NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Richard Land doesn’t fancy himself a TV critic, but he’s making an exception for a made-for-television film that will air Friday on NBC.
In an effort to develop programming suitable for the entire family, Procter & Gamble and Walmart joined with NBC to facilitate the production of “The Jensen Project,” a sci-fi adventure film to air at 8 Eastern/7 Central on the network July 16.
Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, recently previewed the film and commended the movie’s producers for creating a film that has an intriguing storyline but that doesn’t include gratuitous sex, inappropriate language or violence.
“The airing of The Jensen Project is more than fitting for a family night event in contrast to much of what is on television,” Land said, describing the film as suitable even for younger children.
The Jensen Project tells the story of a secret community of geniuses conducting research to help solve some of the world’s most difficult problems.
It’s the second in a series of family safe movies set to air on NBC. The network premiered “Secrets of the Mountain” in April. That film was the highest-rated show the evening it aired, with noted strength among households with children under 18. For the week of April 11, the family adventure movie beat out “The Biggest Loser” and “The Apprentice” to be the network’s top show.
Land noted if families don’t support “safe programming” by watching it, it will be even more scarce on the airwaves, noting the recent federal appeals court decision to strike down the Federal Communications Commission policy on indecent speech portends further debauchery on television.
“It is time for traditional values Americans to vote with their eyeballs,” he said. “Those of us who are concerned about the sordid state of entertainment must give higher ratings to family friendly fare when it airs.”
Kellie Martin, a veteran actress best known for her Emmy-nominated role as Becca Thacher on the ABC series “Life Goes On,” is featured in the film as well as Emmy, GRAMMY and NAACP Award winner LeVar Burton, who starred in the acclaimed miniseries “Roots,” four of the recent “Star Trek” series and the public television program “Reading Rainbow.” Patricia Richardson, known for her role as Jill Taylor on the popular sitcom “Home Improvement,” is also in the movie.
The Jensen Project also will feature a soundtrack produced by music producer Randy Jackson, known by many Americans for his work as a judge on “American Idol.”
Interesting scenes at the beginning of the movie introduce Microsoft’s motion-control technology Kinect to viewers.
Microsoft Xbox 360 game system’s Kinect controller allows gamers to interact with video games without using a controller. The intuitive technology utilizes individual’s voice commands and movements to manipulate a game’s action. The hands-free system will go on the market in early November.
A third movie, “A Walk in My Shoes,” is already in post-production and will air later this year. P&G and Walmart will also begin production on their fourth family friendly movie this fall.
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Dwayne Hastings is a vice president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
