Facing The Giants

We are currently working on a short (20 min) movie called Form of Psychosis. We are in pre production now working on story board etc.....We are very excited about this movie as we see God leading each step. Recently we have finished script revisions and are currently storyboarding, hunting down locations etc.....I am really hoping to have it finished by October or well before that. It is a drama with some real comedic moments as well. The story is about a business man who is at the end of his rope and crosses paths with a schitzophranic bum, who ironically gives him hope. We are very sensitive to the cheeze factor that could easily creep in and are doing our best to supliment that with creative ways of "sending a messge." Like I said earlier we are serving a God who understands what people need to hear, and who's imagination has the capacity to create every creature totally unique, who can create a single tree with so much detail it can boggle the mind of the greatest painter, or sculpter. My point being that we He is eager to share that creativity with us. that if we are sensitive to His spirit He could make a films through us that allow Him to speak in a way that is impactive, and well....entertaining. As long as He's leading we don't have to be concerned about turning people off with cheeziness, just Gotta trust in the Big Guy(: I'm so stoked to see this many Christians on the forum....keep it up.
 
AoO Media said:
brandon, i just watched the smuggler's ransom trailer... is it going to screen anywhere in new york? i'd love to watch it.
Click to expand...


Hey! No screening yet for NY. But, hopefully it'll be on store shelves soon as we're hooking up with some distribution companies.:laugh:
 
Great Thread.

It is encouraging to find so many interested in Christian film. I thought FTG was pretty good. I watched it with my 14 year old son. Hard to get past some of the acting and writing (as even he pointed out), but overall I think it gets an A for effort and I am glad they are making faith based films. As far as feature films, I don't have much interest in it, but documentary films are another story. I think using documentary film as a way to bring about change through awareness and advocacy is a great tool for today.

I have recently launched a filmmaking "ministry." If interested go to - a rather quickly made - website at www.mediaserveintl.org More to come as it grows and expands. We are working on fundraising for our first documentary film about the life and death of the first human rights worker to be murdered in twenty years in Honduras (and yes he was a Christian).

Didn't want to thread hijack, just encouraged by the discussions and wanted to add my voice to the "I want to live out my faith in my films" (just documentary films, not features :-).

John (aka FatDaddy)
 
Napoleon Dynamite has not themes of christian views in it. it just doesn't have any bad langauge... you know why the movie works? becuase people like it for it interesting humor nothing else.. just cause you believe in something doesnt me you have to always do something based around it...look at speilburg... how many jewish related films has he done..... not many....
 
I've got a real hard time trying to classify a movie like Constantine as a 'Christian' film. It has no Christian or Biblical basis to it...it's not inspiring. More like it's just a movie that used a character or two found in the Bible.

Loads of Christians won't even dare touch that movie. Same with the Devil's Advocate...not a bad movie, and it even had a moral point to the story, but definitely not a 'Christian' production.

And it doesn't matter what anyone tells me, Nappy D is NOT a Mormon or Christian movie. Even if mormons did throw some money at it...Indy Jones movies aren't Jewish...are they?
 
hellblazer all it talks about its religion mike.

and it is inspiring.

a many who does good for god but has his own moral issues of why he is doing this. he kills demons and fights with corrupt angels He battles his own personal demons and his illness. he makes a pack with the devil to save another life (jesus eh). in the end he ends up a better person for it. it has more and better script than any forced movie of those beliefs read the graphic novel you'll find it important. it shows plagues and signs of the end revelations sounds like "left behind" but good. just because a christian may or may not have be at the helm doesnt make it a non christian film does ang lee need to be gay to make gay related films. doesn spike lee need to be an asshole to make race releated against white people film (no, but he does and he is an ass.) point is just becuaase the money was set to tell a story instead of forcing beilfs i think that speaks louder than some dribble.
 
Kdawg said:
Just watched Facing the Giants. I enjoyed it. Looked past the acting and saw a very inspiring story.
Click to expand...

A couple of interesting things about FTG - it probably was shot in chronaological order, and as a result, the acting gets better as the movie goes on. You have to remember that ALL of these folks were ordinary church members who had for the most part never set foot on a stage or a film set. They got their acting training as you watched! Pretty amazing to me that it turned out as well as it did.

