This is not the Feature Films For Families website.
This page presents information and research about films sold by that company.

The official Feature Films For Families website can be found at: http://www.familytv.com/

Also, many Feature Films For Families videos and DVDs can be purchased at: LDS Video Store


Go to the home page of this website.


Feature Films For Families

Below is a list of all videos listed for sale on the Feature Films For Families website:

This table lists all videos currently sold by Feature Films For Families, includes the films produced by the company itself, as well as some exclusively edited films produced by other companies and distributed by Feature Films For Families (e.g., "Space Camp", "Scamper the Penguin", "The Trip to Bountiful", etc.). New videos added to the Feature Films For Families website after 2 April 2002 which were not produced by this company (including the WonderWorks films) are now included in the this table, but are included in the categorized listings below.

Film TitleYear
Released
Production CompanyDirectorProducerShooting Location
Address Unknown 1997 Feature Films For Families Shawn Levy Patrick Ewald Salt Lake City, Utah
Against a Crooked Sky 1975 Doty-Dayton Releasing
(Feature Films For Families precursor)
Earl Bellamy Lyman Dayton Arches National Park, Utah
Baker's Hawk 1976 Doty-Dayton Releasing
(Feature Films For Families precursor)
Lyman Dayton Lyman Dayton Utah
Behind the Waterfall 1995 Feature Films For Families Scott Murphy Rick B. Larsen Utah
Both Sides of the Law 1999 Cinar Bruce Neibaur Serge Dennis Quebec
The Buttercream Gang 1992 Feature Films For Families Bruce Neibaur Don A. Judd Draper & Riverton, Utah
The Ghosts of Dickens' Past 1998 Feature Films For Families
Cinar
Bruce Neibaur Patricia Lavoie
Rick B. Larsen
Canada
The Forgotten Attic 2002 Feature Films For Families
Cinar
Michael Landon Jr.
Mark Swan
Forrest S. Baker III Ontario
Utah (animation)
Friendship's Field 1995 Feature Films For Families Bruce Neibaur Rick B. Larsen
Jeff T. Miller
Salt Lake City, Utah; Idaho
In Your Wildest Dreams 1991 Feature Films For Families Bruce Neibaur Don A. Judd Utah
Jacob's Harvest (TV)
[a.k.a. Harvest for the Heart]
1994 Atlantis Films Limited
Credo Group Limited
  Kim Todd Manitoba, Canada
Jumping for Joy 2000 Feature Films For Families
Cinar
Timothy J. Nelson    
No More Baths 1998 Feature Films For Families Timothy J. Nelson Rick B. Larsen Utah
On Our Own 1988 Dayton Film Corp.
Commonwealth Cinema Ltd.
(Feature Films For Families precursor)
Lyman Dayton
(as "F.T. Pavlov")
Lyman Dayton Los Angeles, CA; Utah
The Penny Promise 2001 Feature Films For Families T.C. Christensen
Timothy J. Nelson
Don A. Judd
Jeff T. Miller
 
Return to the Secret Garden 2000 Feature Films For Families Scott Featherstone Don A. Judd
Jeff T. Miller
Steve Thompson
Utah
Rigoletto 1993 Feature Films For Families Leo D. Paur Don A. Judd
Scott Swofford
Helper, Utah
Seasons of the Heart 1993 Feature Films For Families T.C. Christensen Don A. Judd
Scott Swofford
 
