Crafting the Story I'll Tell with Lee Park Worship – A Director's Cut by Kent Smith
At Lucky You Film, we believe every brand, every message, and every story deserves to be told with exceptional clarity and emotional resonance. We're incredibly proud to share a recent project that beautifully encapsulates this philosophy: the latest release from Lee Park Worship, "Story I'll Tell." This powerful song, deeply moving in its message, provided a unique canvas for our team, brought to life through the distinct vision of our Director and Co-Producer, Kent Smith.
The Heart of the Story: Crafting Visuals for "Story I'll Tell"
"Story I'll Tell" is more than just a song; it’s an experience. From the first listen, our team understood the profound weight and hopeful message embedded in Lee Park Worship's lyrics and melody. As the song's key themes of overcoming difficult times [00:22] and having faith in a higher power began to emerge, our mission, led by Kent Smith, was to create a visual narrative that amplified its core themes of faith, remembrance, and the legacy we leave behind.
Kent's approach to directing is always rooted in authenticity. For "Story I'll Tell," he focused on capturing raw emotion and genuine connection. Rather than relying on elaborate sets, the emphasis was placed on intimate moments and evocative lighting that allowed the spiritual depth of the song to shine through. Every shot, every transition, and every visual cue was meticulously planned to draw the viewer deeper into the story being sung.
Behind the Director's Cut: Kent Smith's Vision
As Director and Co-Producer, Kent Smith was the guiding force from conceptualization to the final edit. His expertise in cinematic storytelling allowed us to translate the song's spiritual journey into a compelling visual one. The lyrics are full of metaphorical language, like "battles won," "seas crossed," and "waters parted" [01:20] to symbolize the struggles that were overcome, which Kent helped to visually represent. The song's main message is about having a testimony of God's power [01:02] and a promise to share that story [02:10].
"Working on 'Story I'll Tell' was an opportunity to connect profound lyrical content with powerful visuals," explains Kent. "The challenge and joy came from finding subtle ways to visually interpret the song's message of enduring hope and the personal narrative each of us carries. We aimed for a feeling of quiet contemplation mixed with an undeniable sense of uplift, ensuring the visuals honored the sincerity of Lee Park Worship's message."
Kent meticulously crafted:
Evocative Lighting: Utilizing natural light and strategic studio illumination to create moods that shifted with the song’s emotional arc.
Intimate Framing: Close-ups and thoughtful camera movements that highlight the sincerity of the performers and the emotion in their delivery.
Seamless Narrative Flow: Ensuring the visual story unfolds effortlessly, complementing the song without distracting from it.
A Testament to Collaboration and Quality
This project is a perfect example of how Lucky You Film partners with organizations—whether a large institution like Lee Park Worship or a dynamic small business—to bring their stories to life. Our commitment to high-quality video production and photography means that we focus on more than just capturing images; we focus on capturing essence, communicating messages, and creating lasting impact.
Whether you're looking to tell your brand's story through a corporate video, capture the spirit of an event, or create compelling visual content for your marketing, Lucky You Film brings the same dedication and directorial expertise to every project.
Experience the "Story I'll Tell" Director's Cut:
We invite you to experience the beautiful work of Lee Park Worship and the visual artistry directed by Kent Smith.
Lee Park Worship releases the first of five exclusive music videos, a Director's Cut of "Why Wouldn't I Run," helmed by filmmaker Kent Smith.
https://www.einpresswire.com/article/837540965/lee-park-worship-unveils-first-of-five-special-director-s-cut-videos-for-why-wouldn-t-i-run-directed-by-kent-smith
Lee Park Worship releases the first of five exclusive music videos, a Director's Cut of "Why Wouldn't I Run," helmed by filmmaker Kent Smith.
Working with Lee Park Worship was truly a cinematic experience. We translated their powerful music into five distinct visual stories, bringing their songs to life in a way that is mind-blowing.”
— Kent Smith
CHARLOTE, NC, UNITED STATES, August 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Lee Park Worship has released the first of five exclusive Special Director's Cut music videos for their powerful song, "Why Wouldn't I Run." The video, featuring vocalist Karlie Russell, is the inaugural release in a new series now live on the official Lee Park Worship YouTube page. The entire project was helmed by award-winning director Kent Smith of Lucky You Films, whose feature film "The Last Passport" has garnered over 1.75 million views on YouTube. Smith is currently in production on his next feature, "On Earth As It Is In Heaven".
"What was created in just three days was five different music videos that each had a different look and energy to them," said Smith.
Led by Creative Director and Lead Worship Pastor Shane Dunlap, Lee Park Worship is a North Carolina-based collective that fuses modern worship with the traditional roots of the church. Their album, Faithful Still, was produced by notable names such as Jason Kyle Saetveit, Travis Cottrell, Bradley Knight, and Johnathan Crumpton. "With Faithful Still, we wanted to show God’s unwavering faithfulness, His supreme sovereignty, His goodness, and the boundless love He has for us all," Dunlap said.
The song "Why Wouldn't I Run" delivers a poignant message, asking listeners why they wouldn't run to a God who is waiting with open arms. Written by Shane Dunlap, Sue C. Smith, and Nathan Woodard, the song was intentionally crafted for featured vocalist Karlie Russell. "Karlie just does such a great job. Her voice just fits it perfectly," says Dunlap. "We wrote it for her... It’s pretty cool how that happened and how it’s become what it is."
