October update... In December

This is an update I wrote in October, and am just sending now. Whoops.

• Done filming with Sex+Money
• Started a Wedding Filming business with Kyle Gentz
• Just returned from Uganda filming a stories about special needs orphans

“You’re back in Fresno?” - many people ask. At first this question seems silly because usually it is asked by people in Fresno while I am standing right in front of them. Yet I can’t be too hard on them considering last time I wrote, it was May and I reported that I was in Virginia. Yep, I sure have been slacking when it comes to updates.

Myself and Josh Martin filming a demonstration in New York.

Whether holding a camera or umbrella, we got the shot!

First off, the documentary Sex+Money wrapped up with shooting in May-June. We flew around the country getting more interviews and building upon what we had learned from the first trek in September-December of 2009. We interviewed more politician, leaders, non-profits, former pimps, victims and even a convicted sex offender. Most importantly, we saw hope in Phoenix, AZ when we got to shadow vice officers on sting opperations as they arrested Johns, pimps and had compassion on the girls that have been so horribly abused. Right now, the editor, director, writer and producer are working hard on getting all 250 hours of footage edited. I had the pleasure of meeting with our producer (the Morgan Perry) last night and heard just a bit of their plan for the ending of the film. It is going to be epic!

Kaity & Luke Harmon

After Sex+Money, I returned to Fresno in June and have had the pleasure of partnering with Kyle Gentz in starting a wedding filming business, Motion Picture Weddings. Yet as we have stepped out into the world of weddings, we have seen an increase in requests to do more and more freelance video projects which we really have enjoyed. But I don’t want to go too into that here because that is business stuff.

The greatest Production Assistant in the world!

And finally, yeah... Uganda. Monday I got the call while I was filming for Conklin Company Inc. in Kansas City saying the trip was a possibility. Tuesday connected with the leaders and Sunday (October 3rd) was on flight to Uganda. The trip was coordinated by a couple that is starting a ministry to connect American families with special needs orphans around the world and God has laid it on their heart to capture individual stories of adoption. We followed a couple that was adopting two children from an orphanage in Jinja, Uganda. Yet there was so much more going on there; two young girls starting an orphanage for special needs children, two nurses taking care of 4 month old twins that lost their mother to AIDs, the Ugandan people opening their own hearts to care for the little ones cast aside and providing homes for them, and a 22 year old single girl that has adopted 14 girls and developed programs to feed and educate hundreds of children that can’t afford proper care otherwise. Seeing God’s heart for adoption personified in those serving there is something I will never forget.

I could not be more excited about what God has been doing and the opportunities that have arisen to do what I love (sharing stories about what God is doing around the world) and somehow, He is totally providing! I hope to share more, but kind of want to keep this from becoming a novel.

Josiah

Sex+Money Prep at the Perry Farm

To see the whole crew again has been incredible! Lots of hugs, some intense times of worship, incredible reminicing and plenty of production prep has consumed our time at the Perry farm. Yet, despite all the work to be done, we have not neglected getting out into the beautiful Virginia countryside to stop, and listen.

Nearly everyone is back again for this round round of pick-up shoots and this time at the Farm has been a much needed respite for those of us coming from hectic lives and realigning with the goals of the project to end slavery in the US. Once all the prep was done, we headed to Washington DC to film an interview of a flight attendant who uses her position in the airport to help fight sex trafficking. Today we are back in DC to interview Lou De Baca, President Obama's ambassador dealing with human trafficking. We have twenty minutes for the interview but this is a man that will will provide some incredible insight on the issue.

For more information about the project and to watch  the latest webisodes, check out the website www.sexandmoneyfilm.com. I will try and update you each city we travel to, but if you would like the short and frequent updates, follow me on Twitter (@josiahthiesen) or the Sex+Money crew (@sex_money). The links to the left underneath my pictures link to this blog, RSS, and my Twitter.

Peace.