The ButterCream Gang in:
Secret of Treasure Mountain
1993 Feature Films For Families Scott Swofford Don A. Judd
Scott Swofford
Utah
Split Infinity 1992 Feature Films For Families Stan Ferguson Don A. Judd
Scott Swofford
Utah
Where the Red Fern Grows 2000 Doty-Dayton Releasing
(Feature Films For Families precursor)
Lyman Dayton George Dayton
Philippe Denham
Shelley Monson
Katy Wallin
New Jersey & Oklahoma
Who Gets the House 1999 Feature Films For Families
Cinar
Timothy J. Nelson    
The Seventh Brother 1991 Feature Films For Families
Kutya Productions
Pannonia Film Company
John David Wilson Budapest, Utah
Beethoven Lives Upstairs (TV) 1989 Classical Productions for Children
Devine Videoworks Production
David Devine David Devine
Richard Mozer
Toronto, Ontario
Prague, Czech Republic
Borrowed Hearts (TV) 1997 Atlantis Films Limited; CTV Ted Kotcheff Mary Kahn Toronto, Ontario
City Boy (TV) 1992 Accent Entertainment Corporation
New City Productions
John Kent Harrison Colleen Nystedt British Columbia, Canada
Coyote Summer 1996 Leucadia Film Corp. Matias Alvarez David Anderson
Don Schain
Salt Lake City & St. George, UT
Gallavants 1984 Marvel Entertainment Art Vitello Art Vitello  
The Giant of Thunder Mountain 1991 Castle Hill Productions
Plaza Entertainment
James W. Roberson Joseph Raffill Yosemite National Park, Calif.
Hockey Night (TV) 1984 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC);
Martin-Paul Productions
Paul Shapiro Martin Harbury Parry Sound, Ontario
Keeping the Promise (TV) 1997   Sheldon Larry Martin Katz Ontario
Legend of the Viking Cross 1991 Atlantis Films Limited?
The Little Fox 1987 Pannonia Film Studio Attilla Dargay Attilla Dargay Budapest
The Little Kidnappers (TV) 1990 Hal Roach Studios Donald Shebib Philip D. Fehrle
James Margellos
Nova Scotia, Canada
Lost in the Barrens (TV) 1990 Atlantis Films Limited Michael J.F. Scott Derek Mazur
Seaton McLean
Joan Scott
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Lyddie (TV) 1996 BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Minds Eye Pictures, etc.
Stefan Scaini Alex Graham
Eric Jordan
Lancashire, England
Saskatchewan, Canada
Picture Perfect (TV) 1995 Alexander/Enright
Power Pictures
Victor Television Prod.
Joseph L. Scanlan Julian Marks  
The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend 1990 L.A. Film Partners Frank C. Schroder Peter L. Andrews
Darrel Campbell
Rodney Stone
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Scamper the Penguin 1989 Enoki Films G.A. Sokoljishij
Jim Terry
Kinjiro Yoshida
Tohru Komori
Jim Terry
 
Seal Morning (TV) 1985 Central Independent Television
Primetime Television Limited
David Cobham David Cobham  
Space Camp 1986 ABC Motion Pictures Harry Winer Patrick Bailey
Walter Coblenz
Huntsville, Alabama
J.F.K Space Center, Florida
The Story Lady (TV) 1991 Image Entertainment Larry Elikann Joseph B. Wallenstein  
The Tale of Tillie's Dragon 1998 Stribling Productions Michael Stribling Steven Hahn  
Tiny Heroes 1997
The Trip to Bountiful 1985 Bountiful Film Partners
FilmDallas Pictures
Peter Masterson Sterling Van Wagenen Texas: Dallas, Five Points,
Waxahachie, Venus
The Wild Pony 1983 Sullivan Entertainment Kevin Sullivan Eda Lishman  
Willy the Sparrow 1989 Pannonia Film Studio Jozsef Gemes   Budapest



The following individuals have been directors of films made by Feature Films For Families: Bruce Neibaur, Earl Bellamy, Leo D. Paur, Lyman Dayton, Scott Featherstone, Scott Murphy, Scott Swofford, Shawn Levy, Stan Ferguson, T.C. Christensen, and Timothy J. Nelson.

Bruce Neibaur and Timothy J. Nelson have each directed at least four of this company's films.


