The "Official" Witnesses Trailer Drops

[Doctor Scratch]

Huh. Maybe I spoke too soon? The commenter named "Cobra Kai 4 Life" makes this helpful observation:

DanielPeterson,

Does your film have interviews with scholars interspersed throughout, or is your film a traditional dramatic film with no interviews?

I ask because you’ve shown two trailers, one with dramatic elements together with interviews, and one trailer with only dramatic scenes and no interviews.

Are tickets available for this special screening? If you go to the film festival website, you can purchase online tickets for every movie except your film.

I think Cobra may have spoken too soon, because it does seem as if you can buy tickets directly from the SCLERA Center for the Arts. (How funny would it be if some critic or anti-Mormon bought out all the tickets in advance, so that none of the Mopologists' friends could attend?) Anyhow, Dr. Peterson suddenly doesn't seem to know anything about the movie's debut, or about what's going on with the LDS Film Festival:

There will be two films. One is a dramatic film. It will be released in theaters. The other is a docudrama, with interviews accompanied by dramatic recreations, which will be made available in other ways.

I have, myself, had no direct contact with the Film Festival. So far as I know, whatever is there is what there is.

So much for wanting this to reach the "widest possible audience," eh? He goes from an anxiety-riddled need to prove how on-top of everything he is, practically pleading with readers to believe him when he says he's "not desperate"--all after dumping a big chunk of links to promotional materials--to this somewhat confused and blasé stance where he can't be bothered to care about the details of *his* movie's formal debut. Does he care, or not? "It takes a very clever man to be such an idiot" indeed. At this point, he doesn't even seem to know whether they're screening the documentary or the dramatic (i.e., fictional) movie.

[IHAQ]

It appears to me that the LDS Film Festival has simply tagged a screening of Witnesses onto the front of the programme, a day prior to the actual festival commencing. It runs adjacent to a free music programme.
http://www.ldsfilmfest.com/tickets-to-2021.html

Given that we are in the middle of a pandemic, and that Covid precautions are so important to the people associated with "Witnesses", I assume that this is a virtual event and they are not encouraging a group of people to gather together? General Conference in April is already slated as a virtual event, so I assume the LDS Film Festival will be likewise sensible.

[Kishkumen]

I like this trailer! I can't wait to see the movie. Now that it is clear there will be two films, a docudrama and a movie, I can say that I am happy to see both. The production values on the movie version look very good, indeed. I am sure I will enjoy it, and I think I will learn something, even though its perspective will doubtless be very biased in favor of the LDS point of view. I can take that. You know what you will get going into it, and really, as a moviegoer, the question to me is whether I will be entertained and moved by the film. I think there is a good chance I will really enjoy this movie.

[Dr Exiled]

Huh. Maybe I spoke too soon? The commenter named "Cobra Kai 4 Life" makes this helpful observation:

DanielPeterson,

Does your film have interviews with scholars interspersed throughout, or is your film a traditional dramatic film with no interviews?

I ask because you’ve shown two trailers, one with dramatic elements together with interviews, and one trailer with only dramatic scenes and no interviews.

Are tickets available for this special screening? If you go to the film festival website, you can purchase online tickets for every movie except your film.

I think Cobra may have spoken too soon, because it does seem as if you can buy tickets directly from the SCLERA Center for the Arts. (How funny would it be if some critic or anti-Mormon bought out all the tickets in advance, so that none of the Mopologists' friends could attend?) Anyhow, Dr. Peterson suddenly doesn't seem to know anything about the movie's debut, or about what's going on with the LDS Film Festival:

There will be two films. One is a dramatic film. It will be released in theaters. The other is a docudrama, with interviews accompanied by dramatic recreations, which will be made available in other ways.

I have, myself, had no direct contact with the Film Festival. So far as I know, whatever is there is what there is.

So much for wanting this to reach the "widest possible audience," eh? He goes from an anxiety-riddled need to prove how on-top of everything he is, practically pleading with readers to believe him when he says he's "not desperate"--all after dumping a big chunk of links to promotional materials--to this somewhat confused and blasé stance where he can't be bothered to care about the details of *his* movie's formal debut. Does he care, or not? "It takes a very clever man to be such an idiot" indeed. At this point, he doesn't even seem to know whether they're screening the documentary or the dramatic (i.e., fictional) movie.

