Life of Kyle Prohaska

My Wonderful Parents...LOVE YOU GUYS!

From Kyle: There’s a few moments in life that really stick with you.  Weddings, Birthdays, Graduations, etc.  The normal things people think about.  Today I had one I’m adding to my list.  I received this email from my Dad today and asked him to reword it a little for all of you to read.  One thing a son treasures is approval from the father (that’ll preach!), and today I got a formal Blessing from mine.  Also as a side note in case many of you weren’t aware or didn’t watch the Behind The Scenes of the DVD yet…most of the marriage issues in the film are based on much of what my mother went through being the only Christian in the marriage for most of the time.This made the film very personal not just for me, but my family and my parents.  Perhaps that adds some more depth to the following and how much a moment this really was for my Dad.

Also, thanks Dad if you’re reading this for having the courage to stomach having some of your past mistakes out for the world to see.  The film in more ways than one is an example of God using all things for good to them that love Him (Rom 8:28).  I love you Dad, and I’m so Blessed to be your son.

“My day was blessed and interesting. My name is Rick Prohaska, I’m Kyle’s ( the Director’s) dad, I live in Ransomville NY however I work in Augusta Georgia as a Civil Engineer on a long term Nuclear Construction project. I went to get my Harley serviced today and decided after to go to the “LifeWay” Christian Store a mile from my condo to see if the Standing Firm DVD was on sale at the store and to browse. I went up and down a few rows and low and behold there it was…… my son’s first ever Movie with my friends face on the cover “ Rob Reisman” right smack on the cover. I grabbed one to buy and it appeared there were a few more DVD’s left in the slot and went about my looking about the store and decided to go back and take one more proud look and I could not find it, but I noticed the sale sign below the row and someone had placed 4 other different movies in the slot. There was a couple standing right there and I had to mention with the movie in my hand that they were all gone? This kind lady looked at me and said while showing me what was in her hand she had purchased the last one.

I thanked her and told her a little about the movie and my Director Son Kyle and she said she knows she will like the movie because by reading the back cover those are just the types of movies she and her family love to watch. The others around over heard me say my son directed the movie and they were sort of in disbelief asking questions, let’s face it how many times can you say you actually met someone in a DVD store that says something like that.LOL. Obviously amused, I went to the check out and did the whole scenario over again and informed the staff that the Standing Firm DVD’s are presently all gone on the shelf and would appreciate someone restocking the shelves a soon as possible. Everyone broke out laughing, The things as a parent you will never forget all the days of your life…….folks this was one of them. God is good and to think he saved a wretch like me. I love you Kyle.”

- A Proud Dad

I’m not sure if I’m ready for this.  I went on a men’s retreat for my new home church The Chapel this past weekend.  It was a great time!  Played some sports, heard some speakers, and soaked in the beautiful scenery out in the woods of NYS.  All of it was going great, except I couldn’t help but check my phone a lot.  Friday night there was a screening of Standing Firm at the Calvary Church of Costa Mesa in California.  I had a friend go and report to me how it went, what the response was, etc.  I’ve never personally seen my own film with a large group of people, so naturally I was nervous even though the screening was 3hrs behind me and 3000 miles away.  I didn’t hear anything the whole night until I went to bed.  My phone vibrated and I checked the text.  There wasn’t much in it since texting is hard sending large amounts of information.  But what it did say is that “three people came to Christ.”  At that moment my head hit the pillow.  That one text made the last three and a half years worth it.  Every hour spent up late had been worth it.  Every single difficulty and tear shed in creating the film had now been shed with purpose.  I don’t mean to say that creating the film because God told me to wasn’t enough, but to see an eternal result and know that it had impacted someone FOREVER was a sobering and humbling thought.  I was very quiet Saturday, because I just needed to soak in it for a while and praise the Lord in my head/heart.

Here’s what another had to say who was at the screening:

“It was a great film! Great story, acting, direction, editing, etc. and my church absolutely LOVED it! Best of all, I could hear people afterwards praying along with our pastor to receive Christ. A couple a few feet away turned to me and said, “We need more movies like that!”  Teens actuallly started CHEERING excitedly at the end of the film last nite b/c of the power of its message! That’s rare in So California. Keep up the great work, Kyle!”

