The Glamor Fog Clears

Our journey began standing on a hill, over looking what we could see of Hollywood through the smog. We stood as one body, one generation answering the call that had been placed on our lives. There really was a fog between us and the industry we’ve been called to be a light in, the fog of doubt, confusion or fear of failure. But, God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

Our first day was spent absorbing and probing professional cinematographers for all the information and advice we could get regarding what it takes to climb the industry’s ladder, and the qualities and the skills it takes to keep you there.

I’ve been warned many times about the darkness and evils of Hollywood, but after just a single day of soaking in the people and the environment of this “dark“ center, I’m beginning to realize how untrue that really is. The people who run this industry speak of servant hood, hard work and the perseverance we should advocate; all the qualities Christ teaches we should posses.

These men opened themselves up to their future competition and poured out skills, tips, rules of thumb on what to and what not to do when working on a set. They shared the lessons they learned from their personal mistakes, the common mistakes “newbies” make, and how to avoid pigeon holes which the business so easily tends to trap you in.

Tell me now, what group of young people in this country get a full frontal encounter with this kind of learning experience. All of a sudden these distant dreams from our imaginations begin to come into focus. The fog and blinding glare of “show biz glamour” begins to clear away, and we start learning the magic of story telling from the men behind the curtain. This lifestyle and the impact we can make is not a dream, but real and attainable.

-- Selah Starhsen