Saturday, July 9, 2011

Media Missionary School is Open!

Two years ago, Flannelgraph Ministries launched Media Missionary School. The only problem was we didn’t have a physical home. As a result we had to do workshops, seminars and film camps all over the city. Finally, our prayers have been answered. Within the next few months, we will be opening our new facility at 1530 Tremont Street, Cincinnati, Ohio in the old Lunkenneimer building

The historic structure is currently under renovation and will house a diverse group of businesses and ministries. Future plans call for the establisment of an artist community in which media missionary school will play a major role.

This is an enormous opportunity. Media Missionary School is a pioneering effort offering a new approach to training and education for those interested in pursuing careers in the media and entertainment industries. The new center will include office space, classrooms, a production studio, a kitchen, and future student housing.


Initially, production workshops and film camps will be offered in 2012. Also, Media Missionary School will launch a new program designed to help churches become visual storytellers and communicators. Our Church Media 101 workshops will be designed to introduce both the technical and artistic techniques that are needed to create media for both inside and outside the Church.


Our goal is to raise up, equip, train and support future media missionaries entering the mainstream media and entertainment industries. In order to do that, future plans call for an extensive 3 to 6-month comprehensive training program. Students will live, work and create media in a community environment. We certainly want to emphasize the hands-on approach to media making, but we are committed to the development of the messenger and the message as a priority which will be needed to change and redeem culture. Our program is based on a holistic approach which includes the mind, body, soul, spirit and the heart. We’re interested in helping students to become visual storytellers for global outreach.


Media Missionary School’s primary goals are education and missions. That’s why we are a completely unique organization. There are many ministries that help and support foreign missionaries, but there are none that offer practical, spiritual and emotional help for media missionaries. That’s all about to change. If Hollywood and the broader entertainment industry is a mission field then, obviously, we need missionaries.


Today’s cinema has often been called the new church, and our filmmakers have been called the new priests. Media Missionary School is designed to develop Christians who are committed to become the new priests who will be equipped, both spiritually and professionally, to work in the new church of media and entertainment.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Biola Media Conference 2011

Biola Media Conference 2011

Host Phil Cooke

Workship on bringing films of faith to screen

Opening session

CBS studio at New York Street

 Sean Astin at closing session

 Phil Cooke and Sean Astin

 Hollywood insiders on New York Street

 Workshop on Hollywood economics 101 with Bobette Buster

 Kevin Kelly, author and co-founder of Wired Magazine

 Tom Halleen, VP-AMC and DeVon Franklin, VP- Columbia Pictures

 Workshop on plot and soul with writer Bill Marsilli

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Mission Support

I realize your time is valuable so I want to thank you in advance for reading this e-mail. You are getting this e-mail because you have been a past supporter of my ministry, you have worked with me, or I have helped you in some way. Or perhaps you have expressed some interest in Media Missionary School or Flannelgraph Ministries.

I’m a different kind of missionary—a missionary without borders reaching a new and emerging people group. This new tribe can be found practically anywhere. The way we must reach people is radically changing before our eyes. The future is visual communication and visual storytelling. The days of verbal communication and the written word are fading fast. This new tribe is the church of media and entertainment who, for the most part, have not been reached with the Gospel. They speak the language of media, the language of visual image, and the language of visual storytelling.

The simplest way I can state my mission is that I’m in the business of developing visual storytellers for global outreach. I have a short video that is on my home page at Media Missionary School that I believe will help explain my vision for the future. I hope you will take a look at it.

I need your help. I have written a book titled, The Red Pill, The Cure for Today’s Mass Media Culture available on Amazon.com. And I have started a blog and website where I am trying to raise up, equip, and train future media missionaries. I am also conducting summer camps for high school students who are interested in film, and I am teaching, training and equipping The Church on issues of media, faith and culture.

It’s a start, and there’s much more to do. Before the end of this year, my funding will run out. At this time, 2012 is up in the air. We have no major donors or supporters that we can count on at this time. I believe I have been called to do this work, and I’m not willing to give up without a fight. I’ve been fighting since the early days of Victory Videos and throughout my time with UndergroundZone Ministries. If the people I send this e-mail to respond at some level, I’m convinced the work can go on. I need a foundation of supporters.  I want to fight for you and your family. Everyday I am on the mission field working to make a difference for our future.

What can YOU do?

1.    First, pray for me and the ministry. I need wisdom, discernment, knowledge, favor, open doors, provision, blessings, anointing, and a hedge of protection around me and my family.  Let me be clear. I really need your prayers.

2.    As a missionary, I must raise my own support. I have no organization behind me. That’s why I need you. I prefer monthly supporters more than just a one-time gift. Why? Because I must count on the Lord to receive that monthly gift. It keeps me in a place where I realize that God is my provider. It also requires you to be in a place where God gives you the money to bless me. I’m not asking you to make a decision today. Please pray about this. This isn’t a question of whether you can afford to help or not or a question of whether or not you think it’s a good thing to do. The question is what is God telling you to do because if He is calling you to help me, he’s going to provide you with the resources. In this way, you are blessed so I can be blessed. The support will start January 1, 2012. That gives you time to seek God’s direction. Of course, if you want to give now, we have current needs.

