The Missing Ingredient

Recently, I was invited to speak to the Christian Magician’s Association. We talked about the role and the responsibility of Christian entertainers and performers. How do we communicate Christ to our audience in an effective manner? Of course, one of my favorite topics came up—what is a media missionary?

One of the members of the group asked me if I thought Tyler Perry was a media missionary. He had recently watched “I Can Do Bad All by Myself”. He observed how effortlessly Christian themes and concepts had been woven into the story. I have never met or talked to Tyler Perry. It’s my understanding that he has gone on the record to express his faith and belief in God. Based on his work, I think Tyler Perry is on to something. Yes I would consider him a classic example of a media missionary.

In fact, I think he does it without realizing what he’s doing. Perry writes from his own experiences and observations of the community he grew up in. It’s a diverse community which represents both good and bad. In Tyler Perry’s works you will find the full display of the human condition. That also included those who are struggling with issues of faith and sin. He is not afraid to go to places other people fear to go to. What he does is extraordinary and rare to say the least. Perry has found the missing ingredient.

Let’s say for the sake of argument that an alien from a different world visited our world. What observations and views would our alien friend conclude about our society after a week of watching our mass media, network television programming and feature films? After close analysis and observation, he would probably think that we emphasize wealth, power, money, sex, and possessions. Although he would see isolated pockets of faith, belief, and Christianity being reflected, it would not be much of a factor in his overall conclusions and would consider faith and belief as not important. But we know that’s not true. Christianity is still important in the lives of millions of people in our society.

Although weakened over the past few decades, Christianity, belief and faith are still relevant even though this view is not reflected in our mass media. This leads us to ask the question whether it is possible that mass media is changing our view of faith and Christianity. There are many theories on how media impacts us on an individual and corporate level. One theory states that media does not tell us how to think, but instead tells us what to think about. Our society has concluded on a conscious or subconscious level that Christianity is not important or relevant to our lives. Why? Because it is not represented in our media. As our alien friend has observed, we put enormous value on wealth, money, sex, etc. because they are paramount in our mass media. I argue that media does not reflect at a proper level the importance of faith, belief and Christianity.

By simply taking something out, over time it becomes irrelevant. After a period of time the media  becomes a form of conditioning or mind control. We become what we see and hear—we adapt to it. If we have any hope of changing culture or changing the course of our society, issues of faith, belief and Christianity must be reflected in our mass media, which gets us back to Tyler Perry.

As my friend at the meeting of Christian magicians observed, Tyler Perry is a media missionary. However, Tyler is just one filmmaker. Yes, he is making an impact. But we need hundreds if not thousands of Tyler Perrys if we have any hope of making a significant impact for faith, belief, and Christianity.

"The Lamp" lights up the way for charity screenings

By Cheryl Wicker, Christian Movies Examiner

The success of "The Lamp" charity movie premiere on Sept. 15, 2011, to raise funds and awareness for the Make a Wish Foundation in Oklahoma effectively started the ball rolling for the movie's special charity screenings, scheduled to take place in 13 states within a month's time. Directed by award-winning director Tracy J Trost and based on bestselling author Jim Stovall's "The Ultimate Gift," "The Lamp" not only is an inspiring film of faith and love, but is also a way for people and organizations to help their favorite charities.

The Judge's Choice Award winner at the 2011 New Media Film Festival in August, "The Lamp" is about a father's struggles following the death of his son that could very well destroy his marriage, as well as the power of believing. Jason London ("Man in the Moon," "Dazed and Confused") plays Stanley Walters who, along with his wife Lisa (Meredith Salenger of "Lake Placid") are gifted with an old oil lamp that plays a pivotal part in the resolution of their problems. Academy Award-winner Louis Gossett Jr. ("An Officer and a Gentleman," "Roots") is the mysterious messenger that challenged the couple to look deeply into their hearts to find an ultimate truth.

"The message of 'The Lamp' is one that each one of us can learn from. We all have something in our life that we are not able to see beyond. We think that if someone would just give me the magic bullet or if I could have three wishes, I could wish the problem away and be rich on top of it. But we have the answer we are looking for all along," says Trost, the man behind the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based independent film production outfit, Trost Moving Pictures. Trost's first two films, "Find Me" and "A Christmas Snow," have earned for the company numerous awards in film festivals in the country. "The Lamp" is Trost's third film, which is also now available on VOD (video on demand) and iTunes.

