You know how there are just some things words cannot describe? Well, this is one of those.
As most of you already know filming for Literal started two weeks ago. And let me tell you it's been awesome!
But before I tell you about filming let me explain to you something that happened at the beginning of all this, as in when G-d first said "make a web series statement of faith".
When G-d first said make a statement of faith my reply was "yeah, I will get to make another film!" Thus I started writing and the more I wrote the more G-d showed me what He wanted Literal to be. And the more G-d showed me what He wanted Literal to be, the more I realized how "shallow" my faith was. I'm not going to lie to you there are some things in Literal that when I was writing them were "literally" slaps to my face. Hard ones too. So the more Literal began to unfold the more I began to think "There are a lot of people who are not going to like this". Then it hit me. "Wait a minute!". "Literal is literally a stab in the heart to the 'I-am-comfortable-American-Christians'". Then I thought "I'm a Christian filmmaker. The way I'm able to make films is by 'comfortable-American-Christians' giving me support". Just ask any businessman they will tell you the number one rule in business is never make your supporters mad...and never ever stab them in the heart. But that was exactly what I was doing.
It came to the point I realized Literal could end my career in filmmaking. I was afraid too many people would get mad and I would never be able to get the support I needed to make another film.
So that's the mind set I was in when I went into filming. I was thinking "Okay G-d, I'm going to follow you...but I do realize this could be my last film."
Alright, so the first week of filming comes up and we have people coming from the coast of North Carolina and Texas just to help in this project. We had people drop out so I had last minute actors I called to see if they could fill the spots. And the replies I got from them were things like "I thought you'd never ask!"
SUPPORT!
One of the actresses made a comment to me. She said, "You have no idea how much support you have. Everyone we show BOO! to is like 'Your cousins made that? That's awesome'" (by the way the actress was one of my cousins from the coast of North Carolina).
I was still unsure if I'd ever get this kind of support again. THEN the last day of the very first week of filming one of the people from Texas (whom I had never met before that week) said, "Unless you get a better offer when you go to make your next film count me in as your camera operator." That's when it hit home. It was as if G-d said "Yes, you are going to lose friends and support for my sake. But I will always be here and I and I alone will bring you the friends and support you need."
The people G-d has brought together for this project hands down ROCK! I have never had the privilege of working with so many outstanding people as I have with this project. If I could go back and do it all over again I would do it the same.
The people who have helped and are helping on this project are so good at what they did and do that it makes me look like a 6 year old in a basement with his parents video camera from the stone age.
You can pick any person who helped or is helping with this project and I can guarantee you they have (on more than one occasion) out-acted me, and some of them out-thought me. Which for those of you who know anything about "The KnightHood" plot you know that out-thinking me is extremely impressive.
Anyway my point here is that God said that we would suffer for him. But He never said He would leave us. And He never said we would be alone. It's not about the way things look or what might happen. It's about standing up for what you believe...it's about the heart. G-d knew before He ever gave me the idea that it would take more faith than I had to accomplish this project. That is why he brought the people together to make this project. He knew it would take all our faith together!
So as you watch Literal don't watch it because the actresses look beautiful. Don't watch it because the acting is ROCKIN'. Watch the show to see the humble hearts of all the wonderful people G-d brought together to worship Him through this project.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
To everyone who helped in this project in any way...I thank you. For you have no idea what an encouragement you have been to me. When this project started I was afraid no one would stand with me. The fact that each one of you has makes me feel like I could "literally" take on the whole world!
Literal is first and foremost dedicated to G-d but secondly it is dedicated to all of you joined with me in standing as we make this public display to say that we will never back down on our beliefs in G-d!