Standing Firm : Blog

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Although our film is not yet completed, there has been an increase of interest from online supporters who have found out about our film.  On top of that, a few have seen the film in its current form and have offered some feedback.  We figured we would share it with you!

Before you read that, let me update you on where the film currently is.  We have the film in the hands of a distributor and we’re waiting on their response.  We still have yet to lock the film (that means the edit is complete and will be left alone), and when that does happen we will move forward with the sound-mix and the score.  However, we need you to be praying for us.  If the distributor we initially contacted says no, our options are limited to finish the film.  The reason…we can’t pay for our score/sound-mix.  We’ve gone through dozens of composers before finding the one who can give us what we want.  We still have time, because even if we had the money, no composer could really start much without an edit lock so that’s our current goal.  Please pray that God would provide us an answer soon as to where we are to go with the project.  Pray for discernment with the distributor, that whether the answer is yes or no, their decision would be swift and honest so we may move forward.  If it is a no, pray that God provides a way for us to finish the film and find another distributor.  If it is a yes, then pray that all the many things that would need to move forward would do so smoothly and without issues.

I want to say thank you yet again for all the love and support you’ve all shown.  We launched our website in December 2007 and for almost 2 years we’ve had an online presence surrounding this film, and it grows daily.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  Continue to spread the word to your friends and family.  Join our fan page and invite others, follow our new twitter page, join our email list.  Do all you can to tell everyone about Standing Firm!

Here are some warm comments from some of our excited supporters online…

“Cant wait for the release.  When will it be out on DVD?  Living out in the sticks means that is the only way to see it here in South Africa.” - Dalena, South Africa

“If the movie is anything like the trailer, this is incredible, I was deeply moved…broken.” - Cathy, USA

“The trailer looks really great!  When will it be released?  I’m in Malaysia so get it on DVD asap….” - Andrew, Malaysia

“Looking forward on seeing this film. It really makes you stop and think about life and what it’s all about! Thank you Jesus!” - Sherry, NJ

“Fantastic work. I can hardly wait for this to hit the screen.

God be with and bless you ALL!!” - Sharon

First Viewers of the Film in it’s current form…(Cut #3, Temporary Score/No Sound-Mix or Color Correction)

“Simply put- the movie is amazing. The characters, the storyline, and the quality all make you feel as if you are apart of the story. Standing Firm is a top-notch film and is one of the most biblically sound and Christ centered movies I’ve seen! It is relevant for anyone of any age.” - Heather, NY

“The new movie Standing Firm an above average piece, including something for prayer-warriors, the hard-working man, or a college student struggling to do what is what is right in the middle of adversity. You will walk away from the film understanding that life, although sometimes unpleasant, can still be wonderful in Christ Jesus our Lord. The story is real, the people are authentic, and the ending will surprise viewers. Standing Firm is a movie that exemplifies a Christ-like journey of faith when the name of Jesus is explicitly mentioned, and when it isn’t. There are many new movies bearing the name of Jesus Christ, but very few depict the reality of a life with Christ in the way Standing Firm does.” - Matt, NY

“I marveled at the production quality as I watched it, and your faithfulness in truly making this a Christian film that has a solid, Biblical message. I believe you told me that some of your talent were non-professionals, but that certainly didn’t come across at all…You did a good job of portraying the emotion surrounding the death of a loved one, and presenting Christian solutions to dealing with the loss…This is a film that can be shown anywhere, and that should help you in your marketing efforts.  May you have much success with your film, and may the Lord bless the great messages within it.” - Bob, Texas

Thanks for your support and may God Bless you,
Kyle Prohaska
Writer/Director

From the start it’s been clear that His hand has been on this project, and we’re trusting Him for big things.  I found this video yesterday and it brought me to tears.  It seems all over, I keep finding examples of what we’re trying to share with people via this films message.  I’ve heard the song “He Loves Us” so many times and never knew the history behind it.  There is so much pain, heartache, death, and PURPOSE in the story of Standing Firm, within the film and outside of it.  As John says in the video as he breaks down “It’s not my song…” and like us “It’s not our film…”  I’m so unbelievably excited to see the rippling impact that God is going to make with this project.  Please continue to pray for us and most of all for everyone walking around this planet today, whether they be saved or not, who might see Standing Firm in the future, that God would continually prepare their hearts for the message He has to give them.