Continue reading on Examiner.com "The Lamp" lights up the way for charity screenings - National Christian Movies
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Cinematic Tips for Low-budget Filmmaking

The goal of every filmmaker is to create a cinematic experience. The big screen presents a challenging environment that must captivate the audience. How do low-budget filmmakers fill the screen with images and sounds to compete with mainstream Hollywood’s unlimited resources? Films become movies when the filmmaker can make them cinematic and appealing to a broad audience.

Sound

What makes a movie a movie is sound. Most first time filmmakers will fail because they do not understand the importance of sound. In production, sometimes it is not possible to capture sounds that the audience expects to hear on the big screen. Often filmmakers are visually driven and overlook the importance of sound. Your audience wants to hear footsteps and the sound of a door opening. Find a competent sound engineer who can help you in production to capture clean and usable sound. Have enough money in your budget for recreating sound effects, sound editing and sound mixing. Without them, you do not have a movie. They are essential in creating reality in your film.

A Vision

Have you ever watched a movie and felt that you are watching 3 or 4 different films? What kind of movie was the director trying to make? Was it supposed to be funny or dramatic? Why was the theme in the first act completely missing from the rest of the film? Why are the characters’ personalities changing for absolutely no reason? Films fail because they lack a unified vision. You as the filmmaker must understand what the movie is about and what type of movie you are making. If you don’t know, nobody else will. It’s your job to understand the script backwards and forwards. You have to know the characters as if you have known them for your entire life. What’s the point for each scene? What are the motives for each action of your characters? How does one scene connect with the next? Having a unified vision for your movie requires effort and commitment. Know what your characters want and why they want it. What do they want from whom? And what do they need from whom? The low-budget world offers filmmakers the best opportunity to have a single vision because most often it is the filmmaker’s personal journey and life experiences.

Acting

The big screen demands good acting. Your job is not necessarily to find great actors but to find actors who can play the characters in your script. The world of low-budget filmmaking is full of solid actors who have yet to be discovered. It’s great to have a named actor, but it is probably out of your price range. You can find competent actors just about anywhere in the country. Your local film commission is a good place to start. Another tip is to check local theaters as well as talent agencies.

Editing

Now that you’ve shot 120 minutes of footing, do you use it all? Not if you want your movie to be viewable. Good filmmakers will trust their editors to make decisions that will tighten the film and give it the proper pace to hold the interest of your audience. You may have to lose scenes that are your favorites because they do not work within the flow of your movie. Good editors know where to cut. A few frames here or there can make the difference between a solid movie and a disaster. This may be a cliché but editors often say that they helped save the movie. Sometimes filmmakers have to be willing to discover the movie in postproduction.

Transitions

Transitions is the process through the use coverage shots that help to get you from one place to the next. Most filmmakers don’t think about this during production. Most scenes are shot out of sequence over the course of several weeks. It’s easy to get lost in the process. Without thinking about transitions or how the film flows from one scene to the next, you could be looking at a complete disaster. Movies require a change of time and a change of place. As a filmmaker you must make this seem fluid. If the audience doesn’t understand how the scenes tie together, you are in deep trouble.

How to get good at this is to watch a lot of critically-acclaimed movies to see how they handle transitions. There’s no reason in the low-budget filmmaking world that this should be a problem.

Dolly

Films look cinematic when you move the camera. There’s just something about putting a camera on a dolly with tracks to shoot your scene. It looks big league. I realize the tendency in low-budget filmmaking is to go for handheld shots. Resist the temptation. At least put your camera on a tripod if you don’t have the time or money for dollies and crane shots.

Style

You need your own unique voice. Does your film have a presence? Is there a constant tone or atmosphere that defines your movie? Or are you just serving meatloaf? Nothing wrong with meatloaf as long as you add some salt, pepper, and spices in order to create a unique flavor. Every filmmaker wants to stand out in the crowd. What makes the film, Fargo, unique? Why does it have style? Is it the dialogue? The location? Speech patterns? Cinematography? Whatever it is, you need to find it for your film. Make it your own.

Substance

Let’s face it. In the world of low-budget filmmaking, the audience will not be dazzled by your usage of special effects, chase screens, explosions, and action sequences. Your film must be about something. You project requires weight. In other words, you need substance.

Explore some issue that has never been presented on the screen. You may care about the issue, but will your audience? Does it make people care? Will it challenge your audience? Have you started a dialogue? Movies with substance are capable of moving their audience and impacting them emotionally. Is your theme important enough to be a movie?

