Get On Up - James Brown Movie - Rodney, Mississippi

I recently went to see the James Brown biography movie, Get On Up. I went because it blended both of my worlds of photography and music, two of my favorite activities! I knew that the movie was filmed in several locations across Mississippi, but when I heard they filmed a scene at the old church in Rodney, Mississippi, I had to go see it!

I watched the movie with much anticipation, thinking they would barely show the old church, or I wouldn't recognize it, but then it happened...

My heart JUMPED out of my chest, and I wanted to turn to the folks around me in the movie theatre and tell them, I KNOW THAT PLACE, I've stood right where they are standing. But it was more than that, something inside me was happy for the old church that no one ever gets to see. It is so remote and forgotten that the earth is slowly overtaking it. So, yeah, I guess I was happy that now the world was seeing it through the film

Just two weeks ago Marty Kittrell and I went to shoot the old church (again), with a new friend of ours to show it to him for the first time. Here are some photos from that day.

Well, anyway, just wanted to share this moment of my life, it was very thrilling to know that this little jewel of Mississippi was being shared with millions of movie goers around the country. This old church that we visit regularly because we know that eventually the earth will overtake it and be forgotten by all. The old church that rain and weather has already claimed most of the inside walls and ceiling, is now temporarily revitalized because the movie company shored up and cleaned up the inside for filming.

I hope to find some of the other Mississippi locations that were used in the film. To see the movie trailer for the James Brown movie "Get on Up" click here. http://youtu.be/vptGSENcXeI

To see the church yourself, take a quick trip to Rodney, here are the coordinates Just be careful and respectful of the old girl!

Latitude: 31.860774, Longitude: -91.200990