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By Excel Entertainment Press Release
Excel Entertainment Group, Inc. Officially Expands to Include Motion Picture Distribution
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- Excel Entertainment Group, Inc. has announced
the official creation of Excel Motion Picture Distribution, a
division of Excel Entertainment Group, Inc. Dean Hale, former head
of Excel Distribution, will now become head of Excel Motion Picture
Distribution.
Excel Distribution began it's venture into theatrical distribution
back in March 2000 when it took over distribution of the independent
film God's Army from writer/director/producer Richard Dutcher. Dean
Hale, then head of Excel Distribution, oversaw the theatrical release
of that film into over 200 cities nationwide. The dramatic film
about Mormon missionaries that the L.A Times called "a sensitive and
thoughtful probe into issues of faith" grossed $2.6 million at the
box office and went on to ship 130,000 units in it's first six weeks
on VHS and DVD.
With the upcoming spring 2001 release of Dutcher's next film, a
dramatic murder mystery called Brigham City, Excel Distribution has
divided into two separate entities. Excel Motion Picture
Distribution will coordinate the national and international
theatrical release of independent film, starting with Brigham City,
while Excel Retail Distribution will continue to be a leading
distributor of music and other entertainment to the intermountain
West.
Jeff Simpson, president of Excel Entertainment Group, Inc. is pleased
with the changes. "Our vision as a company has always been to become
a complete entertainment company, providing music, film, all types of
entertainment media that is reflective of Mormon or LDS culture.
With this expansion, we are better able to focus on all aspects of
our business, both in film and in music."
Excel Entertainment Group, Inc. now consists of six sister
divisions-Highway Records (producing contemporary faith-centered
recordings), Joyspring Records (instrumental recordings), Embryo
Records (inspirational recordings), Little Stream Records (children's
recordings), Excel Motion Picture Distribution and Excel Retail
Distribution. Excel Retail Distribution distributes music and video
from its sister divisions, independent artists (Peter Breinholt, Kurt
Bestor) and national artists (Amy Grant, Jars of Clay).
"We feel that God's Army was not only a major step forward in terms
of LDS film, but a huge step forward for all types of LDS and
faith-centered entertainment media," Simpson continues. "That movie
let people know that high-quality faith-centered entertainment really
exists. That's something that we have been trying to tell people for
years, and now the message is getting through."
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