Previous Categories and Brief Descriptions

The films for sale on the Feature Films For Families website are divided into major categories. On each category page, there is a brief synopsis of each film. More detailed plot descriptions are available on the pages dedicated to the individual films. The following category lists and plot descriptions have been copied from the site, as they appeared on 2 April 2002:

Classic Theatre

The Ghosts of Dickens' Past
As Charles Dickens struggles to uncover the story he knows he must write, he is drawn to the dark areas of London, where a mysterious little girl helps him rediscover the things that matter most.

Seasons of the Heart
A touching story of an orphaned boy who helps a mother accept the loss of her daughters and love again.

The Story Lady
Sticking to what she believes in, an elderly woman goes to extremes to illustrate that we need to take time for things that really matter.

The Trip to Bountiful
The aging Mrs. Watts just has to see her home in Bountiful again. Through her journey, she helps herself and her family understand that harmony and peace are possible.

Jacob's Harvest
In this modern tale of the "Prodigal Son," two brothers must learn to forgive and let go of the past.

Seal Morning
A rescued, orphaned seal heals the heart of a niece and aunt by reopening channels of love, warmth and understanding.


Teen Scene

Address Unknown
A tragedy shared by two teenagers becomes a common bond as they try to solve the mystery of their dads' deaths.

Friendship's Field
This award-winning film is based on a true story about how friendship has the power to triumph over prejudice.

Rigoletto
When Bonnie goes to work for the disfigured Ribaldi, she softens his heart and learns the value of looking beyond appearances.

The ButterCream Gang
In order to help a friend, the ButterCreamers must overcome peer pressure and learn to love unconditionally.

Split Infinity
Money-hungry A.J. Knowlton learns that love for family is more important than money.

Space Camp
To survive the accidental launch of their space shuttle, teenagers must learn cooperation, courage and responsibility.

Hockey Night
A controversial female goalie upsets a town and inspires teammates to stand up for her right to play.

Lost in the Barrens
Two strangers must put aside their mistrust, prejudice and fear to survive the arctic environment.

City Boy
A young boy must choose between the demands of a friend and doing the right thing.


Adventure

The Giant of Thunder Mountain
By befriending a "giant," a little girl stands up to something even bigger: gossip that hurts people big and small.

Behind the Waterfall
When the town storyteller befriends Tommy and his sister, Becky, he opens their eyes to a world of imagination and creativity

The Secret of Treasure Mountain (featuring The ButterCream Gang)
Eldon unearths hidden treasure and discovers that heroes are just ordinary people who make exraordinary sacrifices for others.

On Our Own
When orphaned Mitch tries to keep his brothers and sisters together, he learns the hard way that "the end does not justify the means."

In Your Wildest Dreams
Mark Andrews realizes that $1 million is not worth the expense of losing his loved ones.

Baker's Hawk
Billy learns friendship and responsibility from a kind hermit who helps him care for an injured hawk.

Where the Red Fern Grows
A timeless tale of devotion between a boy and his hunting dogs and how they reward his kindness with courage.

Against a Crooked Sky
A teenage boy's love for his sister forces him to test his bravery and risk his life to save her.

The Wild Pony
A frontier boy learns about responsibility and devotion as his stepfather helps him break a fiery stallion.

Legend of the Viking Cross
Jamie and Awasis have a lot to learn about friendship and working together in the sequel to "Lost in the Barrens."

Keeping the Promise
A 13-year-old boy's commitment to his promise is tested to the limits in this pioneer adventure.


Family Friendly Movies

Borrowed Hearts
Sam Field lacks one thing in his quest to close the biggest business deal of his life -- a family.

No More Baths
Keagan McPhie personifies the statement, "I am my brother's keeper," as he helps his neighbor Jake.

The Pistol
Pistol Pete Maravich must overcome inflexible attitudes and jealousy to develop his talent in basketball.

Picture Perfect
Picture Perfect -- Telling the truth, teamwork, importance of family. Two best friends, both of them teenagers from single-parent homes, can't resist trying to solve their parents' problems - with a lie! Their "perfect family" learns the importance of teamwork and telling the truth in this hilarious family comedy.


