Brad Mix
Christian Visual Media – Changing the World's View
December 2005
I was brought into the world of visual media through my father, Ron Mix. My father died December 16, 2005 (less than two weeks ago at the time of this writing) in an industrial accident in New Orleans. He was a pioneer in many ways, and never actually saw the tool of visual media as anything more than a means to an end...the end being the spreading of the Gospel and the building up of the body of Christ. We had a few family businesses, Crown Video being one of them. For the past 18 years I have been managing Crown and my father was managing our contracting businesses.
In 1982 Ron Mix started Crown Video. He has been the President of the company its entire history. The word "Crown" is an acrostic: Christ Revealed On World Networks. Initially we were known as "Christian Video in Canada", but that expanded over the years to a dozen other countries.
In 1988 I was thrust into the manager's chair at Crown. At 24 years of age, I was given a crash course in business and in the world of Christian film. I shortly came to realize a couple things: First, I came to know the effectiveness of visual media to touch people in a way that other tools could never. Second, I came to realize that I had a love for visual media, and the people involved in producing products that carried a biblical worldview.
In 1993 the late Peter Allinger encouraged me to attend an ICVM (International Christian Visual Media) conference in Atlanta. Dr. Allinger, a fellow Canadian, told me that I would benefit from the face to face interaction of the conference. He was so right! I haven't missed a conference since. Crown has greatly benefited from our ongoing membership and our consistent attendance at the annual conference. The networking, fellowship and professional development that takes place there each year are a huge blessing to many - so many life-long friendships have been made. We have been involved in a number of projects that would have never been developed had it not been for the relationships built through ICVM.
Another great thing about ICVM is that it is an international association. Interacting with Christians of like-mind from Australia, the UK, Germany, Romania, Singapore and many other countries, is an amazing blessing. It broadens the perspective of all the members and adds a wonderful flavor to the conferences.
Over the years, along with so many of my friends within the Christian film world, I have seen first hand the life-changing impact of visual media on people everywhere. Each new product, produced with excellence, carries a whole new potential to touch more people with God's incomparable love.
Visual media continues to be the way the world communicates. As technology expands and grows, Christians will remain on the cutting edge and continue to deliver messages of hope and faith to our churches, our neighbors and to the world.
Brad Mix
Crown Video
Edmonton, Canada
