him, as his vows began to unravel, as he’s revealed to be an imposter yet in startling contrast, as his faith begins to grow.  It seemed to me to be a stunning dichotomy and risky, something that might cause a bit of a ruckus among the ultra religious, which is one reason I decided to play the role, I figured I might as well take the heat for the part I created.”

Choosing Kerry Wall for the part of Marjorie Worthington was a huge step.  After all, Kerry home-schools all four of the Wall’s children (then aged 10-2) and it seemed impossible for her to do that and play the lead role. David had already begun rehearsing with another actress but it just wasn’t working.  One night after an especially frustrating rehearsal session David wrote in his journal, “I don’t know why I keep thinking Kerry should play the part of Marjorie but I do. If I’m supposed to put her in the role I need to be hit over the head.  I need a big sign.  I need an unexpectedly large investment from an unexpected investor, tomorrow!”  The next morning he received a check in the mail for $32,000.  The funding for the shooting budget was now complete and Kerry got the role.

The Walls now decided to devote a year of their children’s lives to a film school education.  The kids were involved with every aspect of the production- from scouting locations, to casting, to shooting behind the scenes footage, to playing roles in the film, editing and post production.  In fact, the Wall’s only daughter Brennan, plays the title role of Noëlle.

The film was shot on 35mm, in 25 days in March on Cape Cod.  The Walls told everyone they knew to be praying for snow…something that is not usual on the Cape as most of the snow goes to Boston and the Cape gets the rain. 

They knew they needed the snow for production value if this film was avoid looking dreary and look anything like a romantic Christmas movie.  Originally scheduled to shoot in January, the film was pushed back over a month. It proved to be just what they needed!  January ended up having no snow at all, however from February through March, the cape set a 50-year record for snowfall…more snow even than in Boston, something almost unheard of.  The result was breathtaking winter-scapes and a production value far exceeding anybody’s expectations.

The whole town pitched in.  The Walls found some wonderful character actors in the local community theatres and Kerry’s brother and co-producer, Sean Patrick Brennan was perfect for the role of the childlike priest Simeon Joyce.  The cast is made up of Irish, English, American, Brazilian, African, Asian, and Jamaican.  “I wanted to show the power of the community,” said Wall, “I wanted to focus less on the church per se and more on what the church is made up of – people.  I wanted it to look the way I picture Heaven.”

For the cinematography Wall chose Beecher Cotton (who also edited the picture), a native of Maine and an expert on winterscapes.  “We went for a very contrasty look, “said Wall “warm interiors, faces coming out of darkness, deep blacks.  We used very long lenses, I think that gave the film a great look, also kept the camera out of the actors faces, lets them concentrate.”

For the soundtrack, Wall made a point to avoid the traditional syrupy sound of Christmas so we went with the exotic musical imagery of Andrew Ingkavet.  “I had listened to a bunch of music from artists who were very keen to put traditional “Christmas” in their music.  Andrew is a Buddhist and Christmas is not something he’s spent a lot of time thinking about…to him it’s not tradition or structure, it’s a magical story.  That’s what I was after more than anything in the music…magic.  True Magic.  He’s an amazing artist and he nailed it!”

“I wanted the images, coupled with the music, to bruise hearts,” said Wall “We’ve become so hardened as a culture.  We’ve seen it all, more than we care to in some cases.  We’ve put up armor; very rarely does anything penetrate it.  I hoped to catch folks off guard. That’s why I use such a hardened, Scrooge-like character, that’s why I use humor during some of the most serious moments, that’s why I use magical, minimalist music.  I never wanted come across heavy handed…I wanted all those vehicles to cause folks to open their hearts a bit, and then, once finally allowed in, I wanted to drop a huge, huge ending on them that would not only break their hearts, but would inspire them, fill them with joy and hope!”

In December of the same year, a work print of Noëlle screened for a week in a small art house theatre in Massachusetts.  Without press or promotion the film did nearly 30k in ticket sales.  Audiences applauded after every show.  The response was overwhelming yet getting a studio to believe was another thing entirely.

