‘Will to Win’ Movie scheduled to film this year

The newest project from KKP is scheduled to begin principal photography this year.

The ‘Will to Win’ Movie is the story of Skylar Forest, a Native American teen whose world gets turned upside down when both of her parents are killed in a car crash. As Skylar navigates the loss of her parents, she embraces her Native heritage, learns about Will Rogers, and breaks down gender barriers, all on the way to a state baseball championship and ultimately discovering what drives her Will to Win.

Producers Russ Kirkpatrick and Andy Kinslow are thrilled for the opportunity to be producing this story of female empowerment while re-introducing Hollywood legend Will Rogers to movie audiences.

You can keep up-to-date with the movie by signing up for the Will to Win e-newsletter on the film’s website, and by following along on Facebook and Instagram.

‘Susan’ Documentary nearing completion and release.

The KKP Documentary ‘Susan’ is nearing its 2024 release.

In 2013, when Susan Suchan learned she had frontotemporal dementia (FTD), knowledge about the disease was sparse. Now, with the diagnoses of actor Bruce Willis and talk show host Wendy Williams making headlines, conversations surrounding FTD have surged. In this documentary, Susan, determined to contribute to this dialogue, shares her personal journey through the twists and turns of living with FTD.

Set against the backdrop of Oklahoma's glowing sunsets, a lush ribbon of river in southwest Missouri, and the sugary sands of Panama Beach, Florida, filming for ‘Susan’ began in 2015. Nearly a decade later, audiences will see the story of a family’s fascinating history and how the past plays into current-day dynamics that exist because of their matriarch’s involuntary life journey, and unorthodox life planning.

More details to come on the release of the documentary. Learn more about the project at susansstoryfilm.com and follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

Filmmaker Sydney Alison Joins Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Team.

Russ Kirkpatrick and Andy Kinslow are thrilled to announce that Sydney Alison is joining Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions as a full time employee. Ms. Alison has previously been working with the company as an independent contractor.

Ms. Alison will be involved with logistical, and marketing related projects within Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Production’s family of companies. Her primary focus will be current projects, including the Will To Win movie, now in development, and Susan’s Story documentary (working title), now in post-production nearing completion. She will also assist with continued marketing and news on completed projects, including The Sound of Identity, Unlikely Family, and Boomtown: An American Journey. Additionally, Ms. Alison will assist Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions with commercial, nonprofit, and institutional film production.

“We are excited to have someone of Sydney’s caliber available to join our growing firm, assisting us as we continue to provide important and relevant stories for audiences around the world,” said Co-Owner & Film Producer Russ Kirkpatrick.

For the past 2 years, Ms. Alison has worked as a Community Engagement Coordinator with the Kendall Whittier Main Street organization, in addition to assisting other local businesses with marketing strategies.

Ms. Alison’s degrees, from The University of Tulsa, include a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies, with a Minor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions is an international film production company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, producing movies, documentaries, and content for television.

VARIETY: MOVIE PRODUCER JHANE MYERS JOINS WILL TO WIN PRODUCTION TEAM

Producer Jhane Myers (Prey) has joined the Will To Win movie production team as an executive producer, representatives for Kirkpatrick and Kinslow Productions announced.  Ms. Myers is a Comanche and Blackfeet American Indian as well as a two-time Emmy® Award winner and Producers Guild of America Award nominee whose focus is on producing, Native language, Native culture, acting and fine art.

Ms. Myers will assist with Native American content in addition to other executive responsibilities.  “I am thrilled to be involved in a mainstream movie that elevates Native voices and will feature a Will Rogers character.  It’s especially exciting that this project will be filmed in my home state of Oklahoma.”   

Producers Russ Kirkpatrick and Andy Kinslow are thrilled to welcome Myers to the team, saying: “Jhane is an extraordinary talent that will elevate this important Oklahoma story.  She has a proven track record of success in the entertainment business, with a clear-cut understanding of the importance of accurately portraying Indigenous voices.” 

Read the Variety article, here: https://bit.ly/42ytEzS

Will To Win In Deadline Hollywood.

Will To Win, Kirkpatrick & Kinslow’s 5th feature length film project, is profiled in the industry publication Deadline Hollywood. The movie is in the development stages, with plans for principal photography in 2023.

While the script is being completed by writer Aaron Fulkerson, who is Cherokee, producers are meeting with stakeholders, and rounding out key positions needed in development.

