WHO ARE WE?
The International Film Initiative is a collaboration of friends and like-minded for profit and nonprofit organizations.
Here are a few of our organizers.
BOY MEETS GIRL
In our twenties, God called Barbara and me out of a successful family media business, which was, at the time, the largest commercial photography studio between New York and Los Angeles.
When the time came to decide if we should take over the studio, God spoke to us out of Psalm 45.
"Leave your father's house and your father's people, for I desire your beauty."
And later in the Psalm,
"In place of your fathers will be your sons,
and you shall make them princes in all the earth."
KINGDOM STARTUPS
We left the studio to study the Bible, then plant half a dozen ministries and related businesses, including Bordertown Coffee and Kappa Pi Alpha.
Later, we taught entrepreneurship to at risk youth (undiscovered talent), which led to starting Firehouse Commons, a business incubator in inner city Minneapolis to help people escape poverty and pursue their God given dreams.
Most recently, we helped start a cybersecurity training business called MinnTech.
Marine and Outdoors Media
We started a marine photography business to support ourselves during graduate school. Since marine work is seasonal, that developed into a long term pattern of filming several months a year to support our ministry work the rest of the year. That business grew to serve the premier brands in the marine industry. Our sons grew up and joined us by adding video to the business.
FROM ADVERTISING TO ENTERTAINMENT
Through the years we supported ourselves with the media business on this site.
Now we feel called to combine our missions and media work.
In God's time and leading, his word to us many years ago has become quite literal as our sons and daughter have joined us in the work.
And we see the biblical call to establish "princes in all the earth" as a call to raise up and army of international media creators who will bring his Kingdom story to the nations of the earth.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
We need God and our friends!!!
Silker Studios Family
Build communities that create.
Barbara and I (Greg) met through the friendship of our fathers - advertising guys from the "Mad Men" era. Our family grew up and into the "business."
We lead teams that start businesses and ministries including:
Silker Studios (est 1998)
Kappa Pi Alpha (est 2003)
Bordertown Coffee (est 2005)
CJXA Team (half a dozen ministries est between 2000-2008).
Firehouse Business Incubator (est 2020)
MinnTech Information Security (est 2021)
Our life calling is to raise up creative disciples in an atmosphere of community.
Our photo/film/marketing company is proud to work with the top national clients in the industries we serve.
Pictured here with family & friends at the Minnesota State Fair