Animated

The Tale of Tillie's Dragon
Brave little Tillie reminds us of the importance of friendship when she befriends a lonely dragon named Herman.

Tiny Heroes
A fun-filled adventure with everyone's favorite puppy, Tiny, and his forest friends working together to overcome life's problems. (Sequel to "The Seventh Brother.")

Gallavants
Shando thinks he has to act like something he's not, in order to show off his talents. This ambitious young ant discovers the importance of "struggle, sacrifice and dedication."

Scamper the Penguin
This precocious penguin will get children right into the swim of things by teaching them about the Antarctic environment, obedience and overcoming difficulties.

Willy the Sparrow
Being transformed into a sparrow teaches a boy respect, kindness and the value of knowledge.

The Seventh Brother
Lost and alone in the forest, Tiny discovers that fear and faith cannot exist in our hearts at the same time.


New Releases

Lyddie
Facing poverty and separation from her family, Lyddie uses determination to triumph over each new challenge.

Coyote Summer
After Callie and her bad attitude get dropped off at Coyote Arrow Ranch for the summer, she learns responsibility and gains respect for her mother as she searches for the truth about a problem horse.

The Little Kidnappers
Caring, obedience, letting go of grudges. Newly orphaned Harry and Davy go to live with their grandfather, who overcomes his prejudices when an "enemy" stands up for them in court.

Breaking Free
Facing a world that has suddenly gone dark, gymnast Lindsay Kurtz can still see the power of friendship. And not only does her newfound friend help her compete in a new sport, he also learns that he must make better choices.

Frog
A teenage genius named Arlo and an affable amphibian named Gus show that good things happen when you keep your word and remember to be kind to others.

Address Unknown
A tragedy shared by two teenagers becomes a common bond as they try to solve the mystery of their dads' deaths.


Feature Films For Families Productions Not Listed

[The films listed below were produced by Feature Films For Families, but were not listed on the company's U.S. website when we obtained data from it on 2 April 2002.]

Return to the Secret Garden
Directed by Scott Featherstone. Written by Joe Wiesenfeld. Sequel to the book and movie The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Released in 2000. This film has been shown at film festivals, and has won awards. First film produced by Feature Films For Families to be released theatrically.

Jumping for Joy
A young girl in the 1960s is mistaken for a boy because of her basketball skills.

The Penny Promise
To Will, an honest heart is more valuable than any amount of money, but he wants to marry his sweetheart and has promised her father he would save $10,000 to prove he's worthy. And Will never breaks a promise. But as a young schoolteacher, saving this much is difficult, especially when thwarted by a scheming rival.

The Forgotten Attic
Animation and live-action hybrid, based on the classic children's book The Velveteen Rabbit.

Who Gets the House
Starring George Takei. Don and Rebecca Reece are facing the toughest decision of their lives whether or not to end their marriage of nearly 20 years. The Reeces agree to a trial separation. The kids get the house; Mom and Dad will shuttle back and forth.

Both Sides of the Law
About two 12-year-old boys who follow divergent paths and wonder if their friendship will survive.


Updated Categories and Brief Descriptions

Purely by coincidence, one day after the categories and descriptions were copied from the Feature Films For Families website, the site was widely revised, with new categories and new category names.

The categories, and films in each, are listed as they appear on the Feature Films For Families website as of 3 April 2002:

[Where no description is given for the films below, the description is the same as the one in the above list.]

New Releases

Feature Films For Families® is the name millions of families trust for the finest in new, live-action and animated productions. "New releases" include our own latest productions and several other films, edited to meet our tough standards, and distributed by us.

Christy: Return to Cutter Gap
A young missionary teaching in a remote section of the Tennessee Mountains has her faith and resolve tested as she struggles to overcome the community's ugly suspicions of outsiders.

Christmas Romance
When a "Christmas stranger" enters the lives of a widow and her two young daughters, they all learn the true meaning of love and listening to your heart.

Sunny's Ears
With the help of a devoted and courageous dog, a loving father learns to accept his daughter's deafness.

