Life of Kyle Prohaska

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a long time again.  I just can’t keep up with all the stuff I got going on.  I think for the first time I’m ridiculously busy ALL DAY.  There is so much to get on it’s feet right now, figure out, work on, etc. that I can barely keep my head above water (and on the pillow as you can see).  Hopefully soon here I figure out a system where it’s not going to continue at this rate or I’ll go insane, lol.

It’s been a lot of internet work, marketing ideas, social-networking, blogging (not here), distribution research, yada yada yada yada!  Phew…I’m exhausted.  I gotta get my head on straight.  Maybe just take a day off of everything and chill.  I think that’s worth it lol.

Other than that things seem to be going very well financially (which is great considering the recent issues).  God seems to have turned the tables very quickly and given me the opportunity to work with some great folks.  I’m extremely grateful for the Blessings and plan on giving it my very best.  Next year is going to be one amazing and exciting year, I can already tell!  Lots of stuff to do though, I feel like I have more to do in the next 6 months than I had to do during the entire creation of Standing Firm so far…which hurts by brain thinking about it.

Time to go to bed, and get some rest…

Well it’s extremely late again and I’m sitting here thinking what to write.  At CORE tonight (college group at my church) we wrote letters to God that were put away in an envelope so we could re-read them 5 months later to see where we are and where we were.  I don’t know why what came out came out, but I wanted a copy of it.  Yea it sorta breaks the rules and the idea of writing it but I would like to share it  For whatever reason, I used a long analogy that made God a mechanic and me a car, lol.

Dear God,

Thanks so much for all your doing in my life this year.  It’s been one crazy ride with it’s fair share of bumps, sharp turns, occasional pot holes, and of course, a breakdown or two.  We all need a tune up every once in a while.  You are my mechanic!  I’ve done some awful things this year, and I’m sure I’ve dissappointed you a lot, but you’ve stuck with me and I thank you.  You never seem tired of “popping the hood” as it were, and taking a look.  I love you so much.  You are my reason for life, the fuel in my gas tank and the savior of my soul.  A life without you is unthinkable.  I can’t wait to see all 2010 will bring for me (in you). - Kyle

I just thought that was so cool how God allowed me to write that out that way, I love writing  Our lesson was on the integrity of “our word” and lying and such.  I kept thinking about lies as the “jackhammer” to the foundation of trust.  I can’t help but think up all this stuff when people are talking.  I think that’s just the writing kind of mentality God has put in me.  Perhaps I’ll write a book someday?  Who knows

I’ve felt like things are getting back to normal the past few days.  The stress has fizzled, work has increased, and new opportunities abound.  God is really doing something great.  After CORE we all headed to Applebees and had some awesome theological conversation.  I’ll have to make specific posts on some of this stuff when I get the change.  Things like election, and one of the bigger topics tonight like there being one meaning to each bible verse, and unlimited applications.  Only one TRUE meaning (scripture interprets scripture) but it can be applied tons of ways.  We tend to take how a verse applies and make that it’s “meaning,” and that is not the biblical way.  I’ll just stop there and leave that for another post.  All I’ll say is there is a right way to approach scripture.

I worked to make a quick new website for the Time Changer movie that Rich Christiano did a number of years ago.  Much more simplified and should bring more direct traffic to ChristianMovies.com  It’s just a one pager but really, that’s all that’s needed and should make it streamlined for visitors.  Give it a look  CLICK HERE

ChristianMovies.com is coming along nicely.  E-blasts sent yesterday night on Facebook and Emails.  I’ll be getting ahead on Twitter soon.  There’s already an account setup with quite a few followers that I’ll build on.  It’s tough to build followers on Twitter, but I’ve found a few tools to make it much easier in the long run.  Thank goodness the “Christian market” is a niche and you know where you can find supporters lol.

Tomorrow’s another day…g’night.

I’m slowly climbing up to a safer place.  God is showing me where to safely place my hands and feet, and I’m advancing higher and higher everyday.  God is so cool  I’ve been very busy the past few days, working pretty much from when I get up, till when I go to bed.  16hr days, big deal

I sent off two screeners of Standing Firm today…one of Rich Christiano and another to a CBA contact.  I’m looking forward to the comments I get.  Brandon Rice also got ahold of the film recently and has yet to watch it.  I want to lock the film by the end of the month, so figuring out these flashbacks and tightening any scenes that need it is now or never.  I’ve been editing this film for (sheesh…) one and a half years.  Since shooting day number 1 I started logging and putting the footage together.  That’s sickening to think about, lol.  Ah well, God knew what he was doing!

There are new opportunities opening up just in the last week that blow my mind.  To think a month ago things were so awful and bleak, it’s funny how stuff can turn around.  I’ll share more when things are more official.  Either way it feels good to be working for Rich Christiano for the month and helping him get his site back up to speed.  The fan page seems to have taken off quite well as have the others for my other projects.  I’ll probably have to upgrade my cell phone plan though, because I’ve spent more time on the phone in the last week than I care to tell you all, lol.

I have a lot of work to do in the next few months, that’s for sure.  Locking the film, securing the funds, getting our score and sound-mix completed, color-correcting the film, get moving on a lot of the promotional materials, create the making-of documentary, finish the three minute interview segments with each cast member for promos online and off, shoot mine and Kevin’s interviews to add to those projects, lay out 2010 marketing plan, etc. etc.  So much stuff to do!  Gah!  I’m just thankful that it seems like I’ll be able to pay my bills and work while I develop that stuff without worrying about spending my entire day just making sure that I’m not broke by the end of the month…yikes.  I would never get anything done.