I can’t really articulate what this week has been like for me.  The film has been selling very well from what I can tell, with every online retailer undershooting how much of STANDING FIRM to have on stock.  Everyone sold out, it was insane.  The film continues to stay at #1 on ChristianCinema.com.  There are few films I’ve seen do that for that long, and they were big movies.  Since the stock was out everywhere else I sent everyone to ChristianMovies.com since they are the only ones who had it, and it shot to #1 there in just 24 hours.  All my Twitter accounts have exploded in the last week as well.  The movies Twitter has grown past 12,000 Followers, and my personal nearing 8000.  The other accounts I have for other things have gone up an insane amount as well, in the hundreds and hundreds a day across the board.  I’m so incredibly Blessed right now, there isn’t really any other way to put it.  God is pouring out something special here, and I’m so undeserving of it.  I’m so unholy, and so wicked.  Why me Lord?  Why do I get to enjoy this?  Even if I was faithful with everything 100% of the time in creating the film (which I wasn’t), I STILL don’t deserve what I’ve been given or might be given in the future.  This whole “deserve” and “self-respect” business is over with for me.  Apart from Christ I can do NOTHING.  I have nowhere to point but above for the results taking place right now, it’s all Him…it always was.

Tomorrow the film is being screened at my old home church of Niagara Frontier Bible Church where I grew up my entire life.  That’s the church that provided almost every actor and crew member we had, and they’ve waited patiently to see the film.  The buzz is very high and everyone is excited.  I’ll have unsaved family there, and others are likely to have the same.  I hope I don’t vomit beforehand, because I might want to.  You can bet on me being in the back biting my nails the entire time, because I’m going to be a basket case the entire time.  I have a confidence folks will enjoy it, I’m just not sure I’m emotionally prepared for it all.  I hope someone gets saved tomorrow, I would melt.  On a worldly note…as an artist I always wanted to hear if only once in my life the claps of a crowd for something I slaved over.  It’s something I’ve dreamed about as a kid, and while I didn’t make this film for that reason, I have a feeling everyone will go bonkers after the credits roll tomorrow.  I’m not sure I’m ready for that.  Three and a half years wasn’t enough.  There’s a big question mark in my life right now because I’ve basically completed my life’s dream except for getting married and having children.  Where do I go now?  I know I need to go forward, but it’s still an incredible thought to know that at 22 this is happening.  Again, why me?  God doesn’t have to Bless, but HE DOES.  What a God we serve!

Don’t you dare ever think that because you’re young that you can’t make a difference for the Kingdom.  Don’t think because you’re older that you can’t make a difference in the name of Christ.  Don’t listen to it, it’s all rubbish!  Today is the day to begin a good work in His name!  Are you going to wait until you’re out of high school before you make a difference for Christ?  College?  When your kids are out of College and out of the house?  Today I’m 22, tomorrow I will be 44, the next day I’m 90.  Life is fleeting!  Blink and it’s gone!  I don’t mean you gotta go out and make a film to impact folks either.  Impact them with YOU.  Don’t be the “tomorrow” guy.  What assurance do you have that tomorrow will ever arrive or you with it?

Please pray for tomorrow.  I have unsaved family coming, and I’m terribly nervous, excited, scared, queazy, and everything in-between.

Christ is King, it’s his film, and it’s for His Glory.  May He make much of it tomorrow, and the next day and the next day.  I look forward to the future, without a clue what I’m doing or where I’m going, but I suppose that’s why it’s called faith?

Blessings - Kyle Prohaska

I’m a filmmaker now?  Really?  Weird…it’s just weird.  Today is one day after one of the most significant days in my young life, probably my entire life.  Graduation from high school was cool but excitement lasted about 5 seconds, until I realized that I was going back to school that fall for college.  I dropped out, and after a ton of different events God dropped the passion for STANDING FIRM in my lap.  I had given up on filmmaking, at least for many years, because it seemed “impossible.”  Luckily, my Lord doesn’t work within the bounds of “possibility” but “impossibility.”  I always wondered what it would be like to wake up in the morning and know that in lots of different locations around the US, something I worked on and toiled over was sitting on a shelf ready to be bought and enjoyed by someone.  To be honest I didn’t know how to feel.  I was exhausted having been up late many days in a row and the day was very boring.

It felt like any other day.  When you spend over three years on something, release day just feels like another day on the grind getting it sold, marketing it, answering emails and voicemails, etc.  I think it’s slowly sinking in now, in the last hour.  I realized having gotten a few reports from friends that STANDING FIRM was sold out everywhere except for ChristianMovies.com and ebay.    How is that possible?  God is good!