Lighting and Contrast

How you handle the contrast between light and darkness will determine how much your film will express a cinematic presence. There is a good chance you will be shooting in a digital format. All video cameras, no matter how good they are, have problems with contrasting light sources, especially when you are shooting a scene with dark and light images present. Work around it as much as possible so you don’t get yourself into trouble. Try to shoot scenes with balanced lighting to avoid under- or over-saturated images.

Depth-of-Field

I talked about this earlier in the low-budget filmmaking principles. But it is so important in order to achieve the cinematic experience. In fact, it is the holy grail of filmmaking. All screens are two-dimensional. The trick is to fool the audience into thinking there is a third dimension existing in a two-dimensional world. The ability to manipulate depth-of-field creates this illusion for the audience. Without a 3D pop, images feel flat and lifeless. If you are not thinking about depth-of-field while you are shooting your film, you are wasting your time.

Color Correction

No matter what the format, whether video or film, without color correction, there is no cinematic appeal. Real life looks uninteresting and boring. Color correction helps to create a mood and presence that does not exist in the real world. You can over saturate, under saturate or completely change the color scheme to convince your audience that you have created a unique and fascinating world in which your characters move through and exist in.

Christians and the World of Low-budget Filmmaking

So where does the Christian fit into this process? For years, most Christian filmmakers have been making low-budget features. But the problem is they have violated practically every low-budget principle and every element in the guerilla code. That’s why the films often look cheesy and one-dimensional. We need Christians who can embrace low-budget principles and create a new kind of film.

What if we stop making Christian films and decide to make redemptive films. What would they look like? Would they speak to a broader audience? By applying low-budget principles, we can use the same strategy that the independent film industry has been using for years. We now have the keys. All we have to do is present Biblical truth and tell stories that will engage our audience. Isn’t it time that filmmakers who have a passion for Christ make their entryway into Sundance or the Toronto Film Festival. The independent model could provide a better way to reach our audience than the big-budget studio system of Hollywood.

Up close and personal with "Seven Days in Utopia" writer/producer David L. Cook

By Cheryl Wicker

Cheryl Wicker talks to author, speaker and executive producer David L. Cook about how God directed him all along the way on his foray into filmmaking and how he encourages other filmmakers to listen for God’s inspiration in their own filmmaking journey. Cook is the chairman of Utopia Films and executive producer of "Seven Days in Utopia," which opened in theaters on September 2, 2011, and stars Robert Duvall and Lucas Black.

He is also the author of "Golf's Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia," upon which the movie was based.

Cheryl Wicker: Tell me how you got started writing. How did the whole thing start?

David Cook: We, we have a ranch in Utopia, Texas, and I was doing a retreat for some men down there, as well as trying to figure out what I was going to write about and to speak about with them. When I was out praying in the field, I walked out to the field and went by the seed den. I opened a lid and there was a seed there planted 75 years before and it really struck me that that seed was wasted. I knew that there probably were some men and women that I administer to that had the same issue, of knowing they got called to do something but they just hadn't figured out what it was.So I brought a group of people in and taught around that seed concept, and passed them all one night around a campfire and asked them what that seed meant planted and what it meant. When I did, I felt the Lord said, "I called you to write."

So I wrote this book. it's the only book I've ever written and a few weeks later in a cafe in Utopia, there was a little note that gave the directions to the Utopia driving range, which was a very unusual message in the cafe because it went out to a golf course within 60 miles. I went out to discover that this driving range was next to a cemetery, and it was a really pathetic driving range. But this is where God said, "this is the place to write the book," so I had a context for how to write the story. I went back to the ranch and sat down. My fingers got on the computer and it just exploded... that was a supernatural, interesting experience all around. God came out with a message even though it came out through a sort of insignificant looking little 156-page golf book, performance book. It sort of transcends that and touches people of all flocks, faiths and interests. A director read that book and said he'd like to make a movie out of it. So we worked together, created the screenplay together and taught me about screenplay writing. I worked on it with him and another screenplay writer, and we put it together. It took about two years to just write.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Up close and personal with "Seven Days in Utopia" writer/producer David L. Cook - National Christian Movies http://www.examiner.com/christian-movies-in-national/author-david-l-cook-and-his-sacred-journey

Are You a Missionary?