Bellflower Bunnies - Animated
A series of two films about five lively bunnies who always seem to be getting into trouble but know the importance of family unity and sharing with others.

Windrunner
A high school football player learns about courage and forgiveness from an elusive Native American coach.


Feel Good Movies

Our Feel Good selections are especially appealing to those with a more mature point of view. These films offer deeper meanings and thought-provoking plots. But don't let that stop you from sharing them with your entire family. They'll love them, too.

The Ghosts of Dickens' Past

Seasons of the Heart

The Trip to Bountiful

Jacob's Harvest

Borrowed Hearts

Christmas Romance
When a "Christmas Stranger" enters the lives of a widow and her two young daughters, they all learn the true meaning of love and listening to your heart.

Holiday Affair
When Jodie feels like she has just met Mr. Right -- even though her head tells her the timing is all wrong -- she must learn to listen to her heart in this romantic Christmas love story.

Battling for Baby
When their newlywed children announce they're expecting a child, competing in-laws Helen and Marie discover why they must find a way to rekindle their friendship.


Young Teens

Bombarded by many negative media messages, teenagers face some of the biggest decisions of their lives. No video library is complete without positive alternatives for today's young people -- tomorrow's leaders.

Address Unknown

Friendship's Field

Rigoletto

The ButterCream Gang

Split Infinity

Space Camp

Lost in the Barrens

City Boy

Spirit Rider
After Jesse is sent back to the reservation to live with his grandfather, both discover they have something crucial to learn from each other.

You Must Remember This
A teenage girl unearths her uncle's secret past and in doing so strains the family relationship, but learns the value of her African-American heritage and the importance of trust and honor.

Breaking Free

Frog
When Arlo introduces Suzie to his reptile world, she learns that trusting only what you can see won't take you as far as following your heart. [NEW DESCRIPTION]


Adventure Films

Come along for the ride as our heroes forge new horizons where they meet and overcome challenges with character-like courage and love.

The Giant of Thunder Mountain

Behind the Waterfall

Secret of Treasure Mountain (featuring the ButterCream Gang)

On Our Own

In Your Wildest Dreams

Baker's Hawk

Where the Red Fern Grows

Against a Crooked Sky

The Wild Pony

Legend of the Viking Cross

Keeping the Promise


Family-Friendly Films

Your family will treasure hours of undeniably entertaining and positive movie fun with these uplifting films suitable for everyone.

No More Baths

The Pistol

Picture Perfect

Walking Across Egypt
A juvenile delinquent yearning for a home and someone to love him finds a safe haven with a compassionate widow who has plenty of love to give to him.

Booker
Born into slavery in 19th-century America, Booker T. Washington proves that nothing can replace determination and work when it comes to gaining an education.

Home at Last
Billy, an orphaned juvenile delinquent from the east, learns that he can change for the better as he feels the love of a Nebraska farm family that adopts him. Based on a true story.

Trial of Old Drum
When young Charlie has to defend his dog, Drum, in court, he learns that telling the truth is the better part of loyalty. Based on a true story.

Just Like Dad
The strength of a father's love is tested when his undersized son finds the perfect stranger to act as his dad at a school outing.


Animated Films

Your children will thoroughly enjoy these endearing and colorful films that will delight the whole family while conveying wholesome messages.

The Tale of Tillie's Dragon

Tiny Heroes

Gallavants

Scamper the Penguin

Willy the Sparrow

The Seventh Brother


WonderWorks Films

Feature Films For Families® is proud to offer these fine titles originally produced by award-winning WonderWorks. Each film is sure to be a family favorite!

A Little Princess
Tragedy strips a wealthy girl of her possessions, but it doesn't change her sense of self-worth and kindness.

Gryphon
A magical substitute teacher inspires students to value themselves and each other and to see the often overlooked beauty in the world.

