We just got a couple of cases of DVD #3 in the office here in Wheaton, and they look great. They should be arriving at your local Christian bookstore any time now. If you can't find them there, you can order from our own website. DVD #3 finishes the Pentateuch, and ends with a big musical number with a whole mess o' puppets on a riverboat that summarizes the first five books of the Bible. It's a hoot. We also spend a lot of time explaining to kids exactly what the word "holy" means, and why it was so important to God that Israel practice all his laws for holiness. It's really interesting stuff, and I actually learned a lot myself doing the research!
In related news, Lisa and I are off to jolly old England on Monday to officially launch What's in the Bible in the UK! Neither of us have ever been (amazing considering all the British characters I've put into my films over the years), and we're really excited. I'll be speaking at the big UK childrens ministry conference next week, and our UK distributor Kingsway will be premiering the first DVD in an old, classic theater in downtown London on Wednesday. If you're in the UK, stop by and say "cheerio!" (My wife keeps saying, "Promise me you won't talk with a British accent the entire week." I'm going to try really hard, but I really love British accents.)
Fun stuff! DVD #4 is going into production as we speak – it takes us through Joshua, Judges and Ruth. ("What's with all the KILLING?!?" Fun!)
Onward and upward!
I was in England for 6 months when I was a kid, and found that even after that time I wasn’t able to accurately fake the accent– but I was close.
Your accent’s good, Phil, but I think that you’ll find that they’ll still be able to identify you as a Yank.
They may call fraud! Ah, you’re accents good ’nuff for all of us here in the U.S. of A. I wish I could go to England… I would totally visit J.R.R. Tolkien’s house or something neato like that.
Tell you what…when you premiere it in Japan, I’ll come with you and be your translator.
Haha! I can totally hear an Archibald voice going, “And now it’s time for What’s in the Bible with Buck Denver, the time when Buck Denver and friends talk about – what’s in the Bible!”
I think WITB would be a hit in Japan. They could definitely use something like that. And who wouldn’t love to hear, “Konichiwa! Watashiwa Book Dainvairu desu!” ? Sorry if I butchered that, Lydia 🙂
Cheers, Phil and fam! Have a safe trip and a jolly good time!
hopeanimation.comhopeanimation.comWow, brilliant! Where in the UK is the conference? We’ve just done a massive overhaul to our UK-based Christian animation site http://www.hopeanimation.com. Would be great to stop by and say hello at the conference if it’s not too far away from South-East England…
Sorry something wen’t wrong my my previous comment… for some reason it starts with “hopeanimation.lcomhopeanimation.com”. Feel free to edit this away – this wasn’t intended…
I’m soooo glad you’re explaining to kids what holiness means. I was a Believer for like 15 years before I found out what it meant. I still think most Christians today don’t know what it means.
This is awesome news Phil, I did get an invite to the DVD premiere but unfortunately I cannot make as I cant get the day off work 🙁
But if you happen to come 200 + miles from London to visit Plymouth or Cornwall, let me know.
Also which Children’s ministry conference are you going to? I haven’t heard there was one on.
I’m so excited that WITB #3 is out! It’s just in time for our first long family car trip. I think my 4 year old has WITB #1 and 2 almost memorized already, so it will be a great treat to have the new one for the road trip. (I guess that’s fitting, since “Michael” is on a road trip watching WITB too). Thanks, Phil, for all your hard work!! We love it! Have a great trip to London!
Richard – I guess Phil means the Christian Resources Exhibitgion which is happening in Esher this week. I’m going to the DVD launch tonight – should be great fun!
We’ve just been to the kingsway launch of “witb” and loved the first episodes and the vision of it. Hoping that parents and churches really get behind it and spread the word. Ta and cheerio Phil and everybody that made it possible and thanks God for giving the talent and heart for the project!
Ah yes thanks Mary, the resources exhibition totally slipped my mind, unfortunately can’t mind it there this year. Have a great time at the launch. Phil have a great time in the UK
youtube.comYou know, I’m not so sure using dragons as an example of exaggerated myths was a good example. The Bible also mentions dragons as real creatures. After doing much research, I am thoroughly convinced that dragons are real, and are now extinct or extremely rare. Here’s a video you can watch about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_uWw0k640Y
Just got Volume Three – our five-year-old is loving it! It’s pretty amazing to hear such a young boy talking about the Pentateuch (!). Just curious – any reason why your wife Lisa isn’t doing any of the voices in WITB? And how soon until They Might Be Giants come after you regarding the “Genesis” song? 😉
AUGH!
Okay, Phil: Listening to the Bentley Brothers twice in one DVD was hilarious. I can’t stop my 4-yr-old from spouting the definition of holiness, inevitably followed by “Sorry, potatoes”. Finishing the DVD with “Oh, look: A Riverboat!” was classic, and the outtakes with Michael being pegged by Goldfish were a scream. There are many redeeming points to WITB 3, but:
Your “new” stage manager has GOT to go. I’m begging here.
This may not be the most popular comment, but Marcy comes across as a hyperactive version of Elmo. I understand you need more than one female character on the show, but good grief! Listening to her talk is nails-on-a-chalkboard level of painful. I don’t usually concur with the opinion of a talking sock, but Captain Pete has it right: Why did he get pretty much cut, while your new stage manager (who contributes NOTHING to the show) vacuums up time into a “why did you inhale helium and talk” question of her existence? Love the show. Hope the UK is wonderful.
But CAN Marcy. No, not “can Marcy what?” Just please can her. Call it “creative differences” between your ex-stage manager and Reginald the Pirate Parrot over cannonized cookies or something. Or at least relegate her to Dr. Schniffenhausen’s level of commentary on WITB 2.
…for those of you who’ve been paying attention, Dr. Schniffenhausen gets as many lines in WITB 2 as Captain Pete got in WITB 3.
I finally understand the Levites. Nice work, Phil.
It looks really great. I was wondering if you could expand it a little… Maybe come up with some software that would coordinate with each DVD to bring in a gameshow type atmosphere for Sunday School Groups… It looks hilarious… Maybe a coordinating bible for kids to reference. Has to coordinate pretty closely or it’s not useable on a wider scale.