by George Escobar, co-founder Advent Film Group
It was last October 13, 2011 when I received an email from Joseph Farah, WND CEO, asking if I was “busy?” I was busy. But nonetheless I contacted Mr. Farah who told me about the upcoming book, THE HARBINGER, written by Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Rabbi from New Jersey. The book was scheduled to be released by Charisma Media sometime in January 2012.
Mr. Farah asked if I would be interested in producing a documentary based on the book. He sent me an advanced copy and I was hooked. I read it in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s novel was a revelation for me.
IT POSED THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (from the publisher’s book description):
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Is it possible...
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‣That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America s future?
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‣That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?
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‣That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?
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‣That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?
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Before its destruction as a nation, ancient Israel received nine harbingers, prophetic omens of warning. The same nine harbingers are now manifesting in America with immediate ramifications for end-time prophecy.
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Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretold recent American events down to the exact days. The revelations are so specific that even the most hardened skeptics will find it hard to dismiss or put down. It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller with one exception... IT S REAL.
The Challenge
After reading THE HARBINGER, I immediately began pre-production planning with Mr. Farah. We discussed several approaches to the documentary. Picked one (see the Sidebar), then put together a budget and schedule. Given the book’s publishing date, producing the documentary was going to require an aggressive schedule. We targeted a DVD documentary release of late February or mid March 2012. We basically had one month to prep, write and film the documentary. This required location filming in New Jersey, New York City (Manhattan’s Financial District) and Washington D.C. Afterwards, we’d have two months of post-production, then 2-3 weeks for reviews and revisions.
The Team
To keep the budget tight, we used a very small team. David Cook, myself, and Brianna Da Silva (our Advent Intern) comprised the core team. We received assistance from Spencer Weaver, Bridget Degnan, and Lauren Bowen, (Advent Associates) who filmed many of the Washington DC footage.
Jonathan Cahn was the main writer for the documentary as well as our on-screen narrator and content expert. We received great help from Jonathan’s video production team at the Jerusalem Center in Wayne, New Jersey.
The Results
It was surprising how quickly the DVD shot up to the top rankings in many online retailer sites, especially AMAZON’S. More surprisingly, it has stayed at the number 1 or 2 slots from over 5-6 weeks. Most recently ISAIAH 9:10 JUDGMENT was also Amazon’s Most Wished for Faith & Spirituality DVD.
Everything in this project has been providential. We are so blessed to have played a part in bringing God’s Word to light for such a time as time.
About Jonathan Cahn - Author
Jonathan Cahn’s teachings are known for their prophetic import and their revealing of the deep mysteries of God’s word. He leads the Jerusalem Center / Beth Israel in Wayne, New Jersey, a worship center made of Jew and Gentile, people of all backgrounds. He also leads Hope of the World ministries, an international outreach dedicating to spreading God’s word and love to all peoples. His teachings have been heard across America and throughout the nations via television, radio, and in personal appearances. He is known for uncovering the long hidden riches of scripture and restoring the New Covenant message to its original biblically Jewish context and power.
About Joseph Farah - Producer
Joseph Farah is founder, editor and CEO of WND and a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate. He is the author or co-author of 13 books, including his latest, "The Tea Party Manifesto," and his classic, "Taking America Back," now in its third edition and 14th printing. Farah is the former editor of the legendary Sacramento Union and other major-market dailies.
