Community leaders and professional performers are again teaming up to sing for some of the Conejo Valley’s hardest-working nonprofits.
This year, more than 20 brave souls will grace the stage Sun., Aug. 11 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills for the second annual Charity Karaoke: Sing for a Cause  fundraiser hosted by the Conejo Senior Volunteer Program.

Ryan O'Quinn will emcee the event. The actor/producer/comedian is a Calabasas resident and is also president of Damascus Road Productions in Westlake Village.

The brainchild of CSVP volunteer Laura Conway, the event pairs nonprofits with singers who compete to see who can raise the most money and who can win the most votes for best performance.

In Charity Karaoke, participating organizations choose singers as well as collect donations. Their organization keeps 80% of what they bring in and the remainder goes to CSVP. The organization collecting the most money receives a cash prize, awarded the night of the event. 

Singers also compete for best performance based on audience voting. Both in-person audience members and those watching via online streaming will be able to vote via text. 

Thousand Oaks native Carly Bracco, who played the role of Elsa for “Frozen Live” at Disney, will perform in Charity Karaoke for Conejo Community Outreach. Bracco also performed in 5-Star Theatrical’s “Peter Pan” in 2017

“American Idol” finalist David Hernandez, will also sing on behalf of Paw Works. In all, at least twenty local singers will represent the 20 charities. 

Doors open at 5 p.m. at The Canyon.
Tickets run from $20 to $40 each and residents are encouraged to visit The Canyon box office, 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills or purchased online through ticketmaster.com

More info can be found at CharityKaraoke.org

Ryan O’Quinn has accepted a leading role in an upcoming feature based on a best-selling children’s novel from scribe Bill Myers. O’Quinn will team with director Billy Dickson for the second time in three years. The duo last worked together on the award-winning “BELIEVE” from Smith Global Media / Sony Pictures.

Story revolves around a team of malevolent clowns, led by O’Quinn, who seek to take over the world by zapping unsuspecting victims with a laughing gun and ultimately face-off with a trio of elementary school kids. Myers, a winner of the C.S. Lewis Honor Award, is a celebrated author and filmmaker and has sold more than 8 million books.

Taylor Cole is producing and has also partnered with O’Quinn on two features. Derrick Warfel, Paul Arroyo and Peggy Medberry will exec produce.

Ryan O’Quinn is repped by Buchwald.

Ryan O'Quinn's Damascus Road Productions will begin principal photography on the feature film "Motorvation" this month.  The film stars Australian-born actor Angus Benfield who plays "Fatty" Melvin, a small-town motivational speaker who is stumbling through life until he has a revelation that happiness can exist with who we are right now. 

The project is a collaboration with Damascus Road, Ignite Pictures and Thriller Films and is being produced by Taylor Cole. 

O'Quinn will play Frank Peters, the CFO of Octocircle, a multibillion dollar corporation with mal-intent in Fatty's business

Film also stars Judy Norton (Stargate-SG1, The Waltons), Christopher Wiehl (CSI), Cory Oliver (God's Not Dead, BASEketball) and is directed by Josh Hodgins. O'Quinn is repped by Buchwald Talent. Benfield is repped by Baron Entertainment.

​More info on the film's star and story can be found in this month's issue of Westlake Magazine. 

November 01, 2018
By Dawn Megli-Thuna
dawn@theacorn.com

Just ask the Apostle Paul. The road to Damascus is more than a route to Syria.
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Damascus Road Productions, named after the location of Paul’s conversion to the Christian faith, is a Westlake Village-based film production studio that produces inspirational and family-friendly entertainment alongside more secular selections.

Their latest faith-based project, a film called “Motorvation” based on themes from the Book of Ecclesiastes, is slated to film at locations in and around the Conejo Valley this December. The film tells the story of a man who inherits a motivational speaking company after his brother dies and sees that his brother’s prosperity never brought him happiness.

Actor Angus Benfield was cast in the lead role in the film, which is scheduled to shoot over four weeks in December and January at locations in Thousand Oaks, Agoura and Fillmore.
The 46-year-old father of one said the theme of the movie is about finding joy and meaning in what really matters rather than material success.

“It’s about learning to live life now and not ‘when,’ which is when I lose weight or when I get a different job. The world is designed is to keep us chasing after all that stuff. The idea is to challenge our preconceived ideas about what life is really about.”