Will To Win is a female-centric family, sports drama based on the novel by Jim Stovall who is consulting on the project along with Will Rogers Family Representative Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry. The movie is Executive Produced by Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions & Produced by Russ Kirkpatrick & Andy Kinslow. Mark Heidelberger has joined the team to produce from Los Angeles.

Will To Win Synopsis

Sky Forest is devastated when softball is cut at Will Rogers High, threatening the promise she made to her Cherokee parents before they died to win a championship and secure a college scholarship. The school board president tries to sabotage her last option - pitching for the boy’s baseball team.  Through her vivid imagination Sky enlists the help of Will Rogers himself as her spirit guide, whose wisdom and humor help her to discover the Will to Win.

Will To Win Movie Plans Announced at Will Rogers Memorial Museum.

Author Jim Stovall was joined by Will Rogers Great-granddaughter Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry, and Screenwriter Aaron Fulkerson to discuss Will To Win, and the plans to bring it to the silver screen.  Will To Win Movie Producer Russ Kirkpatrick was Emcee for the event at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore.  The Museum has wholeheartedly endorsed the movie project. You can see the entire presentation here: https://youtu.be/bYnaegKMjZY

In the Will To Win movie, Sky Forest is devastated when softball is cut at Will Rogers High, threatening the promise she made to her Cherokee parents before they died to win a championship and secure a college scholarship. The school board president tries to sabotage her last option - pitching for the boy’s baseball team.  Through her vivid imagination Sky enlists the help of Will Rogers himself as her spirit guide, whose wisdom and humor help her to discover the Will to Win.

The movie is in development, with production plans scheduled for the spring/summer of 2023. 

Noted Will Rogers Historian Joins Will To Win Production Team.

Will Rogers Historian & Academic Steven Gragert has joined the Will To Win movie production team as a technical advisor.  

Preserving and sharing the life, wisdom, and humor of Will Rogers became the professional passion of Steve Gragert when as a graduate assistant in his second semester at Oklahoma State University he was assigned to the Will Rogers Research Project, a collaborative effort of O.S.U. and the Will Rogers Memorial Commission to collect, edit, and publish Rogers’s previously published writings. In his seven years with the project, including the final three as Director, he served as an editor of seventeen volumes of Will’s work. 

Will To Win is a female centric high school baseball drama with a Cherokee storyline, featuring Will Rogers Set in current time.  

“When her softball team gets cut at Will Rogers High, a Cherokee girl draws inspiration from Will Rogers and decides to play boys baseball despite sabotage from the school board president.”

#WillToWinMovie

Will Rogers Family Rep./Author Jim Stovall to Discuss Will To Win at Will Rogers Memorial Museum, May 3rd.

Will Rogers Family Representative Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, Author Jim Stovall, Writer Aaron Fulkerson, Producer Russ Kirkpatrick.

Family Representative Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, Will Rogers Great-granddaughter, will join Author Jim Stovall, Screenwriter Aaron Fulkerson and Will To Win Producer Russ Kirkpatrick at a lecture series May 3rd.  The event at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, will focus on the new Will To Win book, and the forthcoming movie with the same name. The event is open to the public with seating based on availability in the Museum’s movie theater. 

The Will To Win movie is a female centric high school baseball drama with a Cherokee storyline, featuring Will Rogers set in current time. 

Will To Win Logline: 

When her softball team gets cut at Will Rogers High, a Cherokee girl draws inspiration from Will Rogers and decides to play boys baseball despite sabotage from the school board president. 

Will To Win Short Synopsis: 

Sky Forest is devastated when softball is cut at Will Rogers High, threatening the promise she made to her Cherokee parents before they died to win a championship and secure a college scholarship. The school board president tries to sabotage her last option - pitching for the boy’s baseball team.  Through her vivid imagination Sky enlists the help of Will Rogers himself as her spirit guide, whose wisdom and humor help her to discover the Will to Win.

Will Rogers Memorial Museum Endorses Will To Win Movie Project.

Will Rogers Memorial Museum Letter of Endorsement for Will To Win movie project.

Will to Win movie producers are thrilled that the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, OK, has endorsed the book and movie, joining the list of supporters for the project. In addition to the museum, the Will Rogers Family through Representative Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry is consulting on the movie; along with consultation from Author Jim Stovall, who penned the Will To Win book, The Cherokee Nation Film Office, and Will Rogers Historian Steve Gragert. The screenplay adaptation is being written by Aaron Fulkerson, who is Cherokee.

