Contact: George Escobar, Manny Edwards, 703-409-4416, Advent Film Group

MEDIA ADVISORY, May 13 /Christian Newswire/ -- Using an innovative "church-planting" model for feature filmmaking, Advent Film Group (AFG) has spun off a new film production company, Brightline Pictures, led by Manny Edwards, who co-produced and co-directed AFG's upcoming movie, COME WHAT MAY, along with George Escobar. Brightline Pictures has begun pre-production of TAKE TWO, a romantic comedy using marriage as a metaphor for being born-again. Brightline recently received development funds for TAKE TWO and is scheduling production for late fall 2008 in Valdosta, Georgia, as additional investment funds are raised.

"Our goal is to prepare a new generation of Christian filmmakers who will one day make big-budget films," explains Escobar, an ex-Discovery executive and American Film Institute producing fellow. "By launching filmmakers, such as Manny, to establish their own production companies we can attract more talent, draw investors, and retain distribution channels as we expand our production capacities and increase production quality."

Distinct in the Christian filmmaking community, AFG is helping several film groups across the country make their own feature-length movies using AFG's "coopetition" filmmaking model. "This new model of production cooperation coupled with friendly competition fosters apprenticeships across all disciplines of filmmaking, including business, finance, legal, production, marketing and distribution. It enables professionals to effectively mentor highly-motivated students because both are committed to becoming "superbly qualified" Christian filmmakers," said Edwards.

"Two recent major studio Christian-themed movies, AMAZING GRACE and the NARNIA series, were directed by secular directors," adds Escobar. "We're working to get Christians qualified to direct these movies."

Edwards, who is a born-again Christian and homeschooling dad, launched Brightline Pictures following the footsteps of AFG to help change culture and filmmaking in Hollywood. Edwards explains: "The timing is right as new digital technologies and internet marketing are giving Christian filmmakers the resources to challenge an industry dominated by multimillion-dollar budgets. The most successful example is FACING THE GIANTS (FTG). The film earned $10 million in theaters and sold over 1.5 million DVDs, all with just a $100,000 filming budget."

Escobar remarks, "Homeschoolers worked in FTG and our upcoming movie, COME WHAT MAY. Homeschoolers have a measurable track record of success, the biggest of which is turning the public education monopoly upside down. We will now do the same in cinema."

About AFG and Brightline Pictures

Advent Film Group and Brightline Pictures were founded by Christian filmmakers to shape our culture for Christ through media. See the trailer for "Come What May" at www.adventfilmgroup.com.