Watch and be blessed…

For those of you wondering how the cut of Standing Firm is coming along (the cut shown to him was Cut #3, we’re now in Cut #4), why don’t you ask Matt C. from Akron, NY…

“The new movie Standing Firm is an above average piece, including something for prayer-warriors, the hard-working man, or a college student struggling to do what is what is right in the middle of adversity. You will walk away from the film understanding that life, although sometimes unpleasant, can still be wonderful in Christ Jesus our Lord. The story is real, the people are authentic, and the ending will surprise viewers. Standing Firm is a movie that exemplifies a Christ-like journey of faith when the name of Jesus is explicitly mentioned, and when it isn’t. There are many new movies bearing the name of Jesus Christ, but very few depict the reality of a life with Christ in the way Standing Firm does.”

Thanks goes out to Matt for his warm comments!  The cut continues to be refined every week as things are tightened and decisions are made.  The film is looking much better since Cut #3 and I’m much happier with the overall quality of some of the scenes.  Much has happened this summer to me personally that has God teaching me patience, this area of my life especially.  We’re just moving along slowly and trying to figure out what we should do distribution wise with this film.  As most of you know, we can’t really finish this film on our own, as we can’t pay for a score or sound mix currently.  There are options we have, but none are 100% and patience is key.  This film is at a crossroads, but rest assured, I’m doing what I can to make sure my side of things isn’t slacking.

Pray for the film, and its future.

P.S. you can find out more about myself and what’s going on in my life personally in regards to the movie at http://www.lifeofkyle.com Sometimes you’ll get a more personal perspective on where we are and what we have to accomplish

After months of mulling over countless different cuts of this trailer, sending it to dozens of people for feedback.  Cutting out things, adding in other subplots of the film, changing the music, etc. we finally have a new trailer to release.  I’m glad to have this off my shoulders for now, because creating a trailer for this film was by far the most difficult part of the process.  Cutting the entire film was a joy and a vacation compared to creating this two and a half minute preview.  This is one of the last videos you’ll see about the film for a while so enjoy and be sure to share it with your friends!

View on ChristianFilmTrailers.com

View on our website

View on YouTube

While all of our supporters out there wait for a new site, a new trailer, a release date, etc., let me take some time to tell you about what this film is REALLY about.

I’m just going to be honest with all of you, this film is a personal project.  The core of the problems within the story are built around my parents marriage and some things I remember as a kid.  Granted the Lord has graciously held my family together and I have the honor of being the son of two wonderful parents that I love very much and who both now love the Lord with all their heart.  For that I’m thankful.

When we brought in the issue of death and suffering, none of us knew just how hard the lesson would be.  Before, during, and after shooting, the cast and crew went through a lot of heartache.  A week before shooting I lost my grandmother, a month or two in one of my best friends lost his mom, another month later a young woman in our church family passed as well, and many others leading all the way until this past May where I lost my best friend, only days before moving 3000 miles to a new home.  As I wept asking God for a story to tell long before shooting started and the script was written, he knew about the tragedies coming down the line and the exact story we needed to write.  It wasn’t just a message for others who experience the same pain, but for us as well while we created the film.  God war preparing us far in advance.

The more I look at the edit, the heavier the burden feels.  As a filmmaker, you want to tell a story, but rarely is one so deeply wrapped in emotion and history of those involved.  There is an overwhelming realization of the importance of this story.  This isn’t about dollars or sales, recognition or fame…it’s about the parent who lost their child, the wife who lost her husband, and the one who lost his friend, and all the other millions upon millions of people out there who look at this world each and every day, gazing on it’s problems and the evil acts that go on in it and ask…If there is a God….then WHY?