Heading out on the train

In Case you missed what I posted on my blog May 5th, here it is:

Sitting on the train and enjoying plenty of leg room, the view, the overly nice conductor, dinning car and restrooms down bellow, I think to myself, why do I ever drive?

My brother Josh and I at the train station. Yes, I only have two small bags, including camera gear, for 6 weeks of travel. That's enough clothes for 10 day (a few shirts, two pairs of underwear and 5 socks)

So begins my trip to meet up with the rest of the SEX+MONEY crew in LA, then on to Virginia. The next 6 weeks will be packed with pick-up shoot (extra stuff we need to film for the documentary) and plenty of good times back with my newly forged family.

Oh, now loading onto the Grey hound bus... this should be exciting.

And so continues my little adventure in the California mass transit system.

Josiah

Heading out on the train

Sitting on the train and enjoying plenty of leg room, the view, the overly nice conductor, dinning car and restrooms down bellow, I think to myself, why do I ever drive?

My brother Josh and I at the train station. Yes, I only have two small bags, including camera gear, for 6 weeks of travel. That's enough clothes for 10 day (a few shirts, two pairs of underwear and 5 socks)

So begins my trip to meet up with the rest of the SEX+MONEY crew in LA, then on to Virginia. The next 6 weeks will be packed with pick-up shoot (extra stuff we need to film for the documentary) and plenty of good times back with my newly forged family.

Oh, now loading onto the Grey hound bus... this should be exciting.

And so continues my little adventure in the California mass transit system.

Josiah

January Update

SEX+MONEY part I is finished being filmed
Part II begins in the spring
Going to be in Fresno for until Part II

Favor. Huge, huge amounts of favor has covered the SEX+MONEY crew. We have filmed about fifty politicians, lawmakers, former victims, vice agents, pimps and non-profit organizations. After 3 months, 25 states, 10,746 miles, 198 hours of footage, we have learned a lot. What was intended to be the main filming portion of the film has been birthed into so much more, and what was supposed to be simple pick-up shots in the spring has become a full-fledged Part II.

Part II came out of the research the 5 narrators have done from September til December. They realized they have to show in the documentary how ordinary people can go from just learning about being sex traffficking, to making a practical difference. Some of the narrators willl be working on a website to unite each organization with other like minded people across the nation, others will be doing benefit concerts and art shows to get the word out. That, along with some more intense undercover work will all be part of the spring shoot, Part II.

If any of you were on YouTube the day after Christmas, you would have seen that the little teaser trailer (Sex+Money Teaser) we did after the first 10 days of shooting in New York, won a contest hosted by Morgan Freeman (an actor you may have heard of) and was on the home page for a whole day. This is a huge amount of favor because now half a million people have seen what we are about and we pray will open doors both in contacts as well as financial backing for Part II.

Thank you so much for all your prayers! I have never seen the power of prayer come alive like it has on this project. It was only at the end of the project when we all started talking about how we have physically felt covered by God that I noticed this. I was reminded of Shadrack, Mishack and Abendigo, and how they came out of the fire, not even smelling of smoke. That is us; because God called us into the fire, He has been our guard, protecting our hearts and minds, allowing us to have compassion but protecting us from the muck of the world destroying us.

My plans for the next few months, until I rejoin the SEX+MONEY Crew in May, is to work, work and work some more. I am pursing an opportunity at Apple Retail again as well as picking up all the freelance video jobs I can get my hands on. My goal is to get rid of most of the debt that still lingers over my head from previous gear purchases, so I am free to pursue projects, even if there is no guarantee of income.

I now have some new ways to keep in touch. Facebook (Josiah Thiesen) Twitter (josiahthiesen) Blog (witness.bluewingstudios.com) and by text updates. Text updates are really for immediate prayer request, like when we need prayer at 4:00am because we are in the middle of the Red Light disctict in Mexico. If you would like to be added for that immediate prayer chain, send me an email with your phone number and I would love to add you.

Loving life and love Christ,
Josiah Thiesen