Producers Russ Kirkpatrick & Andy Kinslow are working with Co-Producer Mark Heidelberger on the production team that is represented by legal & accounting firms in Tulsa, Oklahoma, including Entertainment Attorney Wendy P. Drummond with Drummond Law, PLLC. The marketing footprint for the movie is managed by a team led by Schnake Turnbo Frank, along with Propeller Consulting, Hampton Creative, and JB Creative.

The Will To Win movie is a female centric high school baseball drama, with a Cherokee storyline, featuring Will Rogers set in current time.

The movie is currently in development. Please contact Russ Kirkpatrick or Andy Kinslow for information on how you can be involved in the movie project: russ@kkp.film andy@kkp.film

Will Rogers Great-granddaughter & Family Rep. Talks About Will.

Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry. Learn more about what Jennifer has to say about Will Rogers in the video, below.

Millions of people around the world knew Will Rogers as the consummate entertainer & philanthropist, but at home his family simply knew him as dad. Rogers’ Great-granddaughter & Family Representative Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry talks about the importance of family to Will.

As we continue development on the Will To Win movie project, featuring Will Rogers, we are fortunate to be working with the Will Rogers family to learn more about him.

Will to Win is a feature length movie from Kirkpatrick & Kinslow, adapted from the Jim Stovall book with the same name. Set in current time, the movie is a female-centric, high school baseball drama with a Cherokee storyline, featuring Will Rogers.

#WillToWinMovie

Marketing/PR Firms Join Will To Win Production Team.

Complementing established audiences for the Will To Win movie, four Oklahoma based firms are assisting Executive Producers with development of a communications strategy.

Schnake Turnbo Frank, Propeller Consulting, Hampton Creative, and JB Creative are collaborating on the movie, a female-centric, high school baseball drama, featuring a Cherokee storyline with Will Rogers.

The marketing/PR firms join a growing team for the movie production.

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow has hired screenwriter Aaron Fulkerson, who is Cherokee, to write the movie adaptation for the Jim Stovall novel Will To Win, which has been optioned for the movie.  A production agreement is now in place with Will Rogers Family Representative Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry to consult on the movie, and Wendy P. Drummond, with Drummond Law, PLLC and a Tulsa based CPA Firm have also joined the production team, to handle the various financial pieces of the project. 

#WillToWinMovie

Entertainment Law Added To Will To Win Production Team.

Attorney Wendy P. Drummond, Drummond Law, PLLC.

Entertainment Attorney Wendy P. Drummond with Drummond Law, PLLC is handling production legal for the Will To Win property, including negotiations with the various entities associated with the movie’s development, production & distribution.  

Drummond Law, PLLC joins a Tulsa based CPA Firm in assisting with the various financial pieces associated with the Will To Win project. 

Will To Win is a female-centric, high school “teen angst” baseball movie, featuring a Cherokee storyline with Will Rogers.

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow has a production agreement in place with Will Rogers Family Representative Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, and it has optioned the Will To Win book from Author Jim Stovall to produce the feature length movie.  

#WillToWinMovie

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions Announces Agreement with Will Rogers Family To Produce Will To Win Movie.

Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry & Her Great-grandfather Will Rogers

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow has secured a production agreement with Will Rogers Family Representative &  Great-granddaughter Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry.

Mrs. Rogers Etcheverry says “while we have been approached many times in the past about producing movies, this is the first time the family has endorsed a movie project.  We are thrilled to see that audiences in the 21st century will learn about the impact of Will Rogers on the world.” 

Executive Producer Russ Kirkpatrick says “informing the film with specific detail from the family is a critical and necessary step to insuring authenticity for this story.” 

The Will To Win movie is a female-centric, high school “teen angst” baseball drama, featuring a Cherokee storyline with Will Rogers.  

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow has optioned the Will To Win book rights from author Jim Stovall, to produce the movie. 

Oklahoma Screenwriter To Adapt Cherokee Themed Will To Win Movie.

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions has hired screenwriter Aaron Fulkerson, who is Cherokee, to write the movie adaptation from the Jim Stovall novel Will To Win.  

The Will To Win movie is a female-centric, high school “teen angst” baseball drama, featuring a Cherokee storyline with Will Rogers. Mr. Fulkerson says “the high school baseball story is layered with Cherokee tradition along with a modern aesthetic.”  Additionally “the opportunity to bring the iconic Will Rogers to current generations in a way not seen, is an extraordinary responsibility.” Executive Producer Andy Kinslow said “Mr. Fulkerson possesses an impressive ability to connect story to the iconic Will Rogers, while respectfully showcasing Cherokee traditions and the Nation’s current, modern existence."