One of the major topics here at Media Missionary School is the purpose and role of Christians who work in mainstream entertainment in Hollywood. What type of project should I work on? How do I reach my co-workers? How do I survive in a difficult and sometimes hostile environment? These are the questions that Christians who earn a living in the entertainment business ask each day. But is it any different, for example, as anyone would face in the workplace? If you are a plumber, electrician, banker, or teacher, isn’t it the same situation?

I realize that Hollywood and the entertainment industry is unique in one sense because it is the world’s most influential mission field. The artists who made and produced Gone With the Wind in 1939 are no longer living. But their work continues and will influence generations to come. That’s what makes Hollywood so unique. But what it shares in common with every occupation is in one form or another its a mission field to those who work in it. We are to approach everything we do in life as a mission field. We are called to reach the world wherever we are planted by living a missional lifestyle. It’s no different in Hollywood as it is on Main Street. But most Christians have forgotten this concept. They see the mission field as something that happens in a far away country but not in their back yard. So how do you and I and those in Hollywood embrace a mission’s approach to the way we live our lives?

I see it as a five-step process.

1. You must earn the right to talk about Jesus. Why is it that we think we can save people by just preaching at them and telling them what is wrong with their lives? That doesn’t work in our culture. Step one requires us to realize it’s not our responsibility to save people. What we are required to do is to allow the Holy Spirit to control us. By doing this, God can work through us. It’s God who does the saving. How do you earn the right? You earn the right to speak into other people’s lives by loving and accepting people where they are and praying for them.

2. Be the person who you say you are. Whether you tell people you are a Christian or not, when you live and base your life on Christian principles you will be different. The people around you will see there is something unique about the way you handle yourself and your actions. In other words, you will demonstrate a spirit that is radically different than the world’s. It will be expressed in your talk, your actions, and your reactions. But, on the other hand, if your life is not consistent with what Jesus taught, how do you think people are perceiving you? Is that the kind of faith and beliefs people want to embrace. Probably not. You must be the person you say you are to establish credibility.

3. Put your faith in action. Faith without action means nothing. It’s a nice story but that’s all it is. As Christians, we are required to be the hands and feet of Christ. If you want to live missionally, that means you will have to go out of your way and inconvenience yourself to help people. That means effort and time. Sure people will take advantage of you, but Jesus said to turn the other cheek, love and forgive.

4. Develop relationships. You can’t make someone be your friend. All you can do is be available and open. But if you have followed the first three steps, chances are you have put yourself into a position of trust. It’s amazing how many stories I have heard about Christians who work in Hollywood who talk about how people seek them out and confide in them for help and advice. These people are living missionally. They have answers. And, trust me, people are hurting. And, if they see someone whose lives and relationships are working, they want to know why. Frankly, none of this is that complicated. What’s complicated is living it day by day.

5. Build friendships. If you have reached this point, friendships start to happen. All you need to do is cultivate and encourage the friendship to grow. Consider doing something together. If you are married, perhaps have your co-worker and his or her spouse over for dinner. God to a ball game, go on a hiking trip. The key is to spend some time together and just allow the friendship to grow. Now you are in a place where you have earned the right to talk about Jesus. Chances are people willing to hear what you have to say. After all, you have proven to be authentic and real about your faith. You are not some slogan on a $20 fake bill with a cheesy Gospel pitch for salvation.

Final thoughts.

If you want to change society, our culture or the world, all you have to so is to embrace a missions lifestyle approach to the way we view life. I guarantee you the change won’t be subtle. It will be radical. It’s what Jesus called us to do in the Great Commission. He gave us the keys to how we can change our world. The question remains—are we willing to apply them. The five steps to living a missional life is a great place to start if we are serious about embracing Jesus’ teachings.

Why are we not living missionally? I think there are three types of Christians that are having a difficult time applying the concepts of a missional lifestyle. The first type is what I call drive-by Christians. It seems that today Americans want their Christianity to be comfortable, safe and convenient. In other words, they don’t want to get out of the car. If they do, it means getting involved in the lives of other people, and that could get messy.

The second type are the non-culturally relevant Christians. I know that in some circles the term “culturally relevant” is almost a dirty word, but over the past few years we have created a subculture that is cut off from the mainstream culture. As a result, a lot of young people today do not know how to conduct themselves or how to have a conversation with nonbelievers. They have nothing in common nor do they understand the culture or the language of today’s media culture. If missionaries who plan on going to the foreign field will take two years to study the culture and the language of their people group, how can we expect to reach our culture if we don’t understand it ourselves. And if we live in a Christian subculture, how are we going to relate to people in the mainstream culture?

