Brandon Purdie on the Pay it Forward Triumph of SOUND OF FREEDOM

In 2023, outside of the phenomenon of 'Barbenheimer', one film and release stands out as truly remarkable: SOUND OF FREEDOM. The hard hitting thriller, starring Jim Caviezel and Mira Sorvino, currrently stands at a colossal box office of $184m in the US and Canada and over $220m globallly. In this episode, we meet one of the key architects of this success, Angel Studios' EVP Global Theatrical Distribution, Brandon Purdie. In this conversation, Brandon sheds light on Angel Studios' unique model for acquistions and approach to distirbution, including how the innovative 'Pay it Forward' model - so key to the film's success - actually works. In a wide renaging conversation, Brandon also shares his career journey from tearing tickets at his local theatre and his thoughts on the future of thetrical in 2024 and beyond. About Brandon Purdie Since childhood, Brandon Purdie has been obsessed with bringing inspiring films to captive audiences. After moving up from tearing tickets and sweeping floors at his local theater to managing a regional theater chain, Purdie immersed himself in box office numbers, concession margins, team management, and the cinematic experience. This blossomed into a career at the indie distributor Excel Entertainment, moving from Marketing Director to overseeing the marketing and release of dozens of projects a year in theaters and on DVD. Shortly after, he founded Purdie Distribution, advising filmmakers on how to make and sell their films. In 2023, Angel Studios enlisted Purdie to launch their theatrical division, and out of the gate Purdie and his team beat the odds. The first theatrical release, HIS ONLY SON, a film that was made for only $250,000 grossed over $12M in domestic box office. This was followed by the global blockbuster SOUND OF FREEDOM (Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino) that grossed over $183M domestically since its July 4 release, and continues to launch in new markets internationally and boasts a worldwide gross of over $230M. Upcoming Angel theatrical titles include AFTER DEATH (Oct 27, 2023), THE SHIFT (Dec 1, 2023), and CABRINI (March 8, 2024). Purdie is also a proud member of the Executive Board of Directors for the Zions Indie Film Festival.