The Story of the Music Behind The Shack

Anastasia Brown calls the soundtrack, “The gift that keeps on giving after you see the film.” As a music supervisor who has worked on several Hollywood films and television series which have garnered her Grammy and Oscar nominations, she couldn’t imagine not being a part of the movie, The Shack, because it had impacted her life so much. We interviewed Brown earlier this year.

Brown shares how the book, The Shack impacted her and her faith.

“Back in 2009, I had what I call a personal tsunami. We had a tragedy with a suicide in my family, I had a non-expected sudden divorce, I had challenges as a mother, and challenges as an entrepreneur. Every aspect of my life was in a dark place. My father, who is an Episcopal priest and so sweet, came to me and said, ‘You are becoming a person you don’t want to become. Please read this book so you can fight to live and love again.’ I read ‘The Shack.’ I personally hadn’t heard about the book at all so I was a blank slate beginning this wonderful journey. When I finished reading the book, it was the catalyst for me to fight and get out of that dark place and get back to being positive, open to love, open to trust, and able to forgive. So for me, it really turned my life around after great tragedy…It shifted my desire to forgive more quickly than I used to in my younger days. If someone hurt me, or my family, or my best friend, I used to really hold on to that. When I first read ‘The Shack,’ I was just looking for a lifeline to stay afloat. The second time I read it, I was specifically reading it to help me forgive, because the coal I was holding in my hand was so hot and so negative, that I was just hurting me and clouding my soul. For my sake and my son’s sake, I had to forgive.”

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing,” Philippians 2:12-14

Brown reflects on how she became the music supervisor on the movie version of The Shack.

“Ok, so fast forward from 2009 to 2015. I’m newly married, in a really wonderful place, and my husband and I decided to watch ‘Life of Pi.’ I was really moved by that movie and the very next night I went to a party at my friend’s home, and Gil Netter [producer of ‘Life of Pi’} and Lani Netter were there. I met them, and they were lovely, so I told Gil how the movie affected me and said, ‘So, what’s your next film?’ He said, ‘The Shack.’ There was a pause, I got goosebumps, and then I said, ‘That is my number one book…it changed my life, and I’m going to music supervise that film whether you know it or not!’ He was still developing the script, it was really early on in pre-production, and I didn’t let it go…I was like a dog with a bone.”

Risen Reflections

Forgive. Each of us has a person in our life that has hurt us. It could be a friend, family member, classmate or co-worker. No matter how long it has been since the hurt occurred, consider forgiving that person if you haven’t already. Pray and ask God to show you how you can forgive the person. Forgiveness often begins with us understanding how much God loves and forgives us. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean that you agree with what they have done. What they did might still be wrong. Ask a friend, pastor or counselor to help you process through the situation if you are having a hard time forgiving someone. Often an outsider’s perspective can be helpful.

Turn your tragedy to triumph. We can’t do this on our own, we need to allow God to turn our tragedies into His triumphs. If something has happened to you, turn to God and ask Him to show you how He wants to use it. Pray and ask Him to heal you and anyone else involved. Don’t get discouraged. Sometimes it takes time to heal and process what has happened before we can see the silver lining in it and be able to share our story with others.

Be persistent. Whether it is a career goal or personal aspiration, pursue it wholeheartedly. Don’t let others discourage you from what God has called you to do. If you are feeling discouraged, take time this week to pray and ask God for direction to what He is calling you to do. Ask Him to give you His vision for the gifts and talents He has entrusted you with. Find a friend or small group member who will commit to praying with you as you pursue your calling. God has given us a body of believers to encourage one another.

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