If you want to see biblical stories told with exceptional quality on par with Disney or Pixar productions, then DAVID is for you! The biblical story of David is one of the most loved in history. DAVID’s creators are bringing this story to the screen with the moving authenticity of Prince of Egypt paired with the modern animation and musical fun of Moana or Tangled. Our vision is a movie that delights and entertains a wide global audience, while delivering a powerful spiritual impact and providing a glimpse of God’s heart.
“I have found David son of Jesse —a man after my own heart.” (Acts 13:22)
THE ULTIMATE UNDERDOG STORY
David is one of the most inspiring characters in human history. As a boy, he fought Goliath because no one else dared, and a few years later in life, his courage and faith inspired a generation of giant slayers. His greatest achievement was not defeating a giant, but inspiring a nation to BELIEVE! Warrior, poet, shepherd, and king, David’s life is one of incredible color and energy.
This project is about more than a shepherd boy who took on a giant. David’s story is among the most compelling in history. It points to God and challenges the image of an austere, unapproachable, and distant deity. DAVID portrays the possibility of a living, breathing, and transformative relationship with God.
THE MOVIE
Our Giant
Completing a major global theatrical release can feel insurmountable, but we face this giant with confidence that we “can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13).
Large Studios have historically dominated the cinema industry, and it’s very difficult for small studios to have successful releases in the theatrical space. However, we are right in the middle of one of the greatest disruptions the world has seen in terms of how films are distributed and consumed, and we feel there is an opportunity to achieve unprecedented distribution for an independent film, by firstly creating a movie of incredible quality, and secondly through a distribution strategy that is innovative and harnesses the incredible power of community. We believe that DAVID fills a hole in the industry; with drama, adventure, and courage to captivate beyond most faith-based films.
OUR VISION
We believe DAVID will become the most-viewed animated film of all time– an epic biblical story to delight the faith audience while also drawing a broader mainstream audience.
DAVID is the largest audience funded entertainment project EVER!! The funding success of DAVID is a perfect example of our distributor, Angel Studios’ approach in allowing the audience to support exactly what they want to see. Our intention for DAVID is a global cinema release that builds on the extraordinary community we have built during crowdfunding, becomes a timeless favorite for the global faith community, and draws a major mainstream audience, who would not normally interact with biblical stories or messages.
In partnership with Angel Studios, and as an expression of faith, we set the goal of making DAVID the most-watched theatrically released animated film of all time. This is not a goal driven by ego, but rather by a stretch of vision. We know that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).
*Please note, there is no guarantee of any return. The success of other projects does not guarantee the success of this project
OUR DISTRIBUTOR: ANGEL STUDIOS
Angel Studios is a proven innovator in community-driven entertainment distribution, and we will add these principles to the best practices of a traditional cinema release. Angel Studios’ phenomenal series The Chosen, has demonstrated that when faith-based projects are done right, they can reach millions of people. In 2021 alone, The Chosen earned more than $63 million in revenue.*
*Please note, there is no guarantee of any return. The success of other projects does not guarantee the success of this project
Part of our strategy to make DAVID the most-watched animated movie of all time is to adapt Angel’s pay-it-forward principle to the cinema industry and invite ticket purchasers to pay for additional tickets, to be distributed within communities who may not be able to afford to go to the cinema. A person’s first-ever cinema experience is incredibly powerful and memorable, and we love the idea of DAVID being the unforgettable first cinema experience for millions of people worldwide!
OUR DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
Slingshot USA, LLC’s distribution agreement with Angel Studios provides for a marketing budget of up to 50% of our production expenditure, which is a healthy budget for an independent film. However, compared with the marketing spend of major studios like Disney or Dreamworks, the success of DAVID relies on a “slingshot” strategy, and Angel Studios’ proven ability to innovate is key.
Distribution of DAVID will build on five strategic “pebbles” to take on the giant of major studio domination of the film distribution industry:
- Building a community. From funding through production, Angel Studios has built a “crowd” of investors and followers behind media projects. Once funding of DAVID is complete, roughly two years of production will continue before release. Together with Angel Studios, we will use this period to engage with and continue to build our DAVID community.
- Engaging the Faith community. Our initial “crowd” behind DAVID will be a small subset of nearly 2.5 billion Christians worldwide, representing a massive global audience of families who already know and love this biblical story. While we are making DAVID for a diverse, global audience, we recognize that the Faith community is very likely where our “snowball” will start. Making a movie that authentically honors the biblical text is our passion and priority, and we believe that the Faith community will be delighted by the quality, entertainment, and spiritual depth of DAVID.
- Global Theatrical Release Strategy. With Angel Studios as our distributors, we plan an innovative US theatrical release leveraging the momentum generated in the “crowd” and Faith communities described above. Internationally, our strategy is for Angel to appoint and manage distributors for each regional/national territory to achieve the best global audience possible.
- Pay-It-Forward Cinema. Angel Studios has pioneered a pay-it-forward model with The Chosen, which has been an absolute phenomenon. We love the heart behind this model – giving away world-class, Christian content and inviting the community to give as well. This generous model has proven disruptive and successful commercially. The Chosen generated $63 million in 2021.*
- A Truly Special Film. In an age where media content abounds and attention is competitive, the first requirement of a distribution strategy is to rise above the noise. After that, our single biggest success factor will be the quality of DAVID. We embrace the challenge to create a film that you can’t stop talking about so that every person who watches becomes part of our marketing movement.
*Slingshot USA, LLC managers determine profit distribution at their sole discretion. And once again please note, there is no guarantee of any return. The success of other projects does not guarantee the success of this project.
OUR WORLD-CLASS, WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION TEAM
DAVID attracts a team of talented and experienced artists, animators, filmmakers, and music professionals from across the world (at least 14 countries). Our crew includes senior contributors who have worked on some of the most iconic and successful movies of the last two decades, including Finding Nemo, Moana, Tangled, Big Hero 6, and Soul.
