Questar Entertainment

Questar, Inc. (Questar Entertainment) is a Chicago-based film and television production and distribution company founded in 1985 with decades of experience contributing to consumer, educational, and institutional markets.[1] Questar Entertainment has expanded throughout the years, launching Cow Lamp Films in 2018, the company’s independent features division,[2][3] and GoTraveler in 2019, a streaming channel featuring a large collection of travel content.[4]

Questar Entertainment
TypePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
Founded1985
FounderAlbert J. Nader
HeadquartersChicago, IL
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Jonathan Plowman (CEO)
  • Albert J. Nader (Former CEO)
Products
ParentQuestar, Inc.
Websitehttps://www.questarentertainment.com/

History

Founded in 1985 by Albert J. Nader, Quester Entertainment was a pioneer in the DVD and home video distribution space. The company now produces and distributes original programs on PBS, the Discovery Channel, and through online and streaming sources such as Amazon and Netflix in subject areas ranging from history and nature to inspirational programming.[5] The company has won five awards from the American Film Institute, and has been honored by Billboard Magazine and at the Covenant Awards. Over the years, distribution shifted from outlets such as Reader's Digest and Publishers Clearing House to Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.[6]

On December 22, 2016, Albert Nader died of a heart attack in an urgent care facility in Palm Springs, California. The lifelong Chicago resident and his family had a tradition of celebrating Christmas in Palm Springs.[7]

Content

Content Library

Questar Entertainment is one of the industry's largest content holders of programming for television, home entertainment, education, web and digital, with over 4,000 titles in its library. Questar has produced more than 100 original programs for PBS, the Discovery Channel, TLC, the Travel Channel, the History Channel (A&E Networks), and PAX-TV Network.[8] Original titles include Touring Civil War Battlefields, The Dark, The Dream Motel, Real Pirates, and Where Jesus Walked.[9] Popular titles distributed by Questar Entertainment include A Cook's Tour (TV series, 2002 - 2003) hosted by Anthony Bourdain;[10] Women of the House (1995) an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of Designing Women;[11] The Tribe (1999 TV series) a science fiction drama series produced by the Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group in New Zealand;[12] The Joey Bishop Show (TV series) an American sitcom starring Joey Bishop that originally aired on NBC from September 1961 to January 1964;[13] The New Adventures of Black Beauty (TV series) a television show produced in the early 1990s in New Zealand and Australia;[14] Grannies on Safari (TV series) a travel program originally syndicated in the U.S. in 2006 with hosts Regina S. Fraser and Pat A. Johnson;[15] The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson (TV series) a family adventure series that originally aired on the PAX network in 1998;[16] My Classic Car (TV series) a television show about classic automobiles, hosted by Dennis Gage;[17] and It’s a Miracle (TV series) a television show that aired on PAX TV between 1998 and 2004, initially hosted by Billy Dean and Nia Peeples, then Richard Thomas, and later by Roma Downey.[18]

The Dream Motel

The Dream Motel (TV series) is an original series produced by Questar Entertainment and Rossetti Productions, with its first season debuting in October 2019. The series is about a motel where the guests have a chance to change their past, present, or their future.[19] The show’s creator, Chip Rossetti, further characterizes the show as “a cross between Touched By An Angel, Quantum Leap and The Twilight Zone.”[20] The series is currently being distributed on Pure Flix, Amazon, TLN, Christian Cinema, FaithNOW and TCT. The second season was scheduled to begin production in April 2020 with some filming happening in and around Southern Illinois, however, production has been delayed due to Covid-19.[21][22]

Divisions

Cow Lamp Films

Cow Lamp Films is the independent features division of Questar Entertainment. Cow Lamp distributes regional and international films for an audience via major streaming platforms and cable television.[23] The company is planning to release some of their films in theaters as well.[24] Titles under the company include Olympia (2018), which stars McKenzie Chinn (NBC’s Chicago Med) and Charles Andrew Gardner (a Steppenwolf actor) and has been hailed as “a refreshing look at the intimacy, nurturing and hard choices inherent to all relationships”;[25] Thieves Quartet (1993) written and directed by Joe Chappelle (The Wire, CSI: Miami); Rendezvous in Chicago (2018) written and directed by Michael Glover Smith;[26] The View From Tall (2016) a coming-of-age film written by Caitlin Parrish and co-directed by Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss;[27] and Ginger (2018) a film written and directed by Melissa and Jimmy Boratyn.[28]

