Christians in Cinema BLOG

“Movie” is actually a shortened version of “moving picture.” And its root word is “move.” I had this realization today as I’m aching from 3 days’ worth of manual labor to clean my latest purchase. I thought about the film that our producers just wrapped (the filming portion), and realized how similar the processes of film-making and home-purchasing and moving are.

Location! Location! Location!

I have just become the owner of a PUD in California. A PUD is like a condo, but instead of owning just the air between the walls, I actually own the structure, the garage, the lot it sits on, and the 10 x 20 foot backyard. I don’t own the driveway, but that’s OK.

How are these things similar, you ask? Let’s see.

1. They take time!

Film: Our producers have been working on this particular film for at least 2 years that I know of, possibly more. I know guys who are working on films they started 18 - 20 years ago!

Home: I started thinking about buying in October, began looking at properties in December, and closed Friday, March 7th.

2 . Location, Location, Location!

Film: The look of a film is critical! Our producers had to find Haiti, Florida, and Ohio - all hopefully within a few blocks of each other to minimize costs.

Home: I want a home with a good resale value because I probably won’t live there the rest of my life. So I need to be in a good neighborhood with good schools.

3. It takes a team.

Film: By the time a film comes to the “big screen” or “little screen,” literally hundreds of people have been involved. Cast, crew, pre-production, post, sound, scoring, advertising, etc. No man is an island. (Even “Castaway,” which spent 45 minutes with just one man on screen, required hundreds of people)

Home: As a first-time home buyer, I not only needed the usual team (realtor, agent, mortgage broker, escrow officer [still not sure what they do!], home inspector, termite inspector), I also had a team of advisors I lovingly call my “board of directors.”

4. There’s a lot to clean up.

Film: When a film crew uses an actual home vs. a soundstage, things get messy. My friend Jared’s home is in the last few moments of The Visitation. He and his wife had just bought the house when it was used in October. Around here, that’s the start of our “rainy season.” The crew tromped through the wet yard (which was destroyed), then tracked dirt into the house (on the white carpet), and messed with a couple of walls before all was said and done. And then the producers cleaned it up, repainted the house, and changed the flooring.

Home: The home I bought was unoccupied for a year and a half. There wasn’t just dirt - it was layered dirt. And just when we thought the dirt was gone, we found more. Remember point #3 - it takes a team? This is where my wonderful team came in. I think over the last 3 days, 17 people helped me in various ways to clean up my new home.

5 . You need good food.

Film: Craft services is the group that keeps everybody fed and (hopefully) happy. This person only eats red M&Ms, this one blue. Bill is allergic to mushrooms, and Jennie hates peas.

Home: If you want a good team, you should provide good food. Jared’s wife Sarah brought two pots of soup on Friday for the work crews. It was wonderful, and came just in time to pep us up for the remainder of the evening. Yummy!

What does a gaffer do? And what’s a loan processor?

6. It costs a lot of money, and you can spend it on a thousand little things.

Film: You want the best cast and crew you can afford, but can you afford it? Then, you have to pay fees and for site rental, and equipment, and transportation, and trailers, and set dressing, and costuming, and…that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Home: Your pre-approval tells you what other people think you can afford. You know what you can afford and then work with that. But you may still have to buy paint and deadbolts and screens and garage door openers and rugs and dishes and pillows and . . . the list goes on & on.

7 . There is no end to the decisions to be made.

Film: What story are we going to tell? Who will be in it? Who should write the screenplay? Where will we film? What color should that wall be? What kind of car does this character drive? When should we film? Where will it release? It’s almost dark, should we keep shooting? Was that scene good, or should we do another take?

Home: What color do you want the walls? Do you want the trim the same color? Do you want the deadbolt on the garage to match the front door? Where should the couch go? What phone plan do you want? Will that number be listed or unlisted?

8. There are people intricately involved whose function you don’t really understand.

Film: Best boy

Home: Escrow officer

I think there are probably more similarities; can you come up with any?

This post is in honor of the cast & crew who just wrapped a sensational movie (Bobby, Kevin, Geoff, Jon, Shelene, Layne, Cathy, Brennen, Blake, Chris, etc.) and the cast & crew who helped me buy (and clean and paint!) my new home (Sue, Sandy, Pam, Jared, Sarah, Kenan, JP, Jack, Carol, Andy, Karen, Elizabeth, Madeline, Ben, Isabella, Carolyn, Jonna, Marisa, Judy, Don, Don, Don, Shiela, Sharon, Wendy, Mitch, Curt, Sherry, etc.) - and also those who will help me move this weekend!