That’s me. Terrible at it. So thought I’d throw out a token blurb just to stir the pot a bit. In a depressed economy, particularly in a state hostile to small businesses, we have managed to grow and thrive. Disparities in Healthcare is a large documentary project we’ll be diving into later this spring – always a pleasure to swim in subjects that touch so many people on so many levels. A number of short films, a healthy backlog of commercial work. Diligence indeed has its rewards, as does quality of work and commitment to the clients best interest, always. A good formula.

The Dove Foundation, Zondervan Publishing and Storytelling Pictures are teaming together to produce a 30-minute “Entertainment Movie Review” television pilot. Its market is the faith and family audience with multiple broadcast formats including television, satellite and podcast. It’s objective is to advance the mission of the Dove Foundation in its efforts to provide families with entertainment information, analysis and recommendation.

Upon its success, the pilot will become a weekly entertainment show nationally broadcast through satellite and cable partners, reaching a digital footprint of 34 million households.

The TV series will explore and review current theatrical, DVD and gaming releases with celebrity/industry interviews and other Dove branding elements.

A friend of ours came into our office and told us about this reoccurring dream she had while going through chemo for breast cancer. In her dream, she’s with her family at an amusement park. She’s drawn to this roller coaster ride, but when she gets in line she realizes that only her gate opens – she has to take this ride alone. As the coaster jolts forward, it’s now dark outside and the track is dimly lit. She can’t see the twists or turns….or peaks and valleys. This will be the ride of her life as she’s literally fighting for her life.

We weren’t quite sure what to do with this “dream” and it’s powerful metaphor, but we knew we needed to film it. We co-wrote the music as well as produced the accompanying documentary. Maybe it could be used somehow to identify with women going through the frightening journey of breast cancer. Maybe when they find themselves in some dark hole…and afraid…it would be a welcoming friend that communicates they’re not alone.

Fortunately, it found a “home”. So we produced it, handed it over, and then watched as it was distributed through a variety of networks.

BOOM.

This all took place two years ago. I continue to be overwhelmed at the responses that have come pouring in from all over the country and beyond. This haunting dream, a passion to communicate it on film, writing the song, documenting the production, and watching the end product land on the shelves and libraries of schools, hospitals, cancer centers, counseling centers, churches, literally hundreds of related websites, broadcast on media outlets, etc….ALL of this has once again reminded me of why we do what we do.

What is it about sunny weather, great food, music, art and LOTS of people?

It’s Festival – Grand Rapids signature event of kicking off the summer.

So many volunteers, so much work and so much fun. As a simple gesture of gratuity to all who labored to make this event possible, we wanted to capture Festival ‘09 in a less ‘conventional’ way and create a reflective and cinematic expression that says “thank you.”

From the tranquil to the frenzied….thank you.

Everything.

Every man in America, at some point, has looked at porn. I mean, it surrounds us. From soft-core billboards and TV commercials to the hardcore skank magazines and websites. No matter what “level” your eyes fell upon, you can probably recall the images that were burned into your mind. That’s just one problem. Men are visual beasts and it feeds a darkness within them. Even worse, if twists their perception of how women think, and what they truly want.

Statistics are staggering at the number of marriages/relationships that have been destroyed, careers that have been ruined, families that have been devastated, by pornography.

In the documentary, “Somebody’s Daughter,” interviewee, Michael Cusick, said it best; “Pornography is addictive because it allows a man to FEEL like a man, without requiring him to be one.” In other words, he THINKS he’s desired by the opposite sex and it temporarily satisfies his longing to be a MAN. Purely plutonic. The reality is that he’s introduced comparison into his marriage, objectifies women, and thinks that life is all about sex….and being wanted. (Now, I realize it can be more complicated than this, but this is a blog and not a book.)

Being a real man DOES take work. It takes sacrifice, listening, genuine understanding, putting her needs before your own, speaking her “love language”, and cherishing her as you said you would on your wedding day. This turns her head (and desires) far more quickly than a false notion from pixels on a screen and subsequent role-playing in the bedroom.

Producing this documentary was excruciating. Here were people painfully opening up wounds, and in a spirit of humility and vulnerability, were recounting the dismantling of their marriages. John Evans was on camera and I was doing the interviews. For the married couple we interviewed, I felt terrible. In digging deeper and asking them personal questions about their journey, I felt like I was talking to this man about his “virtual” affairs in front of his wife. Painful. But they were so humble….so wanting to be used to warn others.

Produced for Music for the Soul, which is a Christian based non-profit ministry out of Nashville, the viewer can’t deny the grace of God at work in the lives of the folks on camera. Their message is convicting and inspiring at the same time. They share a journey into darkness, but one that doesn’t end there. On the contrary, it ends with redemption….and hope.

In reflecting back on the testimonies of those involved in resistance activities during the war, it was interesting to hear people talk about tolerance. The traditional definition of tolerance is that you can value and respect an individual’s belief without necessarily approving or participating in them. You can even reject someone’s lifestyle, but still love and accept him or her as a person created in the image of God.

This was partly the idea and intent behind the authors of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. They embraced a certain “Ethical Theism”; a belief that right and wrong are absolute and are decided and communicated to us by God. “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” In other words, everyone has an equal right to believe what he thinks is true and right. But acting upon it can be a different matter.

I know it’s not exactly this simplistic, but the point I’m making is that during WW2, many looked the other way and did nothing to help those being persecuted. They did so in the name of tolerance. They were tolerating a regime that decided certain individuals – men, women and children – needed to be exterminated. They were tolerating an agenda that sought the death and destruction of others. They were putting up with the injustice….not engaging at ANY level…so as to not get into trouble themselves, and save their own skin.

This is when a call for intolerance was needed. And this was the courage of those in the Dutch Resistance.

Today’s definition of tolerance is slightly twisted. It teaches that all beliefs, lifestyles and values are equal. It is now no longer enough to just “live and let live” but now – to be truly tolerant – we must AGREE that their beliefs are as valid as our own. The “new tolerance” says ‘what I do is who I am’….judge my actions and you judge me. Criticize my culture and you criticize me. That is backwards.

If we’re not careful, history can and will repeat itself. That’s why historical preservation is important. When leaders like Iranian President, Ahmud Ahmadinejad, question the reality of the Holocaust…..a spirit of indifference, and then tolerance, can infiltrate our mindset.

I meant what I said in my last post about the members of the resistance loving their neighbors as themselves.

Tolerance looks the other way – love takes risks.

Tolerance costs nothing – love costs everything.

May we seek to know…and understand….the difference.

~ corey ~

As we get ready to launch the “GR Project”…..what exactly is a “young professional?” This latest emphasis by cities and the private sector to attract talent is not just focused on an age specific demographic. In fact, it’s a more of a psychographic.

It’s a progressive youthful attitude demonstrated by a continual movement forward…..forward with ideas, technology, vision and community involvement.

Bottom line?

Where this Creative Class chooses to live is going to be a very powerful driver of how well our economy does in the future.