Hello!
My name is Eric Richards, the founder of Empyrean Media Arts, LLC. Empyrean means "the highest heaven or heavenly sphere in ancient and medieval cosmology usually consisting of fire or light" and "the true and ultimate heavenly paradise."
I desire that my work and our interaction gives you a glimpse of Heaven. In a world where dishonestly, greed and a lack of authenticity thrive, at Empyrean Media Arts you will experience honesty, generosity, authenticity and honor.
My Story
I came back from Kenya in 2013 without a clue of what I was going to do. I was 19 years old, a year out of high school, just returned from attending Youth With A Mission (YWAM) for six months, and the year was still young. For nine months I worked at a King Soopers while trying to plan my next steps. I wanted to go to Berklee School of Music in Massachusetts for writing music for film, TV and video games, but the expenses deterred me. So the thought came to mind: What if I joined a film school and write music for film students and my own films? In the Spring of 2014, I did just that. I applied to the Colorado Film School in Aurora, CO (which is a part of the Community College of Aurora) while also completing an online course at Berklee for film scoring.
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The journey of film school lasted until the Spring of 2017. I studied under some amazing teachers that taught me more than merely cameras, lighting, writing, art direction, acting, editing, directing, pre- and postproduction, and tricks of the film world, they taught me valuable lessons about work ethic, self reflection, empathy and sympathy, and that we are human BEINGS, not human DOINGS. I will be forever grateful of the impact each teacher had on me and how it has shaped my life.
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I completed a Bachelor's Degree in Communication at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in the Spring of 2019. It was a hard decision figuring out what to do after film school. I looked into attending Regis University in Colorado, Liberty University in Virginia, and even tried moving to Pakistan! But after several roadblocks, I decided to go to UNC.
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Empyrean Media Arts officially became a business in Colorado on December 30th, 2016, but I had operated under that name beforehand when I attended the Colorado Film School. I love the opportunities media provides for team work, exploration, creativity, and how it can be a window into the Divine.
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Between 2013 and now has been filled with many adventures, discoveries, growths, heartaches, exciting moments, painful moments, hopefulness and a dread for the future, COVID-19, new jobs and loss of jobs, new living spaces, new friends and special reunions with old friends, and now... a curiosity for the unknown, taking each day one step at a time.
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Right now I live in a former fraternity house with nine other guys. I bought the house with a friend of mine with the vision of cultivating a space for community. In addition to everyone who lives here, the home is open to everyone in our community to walk right in and be. We have been remodeling the home with new windows, carpet and appliances, while also saving the yard and bringing it back to life.
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I hope to have a commercial location for Empyrean Media Arts one day. An office where I can work, compared to the attic room I live in now, and a place where clients can visit for photographs, video shoots, and consultation would be so helpful.