The Making of a Masterpiece

Why Local Filmmaker Kyle Prohaska is going head to head with Hollywood.

By Sandra Arcadipane

Kyle Prohaska may not have the reputation of a Keanu Reeves or Steve Carell—yet—but like
these Hollywood stars, the twenty one year-old has found filmmaking inspiration in Western
New York. Along with co-writer and -producer Kevin Michael, Prohaska and his small but
committed cast and crew have ranged from Lewiston to Youngstown, from coffee shops to
private residencies to create Standing Firm, a full-length film with an inspiring message.
Influenced by films like Facing the Giants, Flywheel and Fireproof, in 2007 Prohaska started
Praise Pictures to produce top-quality, faith-based movies. Despite a small budget, even by
independent film standards, Prohaska is all about stretching his resources as far as they can go.
Standing Firm, which was still in the final editing process at press time, was produced for
approximately $35,000. The film engages a universal subject, death, and attempts to shed light
on the age old question, "If God really loves me, then why do I suffer?"

According to the official website, the plot revolves around, Dave, a widower and workaholic
working late nights running on fumes. Bills are piling by the week, and foreclosure looms on the
horizon. Blaming God for his wife's death, he ends his relationship with the church . . . his son,
Steven, has been watching his father’s unhealthy lifestyle with great concern. Along with his best
friend Maggie, Steven works to reach his father in any way he can. Despite his grieving, Dave
begins to move in the right direction seeking an answer to the question that has been haunting
him since his wife’s death: Why? Standing Firm is a story of suffering, God's purpose in it, and
being joyful despite of it.

With the exception of stage actor Eric Stevenson, who drove almost two hours a day to be a part
of the production, the entire cast was drawn from the congregation at Prohaska’s home church,
Niagara Frontier Bible Church. They were not remunerated for their efforts, but instead worked
in support of Prohaska and his vision for Standing Firm, believing that the movie honored God
and His will. There had been a series of deaths at NFBC as Prohaska was writing the script, so
despite the cast’s lack of formal training, the real life events that were taking place in their lives
made it much smoother to step into the role they were to play in the movie. Prohaska
commented, “Every time I left a funeral I was right back in the same pew, crying for another
friend or family member.” In retrospect, these experiences served to confirm that this was
exactly the story he needed to tell. Besides Prohaska and Michael, the production crew was
rounded out by gaffer Shaun Smith, who has been a professional photographer for years in
Buffalo, NY.

This is not the only project in the works from Praise Pictures. Prohaska told THRiVE!, “I have
started a site called ChristianFilmTrailers.com, which aims to be the Apple Trailers of the
Christian film world. Also our site PraisePictures.com serves as a great resource for filmmakers
with articles written about indie filmmaking, some by us and some by qualified others.” You can
help support Standing Firm by becoming a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/standingfirm,
following it on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sfmovie and finding out more about the movie at
http://www.standingfirmmovie.com. Standing Firm is expected to be released on DVD in 2010.