I’ll be frantically trying to make sure that things are set for the weekend before I leave Friday/Saturday for a mens retreat.  I’m excited to get to know some of the men at the new church I started attending a number of months ago.  The Chapel at Crosspoint will be my new spiritual home until God moves me again.  My new home on Oct 5 will be only minutes from there, and I’ll also be serving there in their young adult ministry called Vintage as an e-group leader starting in September.  A whole new season of life is coming, with an even bigger announcement coming sometime later.  What a crazy year this has been huh?  I started off 2010 taking the plunge and beginning to work for myself doing websites, online marketing, etc. and now the film is out and stretching it’s legs, I’m moving soon, I started a wonderful relationship with Denise, ugh so much stuff!

I’ve also had all sorts of things rolling through my head in the past number of weeks about this industry, where I see it going, where I feel called to move within it and how, and how to proceed.  It’s an exciting time for me, and I can’t point anywhere but Christ for the why, what, or who.  It’s all God.  It’s ALL God.

God is teaching me more and more how unworthy I am of being a tool for His Purpose.  On top of that, my ability to even be a tool is a given Blessing, it’s not of me.  It astounds me every time I see a Christian speaking about their “part” of their salvation, or how they had a “hand” in it.  We’re seriously kidding ourselves if we think that as dead people (spiritually) that we could make ourselves alive.  Did Lazarus bring himself out of the ground?  Yes, I’m talking about Calvinism folks.  Some of you might not agree, and the more I look out into my sphere in influence the less support I see for it.  Just sharing what I see and what God’s been teaching me the past few years.

On Sunday we’re having the screening at NFBC (my home church for 21 years) where many unsaved folks will be there (from my family and others).  It will be the first time I’ve watched the film with an audience, and also the first time I get to publicly thank everyone for their support of the film.  Rob (the lead in the film) will be giving the Gospel.  I wish I had started this earlier but everyone please, pray for that night.  I could care less for handshakes and pats of recognition, they’re over in moments…as soon as the warm is gone from my hands or the sting from my back.  I’m looking for some eternal results here.  The night will be heavy and sorrowful  if everyone is all smiles and claps, but walks out having suppressed the truth of God’s Word.  I pray God moves on the hearts of folks there, and I hope you do as well.  Salvation is a work of God and God alone, and I hope by His Grace and Mercy that a harvest is reaped.  We shall see…

Only what’s done for Christ will stand.  What good is your film to the Father if those who watch it enjoy it then walk out having not heard about his son?  You think God is going to even mention that kind of film to you on the day of judgement when He asks what you did with what He gave you?  I’m almost certain that if it’s mentioned it will be with wrath and disappointment.  How is it a filmmaker can call himself a Christian, and have all the money needed to present the Gospel in a narrative, easily understood and without cheese, yet neglect to do it in the name of “marketability” or “stepping on toes?”  Does anybody have a problem with that?  Disagree if you wish, but these are the kinds of things that keep me up at night.  God is wrecking me week after week about these kinds of things, and where Art comes into play in the lives of the believer and what my responsibilities are in being given the ability to create.  Again, disagree if you must, but I just can’t deny these kinds of things anymore.  It’s actually quite funny because while talking to my mom the other day I told her I realized how much more conservative, fundamental, and passionate I’ve become in the last few months.  I don’t really know what to say.  God has lit a fire under my rear end I guess.  Just sharing a bit of my heart, hopefully that’s ok with you folks

If you haven’t purchased the film yet, check out ChristianMovies.com to get it, your support is appreciated.

Also if you have time and you’re on Facebook, become a fan, and use the “Suggest to Friends” button under the image to the left to invite your friends and family.  We need your support!

Clash Entertainment, a website for teens recently did an interview with me about Praise Pictures & STANDING FIRM, and asked a few questions about how I do the “daily grind.”  I like how the interview came out.  Give it a look!

http://www.clashentertainment.com/career/16-career/2256-kyle-prohaska-ceo-film-production-company

Only two days before my first feature hits shelves, wow.  This upcoming week is going to be pretty busy, not even with a ton of events, just mentally busy.  I have 4 radio interviews to do, packages to ship out, some online interviews to approve, and I’m ending out the week on Friday/Saturday at a men’s retreat for men at my church where I’ll not only get to bond with a bunch of folks I don’t know (not my strong point), but also plug the film there for those attending (reason for that coming after a while).  So yea it’s going to be pretty interesting to see how I handle the week.  Also not today but next sunday we’ll be showing the film at my old home church.  Lots of folks there are waiting to see it, and it’s going to be a pretty difficult night for me.  I’ve been stewing over what I should say while I’m there.  I know what I should say really, but it’s how to say it and being able to keep my composure.  It’s a bigger night for me than it is for some others.  I can’t wait to thank everyone publicly for their help, prayers, etc.  Also I’ll be biting my nails as that screening will be more personal and critical than the others since people who are there were in it.  My unsaved family will be there as well (the local ones) which makes me doubly nervous to show the film let alone get up there and say something about it before and possibly after showing it.  Rob (lead role of Dave Corwin) will be sharing the Gospel as well after the film.  Please, PLEASE be in prayer about the impact this film could have and that God would move mightily in Rob that night.

