Earlier this week I wrote on awareness. I wasn’t terribly nice to the awareness industry. I beat up on it, I asked hard questions of it. I did it for a reason.
A while back an old friend by the name of David sent me a message about a sex trafficking documentary he wanted me to raise awareness for, and I let him have it! I wrote him about my concerns with the endeavor and suggested in no uncertain terms that he should consider throwing his support behind somebody who already gotten started.
He did something incredible.
He wrote me back!
Hi Ryan. Thanks for your concern. All of the issues you have raised have been concerns of mine as well, and it’s great to know that others are thinking like this. For our first documentary (www.motherindiafilm.com), our budget was only $30,000, and I personally invested $10,000 of that. I’ll never see a penny of any profits. In fact, we haven’t seen one. The ministry that we interfaced with uses it as a fundraising tool, and if and when we receive money from the distribution company, 100% of it will go directly to that ministry (www.harvestindia.org). From my experience with the first film, there is very little money to be made through the second documentary. If any significant money comes in, it will be through the worship album, which will be sold for the benefit of Abolition International (www.abolitioninternational.org), and they’ll be heavily advertised in the process. In terms of the devotional/study guide, 50% of any revenues will be directed toward Abolition, who is focused on real-world action through their network of 30 after-care centers (25 of which are in the US). These are passion projects for me to help the organizations that we profile in a subtle way in order to ensure they are still documentaries and not advertisements. I make a living through my marketing business – not these films. Natalie Grant founded Abolition 7 years ago, and she now speaks about it at all her conferences and sits on the board. They are doing amazing things. In the film, we’ll be profiling the stories of freedom and hope that are emerging in 5 of their after care homes in 5 different US cities
The film is called “In Plain Sight” and the website is www.storiesoffreedom.com
I’ve corresponded with David several times since this initial interaction, I kept asking hard questions, and I can say now with full confidence that this is the real deal.
Give this guy money. Share this link!
And if you are involved in leadership of a church or college ministry and would like to do more, e-mail me and I can put you in touch with him directly about starting small groups and movements in your cities that will grow with the movie, from fund-raising, to showing the film, to multiplying the influence as we fund and empower shelters to put an end to slavery!