David and Kerry took the film to every major studio and a few minor ones as well.  Most of the time an intern would screen it and say, “No, thanks.”  Sometimes a buyer would screen it and between phone calls, state that they didn’t recognize any of these actors so they had no interest.  It was pretty discouraging.

The following year the film played the Ft Lauderdale Intl Film Festival.  The Walls had seen a huge response in Massachusetts but now, after a year of studio rejections, wondered how it would play in Florida.  The answer came in the form of a thunderous standing ovation and the jury award for Best Director!

Shortly thereafter David met Matt Crouch from Gener8xion Entertainment.  Matt had watched a screener sent to him by a mutual friend and was struck by the film.  The film was screened in a theatre for the rest of Crouch’s company and Wall signed with Gener8xion shortly thereafter.

Mike Sweet Jr.

Credits…

Written and Directed by

David Wall 

Produced by

David Wall

Kerry Wall

Sean Patrick Brennan

Lenny Manzo

Executive Producers

David Wall

Kerry Wall

John Brennan

Sean Patrick Brennan

Denise DeFelice Hopkins

Mike and Karen Hough

Yale Farar

J. Carr Bettis

 Line Producer

Lenny Manzo

Director of Photography

Beecher Cotton

Original Music by

Andrew Ingkavet 

Editor

Beecher Cotton

Sound Mixer

Eric Thomas

                            Cast

Unit Production Manager

Jesse Low

1^st Assistant Director

Mark Romanelli

2^nd Assistant Director

Damali Hicks

Script Supervisor

Maryann Vanderventer 

Art Director

Sean Patrick Brennan

Set Decorator

Kristine Pregot

 Set Dresser

Curt Dewitz

1^st Assistant Camera

Liz Heslep

2^nd Assistant Camera

Jake Liman

Camera Loader

Joel Gautraud

2^nd 2^nd Assistant Director

Patrick Hodges

Costume Designer

Sara Mills-Broffman

Key Make up

Kyle Sweet

Hair

Ozzie Veloso

Gaffer

Silas Tyler

Key Grip

Lee Holloway

Best Boy

Jason Booth

Grip Electric Swing

Ed Lalli 

Grip

Paul Peabody

Boom Operator

Gioia Birkett-Foa

 Production Coordinator

Maryann Vanderventer

Assistant to David Wall

Alex Cecci

Special Ops

Tom Summers

Assistant Film Editor

Joel Gautraud

Translator

Henri Guimaraes

Key Production Assistant

Chad Yavarow

Production Assistants

Joel Gautraud

Mark Brochu

Christopher Streeter

Daisy Morin

Joe Duda

Kristine Pregot

Nate McCarthy

Michael Ostrowski

Videographer

Mike Sweet

Additional Music Supervised by

Sean Brennan

Sapatinho de Natal (trad), Samba Brasilero (J. Mitre)

Jairo Mitre and Family

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Jingle Bells (trad)

Patsy Whelan and Rick Lemont

O Tannenbaum,  Silent Night,  Jingle Bells,  It Came Upon A Midnight Clear and

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (trad)

Auld Lang Syne (trad)

Joe Delaney, Laird  Boles and Steve Langone

Recorded at REO Studios, MA

Dona Nobis Pacem  (Grant us Peace, trad)

Piano by Peter Vantine

Crèche sculptures by

Walter Horak 

Catering by

Dave’s BBQ

The Crow’s Nest

 Lab

Technicolor, NY

Camera

Filmshack, Boston

Lighting/Grip

Film Services Inc., Boston

Lenses

Chesapeake Camera, VA

Sound Design

Mix One Studios, Boston

 Sound Designer

Chris Anderson

Assistant sound design

Josh Mosser

Charlotte Moore

 Negative Cutting

Stan Sztaba

Titles/Opticals

T & T Effects, Co.

Prints

Fotokem, Burbank, CA

Delux Laboratories, Hollywood, CA

 Gener8xion Entertainment

Additional Film Finishing by Gener8Xion Entertainment, Inc.

