WHERE OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE!

Being the majority owner of SostarSun Productions, I do not take lightly the need for safety and to follow SAG Union Guidelines. Cutting corners can be deadly, not only to the film’s success, but it can also lead to tragic accidents; or Covid or some other illness that could be life threatening. Before Halyna was killed, people walked off the production due to concern over safely regulations not being followed. I will say this again, production at that point should have been halted, to immediately to fix whatever the issues were. But that didn’t happened and sadly, Halyna is gone.

Being intubated back in 2016 from a flu virus, I take Covid very seriously. I intend to be the Covid Compliance Officer and I will make sure we are following the union guidelines. Sure! This is extra cost. Sure! This is extra stuff the cast and crew has to do – like have their temperature taken upon entrance, or wear a mask in some cases. But how much is a human life worth? So, no one should bitch, whine or complain about taking the extra much need precautions.

We cannot be in such a huge hurry to get to post-production that we skip so many much needs steps to get there. I want to bring to the world an excellent pilot, not sloppy and careless work. It would ruin the remaining series. The question one must ask is simply this. Who am I making this film for? If I say, “Myself!,” my boat is dead in the water.

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That question is where our focus needs to be.

I am making this film to bring light to a very dark world,

in hopes that it will draw people closer to the Lord.

The above statement answers the who, I am making the film for; the world. It also answers the why, I am making the film; in hopes it will draw people closer to the Lord. So, if God is the one I am answering to about the quality of this pilot, my standards best better be above the norm – “something that is usual, typical, or standard.” I refuse to be ordinary or average. We are presenting extraordinary and maintaining standards of excellence, not just the usual that we can get by with. I answer to the Lord Jesus Christ and I represent Him, not Hollywood!

This productions needs to be run like a tight ship – “strict and firm control.” The Bible states in Proverbs: 27:23, “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” “Diligent” is defined as: “steady, energic, earnest…(painstaking) – with great care and thoroughness.” I will be thorough in making sure those in my (flock) whether cast, crew, principal actor or extra, will be looked after with great care! This means not cutting corners; following guidelines no matter how inconvenient or tedious. It means checking into the validity of every complaint before anyone walks off the set. It means if a 20 day shooting schedule takes 365 days, then so be it. I am not in any hurry to rush through the production. Trust me, I have waited 13 years already, another year or two isn’t going to break me. But I guess the time line of all the years we have been working on this, is a blessing in disguise. When you have been forced to be patient, after awhile, it becomes easier to wait. Sure! I want to be paid TODAY after not being compensated for my work, for the 13 past years. But there again, this goes back to the question as to why am I making this film. If it was just to get paid, I would have quit a long time ago. So, obviously, there is something else that has kept me going all these years. My number one goal in this life, is to help people find the Lord and get saved. It is the commission of every Christian to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. We just have different ways of doing it. And to think by cutting corners, I could miss the opportunity to help someone, or to hurt someone on my set, is gut-wrenching.

So, I am taking my time following steps and guidelines as we add to the film almost everyday much needed improvement, value and prestige. This daily practice was confirmed on a podcast with Tom Malloy and Carole Dean. (see link below). It is nice to know that I have been on track and not falling behind as one step no matter how small, added daily to other steps, will eventually lead to great success. In this business, one size does NOT fit all. I am working on my own cameo role, as well as being one of the figure skating doubles and possibly a dance double. There is no way to fake anything I am doing for and in this film! So, I do what Tom and Carole have said to do…keep moving forward!

Juliana