No direct contact? You're the main guy and the film is about to premiere. Come on, don't distance yourself from it at this point. Like Kishkumen said above, the production value seems good given how the trailer came out. However, it may flop like Meet the Mormons did. So what. No one really likes religious movies in any event, so it was always an uphill battle. Anyway, I will see it and probably comment on it and I know my 80 year old believing mother will see it too. Good luck Dr. P.

[kairos]

Not mentioned yet but Dan and his media company plan a "fun run" 3 miler for those who see the movie and say "i can do that"-run three miles with 3 thugs chasing and carrying 50 pounds of gold plates. To be authentic and this is what it is all about right, the 3 mile run will follow the topography of the hill Cumorah to the smith home as far a realistically possible. cinderblocks of 10,20,30 and 50 pounds with pillowcases by mypillow inc will accommodate boys,girls, women and an open division. All participants will run at the same time with Dan in a golf cart and bullhorn operating as lead car for the event. Winners in every category will be greeted by the actor-witnesses and get free passes to see Witnesses whenever they wish over the next year. Those coming in three hours or longer and over 12 y/o will lose all their accumulated blessings and will be disfellowshipped for a year-with no appeals possible.
Signups are said by Purdie and company to be 'brisk" especially since in the open division where entrants will attempt to best Joseph Smith runtime of 24minutes. Several BYU footballers have been spotted practicing carrying huge Gatorade thermoses around the track. Purdie is also busy trying to find a sturdy golfcart to haul Dan around without tipping over.
This could be the "event " of the new year says Peterson Executive Producer without remuneration/$$$ to the local Patch newspapers!

yeah i just made this up!

k

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Ooo! You can have villains armed with pugil sticks jump scare and ‘whop’ folks in the face or on their backsides, too! If they ‘fend off’ the bad guys while keeping control of their plates they win a free popcorn and Dr. Pepper (in honor of the goodly Mr. Peterson, of course).

- Doc

[kairos]

an amusing 2 tidbits on the film- one the showing on Wednesday at the LDS film festival only shows an hour for the presentation- has the filmed been hacked to meet a time requirement? 2) not sure the film will dramatize the runup to being a witness for martin harris-supposedly some LDS scriptures capture the specific prophecy, but in D&C according to a friend tells me that in the prophecy about martin harris being a witness and offering up his farm to pay for the Book of Mormon printing, Joseph as God "says to my child Martin my command is that thou shall not covet thy neighbors wife or property followed by a second commandment "thou shalt not covet thy OWN property"-God really knows how to twist martin's arm by adding an 11th commandment. Does that still hold true for Mormons not to covet their own stuff?

a little humor
k

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Given the LDS church’s penchant for using roided out characters for their fiction, I honestly believe this move would’ve been served well by employing Fribergian actors in their respective roles. Like. Oliver Cowdery played by this guy:



I mean. After all, how else were they going to life those damned plates?

- Doc

[Doctor Scratch]

I wonder if the Witnesses marketing campaign has started to run out of steam....or money? There have scarcely been any mentions of it at all lately. What, was the idea to hit everyone with a "blitz" during the film festival, and then to let things go quiet for a month? Aren't they worried that the "excitement" is going to die down, or that people might forget that the movie is coming out?

[Dr Exiled]

I wonder if the Witnesses marketing campaign has started to run out of steam....or money? There have scarcely been any mentions of it at all lately. What, was the idea to hit everyone with a "blitz" during the film festival, and then to let things go quiet for a month? Aren't they worried that the "excitement" is going to die down, or that people might forget that the movie is coming out?

There are a lot of headwinds facing our mopologist heros and their fearless producer: a lack of genuine interest for religious film, malaise for yet another forced testimony builder, and an understanding that the witnesses just might have been tricked into believing and then supporting an outrageous fabrication that rational people would never have believed? Perhaps there is a realization of probable future outcomes as far as ticket sales and desire to see the "theatrical film" going on now?