       This may be the most honest fundraising letter you will ever get. I do not want to  put pressure on you to give. Give only if God directs you to give. I’ll take my chances and trust God. I want to make this as easy as possible. You can give through Pay Pal at mediamissionaryschol.com or send a monthly check. This  doesn’t have to be a big amount—$20 or $25 a month can make a significant difference. Of course, if you prefer it to be a one-time gift, the decision is between you and God. And, as I said, if you want to start earlier in your monthly support, we can certainly use the money.

3.    You can give my name to the missions board at your church. I want to get churches involved in this ministry. You have influence that I probably do not have at your local church. You can help me by using it. Get me in the front door, and we will see what God does.

4.    I would love to come to your church or group and speak on the issues and topics I cover on my website. I have a complete list of seminars and workshops from 30 minutes to all day. I am more than willing to speak to your small groups, Bible study, Men’s group, congregation, or Sunday School class. This would give me an opportunity to sell my book which would provide another source of income. It also helps to get my message out. Can you help me open some doors?

5.    Help me to promote my book. I feel I have a book that is saying something important to the Body of Christ. But, frankly, I don’t have the money to properly promote and market my book. Is there something you can do? What about your social media contacts? Which groups are you connected to? How about your friends?  Can you pass the word on to promote my book, website and ministry?  Does your church have a bookstore? If everyone does something, even if it’s a small part, it will add up fast.

Conclusion

If you want to know more about the mission, you can find everything you want to know about this ministry at mediamissonaryschool.com. It’s all there. At the top of the page, you will find a tab titled “Mission”. It lays out the plan completely.

If you feel God wants you involved, please let me know by July 30, 2011.  You can respond by e-mail, Facebook, mail, or phone call (859-918-6220), but I need to know in order to plan for the future. If you feel that God does not have a part for you to play at this time, please let me know that also.

Once again, I appreciate you taking the time to read this e-mail. Please pray for this ministry. Ask God if you have a part to play in supporting Flannelgraph Ministries/Media Missionary School.  That’s all I’m asking you to do.


NOTE:  You can also write a check. Flannelgraph Ministries/Media Missionary School is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. 

Make your check payable to Flannelgraph Ministries.

Mail to the following address:

Mr. Harold Hay
Flannelgraph Ministries
7364 Cumberland Circle
Florence, KY  40142.


Yours in Christ,


Harold Hay, Founder and President
Flannelgraph Ministries / Media Missionary School

Monday, March 28, 2011

Media class was a success.

I just finished teaching my first media class at New Life Temple College. What an awesome class. Thank you so much for the opportunity to come and be part of your school. The people at New Life Temple were so gracious and kind. It is one of the best classes I have ever taught because the students were so involved and asked very thought-provoking questions.

We’ve been meeting for the past several weeks for three hours on Thursday nights. The class was called Media, Faith and Culture. We had several objectives. But what I wanted to give my students was a knowledge and understanding of how the media culture functions. I left them with five core principles that I believe can change our culture. The class was so much more than just a media class. It was an opportunity to see how God works in the world and how we can, as an individual, have an impact.

Here are just a few of the comments from the students about their experiences participating in the class.

It was good and eye opening.  Curtis V.

This class made me think about TV and movies in a different way. The biggest thing for me is I have to cast down things that I see and hear that are not like God.  Regina J.

Information was very helpful. It was an eye opener concerning my understanding of the media culture. It was a very good class. A lot of  information.  No Name

I like this class, because it has made me more aware of what the media culture is doing and how that media can be used for the Kingdom of God.  Linda B.

An eye opener to an existing lifestyle that we should all be aware of. A very good course. Please contact me when your second book goes on sale.    Michael B.

Great info!  Tim H.

Great class! This class gives us tools to not accept everything that we see and hear from TV and radio.  Keith R.


Great class!  Derrick B.

This class changed my view of media, Hollywood and the need to see it as a mission field. Embracing a missional lifestyle is something I plan to put into practice and teach.  James M.

Thank you. This class was very informative and needed to help us as Christians to engage the world media culture with the knowledge necessary to communicate the message of Christ. It made me see how I needed to change my perspective and become more knowledgeable so I can minister to others.  T. Sneed

From September 2010 until today, March 2011, I’ve taken a class, a different class each month. This class is the Second most interesting! It impacted my life and made me think because media is effecting/affecting us all  Quvadus K.

I enjoyed the class. It has made me look at media differently, i.e., TV shows, the news and networks on television in a different light. I personally have prayed for individuals in Hollywood but have not made that my mission. I will put more of an effort into it. I do understand that if we don’t take a stand that our children will not have a future. I thoroughly enjoyed the class.  Oris R.

I enjoyed this class. I can tell you really have passion for this media culture crisis we’re in. I am interested in more information.  Jerome D.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

NRB 2011

The last few days have been extremely busy. I’ve just returned from the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. The NRB is the world’s largest gathering of Christian broadcasters and programmers. It’s the place to be if you’re trying to pitch a new show and develop relationships in the Christian media industry. I was there pitching my new show Media Missionary TV, which features stories about Christians who work in mainstream media and entertainment. Christians are making a huge impact in Hollywood. These are the kinds of stories that we plan to follow at Media Missionary TV.

