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Post by Dianne on Dec 15, 2009 4:41:57 GMT -5
Samuel Childers is a minister, a soldier and loves to ride his Harley-Davidson — an unusual combination to say the least.
Now a movie is being made about his life.
Childers lives in Stonycreek Township where his ministry has built a sanctuary, the Shekinah Fellowship Church. But his work doesn’t end in Somerset County. He has written a book called “Another Man’s War: The True Story of One Man’s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan,” published by Thomas Nelson.
Since the book was published, a screenplay has been written about his life. And it will soon be made into a major motion picture. Details are scarce; however, actor Gerard Butler recently visited Childers at his church in Central City. Butler may play the “Machine Gun Preacher” in the movie. Screenwriter Jason Keller wrote the screenplay about Childers, who got his unique moniker from his aggressive style of saving African children from warlords.
“Keller is one of the best screenwriters in the world,” Childers said. “God didn’t give me just one of the best, but all of the people involved with the movie are in the top 10.”
Talent includes Marc Forster, the director who made the latest 007 movie, “Quantum of Solace.” Forster was also recently in Somerset County to learn more about Childers’ life. And there is a lot to learn.
Childers said that his life started out in a typical manner. He had an ordinary childhood with a “good Christian upbringing,” even though his father, an iron worker, had to move the family from state to state whenever he was laid off.
“My father never believed in unemployment,” Childers said. “He felt it was welfare. So our family moved a lot.”
He attended school at Shanksville, moved to Minnesota and ended up in Florida, where he became involved with drinking and drugs.
“I knew at a young age right from wrong, but that didn’t stop me,” he said. “I did not gradate from any high school. I’m a miracle from God. I don’t have a high school diploma, yet I taught in colleges. I recently returned from Australia where I spoke in 27 high schools.”
It was in Florida, the same state where he became a drug addict, that he found God.
“One day I just woke up and knew the drugs were going to kill me,” Childers said.
In 1986 Childers and his wife, Lynn, moved back to Pennsylvania where he started a construction business. They returned to Florida during the down months.
“I worked doing roofing and building and my business took off,” he said. “It was in 1992 I turned my life completely over to God.”
He became a preacher, starting his first church in Clear Spring, Md., in 1995.
“After leaving the church, God called me to be an evangelist, which I did, at first speaking to 20 to 30 people at a time. Now I speak on average to 3,000 to 6,000 people at a time,” he said.
Childers said it was on his first mission trip in 1998 to Sudan, Africa, that he received his true calling: to save children from the Lord’s Resistance Army.
“I saw what happened to a small child who had stepped on a land mine and I knew I had to do something,” he said.
That’s when he began his mission work in Africa, taking money, food and clothing to the refuges. Childers started an orphanage for displaced children along with one of the larger churches in the area.
“I also do personal security there, so that is where I met many stars from Hollywood and worked with programs such as ‘Dateline’ and ‘National Geographic,’” he said.
His ministry work grew and he knew it was time to write a book about his life.
Childers said filmmakers hope to shoot the movie in Somerset County, but that will depend on if money is available from the state.
“They give tax breaks in the state to film here, but they only have so much tax dollars per year. If they don’t shoot here, the actors will be coming back and forth for the next six months to spend time with me to catch the character in order to play the part,” he said. “They should start filming in May.”
The movie is tentatively called “The Machine Gun Preacher.”
“This is really going fast. People who live in small towns think things like this do not happen,” Childers said. “I wrote the book in March and one year later look what is happening.”
Childers’ work has not stopped because of the movie deal. He said he has written a second book, which will be published after the movie. He plans to return to his work in Africa the day after Christmas.
