As a kid growing up in Minnesota, Michael Scott had a passion for both watching movies and making them.
“It was such an incredible way to tell a story,” Scott said about his childhood movie-making adventures. “It came to life through the visuals in a way that you can tell people a lot of things—to watch it and to see it come to life was really touching.”
But he was also a pastor’s son, with his life built firmly upon his faith.
“How can we tell great stories that impact people’s lives? The interesting thing is, Jesus was an incredible storyteller,” Scott told The Epoch Times in a recent interview.
“He told great stories through parables. Our modern day parable is movies and television. To be able to do that and bring these stories to life, and to see how an individual movie could touch a life or make people think about something different, I’m honored to be part of that and I love to do that. ”
While Scott’s early career was as a professional photographer, which eventually led to his producing national advertising spots and print work for all the major auto manufacturers, he started on his “calling [of] telling great stories” when, together with Russell Wolfe and David A. R. White, they founded Pure Flix Entertainment and then PureFlix.com, a values-driven streaming service that offers movies and series that celebrate faith, strengthen families, and honor the country.
“I guess I’m a pastor in one way, but in a different way,” said Scott. “[There was] no pressure from the family. My dad loves movies. So to see these types of movies come out, he’s super happy. [My parents are] my biggest fans. So that makes it easy.”
Over the course of his career, Scott has had a hand in work that has generated more than $200 million at the global box office. “God’s Not Dead,” “The Case for Christ,” and “Do You Believe?” are some of his personal “favorites” of the projects he’s collaborated on.
“I’m looking for movies that are inspiring, that uplift, that touch your heart,” he said.
“I think we’re in an assault. How many movies or television series have you seen where you watch—it might even be really good quality—and you’re like, ‘I just saw the worst parts of humanity glorified.’ There’s ways we can tell great stories that uplift, touch your spirit,” he said.
“Maybe you learn something; maybe you see something in it that you’ve been going through and it touches you in a profound way. And if I can be part of a movie that can impact one individual, I’m all in, in a positive way.”
With the July 8 launch of EKKL Entertainment, which Scott described as “a first-of-its-kind, values-driven media platform built on the belief that stories should add meaning to our lives, not noise,” Scott aims to expand the reach of “incredible” storytelling.
EKKL’s vast offerings include theatrical films, streaming, podcasts, and community experiences, created to support stories that foster joy, connection, and meaning.
“You can get all the entertainment that you love to listen, watch, learn from, read, all of those types of things.”
Willie and Korie Robertson of Duck Dynasty, the producers of “The Blind,” and Zach Dasher, a leader in podcasting, technology, and digital media platforms are partners in the new business.
“We’re going to also offer travel, shop, and health benefits—deep discounts on those,” Scott said. “Everybody loves a good deal. We’ll have some great benefits.”
“We love to launch movies on the big screen,” said Scott. “There’s nothing like gathering in a movie theater and hearing a group of people laugh, cry, and experience that entertainment together. I think it’s an incredible form.”
Finding “the right creators to work with” is “the greatest challenge, but also the greatest reward,” of his work, Scott said. “Because ultimately the storytellers you have are going to be how good your platform is.”
Filmmakers Harold Cronk (“God’s Not Dead”) and Dallas Jenkins (“The Chosen”) are some of the “greats” he said he has had the benefit of working with.
“I remember working on one of the very first films that Dallas Jenkins ever did. We brought him in to direct ‘What If…’ What an incredible talent,” he said. “To be able to direct is a gift, it’s something innate to bring these stories together to really tell them in powerful ways is a unique thing. I’m always honored to work with the directors we get to.”
With the expansion of “360 storytelling,” as Scott described the EKKL platform—through theatrical releases, streaming, podcasts, daily devotionals, EKKL Connect—he’s keeping an eye out for the next storytellers.
“We want new voices as well, because I believe that there’s still an entire generation of people that want to make movies or want to do podcasts or want to write books or whatever it is,” he said. “And if we can have any part in helping bring that to life and getting it to the audience and it touches people that. That I would love. And so you have to constantly be on this search looking to find the next one.”
