MANSFIELD — North central Ohio residents have been abuzz since last October, when independent movie studio Good Deed Entertainment announced plans to move its headquarters from Los Angeles to Ashland.
Community members will have a chance to familiarize themselves with the company by watching the studio’s newest film locally this weekend. “Storm Boy” was released Thursday, April 4 at Cinemark in Ontario and will be shown in theaters throughout the state and country this weekend. GDE is the distributor of the film.
“We wanted to be sure that we were opening on a cinema that was close to our home office,” said Kristin Harris, GDE’s vice president of acquisitions and distribution. “We want to work hard, now that we’re a local Ohio company, to make sure we promote our films here.”
While many of the studio’s films play mostly in art house cinemas, the nature of “Storm Boy” allows the company to distribute the film more widely in commercial theaters.
“‘Storm Boy’ is a really good film to be introducing ourselves to the community because it does speak to a lot of local values, and it’s a film we’re really proud of,” Harris said. “I hope people really rally around our local studio and our local talent, go out and see the film this weekend.
“It’s really different from a lot of independent films out there. I think when people hear independent, they think art house. ‘Storm Boy’ is very much a wholesome, engaging family film.”
A contemporary retelling of a classic Australian story about a little boy who rescues and raises pelicans, “Storm Boy” should play well to a multi-generational audience, Harris said.
“It’s very much akin to ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ or ‘Free Willy’ or those family classics, but because it’s an Australian tale, it’s a story American audiences are just being introduced to,” Harris said.
The 98-minute film stars Jai Courtney, Geoffrey Rush, Finn Little, Trevor Jamison, Morgana Davies and Erik Thompson.
Founded by Ashland businessman Scott Donley, GDE is best known as the distributor of “Loving Vincent,” which was nominated for an Oscar for best animated feature in 2017.
Going forward, Harris said, GDE plans to distribute eight to 12 films a year, looking for films that appeal to underserved markets and are thought-provoking and interesting.
The studio maintains a satellite office in Los Angeles and also has about six staff members at the new Ashland Headquarters, which opened in January at 141 E. Main Street, in the former Gerald’s Studio and Camera Shop building.
The Ashland office is still under construction, with the first floor being built out as executive offices, conference rooms and a screening room. Upper floors will include production offices as well as space for shooting and likely will be completed within the next 2 months, according to Harris.
GDE executives have already hired some local college interns and hope to offer more opportunities for local people as the company grows.
“We very much want to be sourcing local talent, behind and in front of the camera, whether it’s local screenwriters, local filmmakers or folks that could be great fits for us as executives,” Harris said. “We’re thinking of creative ways we can work with the community, that we ultimately can develop the economy and create jobs within the economy and really grow the local film programs.”
The studio also hopes to host sneak peeks of upcoming films, giving local people a chance to see movies before they are released and to give the company feedback as test audiences.
Harris said GDE staff have appreciated the positive response from the Ashland community to the company’s presence in town. A recent feature on GDE’s move to Ashland that aired on Cleveland news station WKYC also garnered local and regional attention this week.
“In Los Angeles it feels so run-of-the-mill when you tell people you work in entertainment or that you’re with a film studio,” she said. “It’s fun to see people react in a way that shows they are really interested in what we’re doing here.”