Also pray for just the ability to get through this week with my mind intact.  There is much to keep going at one time, and sometimes I get behind.  I’m looking forward to my online interview at ChristianCinema.com being released soon, that’s been a long time coming.  Also the film hit #2 at the site today, right behind Letters To God.  I find that to be pretty incredible!  God is good.  There is this other interview for a small blog I did just a day ago.  It was only 5 questions, but I absolutely poured my heart and soul into this thing.  I’m looking forward to sharing that.  While it’s bound to shock a few, I think it’s a good outlet for me to express what I really think of this Christian filmmaking industry, where I see it going, and what I think about that.  I think it could be one of the best “articles” I guess you could say that I’ve ever written, and it’s a compilation of what I think about what I’ve seen these past few years having gotten involved with this industry, met many in it, read what they have to say and spoken to some on the phone, read forum posts by those who are either in this industry or plan to enter it, and much more.  There is much to say and I didn’t really spare anything.  It might shock a few, and possibly even cause some division for those who support me.  Do I have your attention now lol?  We’ll see what happens.

As this month comes to a close I’m also only weeks away from moving into a new place.  You know what’s funny?  The thing that’ll probably be the most difficult in this process is changing ALL my address stuff to my new address.  I have the PoBox for Praise Pictures everywhere, and I’m likely going to feel the repercussions of that for a long time.  When I move I’ll need to go setup a PoBox for me personally, and for the business and keep them separate.  Luckily the Post Office is around the corner from where I’ll be living, so that’s good!  Lots of change coming as you can see, and I look forward to it.

Some have already begun reviewing the film on various websites because sites have started shipping the film already.  If you’ve seen the film, I would appreciate you reviewing it.  ChristianCinema.com requires you have an account to review it, but ChristianBook.com, and Parable.com don’t.  I’ve gotten the film onto Amazon.com finally, and no reviews are present yet.  No Spoilers please! I hope you’ll take a few moments out of your day to submit your reviews to those locations.

Counting down the hours…g’night!

Today was another exciting day with it’s own unique blessings.  Just one week from now STANDING FIRM hits shelves in Christian bookstores everywhere.  Thanks for a special friend (Thanks Randall!) at The American Family Association, I have 3 interviews on the radio next week on American Family Radio (AFR), with a fourth that’ll air a little later after the release date.  This is very cool news and I’m really happy to have some stuff lined up like that.  Also did my interview over the phone for ChristianCinema.com.  It’ll be transcribed and posted sometime next week.  It’s funny because I remember a few years ago getting ready to do the interview with them but telling Angela to scrap it since I knew that it was too soon and the film was far from completion.  So now after all this time we finally got it done!

The new site for Bringing Up Bobby went live today as well.  This is a comedy made by two good friends Chris & Nick Staron from Ohio.  Chris especially has been a great blessing in the past few years, being a great encouragement at times and lending some healthy real world advice when it was needed.  Their film was picked up by Provident Films recently with an impending Oct. 5th release date.  I was hoping for a long time that their film would be recognized by someone larger and here they are with the film releasing everywhere in just a few short months.  God is good.  The new website is fantastic by the way, I’m very excited to see how this film does for them.  They have a lot of passion and talent but had never really gotten enough steam pumping to keep making films.  It’s tough to do well in this business and continue making projects, so I hope this gives them the boost they need to really soar!  Congrats guys!

I saw two posts on Facebook recently about STANDING FIRM.  The cool thing about them is they’re both from different countries.  One guy is in Zambia and the other in Brazil.  They’re both looking for the film.  I’m looking forward to all that God could bring with international distribution, it’s going to be great to watch Him work.  Twitter & Facebook are doing pretty well for the film, with the impending release date.  STANDING FIRM is nearing the 16,000 fans on Facebook, which is pretty awesome considering the films buzz and size.  The film on Twitter is probably a few weeks away from 10,000 followers, and that blows my mind.  Even my personal Twitter sits with almost 6,000 followers.  This social media marketing is really working.  It makes me wonder what could be done on another film, with such a great base started, and with the knowledge I have now to start from scratch that I didn’t have when this film began.  Who knows what could be built!  I’m looking forward to finding out.