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Post by dawne27 on Dec 15, 2009 9:53:54 GMT -5
Gerard Butler Dot Net just posted this on twitter:
"Minister’s life to become movie.By SANDY WOJCIK.Daily American Correspondent The Rev. Sam Childers (Submitted photo) Samuel Childers is a minister, a soldier and loves to ride his Harley-Davidson — an unusual combination to say the least. Now a movie is being made about his life. Childers lives in Stonycreek Township where his ministry has built a sanctuary, the Shekinah Fellowship Church. But his work doesn’t end in Somerset County. He has written a book called “Another Man’s War: The True Story of One Man’s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan,” published by Thomas Nelson. Since the book was published, a screenplay has been written about his life. And it will soon be made into a major motion picture. Details are scarce; however, actor Gerard Butler recently visited Childers at his church in Central City. Butler may play the “Machine Gun Preacher” in the movie. Screenwriter Jason Keller wrote the screenplay about Childers, who got his unique moniker from his aggressive style of saving African children from warlords. “Keller is one of the best screenwriters in the world,” Childers said. “God didn’t give me just one of the best, but all of the people involved with the movie are in the top 10.” Talent includes Marc Forster, the director who made the latest 007 movie, “Quantum of Solace.” Forster was also recently in Somerset County to learn more about Childers’ life. And there is a lot to learn. Childers said that his life started out in a typical manner. He had an ordinary childhood with a “good Christian upbringing,” even though his father, an iron worker, had to move the family from state to state whenever he was laid off. “My father never believed in unemployment,” Childers said. “He felt it was welfare. So our family moved a lot.” He attended school at Shanksville, moved to Minnesota and ended up in Florida, where he became involved with drinking and drugs. “I knew at a young age right from wrong, but that didn’t stop me,” he said. “I did not gradate from any high school. I’m a miracle from God. I don’t have a high school diploma, yet I taught in colleges. I recently returned from Australia where I spoke in 27 high schools.”It was in Florida, the same state where he became a drug addict, that he found God. “One day I just woke up and knew the drugs were going to kill me,” Childers said. In 1986 Childers and his wife, Lynn, moved back to Pennsylvania where he started a construction business. They returned to Florida during the down months. “I worked doing roofing and building and my business took off,” he said. “It was in 1992 I turned my life completely over to God.” He became a preacher, starting his first church in Clear Spring, Md., in 1995. “After leaving the church, God called me to be an evangelist, which I did, at first speaking to 20 to 30 people at a time. Now I speak on average to 3,000 to 6,000 people at a time,” he said. Childers said it was on his first mission trip in 1998 to Sudan, Africa, that he received his true calling: to save children from the Lord’s Resistance Army. “I saw what happened to a small child who had stepped on a land mine and I knew I had to do something,” he said. That’s when he began his mission work in Africa, taking money, food and clothing to the refuges. Childers started an orphanage for displaced children along with one of the larger churches in the area. “I also do personal security there, so that is where I met many stars from Hollywood and worked with programs such as ‘Dateline’ and ‘National Geographic,’” he said. His ministry work grew and he knew it was time to write a book about his life. Childers said filmmakers hope to shoot the movie in Somerset County, but that will depend on if money is available from the state. “They give tax breaks in the state to film here, but they only have so much tax dollars per year. If they don’t shoot here, the actors will be coming back and forth for the next six months to spend time with me to catch the character in order to play the part,” he said. “They should start filming in May.” The movie is tentatively called “The Machine Gun Preacher.” “This is really going fast. People who live in small towns think things like this do not happen,” Childers said. “I wrote the book in March and one year later look what is happening.” Childers’ work has not stopped because of the movie deal. He said he has written a second book, which will be published after the movie. He plans to return to his work in Africa the day after Christmas. "
there are tons of projects for gerry to choose from. this sounds equally interesting. personally, my heart is toward the 'lost boys & lost girls of the sudan'. i befriended a patient who was one of them. in spite of his horrific God awful life experiences...this tall, skinny, dark man was so filled with light...an indomitable spirit...never quenched...this preacher man done good! these poor children NEED to be saved....
