Christians in Cinema

In an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Roger Moore reported that Christian filmmakers in Central Florida want that area of the country to become “Holywood.” (They want to take the “L” out of Hollywood)
After the release of Letters to God, other filmmakers in the area were inspired to produce faith-based films themselves, hoping to capitalize [...]

In 2009, former Wall Street lawyer David Arrick started Butch Bakery, which makes “manly cupcakes for manly men.” However, 95% of the people buying his $4.25 (2.78 pounds) cupcakes are women.
Most retail buyers are women. Most movie ticket buyers are women. So, who are movies made for? I think they’re made for women – especially [...]

What are you doing today to improve your craft? How are you making yourself a better writer or director or producer (insert any other job, career or vocation here)? I’m working with my 9-year-old nephew.
James has a wild imagination. We recently made a two-day trip from my home in California to my sister’s in Texas [...]

A friend and I were talking at the gym today about her sons. One is a musician who joined a band that’s getting ready for its first tour. The other is very interested in filmmaking.
He’s gaining experience by helping our Will, the technical director at church. Sometimes he operates a video camera then helps in [...]

It takes a village to … make a movie. It is not an individual effort by a long shot, and after three films, Alex and Stephen Kendrick, of Sherwood Pictures, have learned that lesson well. Their production team probably numbers in the hundreds, packed as it is with friends from around the Christian filmmaking community [...]

Last week I was at the Gideon Film Festival in North Carolina. I think I saw between 25 – 35 movies, both feature-length and short. That’s a lot of screen time!
I saw films from experienced producers like Gary Wheeler (The List, Final Solution) and Tracy Trost (Find Me, A Christmas Snow) right alongside those from [...]

I just left the theater after watching Robin Hood. I enjoyed the film; I don’t think it’s the blockbuster the Scotts would like it to be, but it was enjoyable. Besides, it was over 80 outdoors, and I’d rather be indoors where it’s cool.
I loved the book when I was a kid. I remember checking [...]

Do you have more than 150 friends? Are they real people or are they Facebook friends? Have you met them in person or just in cyberspace? If they invited you on a shopping trip, would they know that you prefer antique stores to bookstores?
I’m reading an interesting book called The Church [...]

I like to go back and review notes I’ve taken from different events. Sometimes I wonder why I take notes really. There’s no test later, no grade for having perfectly outlined the ramblings of other people.
Things change because of stories we tell.
On days I need inspiration, those quickly jotted lines (if I can read them) [...]

One of my favorite genres for mindless viewing is the rom-com. Romantic comedy. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle. Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant in Two Weeks Notice. Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman in While You were Sleeping. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail. There are others, but those [...]

That’s the title of an article written recently by Dallas Jenkins, a friend and filmmaker. He makes great points like:

Why did it take Hollywood so long to acknowledge the Christian market?
Why can’t they replicate even half the success of The Passion of the Christ? (Everyone is asking that, because everyone wants to make the next [...]

What movie do you think Jesus would go see this weekend? There are lots of choices right now, and an interesting collision of films, there are four films with strongly spiritual themes playing. FOUR! Can you believe it?
Would Jesus watch To Save a Life,  The Blind Side, The Book of Eli, or Legion, or none of [...]

Perhaps the great success of James Cameron’s film Avatar is that he unwittingly emphasizes our need for God and relationship with Him.
A recent article on CNN’s Entertainment website highlights an unexpected phenomenon associated with the movie Avatar: Fans who long for the alien world Pandora feel depressed and suicidal because it’s unattainable. According to fans [...]

Earlier today I received an email from Marti, who was wondering how to know what films to buy? She had a pretty specific idea of what kinds of films she liked, but found that the last few films she purchased from her last bookstore weren’t exactly what she wanted.
Last night, I had a conversation with [...]

I just finished my reporting for the week. There are certain statistics I track and forward to upper management. They are very nicely displayed in a spreadsheet, complete with colored symbols and lines for easy deciphering. However, I cannot print them. Why? Because the particular software I’m using has a “Known issue” with printing charts.What? [...]

“What’s in your wallet?” is the tagline of an oft-seen television commercial. It’s a question asked of credit card-holders, and if you answer with the correct company name, you can fend off certain doom from all types of enemies.
God posed a similar question to Moses when He spoke to him on Mount Horeb and called [...]

A cultural anorexic is someone who starves themselves from culture thinking it will benefit them by bringing about a permanent change. The problem is that anorexics are damaging only themselves and their families. In other words, if you’re starving yourself from culture to try to change it, the only ones you’re affecting are yourself and [...]

Friends over at Outreach ministries were involved in the production of a new Christian movie called To Save a Life. The story is about a popular high school athlete whose best friend kills himself because he thinks no one notices or cares about him. After his death, the athlete begins to examine his life and [...]

I confess there are times I just want a good escapist film. I don’t want to sit and think about deep themes, or dig for meaning, or visualize what’s going on in the main characters’ back stories. I just want to be entertained, and like many women, I do like a good chick flick.
I have [...]

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, [...]