2011 is likely to be a really exciting but scary year.  I won’t have a project coming out, but one that’s already out.  I’ll be relying on whatever work comes in because of it, or whatever work I currently have that could continue.  If I’m going to do another film, 2011 will be the year to start writing and developing.  I really want my next script to be strong and leaps and bounds beyond STANDING FIRM as a narrative.  It’ll take a lot of work to get it there, but I’m really excited to start.  I’ve had “the itch” for a while now.  Today I think I felt it more than any other previously, just how real this is.  I don’t think it’s hit me, that I have my first film hitting shelves in a week.  I know it intellectually and I’ve even been in tears over it already, but somehow it still isn’t real.  Maybe it won’t be real until I wake up that morning.  Although, that morning won’t be unlike any other morning, not really.  I’ll still be in my PJ’s, still drinking my morning meal-shake, still checking my emails and rubbing the crust out of my eyes (enough humanity in there for you?  Too much lol?).  It’s funny how you wait your entire life for a certain moment, and then it hits and you’re just like “oh, so that’s it huh?”  I’m not there yet, but I can feel it coming.  Maybe I’m wrong about all this and it’ll hit me like lightning?  Maybe that day will be unlike any other I’ve had before?  Who can know such things?

All I know is that I’m excited and terrified at the same time.  I can’t wait to see what the future could bring because of the release, and I’m so incredibly stoked to see how God moves in people’s lives when they see it.  It’s a humbling thing to know that it’s out of my hands at this point, pretty much.  Nothing more to do besides promote it as best I can, and watch God work.  This film could swing two ways here.  Either it’s going to have a good amount of impact, sell a certain amount, then slow down and sell a thousand or two a year from now on (if that).  Or, it could become something truly special and something unique.  I have a feeling it could be the latter, but it’ll be a slow burn.  The film will slowly creep into more and more awareness from word of mouth.  I’m ok with that!  I don’t know why I think that, but I’ve just felt “weird” lately, like even I’m not prepared for what could be.  God has the wheel, so regardless there’s comfort.  Am I wearing my seatbelt? *click* …yep, now I am.

Catch you next time.

Also, some food for thought about what I was trying to say towards the end of my last post.  Give God Glory in all things, and run fast…and run hard…because it’s actually wrong not to.

Only 8 days until STANDING FIRM hits shelves in Christian Bookstores everywhere.  I gotta tell you, that makes me a bit numb.  Today was the day I started shipping the Church Screening Packages to those who had signed up.  I had 6 so far, with MANY pending…just waiting on the order to come in.  I went to the post-office and got them sent and ran an errand or two.  It comes to my attention that one of my Facebook friends goes to one of the churches showing it, and he had mentioned that it was a 10,000 member church.  I nearly fell off my chair, lol.  So I did a little digging and it turns out one of the packages I sent today went to the Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa.  That’s Chuck Smith’s church.  I had no idea!  LOL.  I was so stoked to find that out.  I also found out that one of the other churches showing it has a couple attending there that had come to NFBC in the past, imagine that?  They were the ones who told the leadership about the film.  It’s funny how things come full circle  The film is still on ChristianCinema’s Top 10, at #6 today.  It fought back and forth with the Love Comes Softly Boxed Set all day, I kept an eye on it.

I still have to finish the Bible Study Guide for the film, that’s something I need to buckle down on and stop messing around.  What’s there I’m really happy with, but it’s just not completed.  I got a breakthrough in UK distribution today, looks like if all goes well the film will release in the entire UK Christian Market, not sure when yet.  It’ll take time to get the contracts all set and things hashed out.  I’m contacting other markets as well like the Latin American Market, Asian, etc.  God is taking this little movie to the masses, we’ll see how well it does out there.  It’s definitely scary to think that so many will be seeing the film.  I’ve yet to watch it in a room with a big group of people, which makes the screening coming up on the 29th at NFBC pretty nerve-wracking.  I think it’ll go well though, and I look forward to peoples reactions.  I don’t think I’ll end up sitting in the front to watch but instead I’ll hover in the back watching everyone.  I want to see people reacting, not watching the film up front with them.