The ambitious five-video series was shot over a tight three-day schedule. Smith and his dedicated crew—including Director of Photography Tom Butler, Rob Paul, and Chris Ponder, along with gaffers Jim Cote, Brett Ray, and Dan Lewis—skillfully captured a distinct visual style for each song. The versatile Coca-Cola Building in Charlotte, secured with help from The Nichols Company, served as the perfect backdrop for their creative vision.
The Special Director's Cut for "Why Wouldn't I Run" is now live on the Lee Park Worship YouTube channel. Four more videos in the series will be released soon.
About Lee Park Worship
Lee Park Worship is a collective of musicians and worship leaders from diverse backgrounds and generations, including Shane Dunlap, Sam Phipps, Todd Dunlap, Karlie Russell, Brooke Tomberlin, Jack Hargett, and Crystal Gomez. They are united by a mission to praise God, creating a distinctive blend of modern worship and traditional sounds that is both familiar and new.
About Kent Smith
Kent Smith is an award-winning director based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a career that bridges the worlds of still photography and filmmaking. His eye for compelling imagery was honed during his years as a celebrated photographer, capturing portraits of some of the most influential people and companies in the world. He seamlessly transitioned this passion for visual storytelling into the world of film, working behind the scenes on major Hollywood productions. His extensive credits include TV shows like Homeland, Mr. Mercedes, Outcast, and Hunting Wives, and films such as Max, Tusk, American Animals, A Biltmore Christmas, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
In addition to his work on major projects, Smith is an accomplished commercial director, creating campaigns for top brands both nationally and internationally. His feature film directorial debut, The Last Passport, which he also co-wrote, was a festival success, winning Best Director and Best Actor at the Solstice Film Festival. His latest short films, MIKE and Little Package, have also earned significant praise on the festival circuit. Smith is currently in production on his second feature film, On Earth As It Is In Heaven, and has a feature-length documentary in the works. He also co-hosts the popular Adult Beverage Film Podcast.
Media Contact: [Kent Smith] [Director at Lucky You Films] [Kent Smith] [704-905-3713]
Links:Watch "Why Wouldn't I Run" (Director's Cut): [Link to "Why Wouldn't I Run"Director's Cut on YouTube]
Lee Park Worship YouTube Channel: [Link to Lee Park Worship YouTube Channel]
Lee Park Worship Website: [Link to Lee Park Worship Website]
Lucky You Films Website: [Link to Lucky You Films Website]
Lucky You Films YouTube Channel: [Link to Lucky You Films YouTube Channel]
Kent Smith
Lucky You Films
+1 704-905-3713
kent@luckyyoufilms.com
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"Why Wouldn't I Run" (Director's Cut)
"Reel Conversations" with our filmmakers of MIKE
“Reel Conversations” highlights filmmakers featured in the 21st Annual International Real to Reel Film Festival. On this episode of “Reel Conversations,” Thomas Manning speaks with filmmakers connected to the short film “Mike.” “Mike” is the story on an intellectually challenged man choosing to follow his dream by visiting a distant shore. Kent Smith (writer, producer, director), Patrick G. Keenan (actor – “Mike”) and Steve Saxon (cinematography) share the stories of the making of this Real to Reel Film Fest selection. The Cleveland County Arts Council will host nearly 50 films in a virtual festival format from Sept. 9 -Oct. 9. For over two decades, Real to Reel has showcased thought-provoking films from around the world and offers opportunities for cinema-lovers to embrace the independent vision of this unique art form. For more information on the Real to Reel International Film Festival, visit realtoreelfest.com For more information on “Mike” visit dreammike.com.
MIKE - Short/Feature Film in Production
Have you ever wondered? Wonder how things could be different in the future and how they could change? I have watched a young boy starting to grow up who has some difficulties in what most of us take for granted, developing. When ordinary skills are slow to develop, other skills are developing faster and faster. This one particular kid has developed an ability that reaches straight to the heart of people around him with his smile and love. He has developed a unique gift that so many humans have overlooked, love.
Coming up with a story is sometimes a hard thing, but when it's something close to your heart, the ideas start rolling. In the case of MIKE, the idea was very clear from the beginning, what would Mike, a mentally challenged man in his mid 50's, be like when he grew older? He lives with his mom, and his father passed away early in his life. He works as a simple flower watering boy for his friend Donald who owns his own landscaping business.
With this idea, a story started to grow, and then that story went from the pages of a script to the actor's review. Once the actors were on board, then we started finding the perfect crew that believed in indie filmmaking and telling great stories. What began as a 20-page script has developed into something amazing. Currently, with the help of a fantastic crew and cast, we have started our journey of shooting a short/feature film. We are now in the process of shooting around the state of North Carolina from Charlotte to Wrightsville Beach.
We hope that you will continue to follow our story as it grows to the big screen. We have some exciting news around the corner for this film. Make sure you LIKE MIKE.
www.dreammike.com
Mike (Patrick Keenan) is bringing a new meaning to being hot in the south with co-star Caroline (Johanna Jowett). He is thankful for A/C.