Timothy A. Chey

Chey was educated at Harvard Business School and Boston University School of Law doing a joint J.D./M.B.A. He earlier attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and then got accepted to USC Film School as an undergrad.November 11, 2007 story in the University Wire, "Filmmaker Tim Chey gives up law, opts for UCLA Extension"[http://www.fancast.com/people/Tim-Chey/248670/biography Fancast.com]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}, Tim Chey bio, Retrieved 10-12-2008

Chey has been interviewed on Fox Morning News, NBC News, TBN, Entertainment Tonight, Lamb and Lions, Good News TV. His work has been reviewed in The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, VIBE TV, MTV, Daily Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, TNT, USA Networks, the Dove Awards, MovieGuide Awards, People, and The New York Times.{{cite news|last1=Webster|first1=Andy|title=Review: 'Freedom' Stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as a Slave Fleeing to Canada|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/05/movies/review-freedom-stars-cuba-gooding-jr-as-a-slave-fleeing-to-canada.html|accessdate=4 April 2017|work=The New York Times|date=4 June 2015}}

Chey is a devout Christian. When not making films, Chey is active in helping with the prison ministries, nursing home ministries, and speaking at colleges, churches, and film festivals. Chey worked as a lawyer before pursuing film full-time and still does pro bono law for charities like the Union Rescue Mission.{{cite news|last1=Soergel|first1=Matt|title='Suing the Devil' is latest Christian-themed film by former Orange Park atheist|url=http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/movies/2011-05-22/story/suing-devil-latest-christian-themed-film-former-orange-park|accessdate=4 April 2017|work=The Florida Times-Union|date=22 May 2011}} He and his wife have two children and divide their time between Los Angeles and Honolulu.

In 1997, he wrote and directed Fakin' da Funk about a Chinese boy growing up in an African-American neighborhood,{{cite news|last1=Dauphin|first1=Gary|title=Crossed Cultures|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-07-20/film/crossed-cultures/1|accessdate=4 April 2017|work=The Village Voice|date=20 July 1999|archive-date=4 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104175158/http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-07-20/film/crossed-cultures/1/|url-status=dead}} starring among others Pam Grier, Bo Jackson, and Nell Carter{{cite news |title=Hamptons Film Festival Just Keeps On Growing |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E1D8163FF936A25753C1A961958260 |work=The New York Times |date=4 October 2008 |accessdate=2008-10-04 | first=Mel | last=Gussow}} for USA Networks. The film was nominated for the Golden Starfish Award at the 1997 Hamptons International Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the 1997 Urbanworld Film Festival.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119097/awards Facin' Da Funk awards and nominations at IMDb], Retrieved 10-12-2008 The film was the highest-rated movie on USA Networks in 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119097/|title=Fakin' da Funk|website=IMDb|date=18 October 1997}}

In 2002, Chey finished the feature film Gone, a movie about three lawyers who deal with the Rapture. While working with films at USC, Chey was the recipient of the prestigious "Spirit of the Independent" award for Best Director.

In 2004, Chey flew around the world to make the feature documentary Impact: The Passion of the Christ that looked at the impact of the movie The Passion of the Christ around the world.{{cite news |title=Taking a look at impact of 'The Passion' |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SB&p_theme=sb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=106CA61DA46D9B99&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=December 4, 2004 |accessdate=2008-10-04 |format=fee required}} "Impact" had its debut in Dallas at the American Film Renaissance festival.{{cite news |title=Con Flicks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/24/magazine/24PHENOM.html?pagewanted=print&position= |work=The New York Times |date=October 24, 2004 |accessdate=2008-10-04 | first=Kathryn | last=Schulz}}

In 2006, he finished writing and directing The Genius Club.{{cite news |title=Se estrena en México Duelo de genios, cinta sobre el terrorismo |url=http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=323744 |work=La Crónica de Hoy |date=September 20, 2007 |accessdate=2008-10-04 |archive-date=2011-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726093041/http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=323744 |url-status=dead }} starring Stephen Baldwin, Tom Sizemore,{{cite news |title=HERE & NOW: FILM |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030901559.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 11, 2007 |accessdate=2008-10-04 }} Jack Scalia, and Paula Jai Parker. In 2008, he finished his fifth film, Live Fast, Die Young, about an A-list star who dies at a Hollywood party and a group of 10 Hollywood insiders seeking redemption in the aftermath.

In 2010, he wrote and directed Suing the Devil (starring Malcolm McDowell, Tom Sizemore, Rebecca St. James) about a guy who sues the devil for $8 trillion. The film was awarded the 5 Star Dove Award.{{Cite web|url=https://dove.org/review/8597-suing-the-devil/|title=Suing the Devil|accessdate=14 May 2023}} The film was one of the most illegally downloaded indie movies in history.{{cite web|url=http://www.prleap.com/pr/185166/suing-the-devil-is-one-of-the-most-illegally |title='Suing the Devil' is one of the most illegally-downloaded movies ever |publisher=Prleap.com |date= |accessdate=2017-09-01}}

In 2012, Chey wrote and directed Final the Rapture in four countries.{{Cite web|last1=Sarachik|first1=Justin|last2=Reporter|first2=Christian Post|title='Final: The Rapture' Promises to Be 'Scariest Christian Movie of the Decade' (VIDEO)|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/final-the-rapture-promises-to-be-scariest-christian-movie-of-the-decade-video.html|access-date=2021-11-04|website=The Christian Post|date=5 June 2013 |language=en-US}}