I have two phone calls to make tomorrow.  One of them is an interview about the film which will be transcribed and posted online, and the other talking with a lady from a company that distributes films on sites like Hulu, Fancast, etc.  I’m determined to get this film into ever nook and cranny it can possibly fit into, bar none.  Online streaming, iTunes is still a work in-progress, Netflix (including the streaming), etc. etc.  Why not?  Why not email a distributor in Asia and say hello?  I was talking to a friend today who was encouraging me and I told him how funny it was that the film was birthed, written, created (post), and completed all in this bedroom.  Now look where God is taking it!  That just shows his faithfulness when his people say yes.  Don’t ever think what God has called you to is impossible.  Also, NEVER feel like you can’t do something great because of your age.  This culture, it’s system, our schools, etc. have all segregated age and shoved everyone into these little boxes of identity with the feeling you can’t break outside their bounds.  Go against the flow and do something awesome at your young age.  Now is the time to start, never tomorrow.  If you ever think tomorrow will be the day, you’ll wake up one morning realizing that “tomorrow” became the next day, then the next, then the next, and you never started.  What a tragedy that would be, especially if it’s something you feel God might be calling you to do.

Glorify him in all things, because that is our purpose here.  If it’s not for His Glory, it ought not be done.  All goals, decisions, actions, etc. stem from this.  God’s Will is perfect and complete, but He offers the opportunity to take part in it.  Run fast and run hard.

Also here’s two great testimonies I recieved through the Praise Pictures Youtube Channel:

“It’s been a difficult time for months now, and in particular we had a house fire this past week. Thanks for thinking of us and inviting me as a friend. I’m sure God is using even just that simple thing to indicate somehow that He cares. Thanks.”

“Thank you for finding me!  I watched the video clip and cried. It touched my heart with the memories of my young daughter passing away in a car accident, then my husbands mother the same day. (three yrs. ago) Through the trauma of that day, God worked it for good and brought my husband to know Him and be saved that following Sunday! Thank you Jesus! (Just like in your movie) my husband has become the man he was created to be, a great husband and father to our son. One who loves the Lord with all his heart, soul and mind. I look forward to purchasing your movie. It will be a great tool (and blessing) to loan out to friends and non-believers alike. Thank you!”

God is good, ALWAYS.  8 more days…8 more days.

This is what MY GOD can do!

So it’s 11:38pm and I’m sitting here writing.  I just checked ChristianCinema.com again.  One of the biggest Christian movie/video sites on the internet.  Look what I saw (to the right).  There you’ll find Letters to God and To Save A Life, two of the biggest Christian movies that will come out this year, both released a matter of days ago.  Both cost millions to make and market, with huge distribution companies behind them and loads of support from all over.  Then you have The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.  That’s Rich Christiano’s new film, another huge seller this year and probably one of the biggest Christian movies of the year as well.  Then sitting at #5 you have a film called STANDING FIRM, a film that was made in the bedroom of a nieve and inexperienced (now) 22 year old kid who felt a calling (an 18 year old at the start), cast/crew’d by a slew of passion filled volunteers, and a wealth of support on all levels by folks in the community and all over the internet.  The film isn’t even out yet, it has 10 days to go.  THAT’S MY GOD!  It just gets me all pumped up, seeing what God had done and could be ramping up to do.  Ugh my blood gets flowing hard, let me tell you what!

I realize that ChristianCinema.com isn’t the standard for how the film is selling around the US right now, but it sure tells me something.  Perhaps I’m just blowing this out of proportion and if so I don’t even care.  God is good, and is faithful and dragged this film kicking and screaming to the finish line.  Not a single attack from the enemy has stopped it.  No wickedness from anyone involved (including me) or uninvolved caused it to fail.  It IS DONE, and IT IS RELEASING. What a feeling, amen.  I feel like 2 Timothy 4ing this post (if I can say it that way) but I’ll refrain ha ha

The church screening kits start shipping monday morning, and that’s an awesome feeling.  I can’t wait to get testimonies from Pastor’s around the US (and some foreign) on how the screenings went in their congregations and what souls were saved through the film.  It’s going to be a humbling and emotionally gratifying to see.  That’s really what I’ve been waiting for.  Yes I talk about the business side here a lot and worries on that end and so many other things but the main goal here, the goal that started this project was getting the truth of God’s Word to those that need to hear it.  Man I can’t wait for some of those initial life changing stories.  The reviews thus far have been amazing to read, and I’m so thankful the film is being enjoyed by people.

All of this is only the beginning, and that’s an incredibly sobering thought.  This film might have been made in NY and made via the help of volunteers from NY, but God has taken it and will continue to take it far and beyond NY and into the homes and lives of countless people around the nation and the globe.  HE IS GOOD!