Hiroshima Maiden
When Atom-bomb survivor Miyeko visits an American family, her stay reveals that the scars left behind at Hiroshima are more than just physical in this touching story of understanding and healing. Based on a true story.

The Mighty Pawns
Guided by a caring teacher, inner-city kids learn they can succeed with hard work and wise choices.

Caddie Woodlawn
Brash, mischievous Caddie saves those she loves from a frontier war by confronting intolerance and bias with belief and courageous action.

Miracle at Moreaux
During World War II, a nun risks her life to shelter Jewish children, teaching compassion and love by her example.

Jacob Have I Loved
A teenage girl overcomes jealousy and resentment for her talented, favored twin sister and learns to value herself for her own uniqueness.

Girl of the Limberlost
Elnora and her mother must work together to save their farm and open lines of communication, enabling Elnora to gain the education she desperately wants.

Words by Heart
A father's words and example teach his daughter not to judge an entire group by the actions of a few.


Brief Decription of the Revision

The 3 April 2002 revision to the listings of films on the Feature Films For Families website is fairly extensive. Most significant is the addition of the WonderWorks films. These nine films are still separated into their own category, although conceivably they could be incorporated into the other categories.

The "New Releases" section has been moved to the top, and all of the previously listed "New Releases" have now been added to the other categories (as they are no longer new). The new films listed in the New Releases are: Christy: Return to Cutter Gap; Christmas Romance; Sunny's Ears; Bellflower Bunnies; and Windrunner. As far as I know, all of these were produced outside of Utah/Latter-day Saint film circles, except for Windrunner. A made-for-television Disney movie, Windrunner was written by Latter-day Saint filmmaker Mitch Davis (writer/director of "The Other Side of Heaven") and directed by Utah director William Clark.

The "Classic Theatre" category has been changed to "Feel Good Movies." About half of the films in the list are different. The Ghosts of Dickens' Past; Seasons of the Heart; The Trip to Bountiful and Jacob's Harvest are the four films still listed here under the new category name. Borrowed Hearts has been moved to this list from the old "Family Friendly" list. Two films -- The Story Lady and Seal Morning -- are gone from the list, and are not listed anywhere else on the revised site. There are three entirely new films in this "Feel Good Movies" category, movies not previously listed in any list on the site: Christmas Romance; Holiday Affair and Battling for Baby.

The name of the "Teen Scene" category has been changed to "Young Teens." The content of this list of films remains largely the same, with Address Unknown; Friendship's Field; Rigoletto; The ButterCream Gang; Split Infinity; Space Camp; Lost in the Barrens and City Boy all still on the list. one film is gone from the Teen list, and from the site entirely: Hockey Night. Two films previously listed only under "New Releases" are now part of the "Young Teens" list: Breaking Free and Frog. There is a rewritten brief plot synopsis for Frog, the only revised brief plot synopsis on the site. Two entirely new films are also listed in the "Young Teens" section: Spirit Rider and You Must Remember This.

The "Adventure" list has been renamed slightly to "Adventure Films." But the list is exactly the same as it was before, with the same eleven films, even listed in the same order.

The "Family Friendly Movies" section is now "Family-Friendly Films." As already mentioned, Borrowed Hearts has been moved from this section to the "Feel Good Movies" section. Still on this list are the remaining 3 films: No More Baths; The Pistol and Picture Perfect. In recent months a 5th film was on this list -- Beethoven Lives Upstairs, but it was removed some time before April 2nd, and is now nowhere to be found on the site. Lyddie and Coyote Summer have been moved from the "New Releases" section to the "Family-Friendly" section. There are also many new additions to the "Family-Friendly" list which were previously listed nowhere on the site: Walking Across Egypt; Booker; Home at Last; Trial of Old Drum and Just Like Dad. Of these additions, it appear that only Just Like Dad and Coyote Summer have strong local connections: Just Like Dad was directed by BYU alum Blair Treu and features Utah actors such as Frank Gerrish, Duane V. Stephens, Geoff Hansen, Randy King, Michael Flynn and Christy Summerhays. Coyote Summer is also a local (Leucadia) production, and features Utah actors such as Frank Gerrish, Duane V. Stephens, and Bus Riley.

