What began in May 2021 and took 100 days to bring to the screen, ended up being the Victory Arts team creation called "Sharing the Love." It came about during a time when all creative people were yearning to get back to work and create. The question was, how do you get 30 cast and crew together and create a Hollywood-style musical with an original script and music during a pandemic - and on a total budget of $20,000?

Luckily, a close colleague of ours at Diversionary Theatre, Matt M. Morrow, talked with us about creating the musical film project that we wanted to produce. Matt then connected me to Stephen Brotebeck, who became our director, and we were on our way.

Brotebeck said, “Most of my career has been as a director and choreographer of stage musicals. Directing a musical film had been on my list of things ‘to do’ for a very long time.”

Brotebeck goes on to say: “Finding the time and right project had never happened. That changed in March of 2021. I knew from our first meeting that Randall shared a similar passion for creating art. I also was impressed by his background in media. The connection between us was strong and I sensed a new collaborator and friend had come into my life.”

We presented the idea canvas, as they say, to Stephen and he saw the idea, but the canvas was pretty much blank when he came on board. It was up to us to find the right mixture of artists to help bring this particular piece of art to life. Randall Blaum, Executive Producer said, “One of the fun parts of my job as a producer is bringing people into a project and while this piece was rehearsed and filmed in San Diego, it was a bi-coastal effort.” 

“Our writing team of James Olmstead and Omri Schein straddled both coasts with James in New York City and Omri in San Diego. The band and all of the backup singers rehearsed and recorded in NYC while the cast and crew were strictly San Diego based. While the story centers around three friends looking for an escape from their “pandemic blues,” there are a host of other characters that join along the way. Many patrons of San Diego theatre will see some of their favorites pop up throughout the film,” Blaum said.

The time frame for this film was short! We originally started with just four days of shooting and one day to record all the vocals in the studio.  There was also just a handful of rehearsals before the team met to film the big production number at the end of the show. As always happens though, reshoots and adjustments were necessary, but by the time we got to that part of the process, everyone on board was having a such a good time that the cast and crew were eager to keep going so we could get it just right. And that is what we took away the most from this project: joy. 

Inevitably, on any project there are stressful and sometimes contentious moments. “I don’t remember them if they happened on this project because I just remember the fun, laughter, and creativity that flowed on set,” Brotebeck recalls.

We are excited to be Sharing the Love with everyone and we guarantee you will finish Sharing the Love with a smile on your face and a new thought about the power of friendship and love.  

Sharing the Love aired on Cox Cable / YurView beginning July 10, 2021 and continued with multiple showings through August 8, 2021.  There is a special 15-minute behind the scenes special that aired immediately after the film. 

Randall Blaum

Executive Producer, Sharing the Love

Founder, Victory Arts