According to the Motion Picture Association of America, U.S. and Canadian box offices brought in an estimated $10.4 billion dollars in revenue last year. Although consumer entertainment spending has steadily declined over the past decade, researchers note an increase in faith based, family friendly fare. A five year study by Movieguide, a conservative Christian organization affiliated with the Christian Film & Television Commission ministry, found that movies with strong Christian worldviews averaged $82.97 million per movie, but movies with very strong Non-Christian worldviews averaged only $21.84 million.
LaKesha Lorene, founder and CEO of Loving Life Productions, LLC, a locally based production company and talent agency, has brought this trend to Indianapolis.Ā Loving Life Productions specializes in producing, promoting, and collaborating on positive entertainment projects that are Christ centered.
āEarth Cry,ā Loving Lifeās first theatrical release, is a short, silent film that follows four individuals; College Girl, Professional Woman, Mother, and Son, each at a crossroads in their personal lives. The film arose āfrom just thinking about a lot of what is going on in society and in the worldāthe world is literally crying out right now. When it comes to the crime rate, all sorts of things are going on. We are crying out for a change, a new awakening of sorts,ā said Lorene, citing Proverbs 1:20 as her inspiration.
āThis whole film is about seeking wisdom. This film is about choices and the beauty of humanity ā no matter how far youāve strayed, or if you think youāve fallen off and have nowhere to go, God is always there,ā she said.
Jaila Brewer and Staja Leatta, who portray Professional Woman and College Girl respectively, said that the experiences of their characters are stories that they feel audience members of all backgrounds can relate to.
āIn the film, [College Girl] is going through life at the beginning of adulthood and she is learning about life and its challenges away from the hand and the magnifying lens of her protective family,ā said Leatta. Although she is confronted with extreme adversity, Leatta said viewers will witness a compelling tale of redemption and growth. āDuring these situations itās also very beautiful because she is finding out who she is,ā she said.
Brewerās character, a professional woman with a suburban upbringing and a checkered past, is striving to remain true to herself in a male-dominated career field. According to Brewer, her storyline represents the power that choice has on a person seeking to follow a righteous path. āIāve been in that situation before,ā said Brewer. āYou have to choose an easier road or a harder road and I definitely related to her. You really get to see how strong females can be in male dominant situations.ā
āEarth Cryā premieres Saturday, May 30 from 7-9 p.m. at Tilt Studios, on the 4th floor of Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis. In conjunction with the filmās premiere, Loving Lifeās talent agency division will be holding an open casting for actors, singers, and models of all ages. āIf you are serious about pursuing your dream as an actor, model, or singer ā there are opportunities for people of all ages in the industry,ā said Lorene. āItās all about figuring out which ones you want to pursue and having the right representation to help you get to where you need to go. We will be doing acting classes with SAG actors, people who are qualified to teach and take you to the next level in the industry,ā she said.Ā
For more information on Earth Cry or Loving Lifeās talent casting, email LaKesha Lorene at Loving.life.productions.llc@gmail.com