GoTraveler

GoTraveler was launched on SVOD and AVOD platforms in 2019, featuring a collection of 200+ hours of world travel programming with travel hosts who have been featured on the Discovery Channel, the Travel Channel, and PBS. The extensive collection includes a look into the history, cultures, and food from around the world. Shows include Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour, America’s National Parks, Travel Thru History, The Silk Road, Festivals of the World, Cuba Today, Rudy Maxa’s World, and Laura McKenzie’s Traveler, among others. GoTraveler was listed on Lifehacker’s "Top 10 YouTube Channels to Inspire You to Get Outside".[29][30][31][32]

Ambience TV, also launched in 2019, looks at travel content in a new light, what The New Yorker calls “Slow TV.” A prime example would be the Yule Log, a wood burning fireplace.[33]

New Dimension Media

New Dimension Media (NDM) is Questar Entertainment’s longest running division and is recognized as one of the few remaining producers of original K-12 core curriculum video content to schools and public libraries with 44 series and 417 programs produced in the last five years. Every NDM title is correlated to all state, national, and Canadian provincial standards.[34]

References
  1. Megan, Graydon. "Albert Nader, founder of video programming company, dies at 84". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  2. "'Thieves Quartet,' 'Quarter Life Crisis,' 'Clarence Elkins,' and 'Rendezvous in Chicago' premiere on Tubi in November". | Reel Chicago - At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production. 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  3. michaelgloversmith (2018-01-24). "Interview with Josh da Silva of Cow Lamp Films". White City Cinema. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  4. Webb, Jill. "Travel The World Online With GoTraveler". GoNOMAD Travel. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  5. Megan, Graydon. "Albert Nader, founder of video programming company, dies at 84". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  6. Megan, Graydon. "Albert Nader, founder of video programming company, dies at 84". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  7. Megan, Graydon. "Albert Nader, founder of video programming company, dies at 84". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  8. "Questar Entertainment Releases 'The Christian Traveler' - Christian Newswire". www.christiannewswire.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  9. "Video entrepreneur took VHS to streaming - Near Northwest". digitaledition.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  10. O'Donnell, Maureen (2017-01-08). "Questar video house founder Albert J. Nader dead at 84". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  11. "Teri Garr". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  12. "Region Free Set | THETRIBE.CO.UK". Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  13. "The Joey Bishop Show: The Complete Second Season". Film. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  14. Millar, Catherine; Crome, John; Smith, Mike (2004-06-29), The New Adventures of Black Beauty: Seasons One and Two, Questar, retrieved 2020-06-03
  15. Fraser, Regina (2013-05-28), Grannies on Safari, Questar, retrieved 2020-06-03
  16. Eames, Declan (2005-11-08), The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson - The Complete Series, Questar, retrieved 2020-06-03
  17. Woehler, Brian (2015-01-15), My Classic Car: Special Collector's Edition - Classic Collection 5 pk., Questar, Inc, retrieved 2020-06-03
  18. episode, Varies by (2015-01-15), It's a Miracle: 50 New Stories 3 pk., Questar, Inc., retrieved 2020-06-03
  19. TV series "The Dream Motel" to film in southern Illinois, retrieved 2020-06-03
  20. "TV Series 'The Dream Motel,' scheduled to shoot in Southern Illinois | The Gazette-Democrat". annanews.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  21. Grelle, Olivia. "TV series "The Dream Motel" to film in southern Illinois". Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  22. "TV Series 'The Dream Motel,' scheduled to shoot in Southern Illinois | The Gazette-Democrat". annanews.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  23. michaelgloversmith (2018-01-24). "Interview with Josh da Silva of Cow Lamp Films". White City Cinema. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  24. Neal, Garret (2018-06-05). "Cow Lamp". The DePaulia. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  25. crusader. "Chicago International Film Festival promises films from around the world for all | The Crusader Newspaper Group". Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  26. "'Thieves Quartet,' 'Quarter Life Crisis,' 'Clarence Elkins,' and 'Rendezvous in Chicago' premiere on Tubi in November". | Reel Chicago - At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production. 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  27. "The View from Tall | Cow Lamp Films". cowlampfilms. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  28. chicagofilmscene (2019-11-18). "Ginger, A Young Adult's Guide to Breast Cancer, Gives Back". Chicago Film Scene. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  29. "GoTraveler | zone·tv". Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  30. "Page not found | GoTraveler.com". GoTraveler.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03. Cite uses generic title (help)
  31. Bouma, Luke (2020-01-15). "The Free Streaming Service XUMO TV Adds The GoTraveler Channel". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  32. "Top 10 YouTube Channels to Inspire You to Get Outside". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  33. "SCREEN | Chicago Filmmakers Join New Travel TV Project | June 2020 Stories". www.screenmag.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  34. "New Dimension Media Launches CCC! Video on Demand Version 2.0". eSchool News. 2007-04-05. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
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