The "Animated" section is now labeled "Animated Films", and includes exactly the same roster of six films: The Tale of Tillie's Dragon; Tiny Heroes; Gallavants; Scamper the Penguin; Willy the Sparrow and The Seventh Brother. The newly listed animated film Bellflower Bunnies has not yet been added to the "Animated Films" list.


ARTICLE:
Movie studio puts families first

By: David Forbes and Rod Gustafson
Date: 2001
Source: GradingTheMovies.com (website: "Grading the Movies, Music & Games: Helping Families Find Entertainment With Values")
URL: http://www.gradingthemovies.com/html/parent_alerts/bp_fff.shtml

It was just another night out at the movies for Forrest Baker. But by the time The Competition (a late 1980's release with Amy Irving and Richard Dreyfuss) was over, Baker was troubled by the need for so many "good" movies to include that "unnecessary sex scene."

"It didn't belong in that film. It made me ill," says Baker, who also heard similar remarks from acquaintances.

With the unexpected death of their fourth child, Baker's wife reached what he calls, "an epiphany." Always interested in movies, she began taking screen-writing classes. Excited with his wife's increasing passion for movie production, Baker invested in a film being produced by Lyman Dayton (creator of On Our Own, Where The Red Fern Grows, and Against A Crooked Sky) as a special Christmas present for her.

The financial involvement allowed the couple to see the exciting world of film production "up close", including Dayton's suggestion that his script needed some additional profanity in order to secure a PG rating, which he believed would attract a larger audience.

Baker, deeply troubled, said, "I knew in my heart and head I needed to do something about this."

A 34-year-old tax consultant, Baker walked away from his job and became a motion picture producer of family movies.

Now Feature Films for Families (FFF), the company Baker started a little more than 10 years ago, has the backing of five million families and is making a name for itself in the movie industry. Distributing about 50 titles, including more than a dozen of their own productions, in the United States, Canada and Britain, Baker reports shipments of 70 to 75 thousand videocassettes per week.

So if Baker can turn a profit from family movies, why can't Hollywood?

Baker strongly disagrees with a recent anonymous comment in the September 26, 2000 Washington Post from a "studio chairman" who claims that if the film industry "only made good wholesome movies, we'd be out of business."

"I don't think that's true," rebukes Baker, providing specific titles like Harrison Ford's Sabrina. "That's a great wholesome love story and movie and it had great appeal."

Unlike larger studios that rely on outside investment sources to finance major projects, Baker looks inward for operating capital, although some recent projects have necessitated the involvement of other production companies.

"We are in the process of finishing an animated film and have built a relationship with Cinar," advises Baker, referring to the prominent Canadian production company, primarily known for its children's products like the popular television series Arthur.

Anticipating a 2001 release date, Baker feels the animated product will rival Disney's The Little Mermaid "or better."

Other titles in post production include an animated version of the classic tale Princess And The Pea (releasing in the fall of 2000) and Jump For Joy (a spring 2001 release) featuring a young girl in the 1960s who's mistaken for a boy because of her basketball skills.

The company also distributes exclusively edited versions of such films as Beethoven Lives Upstairs, The Christmas Box, Scamper The Penguin, Where The Red Fern Grows, The Trip To Bountiful, and The Wild Pony.

Finally, the recently released Return To The Secret Garden was another groundbreaking project for the company. Not only is it available on video, but it was also released in U.S. theaters through Visiplex.

Hollywood has a tight grip on theater chains," explains company spokesman and director of Canadian operations, Philip Barker, adding that they "have made in-roads with some regional movie theater companies that listen to what (people in their) communities say."

Feature Films for Families usually bypasses the theater circuit altogether anyway. Even the traditional video-retailing plan involving supermarkets and rental shops is ignored in favor of a direct marketing approach. Often calling on current customers to pass the word onto their friends, the company has seen great success from its "word of mouth" sales plan.

