BJ Film Company Announces the Making of a Feature Film about Legendary Golfer Bobby Jones; Working Title: Stroke of Genius.

Entertainment Editors/Sports Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 2002

The life story of legendary Atlanta golfer, Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, Jr. will be made into a major motion picture, according to BJ Film, LLC.

The film, which will be styled in a manner similar to the epic Chariots of Fire, will be set in the year 1930, during which Jones achieved the Grand Slam, a momentous feat, which has yet to be repeated. BJ Film, LLC has reached an agreement in principle with Jonesheirs Inc., a corporation formed by the family of Bob Jones to protect and appropriately market his name and image. BJ Film, LLC is working with Jonesheirs to finalize the details of that agreement.

BJ Film, LLC is headed by producer Kim Dawson of Orlando, Florida; executive producer Rick Eldridge of Charlotte, North Carolina; and consulting producer Tom Crow, the founder of Cobra Golf and a past Australian Amateur Champion. The Jones' family will work with the film's producers to ensure the authenticity of Jones' character depictions throughout the film. It is anticipated that portions of the film will be shot at venues where Jones learned and played the game. A percentage of the proceeds from the worldwide box office will benefit the East Lake Community Foundation and The Jones Scholarship Trust. Production will begin in the Atlanta area on Jones 101st birthday, St. Patrick's Day, March 17.

Jones was considered a "hero for the ages" when he accomplished the seemingly impossible task of winning the Grand Slam, capturing the British Amateur at St. Andrews Scotland, and The Open Championship at Hoylake followed by the U.S. Open at Interlachen, Minnesota, and the U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf and Cricket Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Since Jones played only as an amateur, his accomplishments were all the more amazing, and, combined with his style, grace and sportsmanship, made him a legend in his own time and today. After his final victory in 1930, at Merion, he retired from competition. The personalities and the "stories behind the story" are riveting and full of intensity, romance, humor, and a powerful sense of conviction that the producers believe will be an inspiration to millions of viewers for many years to come.

"This will be a historic film that no serious golfer will want to miss, but which will have very broad appeal as well. It will be crafted with careful attention to the nuances, emotions and triumph of the game during an extraordinary period of world history. It will inspire anyone with a fire for winning and a passion for life," Dawson explained.

The film is budgeted in the $15 million range. It will be cast with a mixture of prominent Hollywood actors and some new faces, who will be identified in a nationwide casting search. "Deals will be set in the coming weeks for the director, writers, and other key personnel," Dawson noted. The film is being financed by The Private Consulting Group, a wealth advisory firm based in Portland, Oregon, and Net Fusion of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

BJ Film's producers and investors have created a unique model for producing and distributing the film, incorporating a pre-release strategy like that of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where special local screenings will be used to build word of mouth about the film. This will involve a pre-release screening at selected golf clubs across the country to benefit charitable causes, followed by a worldwide theatrical release, first in the US and then, abroad. The producers are also negotiating for an exclusive worldwide broadcast premiere as part of the release schedule. Announcements about the production details and distribution schedule are forthcoming at a formal event planned for next month in Atlanta.

"We're going to implement a unique marketing campaign targeting the world's growing golf community, and leverage the film's anticipated success to facilitate a host of outreach programs befitting of the legacy of Bobby Jones," said the film's executive producer, Rick Eldridge. This will include educational and community initiatives that will underscore Jones' philanthropic career as an amateur golfer, attorney, and prominent citizen of Atlanta and St. Andrews.

Producers Dawson, Eldridge and Crow bring an extensive list of credentials to the project, including production roles for Disney, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC Sports, Viacom, ESPN, PAX, and others. Dawson served as producer of one of the all-time most profitable and successful independent films, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and although Stroke of Genius and Ninja Turtles are very different projects, Dawson's proven track record along with his passion for the Jones' story were important to the Jones family.

Tom Crow, consulting producer for Stroke of Genius, promises that "audiences will cheer, laugh, cry, and applaud when they see this film. We are determined to create a film that balances old-fashioned storytelling with state-of-the-art filmography. The quality of this effort will be appropriate to the stature of the man whose story we will tell."