I told you all about a movie called “Sound of Freedom” on Wednesday. It was released on Tuesday by a small outfit called Angel Studios and made $14 million.
Two more days at the box office have brought the total up to $22 million. That’s three days of audiences.
But there should be an asteris, next to these numbers. For all other movies, individuals pay for their own tickets (or their companions).
In the case of this movie, the Sound of Freedom just should be called the Sound of Free. That’s right. According to the Angel Studios website, free tickets are available in parts of the country that are considered “Christian friendly.” In other areas, there are deep discounts for groups — like church groups — which account for the bulk of the sales.
Let me explain: when I went to the website and plugged in a zip code for Fairfield county, Connecticut, I was given the opportunity to buy group sales only. For example, the website instructs, you can buy 100 tickets for the price of 50.
But when I plugged in a Chicago suburb, I was able to get in line for a free ticket if I promised to use it. (LOL.) I was number 6,678 in line for a gratis ducat. If my showing wasn’t available, I’d be allowed to choose another.
All this is being funded by a program they call “Pay it Forward.” You can register and donate funds — as much as you like– so that those 6,678 can see the movie for free. Someone, after all, has to pay for it.
On the website, Angel Studios is also running their own kind of Go Fund Me pages — opportunities to “invest” in coming Christian films.
The website is clever in that it reads like a cult doctrine, creating a community. Their vague offer:” We’re building a home for stories that amplify light (or, as we call it, our North Star).”
If buy the idea, welcome
Meantime, box office aggregators like boxofficemojo and thenumbers.com should really set aside the totals for “Sound of Freedom.”