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Post by sophiero on Dec 16, 2009 17:36:26 GMT -5
I saw an article about this when I was away- and Gerry sort of mentioned this in his Dubai interview, saying he couldn’t talk about this yet- I so hope this happens! Childers sounds like a fascinating guy and the story is so relevant. Perfect for Gerry to sink his teeth into.
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Post by sophiero on Jan 16, 2010 22:53:48 GMT -5
www.deadline.com/hollywood/While some actors would capitalize on a box office hit like Law Abiding Citizenby seeking the biggest payday in the marketplace, Gerard Butler is going a different way. He has teamed with director Marc Forster to tell the story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children iwho've been kidnapped and pressed into duty as soldiers. Butler wants to play Childers inMachine Gun Preacher, which Forster will direct from a script he developed with screenwriter Jason Keller. After watching an NBC Dateline news story on Childers' crusade, producer Robbie Brenner and Keller tracked him down to secure the rights to his memoir Another Man‘s War: The True Story of One Man‘s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan. Childers’ response, according to insiders, was something like, “Who the hell are you, and why the fuck should I trust you with my life story?” Raised by a tough ironworker father and taught to be a brawler with a hatred of bullies, Childers emerged from a dead-end future to become a preacher who found some real bullies to battle. Moved by the stories of the atrocities committed by rebels under the command of Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army, Childers established an orphanage to house 200 children, then formed a militia to protect them, recover other kidnapped kids, and dispense outlaw justice on their captors. The Keller script was developed independently with funding from Gary Safady's and Craig Chapman’s Kaushi Entertainment. (Safady is a real estate entrepreneur.) Forster and his Apparatus partner Brad Simpson are producing with Brenner, Deborah Girratana, and the Kaushi duo. Working with Forster who's known for coaxing good performances out of actors (i.e. Monsters Ball), Keller turned in a script that hooked Butler who wants the chance to show some acting chops to go with his 300 brawn. If he has his way, Machine Gun Preacher will start production later this year. The package is now being shopped for production financing by CAA and Management 360. Keller is an up and coming writer who recently turned in a draft on the Fox film about the 1960s rivalry for sportscar supremacy between Ferrari and Ford, Race to the Death. Forster is attached to several projects -- The Chancellor Manuscript, and the zombie saga World War Z with Brad Pitt at Paramount, andAngelology at Sony. This is exciting, sounds like this project is getting some momentum! Terrific that a heavy weight blog like Hollywood Deadline is taking notice.
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Post by Dianne on Jan 17, 2010 5:09:07 GMT -5
I'm with you! I must say, I like a rom com once in awhile but Gerry is doing too many. I am dying to see him in a part he can sink his teeth into. Now that his name is out there and Gerard Butler is on everyone's radar he needs to go the way of Tom Hanks and do some parts with substance.
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Post by princetongal on Jan 17, 2010 10:35:27 GMT -5
I have such a goooooooooooooood feeling about this one!!!!!!!!! A really good feeling!!!!!! Gerry is finally going to be able to show the World that he is more than a Hot Scot or a Hunk or a body! He is a man of depth and sensitivity and that will come out in this very complicated and juicy role!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!
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Post by canadia on Jan 17, 2010 13:02:22 GMT -5
Okay Gerry let something slip in a recent interview. Someone luckily had a friend in Brazil who read a recent interview and sent her the translation. I had actually come across the interview but because it wasn't English I ignored it. I should have used Google Translation, I tried it and I would have caught it myself. Note to self, translate foreign interviews more often.
The interview mentioned the World Cup 2010 which is being hosted in South Africa Jun 11 - Jul 18 2010.
Gerry said he was going to be filming in Africa at the same time as the World Cup and looked forward to catching some of it and since Scotland was not going to make the cut he was going to cheer for Brazil.
Methinks Gerry likes a lot of Brazilian things, ehem.
So this is just further confirmation.