The third type is the on-the-fence Christians. They live life with one foot in the Body of Christ and the other one in the world. To live missionally means we have to be different and stand apart. That’s the only way we can show the contrast. Unfortunately, this third group of Christians are a little too close to the culture. If our lifestyles are no different than nonbelievers, why would nonbelievers want to be a Christian?

Christians who do embrace a missional lifestyle are a rare group. When you embrace the five steps, you allow yourself to be lead by the Holy Spirit. It is then that God can use you to draw people to Him. It becomes a matter of balance and properly ordering your life to fit into God’s plan. This five-step process will work anywhere, including Hollywood, the school you attend, your workplace or your family and friends because they are all a mission field.

Up close and personal with ‘Courageous’ producer Stephen Kendrick

By Cheryl Wicker, Christian Movies Examiner

Courageous," the much-awaited follow-up to the highly successful Sherwood Pictures' produced film "Fireproof," is set to premiere on September 30, 2011. The film, produced by Stephen Kendrick, tells the story of five fathers who discover the true meaning of fatherhood as they go through life's most difficult challenges. Starring and directed by Alex Kendrick, "Courageous" is distributed by TriStar Pictures and marketed by Provident Films and AFFIRM Films.

Examiner.com's Cheryl Wicker talks to Stephen Kendrick to learn more about the valuable lessons the movie offers and Kendrick's deep faith and dedication in pushing Christian films out into the mainstream.

Cheryl Wicker: Could you give a quick summary of the movie, 'Courageous'?

Stephen Kendrick: 'Courageous' follows the lives of five different fathers and their families, and their discoveries about what fatherhood is about. As they interact with the gangs in the local community, they realize that most of the kids that get involved in gangs don't have their dads involved in their lives at all. Then, through a personal tragedy, one of the fathers comes to realize how important his role as a father is. So he begins to work with the other men in trying to figure out how to be a great dad. There's more action in this movie than anything we've done before. You're going to laugh, cry and be challenged.

Wicker: Why did you choose a story about fatherhood?

Kendrick: We spent about a year praying [about this]. We had a lot of storyline ideas ourselves [and] other people were sending us their story ideas. But after about a year praying, there was just this clear direction. The leadership team believed that God was leading us to focus on fatherhood. If God is leading, then God will provide. So we begin to get storyline ideas that lined up with the subject of fatherhood that we're working on and fitting, and we were thinking, okay this is good. At the same time, as we are studying scriptures and we're on our journey as fathers, we are learning about fatherhood every day.

Read more at http://www.examiner.com/christian-movies-in-national/up-close-and-personal-with-courageous-producer-stephen-kendrick

How to Build a Better Redemptive Film

Media and entertainment is America’s number one export. I think it’s safe to say that Hollywood knows a thing or two about how to make movies and television shows. What do they know that Christians don’t know about making movies? Over the last few years, we have seen an explosion in Christian films. But has the quality increased? Many would agree that there is something lacking in the overall artistic and technical aspects. Is it the writing? The cinematography or the acting?

Perhaps if we had more money, our product would look better. Undoubtedly, the production value would increase. We’d have the time to get more shots. We’d have access to better cameras and equipment, and we could pay for better actors. Maybe, we could bring a writer or two on board to rewrite our scripts.

But I think money is only part of the answer. If we had all of the resources at our disposal, I have a feeling there would still be something lacking, something not quite right. There are many intangibles at work. First of all, are we telling the right stories? Do we really understand the filmmaking process and what films are capable of? Are we so focused on giving all of the answers, that we’re not asking the right questions? What if we focused our attention away from Christian films and concentrated more on redemptive or transformational stories?

Hollywood knows how to tell a good story. And they have been doing it for years. Here are ten secrets they have realized about telling good stories that are capable of impacting the human heart.

Here are 10 guidelines that mainstream filmmakers understand about making redemptive films.

1. Your movie must have entertainment value. People watch films to be entertained. Some Christians have made entertainment a dirty word. When people watch films and television, they are relaxed and more receptive to the message contained within the story. Often, they will reexamine their lives or be challenged to be a better person.

