Christians in Cinema BLOG

Writer/Producer/Director/Lead - “The Theory of Everything“

David de Vos’ film credits read like something out of a science fiction novel, with an occasional drift into reality TV and theme-park shows. Fresh from a stint teaching at YWAM’s University of the Nations on the Big Island of Hawaii, we talked as he headed home at the end of a busy day.

There’s a point at which we can’t prove God, because if we could, then he’s too small.

Angela: Dave, I’m sorry you’ve been working in such difficult circumstances. You must have been helping a really good friend!

David: Yes; it was for my friend and mentor David McFadzean (executive producer of Theory of Everything, creator of “Home Improvement”). I didn’t have a curriculum prepared, so I just took a lot of recordings of the work I’ve done and used them to start discussions. It was really invigorating to work with the students, and my family really enjoyed our time there. If we could, we’d have a summer home on the beach of Maui, near Lahaina.

Angela: Please tell us about your family, Dave.

David: My wife Stephanie and I have been married for 16 years. We have 2 daughters; Amanda, who is 6, and Abby, who’s 4. They both appeared in “Theory”. Amanda was my younger daughter and Abby was the baby at the end of the movie. I didn’t plan to have Abby in the movie; originally we anticipated that the movie would be finished before she was born. But God’s timing was different than ours.

Angela: I’m seeing that you are a softie.

David: Oh, I am. I can cry at the drop of a hat. When I look at nature or people, I see beyond the obvious to find the implications of the universe, and that helps me see my Creator. I have little short ideas all the time, and hopefully a few of those will stick and become successful projects.

Every day brings some new experiences. I might meet an interesting character, read a book that initiates an idea, see something in a movie I’d like to explore further. A great source of creative ideas is the Bible. It proves that God is in the details. That’s a big part of what interests me about science: that it provides implications that point us toward God. But to really believe in God, we have to take the leap from science to faith. There’s a point at which we can’t prove God, because if we could, then he’s too small. I’m fascinated by what we don’t see, and the only way we can get at it is through faith.

One of my favorite lines from the movie is when Doug (David de Vos) asks Gene (Victor Lundin), “Based on all the findings and evidence, wouldn’t probability suggest an outcome?” In other words, he needs to take the step from trusting in science to trusting in what the science points toward: a God who created the universe.

Angela: Were you into science as a kid? Were you in the math club and things like that?

David: My dad was an engineer, and at the dinner table he would draw things for us and ask us to figure them out. Dad was always showing us things about astronomy and electricity and encouraging us to seek the answers. I think my curiosity was stirred by that.

Because my father and I are so very different, I’m fascinated by father-son relationships. We had difficulty understanding each other’s way of looking at the world, but we love each other. As I have matured, we have learned to respect each other and to give each other the space to look at the world through our own perspectives. I’ve realized that there is great value in putting aside my own ideas and thoughts to get into my father’s head. I want his approval, but it’s not about me, it has to be about him. In that way, it’s like our relationship with God; it’s about sacrifice and submission, and the focus really has to be on God.

I have written a number of stories about father-son relationships. They are fascinating because there is so much emotion and longing in them. There’s room for much growth and learning also. You know, the ultimate father-son relationship is that of Jesus and God the Father. It is filled with grace, redemption and love.

Angela: You have two daughters yourself. Do you think they understand your work, or that they were in a movie?

David: Probably not. They just think I tell great stories. I’m telling them a bedtime story that is really a novelization. It’s becoming a great story – I wish I had time do more with it.

Angela: Didn’t you get into the business by working in a theme park?

David: Actually, I was a guide at Universal Studios. But even before that I worked in a theater during high school. I loved the audience reactions and got addicted to that. I remember standing at the front of the theater when “Aliens” played. It was as important for me to see the audience reactions as it was to see the movie itself. It really affected me to see how many emotions could be brought out by the movie. Because of that, “Aliens” is one of my all-time favorite movies.

Angela: But what about live stage work? There at least you get to experience the audience reaction. As a filmmaker, you don’t get too see too much reaction to your finished product, except maybe at screenings and premieres.

David: I have done some stage work and did enjoy the audience response and the intimacy of live theater. But in truth, it’s very fleeting, and once the audience is gone, so is the response. It’s a continual chase for the next emotion. With film, I can take the audience anywhere. It opens up the world of possibilities for the story – I can even create a new world if I want to. I think of movies as visual prose, much like a book is actual prose. I’m not necessarily tied to certain themes. My goal is more to express myself, who I am, and what’s important to me through my filmmaking.

Angela: What is most important to you?

David: A high level of thought, quality and integrity. I do have a highly-developed love of fantasy and adventure. My favorite films are “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Back to the Future” and “Apollo 13.” I also really enjoyed “Time Changer” for the possibilities it represented.

Angela: What are some other favorite things?

David: For books, I’d have to say Bill Myers “When the Last Leaf Falls,” and anything by John Grisham. For food, nothing beats a Dodger dog at a summer baseball game. Baseball itself. It’s a metaphor for life and the human existence on so many levels. It takes on a mythical, romantic nature. For that reason, I love “Field of Dreams.” That movie isn’t really about a man building a baseball field. That theme is secondary to learning to listen and hear what the spirit is saying. Above all is the verse from the Bible that is my bedrock verse: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38 – 39) I believe that: nothing. Not career, financial woes, or personal defeat. It goes beyond my ability to see, to prove, or to reason, and it’s the foundation of my faith.

Angela: David, I hope our readers will be as encouraged and challenged as I have been by talking with you. Thank you for sharing your work and your heart with us.