Producers

Matthew Crouch

 Richard J. Cook

Additional Editing

Stephan Blinn

Post Production Supervisor

Ted Fay

Business Affairs

Carlos D. DeMattos

Marcos D. DeMattos

Post Production Accounting

Marilyn Beaubien

Marrietta Nario

Post Production Coordinators

Kevin Nakatsuka

Keiko Johnson

Caylan Crouch

Legal

Richard P. Towne

Digital Intermediate Supervisor

Jeff Pierce

 Gener8Xion Entertainment Volunteers

Todd Nelson

Ronald Suk

Richard Hernandez

Special Thanks to

Pam Olsen, Bill and Joan Heimlich, Father Tom Frechette, Phelim Meehan, Diarmuid Quinn, Nina Schuessler, The Harwich Junior Theatre, Norma Monbouquette, Jane Pope, Jim Eldredge, Chris Cotoia and Executive Landscaping, Stephen Hirschberger and Arnold Bakery Outlet, Roberta and Suzanne at Pan D’Avignon, Takis Pizza, Bagels and Beyond, Cape Cod Splash, Sam Adams, Cape Cod Beer, Cape Cod Potato Chips, The Barnacle Motel, Jerry and Susan Friedman, Dance Designs, Guy Cecci, Bob McCarthy and The Pelham House, John Pappas, Russel Franklin, The Dennis Fire Department, The Jacob Sears Memorial Library, Dr. Hub Mathewson, Cape Cod Hospital, Carol Bell, The Town of Dennis, MA, Peggy Hunter, Eric Hart,The Breakfast Room, The Royal Palace, Cape Destinations, Bigwitz’s Rum Apples and “Queen Susan’s Horn”

Father Jonathan Keene David Wall     Marjorie Worthington Kerry Wall David Wall worked as an actor in Los Angeles in film, television and commercials until his first short story was published in the Washington Post, at which time he turned to writing full time.  In 1996, he wrote/produced and directed his first film – Joe & Joe. It was selected for the Sundance Film Festival and went on to play on the Sundance Channel and on PBS.  It won the award for cinematography at the Ft. Lauderdale Intl Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Southern Stories Film Festival in Birmingham. “Noëlle” is his second film as writer/ director/ producer but the first in which he has also starred, alongside his wife of 18 years, Kerry (three of their four children are also in the film).       Kerry Wall worked as a dancer, model and actress in Los Angeles for over ten years under the name Kerry Brennan.  She starred as an actress or dancer in numerous videos, commercials, tele-vision series and films.  Noëlle marks the first film where she also serves as co-producer.  It is also the first time she has co-starred alongside her husband David (they were nearly cast as husband and wife for a TV series during the 1980s, and while Kerry went on to win the role, the role of the husband was given to an up and coming actor named Brad Pitt) Kerry and David have four children (three of which are in the film).     Mrs. Eleanor Worthington Jean Bates       Father Simeon Joyce Sean Patrick Brennan Jean is a well known Cape Cod theater actress. She makes her screen debut in Noëlle.   Sean has worked as a set dresser, music supervisor and production assistant for feature films, television series, and student projects.  In 1996 he co-produced and starred in the film Joe & Joe which was selected for the Sundance film festival and went on to win awards at Ft Lauderdale Intl Film Festival and Southern Stories Film Festival in Birmingham.  Sean Brennan co-starred, was a co-producer, art director and music supervisor for Noëlle. He lives on Cape Cod where he is a carpenter, housepainter and musician.     Seth Harrod Curt Dewitz     Noëlle Brennan Wall   Curt Dewitz was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the age of 16, Curt performed theater in Scotland and in Eastern Europe the following year for 2 months. He has worked as an actor and producer in Los Angeles and Miami in film, television and commercials. Noëlle is Curt’s latest return to the big screen. He is currently involved in executive producing and co-producing a new feature film as well as a new TV series. Word is he also cooks a mean breakfast for the crew.     Brennan Wall enjoys ballet and climbing trees.