Film exec, producer and financier Mike Ilitch Jr. has pacted with Damascus Road Productions, led by Ryan and Heather O’Quinn for a slate of multiple upcoming films to be announced in the coming weeks. With Ilitch as executive producer, the O’Quinn’s company produced the upcoming “Paul’s Promise,” a biopic about former racist firefighter-turned-pastor Paul Holderfield at the height of the Civil Rights movement. Nick Logan also serves as executive producer.

The team, along with actor-director Dean Cain, recently wrapped production on “Little Angels,” about a 12-year-old girls’ soccer team.

“Inspiring audiences through entertainment has always been a goal for our companies,” said Ilitch. “The films on our slate have a broad budget range and extensive genres.”

L.A.-based Damascus Road focuses on family and faith-based entertainment across all platforms. Its global distribution arm, Integrity Releasing, allows independent filmmakers access to theatrical and home entertainment distribution.

EXCLUSIVE: Dean Cain has reteamed with Damascus Road Productions to develop In God’s Time, a biopic based on Robert Fraley’s book Blessings of Obedience.
The film written and produced by Cain will tell the true story of Bob and Barbara Fraley, who adopted six children following the tragic car accident of a family friend. Rather than split up the family unit, the Fraleys petitioned the state courts to keep all six siblings together and join with their existing family of five, as all 11 traveled across the country to start a new life together.
Pic marks the third collaboration between Cain and producers Ryan and Heather O’Quinn of Damascus Road. They most recently wrapped production on Cain’s feature directorial debut, the family comedy Little Angels, which he also penned.

​Cain is repped by Buchwald, Vault Entertainment and Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy & Carlo. Ryan O’Quinn is repped by Buchwald and Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo.
Robert Whitmore negotiated the deal with Cain on behalf of Damascus.

EXCLUSIVE: Dean Cain (Supergirl, Lady Dynamite) is directing and starring in Little Angels, a family sports comedy that he also wrote. Helena Mattsson (American Horror Story), Carla Jimenez (The Mick), Torrance Coombs (The Originals), Juliet Donenfeld (The Big Show Show), Alex Jayne Go (Searching) and Ryan O’Quinn (Misperception, Church People) have signed on to star opposite Cain in his debut directorial effort, which is currently in production in Los Angeles.

Little Angels revolves around Jake Rogers (Cain), a Division I college football coach at the top of his game who uses a female placekicker as a publicity stunt. When the player misses a field goal, the coach makes an offhand comment in the media about female athletes and is immediately suspended by the university. In an effort to get his job back, Rogers must coach a 12-year-old girls soccer team for the remainder of the season.

The pic’s producers are Ryan O’Quinn and Heather O’Quinn at Damascus Road Productions. Mike Ilitch Jr. is on board as exec producer.

Cain previously directed 2012 short The Red Pill. His most recent films, as an actor, include Just Another Dream, The Story of Mother’s Day, The Man Who Went to Heaven, Break Every Chain, Override, Trafficked and Don’t Give Up. On the TV side, he has appeared in The Platform, Hit the Floor, Supergirl, Lady Dynamite and more.
​
Cain, Mattsson and Donenfeld are represented by Vault Entertainment. Cain, Jimenez and O’Quinn are repped by Buchwald. Donenfeld is additionally repped by A3 Artists agency; Mattsson is additionally repped by Link Entertainment and Innovative Artists. Go is repped by Coast to Coast Talent Group and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

By Jim Shiley

Filmed at locations around Sierra County this past fall, Paul’s Promise is in post-production now. While we wait for the full movie release, the official nationwide release of the movie trailer will be on CBS Primetime, January 31, during the NCAA Hula Bowl. With local community members filling many parts in the movie, this one will be a “must see,” when it is released. Until then, take a look at the early release trailer on the link below, or check out their newly established, official website for the movie at www.paulspromise.com.
Watch for more details for when and where the full movie will be released. 

Last week, Little Falls hosted two Hollywood movie producers who were looking for locations to shoot anywhere from three to five family-friendly films.

Jay Stern, President of Boone Entertainment, and formerly with Route One Films, Rat Entertainment, New Line Cinema, and The Walt Disney Company, and Ted Farnsworth, CEO of Fortress Entertainment Group, and former CEO of MoviePass, spent last Thursday scouting locations in the City.

Dave Casullo brought the pair to Little Falls, hoping that they would find the kind of environment that would bring them back. Farnsworth is his cousin and is from Little Falls, growing up at Caroga Lake during his youth.

Farnsworth has entered into a three-picture deal with Damascus Road Productions, underscoring different aspects of World War II with an emphasis on the Holocaust, a subject near and dear to his heart.

The three movies will focus on courage and resilience with stories portraying the triumph of the human spirit.

The first movie, Resolve, is an action/adventure, telling the true story of Clay Conner, Jr., leader of a band of soldiers in the Philippines, who steered clear of Japanese capture and the horrific Bataan Death March. He formed a guerilla fighting unit composed of G.I.’s, Filipinos, and dangerous indigenous natives. Eluding capture for 34 months in the jungle, Conner and his ragtag crew fought mightily, playing a pivotal role in the Japanese surrender.

When Farnsworth was looking at some of the old buildings in Little Falls, he remarked, “these buildings really play well for us, where they look like they were from Germany in the 1940s.”
According to Farnsworth, they’ve done a lot of scouting in Syracuse, Utica, and now Little Falls. “There are a lot of buildings here where you can really see the visuals.”

