Second Genesis—The Beginning

Welcome to the Second Genesis initial funding campaign.

 

Second Genesis is a feature length documentary about an Eastern Orthodox priest and a former Hindu monastic as they struggle to reckon with the teachings of Christ. The film will investigate the sobering realities of the spiritual world and the cost of repentance.

 

Teaser trailer

 

 

Plot Summary

While juggling the responsibilities of home and parish life Father Turbo, an Eastern Orthodox Priest in Kansas City, is on a single-minded mission to transform an inner-city block into a vibrant beacon of Orthodox tradition. The film looks at how Father Turbo's past experiences as a professional tattoo artist, musician, and practitioner of occult spirituality prepared him for the struggles of being a new priest in a rapidly changing community.

 

 

Nikolai, a former Hindu monastic, lives in Laguna Beach California where he works as wood carving instructor. While wrestling with his experiences of living in a Hindu temple for 12 years, Nikolai stumbles upon a copy of the ancient Christian text The Philokalia which propels him into a journey to find God within the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The film looks at Nikolai's struggle of repentance in the context of his decades-long search for God.

 

 

 

Project Status and Challenges

The film's main characters and story structure are in place and the main task now is to continue filming with the characters to fill out the story. I'm a little over halfway through filming this project and have been gathering footage since the beginning of 2020.

 

For the past two years I've entirely self-funded this work. Since getting married and taking on new financial responsibilities, self-funding this project is unsustainable and I need your help to continue. My goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of this year to advance Second Genesis to a point where I can create a theatrical trailer and launch a larger funding campaign in early 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

Projected Timeline

 

December 2021

• Preliminary funding round

• Schedule and plan filming trips for early 2022

• Process remaining footage shot in 2021

 

Spring 2022

• Complete theatrical trailer

• Public funding round to cover post-production and music composition

• Film shoots in L.A. and Kansas City

 

Summer and Fall 2022

• Complete production on the film

• Complete first rough edit of the film

• Work with composer to start scoring the film

 

Winter 2022

• Refine rough edit of the film

• Complete sound and color editing

• Finalize film score

 

Spring 2023

• Film complete

 

 

Thank you again for following along and considering supporting my work. With your help, and God's Grace, I'll be able to get this film to the finish line and out into the world.

 

—Sam