In 2012, Chey embarked on a 31-country (including Japan, Brazil, Argentina, China, United Kingdom, Egypt, Dubai, Peru, Hong Kong, et al.) journey for The Epic Journey, a film that shows people whose lives were changed by God.{{Cite web|url=http://www.christiancinema.com/digital/newsdesk_info.php?newsdesk_id=2302|title=Christian Cinema|website=www.christiancinema.com|accessdate=14 May 2023}} The film premiered on prime-time television on Daystar TV reaching over 80 million households. The film was submitted to Guinness World Records for most countries filmed in a movie.{{cite press release|url=http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1195876080.html |title='The Epic Journey' - Film Team Traveled to 36 Countries to Find God |publisher=Christian Newswire |date=2015-05-19 |accessdate=2017-09-01}}

In 2013, Chey also wrote and produced Freedom, based on the early life of John Newton. The film stars Cuba Gooding Jr., William Sadler, and Sharon Leal.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/05/movies/review-freedom-stars-cuba-gooding-jr-as-a-slave-fleeing-to-canada.html|title=Review: 'Freedom' Stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as a Slave Fleeing to Canada|first=Andy|last=Webster|work=The New York Times |date=5 June 2015|accessdate=14 May 2023|via=NYTimes.com}} The film premiered on Showtime Network to 55 million homes on prime-time.{{cite web |url=http://www.sho.com/titles/3423844/freedom |title=Freedom | SHOWTIME |publisher=Sho.com |accessdate=2017-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901071137/http://www.sho.com/titles/3423844/freedom |archive-date=2017-09-01 |url-status=dead }}

In 2014, Chey wrote, produced and directed David and Goliath that was shot in North Africa and finished in studios in London.{{Cite web|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/david-and-goliath-movie-to-feature-real-life-giant-78-jerry-sokoloski/39158.htm|title='David and Goliath' movie to feature real life giant, 7'8|first=Brownie|last=Marie|website=www.christiantoday.com|date=July 30, 2014 |accessdate=14 May 2023}}

In 2016, Chey produced and directed "Slamma Jamma" that was released nationwide in theaters in 281 cities on March 24, 2017. The film was the third-widest release in the nation.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=slammajamma.htm |title=Slamma Jamma (2017) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |date=2017-03-26 |accessdate=2017-09-01}} The film stars 5-time slam-dunk champion Chris Staples, Michael Irvin, Jose Canseco, et al. The film is about a man who finds God in prison and wins the national slam dunk competition against all odds.

In 2017, Chey is producing and directing "The Islands" which is the biggest movie on Hawaii history and is based on the incredible true stories of Hawaii's beginnings from Captain Cook's arrival to King Kamehameha's unification wars through the chaotic last months of the monarchy of Queen Liliʻuokalani.{{cite news |author=Duane Shimogawa |title=$50M movie 'The Islands' to start filming in Hawaii in 2017 |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2016/08/25/50m-movie-the-islands-to-start-filming-in-hawaii.html |access-date=14 May 2023 |work=Pacific Business News |date=25 August 2016}} The film was scheduled to release on 3,000 theaters in November 2018, but that release date has been repeatedly pushed back and is now slotted for September 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5304664/releaseinfo?ref_=tt_ov_inf|title=The Islands (2019) - IMDb|website=IMDb}}

On August 2, 2024, The Firing Squad, written and directed by Chey, was released. Produced by Epoch Studios, the film starred Kevin Sorbo and Cuba Gooding Jr. in leading roles.{{Cite web |title=The Firing Squad |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt30110854/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Box Office Mojo}}

Chey wrote, produced and directed 20 Minutes, a film set during the 2018 Hawaii false missile alert. First set to be released in 2020 [https://timchey.medium.com/what-would-you-do-if-you-had-20-minutes-to-live-from-director-tim-chey-39ef53b5880], it was finally released in 2023. The film tells the story of twelve people's reactions to the text alert sent, in error, by the state, warning of an imminent nuclear strike.

• 5 Star Dove Award for The Genius Club (starring Trica Helfer, Stephen Baldwin, Tom Sizemore).{{Cite web|url=http://www.christiancinema.com/digital/article_info.php?articles_id=5557|title=Christian Cinema|website=www.christiancinema.com|accessdate=14 May 2023}}
• 5 Star Dove Award for Suing the Devil (starring Malcolm McDowell, Tom Sizemore, Corbin Bernsen).
• 4 Star Dove Award for Freedom (starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., William Sadler, Sharon Leal).{{Cite web|url=https://dove.org/review/10979-freedom/|title=Freedom|accessdate=14 May 2023}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{IMDb name|0156828}}
• [http://timchey.com/ Tim Chey Official Website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070707191916/http://timchey.com/questions.asp 10 Questions for Tim Chey]
• [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=233481 Tim Chey filmography at NYTimes.com]
• [http://www.spout.com/players/P___233481/PlayerFilms.aspx Tim Chey filmography at Spout.com]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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Category:Living people

Category:American male screenwriters

Category:Film directors from Los Angeles

Category:Film producers from California

Category:Boston University School of Law alumni

Category:Harvard Law School alumni

Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)