I spoke with a friend today who lives in Albany, GA and goes to Sherwood.  He’s been such a great supporter for a while now, spreading the word down there  We have been Blessed with some really wonderful people who believe in this film and believe in me as a filmmaker.  That’s what’s really going to make this film successful in the end, are the people who support it.  I know that sounds cliche because even big blockbuster movies require that…but it’s supporters and fans with real heart that’ll tip the scale for a film of this budget/size.

Please pray for Mike (hopefully you don’t mind the mention Mike) as he told me today that he’s just gone through cancer treatment and has a surgery on the 28th of December.  Pray that all goes well and that he is healed.

Later folks…

You know what, God is cool  He overwhelmed me today with the cool stuff He did.  Things are finally starting to pickup steam since the Oct-Nov valley.  I have a job for the month, that could extend beyond December which is exciting.  ChristianFilmTrailers.com seems to be picking up some good attention as well.  God opened a possible door to pay for the post-funding of Standing Firm, and opened up new doors distribution wise that could be a good way to go.  There is much to think about, and God is taking care of me.

You know, I’m still not used to people calling me asking me questions.  Folks who are normally a lot older than me.  Being associated with being “the guy to go to” for certain things is a new thing for me.  It’s sorta been picking up steam since last Spring.  I get more emails everyday of people asking “how can I do this,” or “how do I market that,” and “what should I do?”  Perhaps it feels odd because I don’t even have a completed feature under my belt yet.  I mean it does mean I sell myself well, so that’s good.  It’s not BS’ing, it’s legit but perhaps I present things so well that people think I’m something more than what I am?  I say that humbly of course, because getting a big head about it is certainly not what I want to do.  I just want to help folks in my position or who are heading for my position.  So many people are starting to make films and trying to bust into the industry, particularly the faith-based market.  Thing is, it’s a new market, and there aren’t a ton of people to go find and contact.  So that leaves a small number of folks who everyone is trying to reach and asking the same questions.  Hopefully I don’t get to the point where I have to stop responding to some folks.  I would hate being that “popular” if that’s a word I can use.  I would feel awful having someone take the time to write an email only for me to throw it out or put it aside knowing I probably won’t get to it.  I know what it’s like to be on that end.  I’m not even anything big here.  If your a reader of this blog and didn’t know it, I’m a 21 year old college drop out who lives in a town with one stop light.  That’s who I am…lol.

I’ve spent a lot of time on the phone with Rich Christiano the past few days.  I respect that man so much.  He’s one of the only folks out there doing what I want to do for a living.  I want to get into the position where I can make enough money to live while I develop new things.  Creative freedom is the dream of any artist, I don’t care what they tell you, lol.  I don’t want to make 3 movies a year, or even two.  I want to make one every 2-3 years.  Sounds like a lot of time I know, when many others want to continually pump out projects.  I want to take the time to mold and shape the story that I want to tell and really do the market research, take the time to properly prepare and gather the sufficient funds, etc.  Really do it the right way and give it some time.  Films aren’t machines, they’re organic.  I want to make sure that I’m making the best film I can.  I would rather end a career and die with 10-15 GREAT films under my belt than 30-40 OK ones.  That’s just my heart.  I respect this medium far too much to just “pump them out.”  Rich makes a film every few years, and milks it dry…and technically no film he’s personally made has gone dry, even the ones that are almost 20 years old or more.  They still sell!  Christian films have a shelf life that a secular film or throw away action movie can’t even touch.  You just need to keep working the films, new people will find them all the time.

God has brought so many things my way this year, positive things in the midst of the bad.  I got emails today from South African and Australian/New Zealand Distributors who want to see Standing Firm for consideration.  I’m just a kid from a small town  God is good.

I’m just excited to see what God has in store for 2010.  I see it being an amazingly fruitful year…I’m stoked.

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry was a film I had been waiting for all week at the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. I had the pleasure of being on set for a day through a friend of mine Sam Torcasio, a good friend of Writer/Director Rich Christiano. We even were able to act as extras in one of the diner scenes, my first time on celluloid!

The seats were very full in the big theater, lots of families especially with their kids showed up for this screening. I liked Rich’s work in the past but this film is undoubtably his greatest effort. A story of an older man mentoring 3 boys in his community, and therefore impacting many others as a result. It was a great film for younger children, and for older people alike. For those of us in-between the young and old stage, its a great lesson regardless because the lesson of the older man is something we can strive to achieve. The dynamic of mentoring others isn’t locked into the father and son relationship, grandfather to grandchildren, etc. It’s something we should always be doing, even those our own age. But the film was an excellent example of being faithful with the wisdom God has given you by sharing it with other people, and what the result is. I loved the film, I had a smile on the entire time.

The acting was solid and the young boys showed great potential for the future. Gavin McLeod playing Jonathan Sperry in the film did a wonderful job (as usual), and the locations chosen for the 1970s setting fit perfectly. Shooting on 16mm film in this case also benefitted the style, mood, and overall look of the film. The film was also shot by Phillip Hurn who is a regular DP on Rich’s films. His style is very specific and fits the movie like a glove. I’m happy to report the music in the film was excellent, and even won a Jubilee Award at the film festival for Best Original Score. Congratulations to Rich and Jasper Randall on a job well done!

There were many jokes in the film, and the laughs were consistent throughout the film. This movie is something you can buy for your kids without any worry, something that is lacking. I commend Rich Christiano for creating yet another film that refuses to hide the gospel, and for creating films that can touch children and adults alike. A round of applause is much deserved.

Sperry will be released in theaters in 2009. Visit SperryMovie.com for details. You can also visit ChristianMovies.com to find other titles by Rich Christiano.