Please pray for us, there are so many things we have left to complete.  We need good distribution for this film if we’re to get it into peoples hands.  We need a score whether that’s from the distributor or a donation, we can’t pay for it.  Personally I’m asking for your prayers, for the film especially but please for me that I can have enough energy to complete it and do my job well.  Unless we get some money from someone or a distributor likes the film when we mail it at the end of this month, I’ll be continuing to work on the film alone…as it’s been in the post-production side of things for almost a year.

How many of you out there have a family member or friend that could use a message like this?  PRAY FOR THIS FILM.

Kyle Prohaska
Writer/Director/Producer

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Mike (left) speaks to the youth in Standing Firm

It’s hard to believe how many people have died during the production of this film.  The number is up to 9 now, as of yesterday.  My family buried my grandmother just a week before the start of shooting, and many others in the church family who were close to myself and others on the Cast/Crew passed away unexpectedly during the shooting.  Mike Cooper plays Mike Cooper in the film (awesome huh?).  He has a small cameo where he shares a message with a college group.  Cooper died yesterday when he fell in the Niagara Gorge seriously injuring his chest and head.  Coop was a close friend of many on the production, and yesterday was a big shock for everyone.  Mike was an amazing man of God, and shared his faith with everyone he could.  There is no doubt that the impact of his life will echo throughout the lives of his friends and even the strangers he met for years to come.  We will miss you Cooper, very much.  May the message you speak in the film impact many people far beyond the grave!  Your in the presence of your Savior now, and what a sweet thing that is.  Today is also Mike’s birthday, so Happy Birthday COOPER!

How ironic is it that while we make a film about death, there is so much of it around us.  This film is important, and must be finished.  Death is sure, but we don’t have to be afraid.  God’s timing is perfect, and he knows what he’s doing.  Death where is your string, where is your victory?

Jesus won, so we win.  Please be in prayer for the friends and family of Mike and for the completion of this film.  With every trial the determination to finish gets stronger and stronger.  I’m moving out to LA and the film with me very soon.  It’s been a long year, but we will make it!

Today was the last day of shooting, thank goodness. We all were ready to get this day done. We had very little to do but it took a while to get going. I myself was feeling really bad and had some wicked coughs and junk going on in my throat so that made the day interesting. We got a few shots off after a while but things slowed down towards the center. I could feel myself burning out as the day continued. We lost our gaffer about half way through the day and had to move on and finish the last scene without him. He pre-lit as best he could then had to leave. We got along fine though, the location we chose to shoot in gave plenty of natural light that looks great. Not having our gaffer also meant no sound-man. Shaun (gaffer) has been doubling as the boom operator for over 9 months now with only a few people filling in when needed. We didn’t have anybody to do it. Luckily Kevin Bish, a friend at church was working there and jumped in to help. He did a great job after a really short explanation of what to do. Kevin Michael (Co-Producer) had his cameo today in the film. I knew he would be perfect when we decided to have him do it. Everything came across so natural and real from him, he just talked as he normally would. It was awesome getting such a good performance out of him so easily, I loved it. Great job Kevin! When it came time to wrap we all came in for a big hug and screamed as loud as we could, what a release. I was exhausted afterwards. I’m still drained as I type this. I don’t want to celebrate tonight, I just want my pillow. It was a great last day, no matter how tired we all are…it’s worth it!

2 Years, 60 Shooting Days, 600 hours on set with people you care about, a church with volunteers, a new company, time away from families and jobs, miracles on set, miracles off the set, a cast/crew growing stronger in Christ, 8+ deaths in relation to local church families and people involved, a local community and internet fan-base in prayer, and a little story called Standing Firm.

It was 2 years ago that myself and Kevin Michael sat down to begin writing the screenplay and one year later in the summer of 2008 we began production not having a clue what we’d gotten ourselves into. It was a long and grueling road for everyone but here we are, done shooting. What a process, what a Blessing.