I am stoked, I think Gerry is wisely doing 2 great movie roles back to back, the role in Coriolanus and this role as Sam Childers. Solid indy efforts that could be sleeper hits but more importantly vehicles that allow him to get to show just what a great instinctive actor he is and will hopefully set him up for serious roles in even larger films, beyond what he is smartly setting up for himself with his own production company.
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Post by canadia on Jan 17, 2010 13:14:20 GMT -5
Like many actors, the better performances are often in the indy roles that not as many people get to see and often their performance is the only good thing about that movie, I think Dear Frankie is probably one of his best roles by far and a movie where the whole movie was brilliantly done and acted but sadly not enough people have seen that movie. Enough to get Gerry in the door for things like Phantom though even I didn't realize he had been the Phantom in the movie until just a few months ago. And then to get to that next level you have to do something more mainstream movies and they tend to be the supporting roles. Gerry's break out role was really an indy movie that was a sleeper hit, in 300, or the reality is that the graphic novel crowd is a lot larger than people realize. The movie Sin City did very well too. I still say PS I Love You was a better than average Rom Com, probably because it was based on a well written novel and they got a great ensemble cast. It was on TMN last night and I wasn't going to watch it but I did.
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Post by Leppardlady on Jan 18, 2010 20:42:09 GMT -5
This is going to be a great role for him; he is always going to be known for his role in "300", it's inevitable, but if he can get movies like this, they will start taking him more seriously. We know how great an actor he is because we've seen "Dear Frankie" and the like, but now its time for the rest of the world to see it.
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Post by dawne27 on Jan 18, 2010 21:22:47 GMT -5
yes, yes YES....SO happy to hear this is going to gel...indies are so far ahead, many companies funneling monies into these new co's...its about time aye!? they have exceeding movement for great works....no doubt. can take a dare and run with it.
what a phenomenal man to frame a work after. gerry's is really blowing my mind with his selections lately with a body of work. he really wants to reveal some very interesting facets & people in such as this and more! i swear to God, gerry was crafted for the dramatic characture, not just a physique of muscle...but a mind & emot as well!..... verra cool
kyri...your new siggie (thud).....always loved that odelisque!
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Post by jeaniebirdie78 on Jan 21, 2010 11:46:45 GMT -5
This could possibly be the Oscar for Gerry. I can just feel it. I am so excited about this movie happening.
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Post by jeaniebirdie78 on Feb 2, 2010 12:08:14 GMT -5
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Post by Dianne on Feb 2, 2010 19:06:25 GMT -5
Teacher man is about Frank McCourts days of teaching in New York. I've read two of his books and they are great reads. The first on is Angela's Ashes about his childhood and the terrible poverty his family went through in Ireland and the second is Tis about his growing up and coming to America. Both books are good and he has such a great way of writing, you can actually hear his Irish accent in your head as you read his books. Awesome.... Here's about Frank McCourt. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_McCourtIt seems like Teacher Man was a book as well but I never read that one. I may have to now.
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Post by jeaniebirdie78 on Feb 2, 2010 20:13:12 GMT -5
Teacher man is about Frank McCourts days of teaching in New York. I've read two of his books and they are great reads. The first on is Angela's Ashes about his childhood and the terrible poverty his family went through in Ireland and the second is Tis about his growing up and coming to America. Both books are good and he has such a great way of writing, you can actually hear his Irish accent in your head as you read his books. Awesome.... Here's about Frank McCourt. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_McCourtIt seems like Teacher Man was a book as well but I never read that one. I may have to now. I have also read both Angelas Ashes and 'Tis, and would love to see Gerry play Frank McCourt. I haven't read his third book either, and if this will be a movie, I will read it, I think. Right after I finish the Outlander series...Phew! Hanging Tale sounds like it could be a good movie too. It is supposedly still in pre-development. A comedy/adventure set in the Old West, “The Hanging Tale” centers on a man who is about to be hanged for petty crimes. While awaiting death, he tells the surrounding crowd a story of his journey in search of Spanish treasures.Gerry would be perfect for this one, since we all know what a great storyteller he has always been.
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