Deliver What You Promise
Twice this week I have been disappointed by events and/or people that didn’t deliver what they promised. Let’s talk about the most recent. Last night On the Lot contestant Jason told everyone that he is a Christian. Then he said that because of his faith, he wanted to make uplifting movies without sex or violence, because great movies don’t have to have either.
So why was the opening scene of his audition movie (shown last night) someone doing drugs? And why was the closing scene the same guy about to be killed in a drive-by shooting? I don’t get it. The judge panel (Carrie Fisher, Garry Marshall and guest Wes Craven) didn’t get it either. Whatever he said about avoiding sex and violence was immediately contradicted by his work. He didn’t deliver.
Last Friday I was given tickets to a music awards show that announced the participation of such gospel greats as Andrae Crouch (a key figure in the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and 70s), Carman (whose solo stadium concerts have set world records), Yolanda Adams and Martha Munizzi. Of that group of stellar musicians, the only one to perform was Martha Munizzi, and she had to tell the sound crew that she didn’t have a microphone to sing into! Even after Andrae and Carman talked about doing a recording together, which will be fantastic, they didn’t sing!
If you’re going to do something and advertise it, you’ve got to follow through with what you say and do it well! Otherwise, keep your mouth shut and let everyone be surprised. Wes Craven mentioned that Jason had achieved some subtlety of message but then blew it when one of the characters in his short video said “You’re a miracle from God!”
When I interviewed Dean Batali (Executive Producer, “That 70’s Show”) a couple of weeks ago, he said that none of the people in Hollywood who aren’t Christians went to see The Passion of the Christ. Why? Because they knew they were going to get Christianity in the face and didn’t want it. Wes Craven’s remarks last night make me think that Hollywood isn’t closed to transforming messages, they just want them to be real, honest, and part of a good story, not the main agenda.
So do it - work your message in, but be real and do it well. Or don’t do it at all.