God has been so good to us during this production, more than I could ever explain. We’ve had our really nasty days on this film, and he was there the whole way through pushing us along. Everyone at one point (or many) was exhausted and discouraged but he kept moving us downfield towards the goal. We all marched on with a determination to finish and refusal to quit. When you set your sights on the prize, nothing can stop you. There is still much work to be done to finish the film, now we are in full blown Post-production. The edit is very well along, and the recently shot scenes will go together soon. I’m moving to Los Angeles in 5 days, and will be taking the film with me to complete. My goal is to have a full cut of the film together by the end of June. A lot of scenes within the film are in their 3rd, 4th, or even 9th cut so it’s just a manner of tuning them and transition the scenes, analyzing the pace and making adjustments. It will take me a little while to get settled in and get all my equipment setup again to begin working again but to have the stuff in the bag that ties the film to NY really is a Blessing. I have a little bit of ADR to do with the rest of the cast (very few lines), and three interviews with cast/crew to do which will take place tomorrow morning and friday.

Thank you to all of you out there who have supported this production in the last year and even before that. Our website went live in December 2007 and we’ve gathered quite a bit of attention since then. The internet is a wildly powerful tool to spread the word if you know how to use it and it’s been invaluable to us in letting you all know how we’re doing. Thanks for the prayer as well, which is what really kept this film alive. Continue to pray and support us as we try and get this film further towards completion. We need to find an official composer, we need to finish post sound and the edit, color correction and all the other promo edits and odd things…then the wonderful and long process of distribution and finding an interested party. Keep on telling others!

Many more people have heard of our film, much more than I would’ve imagined. Through social networking and advertising using free resources, the people God has brought our way is astonishing. I’m asked on a regular basis “how’s the moving coming?” I figured it was only fair to answer that for all of you and let you know really where we are and what we need you to do.

We only have a few shooting days left (excluding any BTS (behind the scenes) Interviews or other things). We are very close to bagging the film. The edit is moving along nicely, and I can see the film starting to take shape. I’m praying that all our hard work will pay off and that the film flows together well when it is 100% complete. Some scenes need some elbow grease to get them where they need to be. I believe we will get there, God has brought us this far!

We have lots to do in a short period of time. ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement) is going to be very difficult I fear and the next major hurdle for all of us to jump. It will be much more relaxed as there wont be a camera pointed in our actors faces but getting ADR done properly will be a challenge. There isn’t that much to do but when none of us have ever tackled it before, the task becomes a bit unnerving. Please pray for this next step in the process. The edit will continue to be developed but the ADR is the very next step that we need to start very soon. Also one of our lead actors Eric Stevenson will be heading to Korea for a full year to teach so anything that might be needed with him must be completed as soon as possible. This might even include anything that in the end we realize just isn’t adequate that we need to shoot (hopefully not but it is possible and we are thankful to God to have that opportunity as long as actors are willing/available).

This has been a question mark from the very start for all of us. Nobody has acted on camera before, myself and my partner Kevin have never written a screenplay before, I’ve never shot a film before, planned a film, edited a film, done grassroots marketing for a film, recorded ADR for a film, and the list goes on. Every hurdle has approached and been defeated thus far and we don’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Things left on the list to complete the film are of the following (but aren’t limited to):

1) ADR
2) Foley/Sound Recording
3) Sound Mix
4) Finishing & Locking the Edit
5) Color Grading & Correction
etc.

There is much to do! Afterwards when the film is “completed” you then dive into the wonderful world of marketing/distribution. We need to find a company to pick up the film for DVD Distribution so all of you out there in the world can see it. This is a difficult and time consuming process. On top of that we plan on sending the film out to many folks we now know in the entertainment world to gather quotes, reviews, feedback, etc. to help with the marketing of the film. As a side note we do hope to premiere the film locally for people in our community although finances to do so will likely be low/extinct. We have a place in mind to premiere it that is big enough but we need a film in hand before we could approach the place to work with us. Pray for that as well!

When Can You See The Film? - This is the question we are asked the most frequently. When the film is actually complete there is much we need to do before it’ll actually get to your TV Screen (as you read above). Odds are the time frame is many months, so don’t get yourself too worked up just yet. We are all just as excited and anxious to get the film out to all of you. The best thing you can do is calm down and don’t loose that fire for the film! Don’t get yourself too excited then fizzle out when we need you the most! The film will come in God’s timing, and His timing is always perfect.

