Movie Producer for Zion

with 2 Comments

Please forgive me. This post is mostly a personal note to myself as I work to keep myself afloat and facing the right direction, towards Zion. I’ve experienced a great deal of stress as of late related to my personal finances. To be sure, this is not a lucrative venture. In fact, I’m skipping along the bottom of the barrel. These are tight times. But in all honesty, I’ve never had an abundance of income, and it would probably surprise most people that with the burden of feeding a family of five children, we get along quite well living below the national poverty level.

So what does this have to do with producing movies in Zion? Nothing. Except that in order to become a filmmaker for Zion and for the Lord, filmmakers have to have their eyes set on Zion, and not the financial compensation that comes from engagement in the process. So should we be paid for our work in filmmaking? Yes, I think. Honestly, I’m not so sure how the Lord would have this work to be accomplished, whether paid or volunteer, and while I have good friends are blessed to be paid for their work, that privilege has never been mine.

This I know, that with my mind and sights set on Zion and the rise of the pure in heart –a people who will be prepared to meet the Lord Jesus Christ when he returns– all of my work as a media producer is made to be effective. Without that perspective, stress comes in and progress becomes difficult and burdensome. The entirety of my career thus far has been one step in front of the other, facing Zion, not exactly sure where or how to proceed next. But thus far, the ship has not sunk. I trust that as this particular ship continues to sail towards Zion, so my Captain will yet prove to be a Faithful Captain, and hopefully at some point, the seas will not appear to be so ominous.

Follow Brent Leavitt:

Brent is married to a very supportive woman, is father of a large family, and went into business for himself in 2006.

2 Responses

  1. Randy Astle
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    Know how you feel (only two kids but an income of $0) and I hope things are looking up since you wrote this. The problem goes beyond the recession and Church members to encompass how the entire film industry is structured, especially since the breakdown of the studios, but I think it’s enhanced by both the financial crisis and, often, Church members’ expectation for artists to “consecrate” their work, by which they mean “donate.” I agree that it’s important to face toward Zion and create work that, to the best of our knowledge and ability, will help build it up, and I think that’s what consecration means for an artist. Under a true United Order, of course, they would be compensated for that.

    On a broader level, of course, the Lord’s promised us all, not just artists, that he will provide for us like the lilies of the field or Israelites receiving just enough manna to get by day to day. I’ll admit that sometimes it’s hard to see how that’s accomplished, though.

  2. Brent Leavitt
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    Thanks Randy for your thoughts. Perhaps my post was a tad too dark, or hopeless. Maybe not, but I am amazed even still at how the Lord is able to build bridges where I can only see voids and short comings.

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