Christians in Cinema

20th Century Fox announced that production is underway in Queensland, Australia, for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third installment in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Early reports are that references to World War II and its effect on England include English soldiers and nurses saying farewell to each other.
Fans of the original C.S. [...]

In the “What were they thinking?” category, Warner Brothers Pictures announced recently that they’re considering the addition of a pro-adoption message at the end of their movie Orphan when it releases on DVD. Too bad they didn’t think of that before the nationwide release of the film this weekend stirred up protests.
Or did they make [...]

What does success mean as a Christian filmmaker? What makes a Christian movie a success? Is it having a substantial box office (like Fireproof’s $36 million) and DVD sales record (millions of units sold)? Is it the response of the audience? Do the two go hand in hand?
I read a thought-provoking message from Shun Lee, [...]

If you’ve been to the theater at all this summer, you’ve probably seen an advertisement about how it takes many phone calls to make a movie, but only one to ruin it. I can attest to the truth of both statements.
The producers I know are constantly networking to put together their next project, or promote [...]

In addition to the networking, ICVM is a great festival because there’s always a fun outing planned. Designed to foster networking and deepening of relationships, the outings have included baseball games, trips to national parks, and golf games. (Well, if you’re Brad Mix’s friend, that is!)
This week we took the cog railway up to Pikes [...]

It’s Saturday morning. The last trophy has been handed out (thanks, Rachel!), the A/V equipment put away, and the conference signs are gone.  But the conversations continue.
New friends and “old” colleagues linger in the hotel lobby or at the breakfast table sharing stories and learning more about each others’ lives. Layne and I call it [...]

Today at the ICVM Catalyst Conference, filmmakers received great advice from novelist Karen Kingsbury and producer John Shepherd (The Ultimate Gift). Both climbed to the top of their careers in different ways and have great experience to share.
From Karen: Follow your dream and don’t give up on it. There are road signs and mile markers [...]

I often read posts on different web groups asking, “Where are the Christian production companies and organizing groups?” or “Who is coordinating Christian actors and writers?” “Where can I go to work on a Christian film production?”
Those strike me as funny questions. Does anyone ask: “Where are the Christian banks?” “Where can I go to [...]

This week International Christians in Visual Media (ICVM) is gathering in Denver, Colorado, for its Catalyst Conference. Twenty years ago, a group of filmmakers connected in Minnesota and formed a group to support, encourage and challenge each other in their work. This week marks the 20th year the group has gathered.
Attendees come from the U.S., [...]

Meeting in Denver this week is International Christians in Visual Media for their annual Catalyst Conference for Christian filmmakers. Want to hear from some of today’s top filmmakers? Take the next plane to Colorado. In addition to the great networking opportunities, late night film showings and all the popcorn you can eat, participate in workshops [...]

My friend Greg Wright, who is Managing Editor of both Past the Popcorn and Hollywood Jesus, is also an ordained pastor. As an author, he’s written the books Tolkien In Perspective: Sifting the Gold from the Glitter (2003) and Peter Jackson in Perspective: The Power Behind Cinema’s The Lord of the Rings (2004).
He just wrote [...]