When Will A New/Better Trailer Be Released? - This is hard to say. We are much more concentrated on actually completing the film than releasing a trailer. The trailer we had in mind from months ago was denied a release because of budget problems. We were grieved about this and apologize to you all, especially those who donated to help with that cause. Your money went to a greater need. We thank all who helped us during that time, God used your donations for his purpose regardless so please know that! We do hope to release a new trailer sometime in the next few months though. We will need it to push the film anyways so plan on seeing one sooner or later. We’ll also have other videos for your viewing pleasure in the future, BTS interviews, etc. They are going to be excellent!

I thank you all for your support, from the deepest core of my heart. All the prayers and zeal for this movies completion is a Blessing beyond anything you all can understand. You have supported us from the very beginning and never faultered, and for that we are eternally grateful.

On a more personal note, creating this film is the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted in my life. It has brought more grief, stress, and heartache then I care to express. But at the same time it has brought me more joy, growth, and strength then anything in my life ever has. I’ll do anything and everything I can to make sure this film is completed. God has given me a burning fire for this project and for film as a whole. I pray that the film touches all of you in a big way and God uses it reach others for him. There is no greater joy then that first phone call/email/text message/etc. that we receive that says “thank you.” God has used this film to do so much in the hearts of those working on it, in the hearts of our church family and surrounding community, and many others on the internet who have diligently kept up with the updates from Day #1. Please pray for protection of all who are and might work on the film in the future. Pray for distribution, that the Lord would give us wisdom in choosing the right company. Pray for the technical hurdles that lie ahead and the financial burdens that may arise. Pray especially that God would continue to have his hand on our project and that we all would keep a humble spirit in offering our film for his use. Above all, pray that all who watch the film are impacted for the Kingdom and that many would come to Christ as a result of this film!

We WILL NOT fail…we WILL FINISH.

Blessings & Happy Resurrection Day!

Kyle Prohaska
Writer/Director

I’m really excited to report our Facebook Group for Standing Firm has hit 2000 Members.  I started the group over a year ago and it’s grown steadily since then.  Thanks to all who have helped us spread the word!  If you haven’t done it yet, join the group and invite your friends.  Inviting your friends is without a doubt the EASIEST way to let people know about our film.  You click the “Invite People to Join” under the Groups Image and select your friends.  It will take you 10 minutes to invite your entire friends list.  Facebook only lets you invite 100 at a time, but nothing can stop you from hitting invite again and inviting the next 100! :)  Some of you have large friends lists of friends and family from all over the USA and world.  Use it to your advantage!

Join the Group

Become a Fan

Another way you can spread the word is clicking the Share button under the groups image and post the Group to your Profile.  It’s like putting up a temporary billboard for our Group or Fan Page!

It has been a while since our last update.  I appologize, much has transpired lately that has kept me busy.  I’m happy to report it is a good busy, a busy that is prosperous. 

So what is the status of Standing Firm?  We are currently doing preparation and scheduling for the reshoots and pickups we need.  They will be filmed in the beginning of Feb. with others being forced until early March (my Gaffer is taking a well deserved vacation, bon voyage).  We will be prepping a lot more accurately and with more care than was present last year, something that hurt us in the long run.  However, we now know things we couldn’t have known last year since it was a new experience for everyone.  How long does it take to shoot something based on its length?  What is the best order to shoot things in?  What is realistic, what isn’t?  Much needed to be learned and I’m glad to say we wont be making those mistakes a second time around. *knock on wood*

There have been adjustments to the film and other changes that require some of these reshoots and pickups.  Some of the shots are also inserts that we have put off for a long time knowing we would come back to them, so here we are.  There is snow on the ground and its freezing outside so obviously there wont be any reshoots going on outside, luckily we are confident of what we have from last year and scrambled to get what we needed then knowing we couldn’t get it now.

So your probably wondering what was going on when we hadn’t started prepping yet.  Well technically we WERE prepping things, but not in the traditional Pre-Production sense.  We took some time to continue editing the film and getting it together so we could get a better handle on where we were and what we would need.  The best part about this project that God really Blessed us with are local volunteers, one of them technically being myself.  We knew we could come back and get what we needed, something traditional shoots would deny and without these advantages we would dead in the water (so thank you God).