And any recognition or hand shakes that might come my way I’ll happily except, but only with the understanding that any ability I have, any skills I may possess, and any “determination” that it took to bring this film to the finish line and beyond was only because God supplied it, and injected it into this otherwise lifeless and wretched body.  Praise Him!

Kyle Prohaska,
Writer/Director/Producer of Standing Firm…and a wretched sinner whom God chose in eternity past for a time such as this to be used for HIS GLORY.  I am unworthy of such things.

Today was a good day for reasons I probably haven’t written about in a while.  I talk about what God is doing in my life or a little about what he’s teaching me but I think I’m going to go into that a little bit more in this post.  The past 48 hours (even the last week) I’ve felt very different.  I’ve been a lot happier, a little more bubbly than usual, and although I’ve had my share of issues I feel different than weeks prior.  Especially in the last two days I’ve seen my mind changing.  There have certain things put in my path recently that I would normally think of differently or be able to tolerate.  Today I was reminded of just how messed up I was.  What I enjoyed listening to, watching, thinking about, etc. or even what I simply was able to “handle.”  It’s been a while since I’ve been able to sense darkness around me, like real darkness.  I’ve found myself more grieved over sin than before.  That is a good thing and I’m glad that it struck me today and I realized.

I heard a message from John Piper today that was back from the beginning of 2009 that also hit me between the eyes.  I immediately had to go and pray.  I can’t remember the last time I sat on my bed with my bible cracked open and spoke to God.  I felt a little goofy (and I told the Lord so) but I just spoke aloud as if a person was sitting next to me or looking at me.  It helped a lot, and I laid out much of what was on my mind and asked for a lot of protection.  When we grow we need to ask for more protection than ever I think, because the enemy will be right there waiting to knock you over at a moments notice.  Above all I just presented my concerns about the future and what kind of man I want to be for God’s Glory, and asked him if fire is the means of travel, to bring it.  Far too often we want more holiness without passing through the flame.  We just want it handed to us.

There’s a reason why spiritual maturity comes with time, because circumstances and events in life take time to come and pass.  I don’t care how much an 18 year old reads their bible, there will be much that is kept from their sight until later since they haven’t passed through certain aspects of life yet, no matter how hard they try and run.  I was just asking God to make me the best man I can be, so I can accomplish what He has me here to do and so that my joy can be full.  My desire to be a great man of God is strong enough to cause tears most times I think about it, not just because of the Glory it could bring the Father (through the Son), but because of the impact I can have through that on other people and how it will benefit an eventual family.  I wish I saw more folks my age seeking out Godliness, because those I see that aren’t who are dating or are getting married, have so many struggles ahead because of their lack of growth.  Nobody is ever fully ready for those kinds of things, but to not even be searching or shooting towards it?  What a shame.  Singleness is a gift because of your ability to grow.  You can do things you can’t necessarily do married or with children.  If anything those who aren’t married yet should be seeking harder than anybody else…taking advantage of that special time before it’s gone.  I’m thankful for this new perspective that God has given me and this change of heart I’ve experienced.

I’ve also learned to keep my mouth shut as best I can about other believers.  I’ve seen far too much slander and unfruitful words come from the mouths of my peers and those involved in my industry to last a lifetime.  It’s taken me a year and a half to finally get to this point.  At the SAICFF last year I remember writing about how God broke me down about mid-way through the festival.  So many men of God that I had spoken poorly about, and then having met them and shaken their hands the realization hit that while I was pretentiously bashing their work…I was ignoring the fact that in a way I was pointing my finger at them.  Work can be criticized and respectively spoken about without it entering into the arena of slander and gossip.  I’ve been guilty of this and encouraged it and I can’t any longer.  Even if my thoughts are correct, there is a time/place for them to surface and a conduct by which they should.  I’m going to be more careful from now on.

Thinking about these things, I can only point to Jesus.  My greatest regret is that I didn’t listen to the earlier convictions on some of these issues (many I won’t discuss for personal reasons) and dealt with them then.

If I could speak specifically to those in my field for a moment, please think about what you say before you say it from now on.  I’ve kept my eye on the Christian film market for a few years and the majority of what I’ve seen has been ugly.  There are a lot of sour attitudes within it.  Plenty of pretentious, arrogant, and oblivious filmmakers who have a ton of talent, and might even be right about what they say about others…but the way in which I’ve seen it done from day one hasn’t been pretty a lot of the time.  I’m ashamed to have been involved with a ton of ungodly conversations about my fellow brothers and sisters…so all I can publicly here is that I’m sorry.  Who knows who will read this.  Perhaps there’s someone reading this that found out I said something about them in the past?  If so I apologize.

