Dear Mr. Abbott, I hope this digital correspondence finds you well. It’s been a little over a year since I wrote to you last about Signed, Sealed, Delivered. First, I’d like to thank you for “delivering” more films in 2017. There was collective celebration across POstables nation upon hearing of your decision to order three additional films at the TCAs in January of this year. While there is one left to air, and yet another from this order still yet to film---we want more. With this letter, I hope to convey why you should reaffirm your commitment first and foremost to Martha Williamson, and to the cast and crew of Signed, Sealed, Delivered, but also, by extension, to POstables both in the United States, and even abroad, in the coming year. |
Over the past year, Martha Williamson, along with the cast and crew of Signed, Sealed, Delivered, continued to receive nominations for various Canadian film and television awards, highlighting the quality of the programming and the talent of those individuals behind it. At the beginning of the year, Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen were nominated for Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series for From Paris With Love at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards. In May, Lost Without You was nominated in four categories at the 2017 Leo Awards including Best Television Movie, Best Directing (Kevin Fair), Best Screenwriting (Martha Williamson & Brandi Harkonen) and Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Television Movie (Geoff Gustafson).
Meanwhile, POstables across the U.S., and even abroad, have continued to find ways to support the cast and crew of Signed, Sealed, Delivered both individually and collectively. In March, the Alameda & Downing blog established the Living Letters series, a feature dedicated to sharing stories about life, love and forgiveness as inspired by Signed, Sealed, Delivered, told in the words of POstables themselves. Since it started, 32 individuals and counting have bravely shared their trials and triumphs, which embody the hope and healing embedded in each Signed, Sealed, Delivered installment. |
Just a few days before the premiere of Home Again, Kristin Booth made an appearance on Home and Family, one highlighted by a group of dedicated fans who made the pilgrimage to the set in order to show their support of Kristin and Signed, Sealed, Delivered. One traveler even recounted the outing in a post here on the blog, which likened the experience of meeting new POstables---several of whom were only acquainted through social media---to “reuniting with family you haven’t seen in awhile.” If anything, it proves that, given the opportunity, POstables are ready and waiting to show their support in a visible and tangible way, even if travel is required.
But perhaps the most important reason continuing to make Signed, Sealed, Delivered a priority for the Hallmark brand stems not entirely from what has happened in the past---though a clearly positive and significant point of consideration---but from what it says, and what it means, for the present and future of the brand when you say, “yes.” When You Say Yes We’re taught from an early age that our actions have consequences or, at the very least, a ripple effect that starts with us, and radiates outwards. Believe it or not, the same is true when you make the decision to continue supporting Signed, Sealed, Delivered. |
In an industry recently plagued by startling impropriety, “yes” enables a safe space for professionals to develop and hone their cinematic crafts. In November of 2016, I had the pleasure and privilege of visiting the set during the filming of Higher Ground. While incredibly fun and exciting, it instilled a deep sense of respect for the quality of the work these professionals produce. Higher Ground in particular was shot in just 15 days (some of them 12 hours long), and required a considerable amount of last-minute improvisation to bring together the unforgettable final product. Their hard work and stewardship of the time and resources they had to accomplish the task at hand is a testament to not only the talent of the cast and crew, but their dedication to the art of film-making, whatever the scale. As I spoke to members of the crew, one of the things that stood out to me is the subtle competitiveness, that, if you're fortunate to make the crew producing an SSD film, carries with it a certain esteem and pride that clearly internally drives each member of the crew to always bring their best, a goal they have repeatedly met and exceeded with each succeeding installment. |
Beyond that, your “yes” facilitates things like this blog, as each new installment brings with it more content for analysis and discussion, ensuring that content produced for your network doesn’t simply air, never to be revisited again, but becomes etched in the hearts and minds of the audience to whom you committed to make it available, impacting them in different ways, at different times, even years later. The same can be said of the relationships forged as a result of this program, those in-person and over the internet, both here and abroad, invaluable connections which are sure to continue well into the future. |
It's clear Crown Media is flourishing---at the very least, the addition of Hallmark Drama and a revamped streaming service prove that. At a certain point, that kind of success enables decisions to be made that are about more than just the bottom line. My grandmother always taught me that "when you're blessed, be a blessing to others." There's a responsibility that comes along with your success, one to continue perpetuating and reinforcing the good your "yes" has already produced, which came from choosing to honor the legacy and meaning of the Hallmark brand in the first place.
I know you’re making a lot of commitments, to a lot of projects, but I hope that as you do so you're remembering the power of your "yes." Your decision impacts not just the present, but echoes into the future in a way in which neither one of us might live to truly see the full effect. The first step in understanding the magnitude, however, is by acknowledging the incredibly dynamic impact that Signed, Sealed, Delivered has already had both on the Hallmark brand and those touched by it. As you weigh those merits, and those mentioned above, it will only become clearer why your investment in this program should continue into 2018 and beyond. POstables will always choose Signed, Sealed, Delivered, and you should, too.
Sincerely,
Chandel Charles
On Behalf Of POstables Everywhere
*Ratings Data for One In A Million, Lost Without You, Higher Ground and Home Again gathered from Show Buzz Daily