Benfield has been involved in the entertainment industry since he was a teen. His most recent project to be released is “Trust,” a film based on the life of Job.

The Australian native moved with his wife and kids to the Conejo Valley last year and Benfield said the move put him in proximity to other Christian actors and producers.

Ryan O’Quinn is the president of Damascus Road Productions. Two years ago, O’Quinn, who is a film and television actor who has appeared in shows such as “Beverly Hills, 90210” and movies like “Starship Troopers,” got tired of commuting between the Conejo Valley and Sony Studios in Los Angeles.

So he set up shop in an office that occupies the former home of DTS Sound on Via Colinas.
He said the production studio does both secular and faith-based media, working on everything from horror movies to inspirational family films.

Far from being a creative backwater, O’Quinn said, the Conejo Valley has a robust Christian filmmaking community that supplies talent to nearby companies including PureFlix, a Christian film production and distribution firm with offices in Calabasas known for films like “God’s Not Dead” and “The Case for Christ.”

He said local writers, actors and producers are putting out “good clean content” that’s inspirational to help people refocus on what’s important. He said uplifting media is needed now more than ever.

“I dread turning on the television, especially in the last week,” he said.
The 46-year-old father of three said many Christian filmmakers also congregate around the Westlake Village-based Christian Entertainment Guild. The organization’s website says Christians in entertainment have the opportunity to use their gifts and talents to be part of “portraying the true nature of Christ to the world.”

That’s a role actress Cammy Brickell takes seriously. The Agoura Hills mother of two was cast to play the female lead in “Motorvation.” Her character, Lisa, runs a weight-loss company based on being your personal best, at least according to external standards of beauty and success.

The 37-year-old said the movie highlights the fact that while people get caught up in trying to better their lives through a new car, a better house or a thinner body, true happiness comes from being present in the moment, showing kindness and loving people well.

Brickell also performs as a stand-up comedian and has done television and commercial work. She said that as a Christian, she has one foot in each world. “We need to be in both,” she said. “For me as a churchgoer and someone who believes in God, I love being with the church community to get spirit-filled and focused. I also love being in Hollywood and bringing a good message.”
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She said her biggest passion is to make people laugh and bring joy wherever she can.
“God is good,” she said. “All the time.”

Ryan O'Quinn, a Los Angeles-based actor and producer will be a premiere speaker at Expo Crsita in Sao Paolo Brazil. The annual event is Latin America's largest Christian conference. O'Quinn will address the crowd about the media's responsibility to proliferate positive messages. 

The event held at Anhembi Convention Center next week is the largest showcase of its kind, nationally and internationally with over 400,000 square meters of indoor space. The conference will bring together industry leaders, retailers, importers, class representatives, ecclesiastical and governmental authorities and other public figures all of which are fundamental to the demands, achievements and a benefit to the Christian consumer market.

Damascus Road Productions, the film and television production company founded by Ryan and Heather O'Quinn was featured in the 2018 Entertainment issue of Westlake Magazine this month. 

The article highlighted the company's Westlake Village studio that boasts a state-of-the-art screening room, music recording room, podcast studio and post-production office suites. The Calabasas couple opened the offices in late 2016 and aligned with Craig Shoemaker of Really Big Shoe Media and Dan and Sharon Amos of Ampleffied Music to create a one-stop resource for film and television production in the Conejo Valley. 

O'Quinn's Damascus Road Productions banner specializes in faith and family content and the brand seeks to rollout development and distribution services later this year. As an actor O'Quinn will next be seen in 2019's TICKET TO NASHVILLE and ROADKILL MCGILLICUTTY.

Ryan O'Quinn taped an interview on The Kira Soltanovich Show. The two comedians talked Jesus, Jews, Politics and Parenting! Stay tuned for the release of the show in the near future. 

Comedians Craig Shoemaker, Kira Soltanovich and Ryan O'Quinn performed at Don't Tell Comedy in Malibu, CA last night.

Don't Tell, an exciting new SECRET comedy show, is popping up at venues around the country and features today's top and upcoming comedians.  This new venture tells fans where to show up the day of a show and they turn up in uniques settings in the following cities:
Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, NYC, Orange County, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Portland.

Actor, Producer Ryan O'Quinn was a guest on Sports Talk Radio with host / NFL standout Roman Gabriel III. The pair discussed Ryan's past performances, his current film production company and the state of the entertainment industry. 

Rebroadcast from American Family Radio available at the link below.