You know what I absolutely HATE?  The one thing that causes the most stress in my life, and the thing I have to consistently and with great strength remove from my mind and worry?  MONEY.  Money is a nightmare, and when it involves other people, the situation is even crazier.  I’ll say it here, and just be upfront about it.  Christian people have been the worst examples of good stewardship in my personal life.  It’s all about me, it’s all about free, and it’s all about…Jesus?  Give me a break!  Lets flip that around and give each other a reality check (no pun).  It’s not all about you, it’s not all free, and it’s all about Jesus.  There that’s better.

If I might present to you this simple fact…your salvation that you hold onto so dearly…WASN’T FREE.

Why then, is it so hard to understand that to spread such a message, money must be spent?  The only means to share the Gospel that’s free is spoken on the street corner.  Any other method is costing someone something.

You do realize that when you get a FREE anything, it cost money right?  Nobody plucked that little processed food cube with a toothpick in it out of thin air at the supermarket and slapped it on a plate.  Yes, they spent money (even if it’s very little) to make that available for you so that a certain percentage you try it will buy it, cover their expenses to present it to everyone, and make a profit.  Perhaps a weird and humorous example, but the same principle applies to everything.

It never ceases to amaze me how many Christian people want things for free.  Not only do they ask of it for free or extremely cheap, but get angry when you tell them it can’t be done.  They then make you feel like you’re putting a price on the Gospel, and the soul of another.  That makes you feel like a big jerk, making you wonder if your priorities are really in line.  I wonder sometimes how they’d react if it was their bills to be paid via the profits?  What if it was their family?  The mortgage or their car payment?  What then?  Would you see them chucking the product around to everyone around them pushing away the fact they’re in debt?  If that’s the case then why don’t I just go out and empty my bank account and max my credit cards to buy 15,000 tracks to go spread around Western New York for all to read.  Would that be smart or right?  Would it be right for me to presume on God’s Grace to send me a miracle check and make it all better?  Now I know that it can happen and it’s happened to me.  I’ve actually gone to the post office and gotten not one but TWO checks that saved my rear end last year.  I opened one and began to cry then realized I had another and cried even more.  But does that mean that I should make foolish choices and avoid common sense?  Of course not!  God isn’t liable to make up for my stupid decisions and while he has in the past, that doesn’t mean I run my life presuming on that MERCY that he extends to me.

Let me get around to what this article is really for…filmmaking.  Now I know you know this, and I’ll try not to insult your intelligence, but did you know films cost money to make?  Did you know they cost A LOT of money to make?  Have you seen the budgets of some Hollywood films?  Hundreds of millions of dollars?  How about some of the Christian films out there?  FIREPROOF cost about $500,000 to actually produce, but another $500,000 or so to complete and pay for all it’s song licensing and other expenses, then over $10,000,000 to market.  Puts things into perspective a little doesn’t it?  How about STANDING FIRM?  I won’t bother telling you all the details of what things cost, but I will tell you they’re much smaller (lol).  Does that change anything?  Not really.  Some fail to realize that some who make films full-time, make them to make a living as well, not just share a message.  Yes, I want to make films for the Gospel of Christ, but God has also called me to do it on a more official basis.  That means that STANDING FIRM now and in the future, and any other films will be paying for my ability to live, and my eventual wife and kids ability to live.  It’s no joke.  The need to keep food on the table is just as crucial to the life of a Christian filmmaker as it is to any other.  The market is tight, and doing well is difficult.  Distribution Agreements with those that put it into stores is far worse than any of you suspect.  The amount of copies many films sell is also much lower than any of you realize, and the dollars that come from it is by simple math…much smaller as well.

A film sold at $19.99 didn’t give $19.99 to the filmmaker (Standing Firm is sold at that retail).  You need to factor in the cost of production (making the DVD’s), shipping costs, distributions cut of the $$$ (which is high), taxes (in America, especially NY…they’re AWFUL), any pre-signed contracts for %’ages and royalties or deferred payments to cast or crew, and various other things.  Also, most movies aren’t made from cash, so even when a film releases and does really well, you can be sure the filmmakers themselves are in quite the hole before they ever see the glorious and rare occasion that is “profit.”  Did you know most retailers get 50-60% off the retail right off the bat before they even put it in a store?  That takes your $19.99 to under $8 before those previously mentioned things even come out.  Getting the picture now?

Also, how are we to make more movies for you, your family, and the unsaved people you know if we aren’t supporting the ones available?  I had someone I know tell me on the STANDING FIRM fan page that he watched the film on an online video site.  The then proceeded to say “good job.”  Good job?  Instead of supporting it by buying it, he watched it illegally.  You know what the hardest thing I’ve had to do in the past few weeks is?  I deleted over TWO HUNDRED films off my hard drive.  Any films I haven’t purchased are now gone.  Did that hurt a little?  Yes it did.  Hundreds of GB of data and films downloaded over many years, gone in an instant.  If we can’t support the films out there, how else do you expect to see more?  Even those you consider to be the “big dogs” in the industry, you know they need money too right?  Their films still cost money right?  Right.  Support what’s out there, tell everybody you can, and help us!  We can’t help you unless you help us too.  Your help to us has to come first, because we’re one guy or team and your an entire market…or a member of an entire market with other members in that market (Christian) on your cell-phones, Facebook friend-lists, you’re following them on Twitter and them to you, you post with them on online forums.  How else do you expect the industry to excel and improve?

Do not be annoyed either if some Christian films aren’t found at your local RedBox or Walmart.  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a film into such a place?  Do you know the MONEY involved in getting a film into such a place?  Do you have any idea how many you need to estimate in sales to even be CONSIDERED for such a position or to be sold in such a place?  Please people, this blog post is meant to shake up your Uber-American I want my hot fries and I want them now attitude!  This stuff is difficult and while I do it for my Savior as do many others we’re also doing it for you!  Be gracious, and as difficult as it can be…when a film isn’t at your local RedBox that you checked on your way home from work…and I know it’ll pain your fingers to do this, and your mouse will scream ouch when it’s clicked one more time, but do a GOOGLE SEARCH.  You do 10,000 of them a year.  Step out and do one more when you can’t find something or it’s not where you want it to be.  If you want it you can find it, it just takes more effort then most of you are willing to put in.  That makes me wonder how much care you actually have for Christian media.  Don’t be selfish.

None of this is meant to be a jab at anyone, but simply a reality check.  None of this is easy, and this is exactly why I’ve warned so many in this business who are just starting to be SMART.  Don’t think you have the next big thing and spend far too much money, because unless you have something truly special (which I guarentee you think yours is), you will be in the hole for a while.  It takes time but you can get out.  Don’t sell God’s anointing on a project short, but don’t be stupid either.  Do your research, be smart, and make good choices on the business side without becoming greedy and sinful.  It’s not an easy thing to balance, and many will likely look at some of the choices you make or the things you deny them and say you’re greedy, that you don’t care about the Gospel or the Kingdom, or anything of the sort.  Just understand, that they don’t understand and be as gracious as possible.  Folks might see your success and tell you to donate here or there, or give here or there, and if you don’t feel that’s what God wants you to do and you say “no,” expect some frowns.  That’s just the way it goes.  It’s not if you’ll become the “bad guy” to someone in business (especially Christian), it’s when.  Operate with integrity before the Lord first.  That above all should be your highest priority.