I’m happy to report myself and Kevin Michael (President of Praise Pictures & Co Writer/Producer on the film) had a long meeting last Sunday and hammered out the finishing details on what is needed to get the film to a level we are happy with.  I was very excited to see things from A-Z, left to right on the timeline in a more complete way.  I have been nervously editing from the very start of shooting slowly working towards that goal and that night I’m happy to say we met it.  The film isn’t complete, not by any means…but for the first time you could start from the beginning and go all the way through till the end explaining the story within the edit and see the result that God has Blessed us with.  Praise God for that accomplishment!  It was truly an excited moment.  I had a hard time sleeping that night.

There was also a development that night that I wont share big details of for now.  I know I’m known for giving you things to pray about that you don’t necessarily know all the details for, but I’m going to do it again.  We will be having a man working with us at the end of February (Lord Willing) that you all might find familiar.  He worked on a film most of you have seen and we are glad to have him on board.  Pray that all goes well, and we are able to venture into that with hickups.

What is going on with Praise Pictures?  As you may have read, I recently attended the 2009 San Antonio International Film Festival and networked like a crazy person giving out a Praise Pictures business card to anyone who would take one, and gave out Promo Discs to choice folks explained here.  The new trailer I talked about a few months ago is on hold, sorry.  I wont go into why but you’ll just have to wait.  Hopefully all these updates and new content will keep you at bay. Here is one comment I received recently from Bob Christian (more famously known as Bro Bob, the first reviewer of our script last year, thanks Bob!):

 “Wow!  This time I was the one “blown away”!  The clips you had on the DVD you gifted me with at SAICFF, were outstanding.  You have Hollywood beat by a country mile.  The cinematography and production quality was awesome!  Even the acting was superb!  Great editing too!  You are a gifted and artistic individual.  I am getting so anxious to see the finished product.  If the rest of the film is as good as the clips you had on this demo disk, this film is going to be a successful blockbuster!” - Bob Christian

As soon as I got home I started revamping the Praise Pictures website for a new future.  I uploaded reviews to the most popular films of the festival, and discovered I was the first to do so.  This flooded the website with traffic and has continued to do so in the hundreds per day since the beginning of the month.  It is great to see people coming back to read the new things posted.  There will be Film Reviews, Interviews, Articles, etc. on all sorts of topics and with all sorts of people about all sorts of films.  We also have started a blog which will include the same information and such on the site but it’s a better way for you to be able to comment on our content.  Don’t be surprised if you see a special little snippet of info there every once in a while that you wont see anywhere else From now on any information about new Christian Films, Christian Film News, etc. will be pumped through that blog.  Please be sure to check there just as you do here.  Our hope is that the site will become a good resource and will be useful to other filmmakers.  We are excited to see not just what God does with Standing Firm and our company as a Production Company, but as an internet resource as well.

So as we near February in just over a week I ask all of you out there to pray for us, just as you did so faithfully last year.  Pray that the changes in planning would be beneficial and make things more efficient.  Pray that the actors would stay true to the quality they have shown during this whole process.  Pray for the camera work and lighting that it would also stay true to our current quality level.  Pray for humble attitudes and servants hearts of all that might help.  Above all pray for the souls of those who may see this movie and be impacted by it.  Just like the boy with five loaves and two fish, we want to see God take our film and use it for his Glory on a massive scale.

Hands to the plow…once again,
Kyle Prohaska
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com
kyle@praisepictures.com

To call the week spent at the San Antonio International Christian Film Festival, “the greatest week of my life,” would truly be an understatement.  Why was it so amazing?  Well then, let me articulate it a bit for you.  If you’ve ever seen someone’s dreams come true, it’s an incredible sight.  If you’ve ever seen someone who has worked for something so hard finally get it, it’s an incredible sight.  Things like High School Graduation, getting your drivers license, shooting your first shot on your first movie, the list goes on.  This past week has seen many things I’ve been waiting for since 2007 come to pass, as well as other things I’ve waited for since I was a kid.  I got to rub elbows, and have meaningful film related and spiritual conversations with MANY people young and old who have a passion for the Lord.  The place was dripping with talent and enthusiasm.  Even in the obvious inexperienced folks or much younger guests, their willingness to learn and their attentive ears brought a smile to my face when the seminars at the Academy and Guest Speakers got up to the podium.