Another tecchie aspect: It was shot on ONE Panasonic Varicam, not film. I saw it on the big screen and was looking to see how it compared, and it compared quite well. Being the owner of an HVX, know to intercut very well with the Varicam, I was quite amazed.

Everyone should get FTG just to watch the behind the scenes footage- very inspiring not only to those who want to make Christian movies, but budget filmmakers as well.
 
yep behind the scenes is great......shot more like a doco and shows how rook they really were. Great job for being a bunch of people with no experience.....well except the DP and the Sound man, they were very seasoned pros.
 
I really wanted to bump this with my own thoughts, so I apologize for the gap in the posts.

I agree with most of the discussion here I think. FTG itself isn't the best movie thats for sure but like others here, going in I knew the situation in shooting it, and the story underlying so the movie itself took a new shape. The acting suffered in places of course because of the lack of experience but at times wasn't half bad. One thing I will say is I think they did the best with what they had and that was all they expected to do. Most interviews you read (and in the film itself) their main goal was to ask God to help them make it as best they could, and they left the results to him. Now because this film wasn't the greatest does that mean that it can't be useful? Obviously not because the good its done has been monumental next to most Christian films that have been made in the past. If God leads me to do a Christian film, and it doesn't turn out so great, but he uses it to save some souls, then my God I've done my job. I'll try and correct mistakes but taking heart in the fact that God can use us and our talents in spite of us makes for a very interesting life...idk how many others can relate to that.

I do understand the fact that most Christian movies are awful, not all but most. I don't completely agree with the fact you can't preach the gospel at all in a film because I think there is a right way to have it spoken without it being cheese. Most of the time when I witness to people its not that "hand on the shoulder" type of witnessing where everything is calm and cool and I can just let it out as I'm speaking to the person. Normally its done with a seriousness and a really real concern under the breath for the persons well being. Often in Christian films the opposite is true. The gospel if spoken in the film has a chuckle or two behind it in the character, or they're talking about it with someone but saying it almost too happy so it comes off as pure cheese. I'm writing my first feature now and there are moments where a lot of good biblical truth is spoken but a lot of it is centered around an argument or a high dramatic moment where tension is present which if delivered right should extract some of the cheesiness if not all of it and still get my point in there.

I have a hard time getting my mind to accept the fact that "moral" films are Christian films necessarily. I have no problem with someone honoring God with their lives (obviously), BUT depending on what your doing, it is impossible to glorify God with disobedience and some people get tripped up there because they think what they are doing is somehow glorifying God or its in a grey area so they just kinda say it is. Its a tough thing to get across right but teaching morals without including the man who set them (Jesus) does no good to anyone. Your quoting the work without the author and one of the biggest tools I think Satan uses to keep the name of Jesus away from society. Biblically, the most moral man in history without the saving grace of Jesus will still go to hell...morality can be found in the most evil people at times. Satan isn't against good morals, he's opposed to Jesus Christ so its a fine line I think.

BTW, the movie wasn't shot chronologically it was shot just like any other movie, in w/e order the schedule permitted.

See heres another point I want to touch on...Say you had a Christian film that was everything people are wishing here in this thread. It's story was rock solid, production value, acting was amazing, etc. BUT as stated you had Jesus in there as the underlying theme (hopefully). Even though a film could be flawless it would be extremely easy for any unbeliever to say they hate the film or its bad, or it was laughably horrible. You know why? Because certain people who are unbelievers get turned off to the talk of religion and Jesus and all that stuff right away. So should you be afraid to talk about Jesus in your films flat out? Of course not, Jesus explained that we would be hated by the world, its no shocker to me. I've seen some TERRIBLE Christian movies in my life for sure, YET I'll read something and found out someone came to know the Lord because of it...odd huh? Problem is you can't cater to everyone, even if your goal is unbelievers there's no way to target a film to all of them because you can't project where their heart is at. Some people sitting watching your film might be spiritually ready to accept the Lord or be more open while others are like a vault door. Criticism and harsh statements will be many and only increase as times get worse so I find no reason to remove the name of Jesus from my films and simply talk of God or morality or w/e because the fact of the matter is that isn't what saves you. Demons know of God...they shutter at his presence. Talking of God in a film means jack really.

Idk I could go on forever. I hope there was something useful in there.

- Kyle
 
My 2 cents....