I met with 11 networks. We shot a pilot which will probably air within the next two months. Everyone I talked to seemed to be positive and supportive. I believe that most of these networks will pick up Media Missionary TV. In our first year, we will offer four specials that will air quarterly, starting in October 2011. In time, Media Missionary TV could become a weekly TV show.

Generally, the NRB is a good place to get the pulse on what is occurring in Christian media. I’ve been attending the NRB since 2000, and I have seen a number of changes. One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the inclusion of Christian and mainstream filmmakers. At this year’s NRB, a number of films have been promoted with special advance screenings. With over 6,000 people attending the conference, this is a great way to get the word out about your film. Unfortunately, due to lack of time I was unable to attend any of the screenings. But here are a few movies to keep an eye on which should be out in theatrical distribution sometime in the spring: Doonby, featuring John Schneider from Dukes of Hazard; The Mighty Max, based on a true story about the 1971 Immaculata College basketball team; The Frontier Boys, staring Rebecca St. James; and There Be Dragons, directed by Roland JoffĂ©.

I took a look at the trailer for There Be Dragons, and it looks interesting. You can view it on our website under trailers. The film is set during the Spanish civil war and had a budget of over $35 million. The look and the feel of the film is impressive. In fact, it looks like an epic. Roland Joffé is a well-respected director for such films as The Mission, starring Robert DeNiro, and The Killing Fields. This one is definitely worth checking out, especially if you enjoy historic dramas.

Finally, on Saturday night during the super session, Hollywood took front and center stage as Michael Flaherty led a discussion about movies, entertainment, and the future of media. Flaherty is the co-founder and President of Walden Media who has been responsible for producing films that focus on affirming moral messages, such as The Chronicles of Narnia series, Nim’s Island, and Charlotte’s Web. Also joining the discussion was producer, Mark Joseph; director, Michael Apted; and actor, John Schneider.

It was a lively discussion and an opportunity to hear the pulse of what is occurring in both Christian and mainstream entertainment. Perhaps, the big news of the night is 20th Century Fox and Walden Media are committed to producing the next film in the Narnia series. Although the box office for the last film, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, may not have met expectations, Flaherty believes the overall future for the franchise is encouraging.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Media Missionary School TV

On February 7, 2011, we shot a pilot for our new television program called Media Missionary School TV. Our host, Bekka Prewitt, interviewed yours truly, Harold Hay. I had an opportunity to talk about my new book, The Red Pill, The Cure for Today’s Mass Media Culture. The book will soon be published by Amazon and will be available for sale through their website.

Media Missionary School TV is an exciting and innovative concept. The program will feature compelling stories about Christians who work in the mainstream media in Hollywood and the broader entertainment industry. There are stories that have never been told about Christians who are living a missional lifestyle and making incredible contributions to further the cause of Christ in the world of media and entertainment. Media Missionary School TV will also explore issues concerning the media and how it impacts all of us on a daily basis.

Future programs will be shot in Los Angeles as our own Bekka Prewitt will be moving to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting. Bekka will serve on the front lines as a true media missionary. This puts her in a unique position to talk to fellow actors, directors, producers, and writers about their relationship with God and their careers in the entertainment industry and how the two work together.

Media Missionary School TV further plans to partner with other Christian entertainment ministries in Hollywood to tell their stories to a national and international audience. We hope to inspire young people to seek careers and opportunities to become media missionaries.

The pilot will serve as an introduction. Later this month, Media Missionary School TV will be traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, for the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. We plan to meet with several representatives from the national networks to discuss distribution. A total of four specials will be produced in the first year. Each one-hour program will run quarterly starting in late June or early July of 2011.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

NRB

Welcome to our new online newsletter. I want to keep you updated on what we are doing here at Media Missionary School. Thanks to everyone who reads my blog and follows our website. This newsletter will provide you with more behind the scenes news. I also want to thank supporters and donors who help make the ministry a possibility.

Now to today’s update:

After a two-year absence from the National Religious Broadcaster’s Convention in Nashville, TN, thanks to a generous contribution from a donor, I will be attending this year’s conference which starts on February 26. The NRB is the largest gathering of Broadcasters and media makers who work in faith-based and Christian media. It’s an excellent opportunity for networking and educational workshops.

This year at the conference, I plan to meet with several television network representatives.  I will be pitching a new program concept. We hope to produce six 30-minute to one-hour specials per year dealing with media issues. The programs will feature interviews and stories on Christians who are making an impact in film, TV or media.

I’m convinced audiences are interested in media issues and want to know how media is impacting their lives as well as the lives of their children and grandchildren. The series will explore the lives of Christians who work in both Christian and mainstream media. A pilot will be shot on February 7 so please pray that everything goes as planned. We will have a short window to finish the post production in order to have a program that we can show the networks. This will be an excellent opportunity to talk about the role and purpose of media missionaries within the industry.