Being in a place with thousands of people of like mind and interest is something I have NEVER had the opportunity to experience.  I live in a one stop light town next to a bunch of bigger towns…but nobody does film here.  It’s void of film interest, movies on opening day unless its 8pm on a Friday Night are practically empty.  I’ve always felt a bit alone in terms of my own interests, which is why the internet has been an escape in recent years, especially on forums.  90% of the folks I met I have talked to online or on the phone.  It was a thrill to have countless people say “Hey!  Your that Standing Firm guy right?”  Apparently the internet advertising (or what little I”m able to do) is working, that was a big encouragement.

I also walked around with my laptop showing pieces of Standing Firm to whoever would lend an ear and eyeball.  The overall consensus was very favorable.  People especially loved the look of it and the stack of business cards I received is very thick.  I also brought Promo DVD’s to give out to choice people.  Out of the 20 I brought, 19 were given away.  Stephen Kendrick (Producer/Writer of Facing The Giants & Fireproof) received his disc on Monday Jan 5th.  Myself and Justin Tolley (Unit Production Manager on Fireproof) talked on Tuesday for about an hour and a half about all sorts of things, it was a great conversation.  He was a great guy, had a lot of passion and was open to chatting.  I gave him a disc as well and that night himself and Stephen sat down to view the disc.  It included the first 6 minutes of the film (in its current form), the unreleased trailer, and scene 38 which acts as a centerpiece in the film.  Their comments the next day were great, they both loved how it looked and were very impressed that it was film #1 for me.  Hearing that from Stephen was like an electric bolt, I was floored that he had even taken the time to watch it after he had received so many discs already that first day (thanks Justin…*smile*).

I can’t talk about EVERYTHING but here is a list of the other wonderful people I had the pleasure of either meeting or hanging around: 

John Moore, Doug Phillips, Geoffrey Botkin, Kirk Cameron (I was 3ft away, what an awesome guy he is), Chris Staron, James Burgess, Rich Christiano, Jimmy Broyden, Jon Erwin, George Escobar, Chad Burns, and many more.

The awards night was a very emotional night.  Seeing people I know go up and get recognized for their obedience to Christ was a sight that moved me to tears.  I couldn’t help it, I was so overwhelmed with the Blessing.  Such God Honoring, selfless young and older men being Blessed for their work, it was incredible.  Stephen Kendrick when Fireproof received the Best Feature Film award help the trophy up in the air and looked upwards.  That is EXACTLY the kind of attitude needed.  That is what was so incredible, that nobody looked at their awards as “theirs.”  Where else does that happen?  It’s GOD’s award, He gets the Glory, He is lifted up and Magnified.  Christ 1st, all else 2nd…that includes ourselves.  It was amazing to see that displayed.  This past week was a Blessing that this blog post even at its current length can’t articulate.  Congratulations to ALL the winners, and ALL the people who were involved in making them.  Congratulations to ALL the entries submitted, even those that weren’t accepted.  We all have a common goal here, to Glorify Christ with our work.  Some of us are better filmmakers than others, but we all have a common goal, and should be encouraging and helping each other with a passion and a drive to see others succeed regardless of where we may fail.  God is so good to each of us, and the best part is…he doesn’t have to be.  He saved me from what I was…isn’t that enough?  Let that sink in and reveal just how much Blessing he really gives us on a regular basis.

I hope to enter Standing Firm into next years competition to see what God does with the project, regardless of its possible release by that time.  Who knows…

I’m ready to get back to work!  Time to create something Honorable and Glorifying to Christ AMEN!?  I’ve never felt so uplifted.