If what I’ve said can apply to you in some way, don’t make my mistake and ignore it or think of yourself as someone above this kind of thing.  Take it to the only one who can fix your heart, and go humbly.  Repent and move forward…you’ll feel so much better.

Blessings,

K

Like the title?  Hah.  I got up around 11am or so today, which is pretty good considering I got to bed at 4am.  Most of  my day was spent working on the Standing Firm website, working on the Standing Firm edit, talking to folks, listening to tunes, etc.  Not a bad existence this past month I gotta say.  I think it’s the most incredible way to live, working on what you love.  It’s true that you’ll never work a day in your life if you love what your doing.  Granted sometimes it gets hard, stressful, scary, etc. but it’ll never feel like work…at least not in the sense that normal work at a grocery store or department store might.

There is one place in the film left to complete and “make work.”  There was a few places where it hung completely on the edit to work, and not because what we shot didn’t work or whatever, but because it involves and requires some cleverly cut flashbacks and such to work properly and give the impact needed.  I want them to be an emotional experience but I have 20 seconds or less to make that happen, no small task and the score will need to be just as effective as the edit.  We’re getting close to having something special I think.  The more I see the scenes I was unsure about come together, the better I feel about the ones I’ve already seen work well, and the greater my confidence is in the project as a film not just as a “project” of mine.  This isn’t just about completing the film, it’s about satisfying the expectation and being a good steward of the task I was Blessed with having.  This is about so much more than a movie, not just for me but those involved.

When I was sitting there on Sunday listening to Rondel preach I saw so much of myself in his face and his speech.  His passion excited me because while he is passionately speaking of truth and the preachers/teachers responsibility to handle God’s Word properly and accurately, I have a responsibility to handle this film properly and with the same passion.  I’m glad to say I have that passion.

Perhaps I’m not as rare as I think but ever since I was a kid I noticed I saw the world different.  I was never “normal,” or at least what I saw “normal” as.  I was never with the in crowd or the cool kid, the popular one or the jock.  I examined everything and studied people and studied music and movies.  What sounds good, what looks good, what do I emotionally respond to and what is it about it that makes it so engaging to me?  Why did that woman pick up that coffee cup with her left hand instead of her right?  Why is that man looking to see who’s following him?  What does someone look like when they’re nervous but trying not to be?  All this weird character study that I just did naturally not because I had any interest in film at the time (although I did but it hadn’t really manifested into anything at that point).  God gave me a gift of memory.  I remember long sequences of notes, beats, sounds, and images.  I can retain so much stuff in relation to arts, it’s like my eyes are a camera.  I know that images naturally retain in your brain but I memorize motion to.  I love being able to remember this stuff because I love it so much.  Nothing would be worse than to remember the calc equations I learned at NCCC or what the gravitational constant is but not remember what movie I saw last year that really impacted me.  I’m so thankful to be the way I am, to be what I am…there is so much more to why I want to make movies than just “I like them…”  I know in my core I was made for this kind of art.

Jason Myers randomly decided to come down to the house at 11pm today.  We just sorta hung out and chatted, had some ice cream, played some guitar hero, and watched a movie.  That movie was JUNO, a favorite of mine.  That film is so dense with character and has an amazing design to it’s overall flow.  Everything in the film suits it’s style, even the opening titles which shows great attention to detail.  I spoke with a friend the other day about thinking about all the aspects of the film industry.  Not just your film but the idea and marketability, the websites, the dvd covers, the posters, etc.  I can’t wait to just for a time focus on my film only and making the best film possible.  I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking about those other factors but I’ll definitely get to the point for at least for a large chunk of time, I’m just focused on the film until it’s done and then I can think about the other aspects.  Even if lots of other people are handling it I just love the whole process and everything in it.  Nothing bores me, not even the things often overlooked like Production Design and Costumes.  It’s all apart of the world I need to create, and the world I want the audience to experience.  The DVD cover is an external presentation of your entire film, and the website is the first thing someone will probably see before they see anything else.  What does it say about your film?  Does it fit the film and what you audience to feel even before they buy it?  As much as I want to delegate those kinds of jobs to others who can do it well, I still think I’ll always be involved in the process as much as possible…to keep an eye on everything associated with my film.  Only when I work on something with someone more than once do I think I would totally be hands off.  It’s a big step to trust someone with your baby.  Even if the film is amazing that marketing person you took a chance on might be awful and squander your hard work.  There is so much involved in the process…I’m glad I love it!

So yea that’s about it for this post, time to go to bed.  G’night folks.