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow has optioned the book rights from author Jim Stovall, to produce the movie.

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Options Rights To Jim Stovall Book For Newest Movie Will To Win.

Will To Win is a female-centric, high school “teen angst” baseball drama, featuring a Cherokee storyline with Will Rogers.

The main character (Sky Forest) is a Cherokee teenage girl attending Will Rogers High School, while she is raised by her traditional grandmother after her parents were both killed in a car crash. Because of budget cuts, Sky’s favorite sport, girl’s softball, is eliminated. Sky was planning on a softball scholarship to attend college, so this hits her hard. While doing research for a paper about Will Rogers, Sky starts to learn about him and he becomes real to her in her imagination. Through his wisdom and guidance she tries out for the boys baseball team, and turns out to be a remarkable player. As the story unfolds, Will Rogers continues to provide guidance to Sky as she deals with being a girl on the baseball team, being a modern day teenager in a Cherokee world, and dealing with teenage angst, romance, and hi-jinx as a senior in high school.

Movie Producer Mark Heidelberger Joins Will To Win Production Team.

Movie Producer Mark Heidelberger has joined the Will To Win movie production team in the development phase of the project. Heidelberger’s work as a producer includes myriad movies, including Pray for Rain with Jane Seymour, Harsh Times with Christian Bale, The Basement with Mischa Barton, and It's Not You, It's Me with Vivica Fox. Additionally, produced for Hallmark, the movie You’ve Got a Friend, starring John Schneider, A Christmas In New York, starring Jamie Bamber, distributed by Gravitas Ventures, and the upcoming Homestead, featuring Jake McLaughlin, Shane West, and Leven Rambin. Will To Win Executive Producer Russ Kirkpatrick said “Mark brings enormous energy and passion for story to the project, and we are thrilled to have Mark’s caliber of talent join the team.” Heidelberger is a member of the Producers Guild of America.

The Will To Win movie is a female-centric, high school “teen angst” baseball drama, featuring a Cherokee storyline with Will Rogers. Kirkpatrick & Kinslow has optioned the book rights from author Jim Stovall, to produce the movie. This is Mr. Stovall’s 9th book to be optioned for a movie, and the 5th film produced by Kirkpatrick & Kinslow since it was established in 2014.

Executive Producer Russ Kirkpatrick chairs completed Capital Campaign for Tulsa nonprofit.

Lindsey House reunites women and their children, as those women move from homelessness to complete financial stability. The nonprofit now has a new home thanks to the generosity of myriad foundations, companies, and individuals who believe in the core mission of the organization.

Learn more about Lindsey House here: https://www.lindseyhouse.org

Capital Campaign Chairman Russ Kirkpatrick said “It was an honor to chair the Lindsey House $6 Million Capital Campaign for an organization that will impact women and their children for generations.”

Images and article courtesy of Tulsa People & Journalist Tim Landes.  See the entire Tulsa People article here: https://www.tulsapeople.com/about-town/new-era-for-lindsey-house/article_50fd9976-22cd-11ec-9581-e766ded05ed7.html

See images of the Lindsey House ribbon cutting, and tour, here: https://www.tulsapeople.com/about-town/gallery-lindsey-house-celebrates-new-facility-with-ribbon-cutting-and-tours/collection_fc63ef58-285f-11ec-95fd-9f212b64750c.html

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Film Producer Russ Kirkpatrick Hosts Annual IABC/Blue Quill Awards Event.

Film Producer Russ Kirkpatrick hosted the annual IABC Bronze Quill Awards event, featuring elite communicators of the year.

Phil Armstrong, the Project Director of the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, was named the Communicator of the Year, along with myriad other awards for the evening.

IABC is the International Association of Communicators. Learn more about the organization, here: https://bit.ly/3osDjaL

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Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Co-Host Education Fundraiser.

Executive Producers Russ Kirkpatrick & Andy Kinslow co-hosted the TCC Foundation Vision Dinner, with Tulsa’s Michelle Hardesty. The event celebrated the first 50 years at the college, in addition to recognizing the “TCC 50 Notable Alumni.”

The event exceeded its goal of raising $400,000, with a total of $478,000 for education.

Kirkpatrick & Kinslow believe in the power of education, and the importance of community involvement.

You can view the entire event, here: https://youtu.be/WhSzaVJqFew

Picture courtesy of TCC.

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