2. Filmmaking is an art form. The art must come first. For most Christians, the message is first. Audiences will not accept this and will see it as a form of propaganda. We must recognize that the divine can be found in art. We understood this for centuries. But, somewhere along the way, we have forgotten this. Film is not a good forum for a 5-point sermon. If we make great art, it has the capacity to move the human heart.

3. Films need to have an emotional impact. Emotions move people; therefore, our characters need to be believable as well as our dialogue. Nobody will accept the redemptive process if you are not successful in taking them through the emotional journey involved in the process of change.

4. Films work better with metaphors and symbolism because you keep the audience engaged in the story. This is a concept that most Christian filmmakers have failed to understand. Metaphors and symbolism help to forge connections between dissimilar objects and themes. We need to realize our audience has the intelligence to figure it out on their own. Stop telegraphing every story element or plot point. Remember, Jesus said in his parables the Kingdom of God is like….

5. Films are a great forum to ask questions. Christians love to ask questions, but unfortunately, we also love to give all the answers. We really don’t want our audience to have to think for themselves. This doesn’t work for film. Jesus used parables as his principle storytelling technique. He often asked questions, but he seldom gave they answers. It was his audience’s responsibility to find the answers.

6. Redemptive films need to illustrate the wonders of God. As Christians we don’t do this very well in film. When it come to miracles, angels, the unexplained, healings or the story of the loaves and fish, our stories seem to be flat, one-dimensional and lacking depth. Perhaps we’re too close to the subject material. NonChristians for some reason seem to be much better at this. For example, Jesus of Nazareth, produced in 1977 for television, is exceptional at exploring the wonders of God. It is a difficult concept to explain, but they do it with simplicity, humanity and the divine in such a way that it moves you.

The wonders of God can also be found in the small things of everyday life which are truly the miracles. We can find the divine patterns of life that exist in the smile of a child and the dawning of a new day. Christian filmmakers often don’t know how to depict the glorious, marvelous and small wonders of God’s grace and love which occur daily in our lives.

7. Redemptive filmmaking requires the ability to question God. We Christians have a tough time doing this. We don’t want to admit we have doubts and are sometimes confused. Perhaps, we think it is a sin to question God. But that’s not Biblical. Jacob’s name meant deceiver, but his name was changed to Israel meaning one who struggles with God. This happened after the all-night wrestling match at Peniel. We have to ask questions. Where is God when we are hurting? Why do bad things happen? As filmmakers, we have to be willing to ask these questions. If our goal is to be authentic, real and genuine, our audience is asking the same questions. Let’s face it. Christian filmmakers paint a world the way they want to see it. Mainstream filmmakers paint life’s complexities and the world as it is.

8. The need for redemption requires us to face sin. NonChristians may not call sin, sin, but they are good at depicting it. There is no redemption in the filmmaking process without the ability to portray sin. Our audience will not accept the fact that our characters have gone through this incredible transformation without seeing what their lives looked like before the transformation. They have to see the ugliness. We have all gone through the same experience. Life isn’t always pretty. That doesn’t mean we offer gratuitous, offensive material just for the sake of showing it. But it is part of the journey to redemption. I know for some Christians, this is a difficult concept to accept. But here is something to consider. The Bible is a story of the human condition without God and does contain content that some may find disturbing. We are afraid that if we show sin we are somehow endorsing it. Most Christian filmmakers want their hero or protagonist to be flawless not at the end of the redemptive process but at the beginning.

9. Filmmaking is a visual medium. The key to making great films is to think visual. How do we visually illustrate the personification of art? How do we express emotions—anger, frustration, indifference, internal struggles? Redemptive stories require expressing the intangible in a tangible, visual form.

10. Redemptive stories do not necessarily offer a convenient and tidy ending. Just as in life, there may not be a fairy tale ending as in “they lived happily ever after”. For example, in Bella, it would have been temping to end the movie with a happy and satisfying conclusion. However, both lead characters had their moments of redemption, which were more reflective of real life. Redemption is a complex process and is different for each of us.

Bottom line

You can be a media missionary wherever God decides to plant you. The most important thing to discover is what God is saying to you. Christian filmmakers don’t necessarily have to go to Hollywood to make redemptive films. When we, as filmmakers, forget about our agenda or what we think a Christian movie should look like, then I am convinced God will be able to speak to us. How God is at work in people’s lives is the best inspiration for making movies and media that can reflect his glory and truth. We do not need to create Christian cinema or a Christian film industry. It serves no purpose. God is already at work in the film and media industry. As always, he requires our obedience to serve his will and his interests