Producer Holly Carter asks for a little faith with 'Preachers of L.A.'

With its mission to educate, empower and inspire creative men and women of faith to do business in entertainment, Carter distinguished her seminar from similar industry gatherings like the Hollywood Black Film Festival and The Pan African Film Festival for its emphasis in providing hands-on experience with leading professionals.

According to this year’s summit, over 60 of the industry’s top entertainers and executives will lead more than 20 classes and workshops on branding, television, radio, film and new media.

“If you were to tell an aspiring actor to visit The Merge Summit they would have the opportunity to hear from some of Hollywood’s strong and successful actors and casting directors talk about their journey,” she said. “Highlights this year include Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance and Meagan Good and Salli Richardson doing a session on balancing family, faith and fame.”

As the president and CEO of Burbank-based Relevé Entertainment, Carter said she was especially excited about how faith and unscripted programming are coming together in shows like “Preachers." Carter produced the show Lemuel Plummer, of Lemuel Plummer Media.

However, with a trailer that has garnered over 13 million Google hits and negative chatter about prosperity preachers and a teased romantic storyline between Bishop Noel Jones and actress Lisa Raye, Carter admits she is bracing herself for a possible backlash.

“It’s not a salacious tale of opulent lifestyles, you will see ministry happen on a different level,” she said. “The trailer is a sales tool; our goal was to give the preachers an opportunity to be seen as human. So many times we put pastors and leaders on a pedestals and it’s hard for them to live up to that. But what this show will do is walk you through the authenticity, inspiration and purpose that drives these men as the audience explore their ministries, their families, triumphs and trials.”

She added: “You’ll be surprised because I get to show Bishop Ron Gibson doing ministry in the projects, or pro skateboarder Pastor Jay Haizlip helping to lead those strung out on drugs to a new life.”

Nevertheless, given that it is a reality show and a clued-up public knowing that there is a fair amount of manipulation that goes into these series, Carter revealed that the preachers trusted her background and integrity.

“We have relationships with all of the pastors and got them to sign up based on them knowing my track record and what I do,” she replied. “Being an evangelist, having a doctorate in divinity and producing faith based entertainment and programming. So there was a level of comfort; they didn’t have to worry about me creating a salacious show. For me it was about creating compelling TV that would allow them to maintain their pulpits once the show is over.”

The daughter of a gospel singer who toured overseas, Carter initially had dreams in front of the camera having graduated from performing arts school before breaking into TV casting, handling such shows as “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “In Living Color” and “Martin.”

Thus, aspiring thesps out there might want to heed her advice.

“Get a good team around you,” she said. “I always recommend getting into showcases and try interning at casting offices to know what the process is. Also, do as many plays as possible to get your feet wet and understand direction, staging and projection.”

As for the near future, she hopes to take the summit national and global. “We’ve had people reach out to us from London and the African continent,” she said. “We want to take it to other territories so we can provide communities of believers who can’t make it to the West Coast, continued redemptive, uplifting content that helps adjust the face of [TV and film] from a Christian perspective.”