FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AWARD WINNING DVD PROVIDES NOSTALGIC LOOK AT CHRISTIMAS;
"FAMILY TIME WITH SANTA" PROMOTES FAMILY TOGETHERNESS
"Family Time with Santa" (Skyro Productions), a new interactive DVD
created for the 12 nights before Christmas, provides families with a
dozen vignettes about Santa presented with the nostalgic warmth of old
home movies. Designed to bring families together with stories that focus
on the traditional, good-natured Santa character, the new DVD begins on
December 13 and takes families on heartwarming excursions into Santa's
life. Parents can enhance the experience by downloading a personalized
calendar for each child to follow along with the countdown until
Christmas.
Running through Christmas Eve, the live action DVD provides families
with a sneak peak at Santa's hobbies (and answers the age old question
"What does Santa do the other 11 months of the year?"), while using the
charming depictions to demonstrate how important family love is, how to
pursue a personal dream and believe in yourself and what it means to
help others. Children are taken on a visit to a candy and toy factory,
and they enjoy listening to Santa and Mrs. Claus read three original
stories created specifically for the DVD. One of the night's adventures
takes us on a journey to The Happy Factory, a volunteer organization
that provides toys for children worldwide.
The new DVD is the brain child of award winning producer/director Ray
Francis who created "Family Time with Santa" as a way of recapturing the
Santa image of generations past and encouraging families to spend time
together. "Many parents are disappointed with the way Santa is portrayed
by Hollywood and are searching for entertainment that presents Santa as
they remember him...in a positive light that every child will love.
"Family Time with Santa" shows the many sides of this much beloved icon
and encourages families to view the program together for 12 nights. Last
year when we were in test market, parents reported that children looked
forward each night to the next installment and insisted they all watch
together. Our hope is that this special family time becomes a tradition
that will continue past the holiday season," states Mr. Francis.
"Family Time with Santa" is a warm, friendly and non-religious depiction
of Santa and shares with viewers Santa's pursuits during the other
eleven months of the year. Kids regale at Santa rollerblading, riding a
motorcycle and visiting the beach. "We set out to infuse the show with
the warmth of Mr. Rogers by presenting Santa as humanly as possible,
showing him participating in activities families also enjoy," comments
Francis. The new DVD has been recognized by numerous groups and
organizations both nationally and internationally for its entertainment
value, content and design and has received 11 awards including the Dove
Foundation Seal of Approval, Crystal Award of Excellence in Children's
Programming, The Aegis Award, The Accolade Award, The Videographers
Award and The Telly Award, among others.
Francis has dedicated the last two years to the creation of "Family Time
with Santa." He left a highly successful career in commercial and music
video production in order to focus on this project which he hopes will
provide families with a memorable, uplifting holiday experience. "We
were thrilled to hear that parents were just as enthusiastic about the
show as their children, and they, too, couldn't wait to see what the
next night would bring," concludes Francis.
Capturing one of the "lessons" shown in the new DVD, Skyro Productions
will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of "Family Time
with Santa" to The Happy Factory. The Happy Factory, a non-profit
organization made up entirely of volunteers, provides handmade wooden
toys to needy children worldwide. To date, they have touched the lives
of over 300,000 children who have been the recipients of their toys.
The new DVD, which is also available in Spanish, runs two hours. At the
end of each night's presentation, Santa reminds children to do their
chores and to get ready for bed before watching the next installation.
"Family Time with Santa" has a suggested retail price of $21.99 and is
available at select toy, gift and stationary stores.
For an interview with Santa or Ray Francis, please
contact us.