Principal photography on Resolve is to begin after the COVID-related bans are lifted, potentially as early as August, with simultaneous production in Upstate New York as well as Los Angeles and Manila in the Philippines.

Farnsworth said, “It’s a pretty large budget for the three films, coming in at between fifteen and twenty million each. We’ll do a theatrical release, and Sony Pictures is our partner on this for distribution. It’s exciting.”

In the last couple of years, Farnsworth has done seven or eight movies with Sylvester Stalone, Bruce Willis, Al Pacino, and others. “This is the first time that I’m actually producing myself, so I’m bringing in other producers to help.”
 
Jay Stern has credit like The Rush Hour Trilogy, Mother’s Day, Horrible Bosses, Equals and Say My Name, under his belt.

He said, “I’m working with a company called Damascus Road, which is just a superb group of people that make family movies with positive messages. Ryan O’Quinn is the CEO and Heather O’Quinn is one of the main executives, along with Bob Whitmore, head of finances.”
Ryan O’Quinn is well known to the faith-based audience as the star and executive producer of the 2016 movie, Believe, distributed by Sony Pictures and Freestyle.

“It’s three great people and a number of support people. We’re trying to make a slate of movies that will appeal to the entire family that have very good positive messages, that will appeal to anyone from 5 to 100.”

Stern said, “what we look for, and what I’m really impressed by in Little Falls, is the variety, so that we can shoot the entire thing in one location basically.”
Photo by Dave Warner – Jay Stern peers out of the fourth-floor window of Stone Mill at the Mohawk River below.

“It looks like to me (in Little Falls) that there are a lot of beautiful old buildings and a lot of different sorts of beautiful scenery. So anything that’s suburban in nature, we can probably shoot here. Something that’s rural we can shoot here, something that needs old historical buildings, we can shoot here as well.”

Also working with the team is Jackelyn Viera Iloff, founder of Starlighter Films and Entertainment. Said Jackelyn Viera Iloff, “I am so thrilled to be working with this incredible team of film professionals. As a producer, my mission is to share hope, faith, and inspiration through the storytelling of the human condition. I can’t think of a better time to be out there sharing compelling stories in a world so uncertain and in such turmoil.”

Stern said that Little Falls is ideal for any number of movies that they plan on making over the next several years.

Mayor Mark Blask said, “Little Falls is a cinematographer’s dream. We’re excited about the interest that they’ve shown in our community. And like the production crew from the movie ‘A Quiet Place,’ discovered, we’re the perfect location for producers and directors to create Hollywood level feature films.”

At the end of the day, Farnsworth will be the Executive Producer and producer of all three of the first films.

Fortress Entertainment Group and Damascus Road Productions Join Forces to Produce Wholesome Entertainment

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Financier Ted Farnsworth announced today that his company, Fortress Entertainment Group, Inc., has entered into a three-picture deal with Damascus Road Productions underscoring different aspects of World War II with emphasis on the Holocaust, a subject near and dear to Farnsworth's heart.

​The first movie, Resolve, is a $16 million-budget action/adventure, telling the true story of Clay Conner, Jr., leader of a band of soldiers in the Philippines, who steered clear of Japanese capture and the horrific Bataan Death March forming a guerilla fighting unit composed of G.I.'s, Filipinos and dangerous indigenous natives. Eluding capture for 34 months in the jungle, Conner and his ragtag crew fought mightily, playing a pivotal role in the Japanese surrender.

The movies will focus on courage and resilience with Holocaust connected stories portraying the triumph of the human spirit.

Principal photography on Resolve is to begin after the COVID-related bans are lifted, potentially as early as July or August, with simultaneous production in Syracuse, New York as well as Los Angeles and Manila in the Philippines.

Film distribution will be through Smith Global Media as well as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for output deals including theatrical releasing, VOD, DVDs, SVOD, Cable TV and Digital.

Ted Farnsworth said, "We are looking forward to our association with Damascus Road Productions. We believe that their background in the faith-based movie sector is the perfect fit and we look forward to a long- term relationship and many more movie projects".
Ryan O'Quinn is well known to the faith-based audience as the star and executive producer of the 2016 movie, Believe, distributed by Sony Pictures and Freestyle. He is the founder and president of Damascus Road Productions headquartered in Westlake Village, California.

Ryan O'Quinn said, "Regardless of what happens within the 30-mile radius of where we're situated in the heart of Hollywood, our goal is to bring wholesome, high-quality projects to the big and small screen that appeal to a broad audience and present a positive world view."

Also working with the team are Jackelyn Viera Iloff , founder of Starlighter Films and Entertainment. Said Jackelyn Viera Iloff, "I am so thrilled to be working with this incredible team of film professionals. As a producer, my mission is to share hope, faith and inspiration through the storytelling of the human condition. I can't think of a better time to be out there sharing compelling stories in a world so uncertain and in such turmoil."  

​Contact: info@fortresseg.com 786.385.0532

Actors Ryan O'Quinn and Cory Oliver have finalized season one of a new talk show series dedicated to interviewing celebrities and others who live in and near the Conejo Valley and coastal cities of Westlake Village, Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Thousand Oaks. 

Some guests in season one include Mariel Hemingway, Michael Berger and Rene Echevarria. 

Segments include an interview portion, cooking tips, DIY suggestions, home improvement and makeup tutorials. 

Distribution terms were not disclosed and will be forthcoming.