Just wanted to let everyone know we added a few photos to the Gallery on the website. Some new BTS photos towards the bottom and screen-grabs from the film towards the top. We are keeping busy here, the last of the shooting days are finally scheduled and will be shot soon. I can hear the fireworks and party poppers going off already. The first cut of the film is coming along nicely with the runtime hovering around the 90min mark where we had estimated. I’m sure with trimming and soon to be added additions we will swing in front of and behind that mark and land somewhere close. Keep praying for the project. We have lots to do after shooting wraps to get this thing done. I know a lot of people out there are excited and so are we, but we have a long way to go and still need your support!

Thanks to all who left us a message on the videos page. It’s encouraging to know there are people out there watching us It gives us more fuel for the fire. If you haven’t left us a comment yet, WHY NOT!? Go ahead and leave one, we would love to hear from you!

There are a few Christian films & other content I want you to be aware of. It is very important that other independent Christian films be supported so more can be made. We can’t make these films without you the viewer!

1) Bringing Up Bobby, a quirky comedy from the creators of Between the Walls. Christian Comedy is a rarity and very difficult to pull of, comedy in general is not easy. If your interested in Between the Walls, I do believe there is a sale going on right now! Also made by Glowing Nose LLC is their podcast. It gives some great insight into different topics, not just films. I suggest you give it a listen. I enjoy listening to these guys.

2) A Letter to Dad, a new romantic film. This film is great, on a level of production quality unseen in most Christian films…even other professional films. I suggest you give this a look, it’s just been released on DVD recently!

3) Praise Pictures film reviews. Are you looking for other Christian films? Looking for a review? We hope at some point we can be a popular go to place for even-handed “filmmaker perspective” reviews. More will be added as time goes on. Keep an eye out.

By the way do any of you have a Facebook or Myspace? We have a Facebook Group available as well as an official Myspace page for the film. Join us or add us!

The Standing Firm site has a new face today, and lots of new content added, changed, and updated. You’ll notice a link to a new video. That being said, the Videos page is now active and will stay that way!

You’ll find new videos posted there as time goes on. Be sure to check out the newest video added called Fun & Bloopers.

You’ll notice at the bottom a section called Comments. Read what’s there and leave us a note!

Also, on KKLA 99.5FM in Los Angeles Nov 1st @ 9PM PST tune in to hear STANDING FIRM as a topic of discussion. Visit KKLA.com to listen in live on the day!

Also the About page has been updated with the updated synopsis, and a few other things there like a list of who could relate to the film and why/how it might impact you or those you share it with!

For those of you who haven’t checked in a while, the Gallery has some great screenshots from the film.

Something else that is new that you might not know about is the new Praise Pictures website. The site has been pretty empty for a while but now we have updated and filled it with usable resources. The most notable to be our reviews of past released and new Christian movies! Visit PraisePictures.com for details.

BIG NEWS: (as if all the rest wasn’t enough) There will be in the near future an interview coming at ChristianCinema.com with Kyle Prohaska, Co-Producer/Writer & Director of STANDING FIRM. Dates are not yet known and we will let you know when things become available. ChristianCinema.com is one of the biggest Christian Movie News sites available, and many watch this site for news including interviews. This interview will be on their website with lots of other interviews of high profile people including Alex & Stephen Kendrick (Facing the Giants & Fireproof), Andrew Stanton (Director of Wall-E), Ben Burtt (Sound Design Legend), and many others. The fact that we have been given the opportunity to put our little project out there amongst names like this is truly a miracle of God!

Aside from the things going on with Standing Firm (yes we are still wrapping up shooting), we have a new review available on the Praise Pictures Website. Also the Praise Pictures site has changed a little bit, so be sure to look around a little while your there. The review is for the new film Saving God released only a few days ago by Cloud Ten Pictures. The film is outstanding and is the best Christian film I have ever seen. It’s worth your rental, purchase, adding to your netflix queue or what have you….see the film. Read the review here.

We are still shooting, schedules and weather are making it difficult but we will pull through. The first cut of all the scenes previously shot is coming together nicely. I”m excited to see it all put together for the first time. As always, thanks for your prayers and support!