HD Video Production & Post-Production

March 26^th, 2009
Immediate release

On Tuesday, Governor Bob Riley signed the state’s first bill creating rebate incentives for film and entertainment companies that produce projects in Alabama. Hollywood Producers and Alabama natives, Jonathan Barbee and Steven Gurley, were guests at the ceremony along with executives from the Alabama Film Offices. House Bill 69 will create up to 35% rebates to qualified companies hiring local talent and crew. Alabama State Representative Earl Hilliard Jr., who has a background in film production, played a big role in helping the bill pass through the House of Representatives.

“Our state was looking for new sources of revenue and this bill is what we have accomplished with huge bi-partisan support from everyone.” says Hilliard.

Barbee and Gurley are executives at Media Works Communications, a Birmingham based production company with locations in Nashville and Los Angeles.  They are credited with producing a reality series starring Tanya Tucker, Co-Executive Producers of “National Lampoon’s Cattle Call,” producers of “Operation Valkyrie: The Stauffenberg Plot to Kill Hitler,”* and a new series entitled “Blaze.” Barbee and Gurley have been promoting the film industry in Alabama for 10 years. Many of their projects originate in Alabama.

“We are excited to see this bill passed. There were many people from the film offices to legislators who worked continuously on this program. We were honored to play a role in this and we will continue to promote Alabama’s resources and locations to the film industry.” says Barbee, President of Media Works.

Media Works is working on several film and television projects this year. With one major motion picture in the works for production in the fall, Media Works may be the first company to utilize the rebate program and bring a major studio production to Alabama. They also plan on working with other companies looking to produce in Alabama.
 
“This film rebate program came at a great time.  There will be many jobs created by this bill and Media Works plans to be one of the first to utilize the program. Investors will also be happy because film and television projects are really the only medium returning a profit during this recession.” says Gurley, VP of Media Works.

For more information visit www.mwctv.com  or www.alabamafilm.org 
*According to www.imdb.com

Contact Cyrondys Jackson at 888-212-2750 or cjackson@mwctv.com

“The bid process was timely, but the producers ultimately chose Media Works Communications over the other companies because of our experience and locations. It was an amazing feeling to know that Alabama and Media Works were chosen over Hollywood and Oxford, England,” says producer Jonathan Barbee, President of Media Works.

“OPERATION VALKYRIE: THE STAUFFENBERG PLOT TO KILL HITLER” is the definitive film on Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and the Valkyrie conspiracy to assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944. Produced in collaboration with Forschungsgemeinschaft 20 Juli 1944, the official German foundation dedicated to the memory of the conspirators, the film features testimonials and eyewitness accounts from all leading aristocratic families involved in the plot. Additionally, the film features the last living conspirator who escaped Hitler’s wrath, Philipp Baron von Boeselager, the man who procured the explosives by which von Stauffenberg intended use to assassinate Hitler.

"This is a very important film which will reveal, perhaps for the first time, the depth of resistance against Hitler among high levels of the German Wehrmacht," said Director Jean-Pierre Isbouts, who holds a doctorate in history and teaches at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara. "For this film, we have interviewed scores of relatives of resistance fighters, most of whom were put to death in the most brutal fashion after the failed July 20 attempt."

The feature-length film will also include a painstakingly researched reconstruction of the assassination attempt at Hitler's Wolf's Lair, featuring a cast and crew from Birmingham, Alabama. Isbouts is excited about the prospect.

"I have filmed all through the Middle East, Europe, as well as California, but this is our first time in the state of Alabama. We chose it because Media Works identified cabins and wooden buildings in the immediate vicinity of Birmingham which resemble the barracks of Wolf's Lair to an almost astonishing degree,” he said.

“OPERATION VALKYRIE: THE STAUFFENBERG PLOT TO KILL HITLER” is scheduled to premiere in early August and to enter distribution by Koch Entertainment in September, 2008. 

The re-enactment scenes will require a multitude of actors, including those that resemble Hitler and the officers involved in the assassination attempt, as well as various extras and crew members. All scenes will include German soldiers, armament, period vehicles and uniforms. Media Works will hold a casting call at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, at The University of Montevallo. No phone calls please. For press inquiries, please contact Lindsey Carmichael via telephone (888-212-2750) or email (Lindsey@mwctv.com) or visit www.mwctv.com.

The tour promotes “Good Health”, “Good Music”, and “Good Life.” Promoting health includes personal hygiene, proper nutrition, disease prevention, and living a balanced life between work-play-rest or school. The “Good Music” consists of music that endorses a positive message through lyrics that encourage non-violence, goal setting, achieving success, and overcoming obstacles in life. “Good Life” is the direct result of a life-style motivated by diligently and consistently making conscious decisions in pursuit of a positive outcome.

“Anytime we get an opportunity to motivate and encourage students in the positive aspects of hard work and perseverance, we feel it’s an obligation to do so.  We feel that the “Live Good Tour” is in line with the theme of our program of making good life choices and remaining drug free.” says Jerry Morris, the Business Community Manager of the Montgomery Job Corp.

“Music is a powerful medium.  It influences the way our students think about and respond to real life situations.  Promoting good music will instill principles that encourage good behavior and a healthy lifestyle within our students.” says Mr. Antonio Williams, Academic Administrator – Patterson Elementary School.

Camera crews from Media Works Communications are producing a documentary about “The Live Good Tour” and will be following the tour to schools across the country.

“We are pleased to sponsor this tour and help bring a positive message to students and young adults. Big Gen & Snipe bring a new style to hip-hop. Their music is creative and energetic, all without trashy lyrics or bad language. This is the way music should be. We hope that this documentary will bring a positive message to people all over the world.” says Jonathan Barbee, President of Media Works Communications.

For more information please visit:
 www.mwctv.com,  www.syfrecords.com ,  or  www.myspace.com/biggensnipe

Press Contact: Steven Gurley (205) 585-8822

Visit our blog for more information and video clips!  www.mwctv.com/blog

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