With MGM Studios approaching Feature Films for Families for consideration in a joint venture opportunity, Barker feels the grass roots marketing approach must be working and suggests that people in the industry are watching FFF's success.

Baker believes FFF "will be the premier family feature film company of the future," filling the void created by such studios as Disney, which have changed their focus over the years. The company is also attracting actors and actresses who are family oriented and want to be involved with their productions.

Baker cites a letter written from M*A*S*H's Garry Burghoff saying his involvement along with his daughter in FFF's Behind The Waterfall is the project he is most proud of in his career.

Star Trek's George Takei starring in FFF's Who Gets The House and Saturday Night Live alumni Victoria Jackson who is starring with industry veteran Rance Howard (father of Ron Howard) in Jumping For Joy are others Baker mentions who have been smitten with FFF's philosophies.

But providing families with entertainment choices that are free from sex and violence is only the beginning of FFF's agenda.

"We also believe values in our films can make a difference in families," attests Barker, who adds that their films "help viewers find alternative ways to solve problems."

An example is The Buttercream Gang, one of their earlier releases featuring a gang of teenagers who use positive peer pressure to convince others to do good in their community and a main character who turns the other cheek when he's scorned by a former friend.

"We feel we are making the world a better place," adds Barker, who openly adopts his president's words. "Forrest Baker's real underlying belief is that one family at a time ... can send a clear message and see that they can make a difference."


Feature Films for Families has its headquarters in Murray, Utah, with distribution centers in Barrie, Ontario, and Manchester, England. You can check out their website at www.familytv.com.

Look for reviews of many of Feature Films for Families videos in upcoming weeks on our Videos page.


ARTICLE EXCERPT:
List Marketing: WWW.ListsandData.Com: Part I

By: Richard Cross and Ahmed Nassef
Date: June 1999
Source: Cross World Network
URL: http://www.crossworldnetwork.com/articles/database/list%20part%20I.html

[Excerpt only]

A "Reel" Need for Data
While the online market for mailing lists is growing fast, the market for demographic and lifestyle data to append to existing name and address records may be the greater of the two. The Internet itself is creating a customer data deluge: Popular sites such as Barnesandnoble.com receive more than 2 million unique visitors each month; Realtor.com receives 250,000 home searches each day. As companies struggle to capture and analyze that information, they need more data about each individual so they can better segment and target customers and prospects across all channels.

Online data enhancement products, such as those offered by Acxiom Corporation, are bringing convenience and data currency to early adopters. Instead of submitting a file to a compiler for appending via tape, the file can be appended online. This can eliminate the days or weeks spent in transferring tapes, running batch appends, and reporting the results.

Forrest Baker, founder and owner of Feature Films for Families (www.familytv.com), based in Murray, Utah is one early user of online data. Baker's company promotes the sale of video entertainment free of profanity, nudity and graphic violence entirely by word-of-mouth. Baker recently told the database marketing industry newsletter, Case-in-Point, that "We only call people who have been referred to us by other people. We gather as many as 25,000 referrals a day." Baker's 11 call centers call referrals almost immediately upon receiving them.

Understandably, Baker's referral data is not always complete, or accurate. And, his fast turnaround requirement creates a natural environment for real- time data delivery. Baker reports that all his telephone agents have to do is type a phone number into a form, and the complete record of that household appears on the computer screen, including a complete history for that phone number for the past seven years. The information allows Baker to customize the message to a particular household and to further qualify the prospect. Highly accurate and up-to-date data is especially important to Baker because, he said, "We're calling on behalf of a friend and want to make sure that we treat the customer correctly."


This page has been compiled for research purposes only. This website has no affiliation with Feature Films For Families. Feature Films For Families is a film production and distribution company. It is not affiliated with any religious group, political group, or non-profit organization.

Return to Home

Web page created 2 April 2002. Last modified 19 September 2003.