I enjoyed FtG. But my biggest problem with it is the same problem I had with its predecessor, 'Flywheel'. And that is -- just by giving his life to Christ, the main character got everything HE wanted. Maybe that does happen sometimes. But the more powerful story is in the person who gives up what HE has wanted and worked all his life for, and finds new meaning in his life by doing what God wants him to do.

In 'Flywheel', the main character owns a used car lot. He's a shady businessman who lies and cheats, and his business is on the brink of bankruptcy. Then he turns his life over to Jesus and says, basically, 'Whatever you want, Lord -- your will be done.' Lo and behold -- his debts get paid, his business flourishes, and he's successful and happy.

'Facing The Giants' is basically the same story. This time the main guy even gets a brand new pickup truck out of the deal. The subliminal message is "Believe in Jesus and He'll give you whatever you want."

When I was watching "Flywheel", I had high hopes for a different ending -- because at one point the main character says "Lord, this is your car lot. If you want it to survive, then you will make it happen. If you don't want it to survive, that's okay too." (Paraphrasing.) But the ending was pat and predictable.

I'm impressed with what they've been able to accomplish, and nobody can deny their Christian commitment. I'd just like to see a story that's not so neat and simple.

One other thing...... You have to remember that for a movie to truly be considered 'Christian', it has to involve a faith in Christ -- not just in God. The very root of Christianity -- that which separates Christians from other faiths -- is the belief in Jesus as the Savior. Without any reference to Christ, a movie could be called spiritual, even Godly -- but not technically Christian.

I too would like to see more movies where the Christian elements are slipped in 'under the radar', so to speak. Movies that are entertaining to a mainstream audience, but that still contain good, solid Christian characters and elements. That was my goal with 'Afterlife' -- a romantic ghost story with a solid Christian character or two and definite Christian elements, but with a story that I believe is compelling to mainstream audiences.

Lastly, I saw "End of the Spear" over the weekend. Has anyone seen this movie? Although the script was weak in places, I think this movie has a lot of what we're looking for in a good Christian movie. Check it out.

Good discussion!
 
Hey, again, I am so pleased how many have been involved in this discussion!

I just recently sat down and watched FTG again, mainly for research more than anything else, but I again was struck by the same thing you were David... EVERYTHING worked out in the end (down to the wind changing direction for the field goal!) and it just seems so contrived... now, I KNOW my God is ALL POWERFUL, and in control of everything, but life doesn't turn out happy all the time...

Anyway, the Kendrick Brothers are working on their next film called Fireproof, http://fireproofthemovie.com/ it looks to be higher budget, but by reading the synopsis it looks like it's destined to be another similar, "everything works out" story. I truly hope it's not.

I am working on a faith-based feature right now, and though it does show the power of God in amazing and transforming ways, it doesn't show it unrealistically.
 
I agree Brandon -- God can do anything. I just hate contrived, 'too simple' endings.

Gotta admire what Alex Kendrick has been able to accomplish, though.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
I agree Brandon -- God can do anything. I just hate contrived, 'too simple' endings.
Click to expand...

I think it just goes back to basic story structure and plot mechanics.
It just gets a little stickier when we're talking about God as a force in a story.

But I think most audiences, regardless of their background, want to see a conclusion that is brought about via the characters - not something that simply 'happens' to work out (and I don't say that in any sort of patronizing way, just that that is how these types of endings wind up feeling). There is a reason people don't like the phrase 'deux ex machina.'

I think its definitely a tightrope in regards to story when dealing with 'faith based' content.
 
Well, I can see your point.

I think there are two kinds of faith-based stories. One is about what God does in a person's life to either bring that person to faith in Him or as a result of that person's faith in Him. The other is about what a PERSON does as a result of their faith in God -- the change it makes in that person's life.

I'd like to see a good story about a person who turns his life over to Jesus and as a result loses everything he has and all that he thinks is important -- only to find a new path, a new life, and a whole new set of priorities. A riches-to-rags story, for instance -- where the rich person learns a whole new contentment and happiness through serving others, rather than through materialism. A moving, compelling story that pulls at the heart.

These 'miracle' stories are all well and good, but I worry that it leads good Christians to think something must be wrong if God doesn't grant all their wishes and dreams. You know what I mean?
 
Brandon Rice said:
Normal everyday people don't go around quoting the Bible, it's just not realistic.
Click to expand...

Woah, woah, woah....
samjacksonpulp-thumb.jpg

...you saying this guy ain't normal?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top