Glossary of Film-making
If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a whole city to make a movie! It can take as much as 5 – 10 minutes, 15 for a major film, to run through a complete listing of cast and crew involved. You’ll see everything from “craft services ” (it’s not the film knitting crew) to “gaffer” to more easily understood terms like “hair” and “make-up”.
Each person on the cast has a specific role to play (sorry for the pun, but it works!), and when done well, we don’t notice them. When their jobs aren’t done well, the production value of the film goes down. I’m going to introduce and explain film-making roles and activities in laymen’s terms so you can appreciate the tremendous amount of work that goes into making a movie.
The next time you go to see a film, hang around to the end and read the names of the people who put weeks, sometimes even months, of their lives into the creative effort.
Hello Brothers & Sisters in the Lord,
I have written a short version of a script for a christian film (yet it is a complete storyline). Can anyone tell me who accepts submissions from individuals? This is a smart, action packed, exciting story with a great lesson about being guided by the Lord.
Thank you for any help you can offer!
In Christian Fellowship,
Lisa
September 5th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Lisa – a couple of suggestions for you.
Join a group like International Christians in Visual Media, which is composed of producers, directors, actors, writers, and ask for feedback about this.
Most independent producers have stories they want to tell, projects they want to tackle, etc., so they rarely take unsolicited screenplays, especially from people they don’t know.
There are many screenwriting contests you can enter – when you do that, people are reading your work, which is really the goal. This will get you some exposure.
Also, there are many different magazines for writers of screenplays, or writers in general. They have done a lot of research on getting things published or optioned.
Good luck!
September 5th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
hi,watched flywheel on tbn sometimes ago,and i can tell you it’s probably the best xtian movie i have ever watched.
i am an architect based in nigeria and have been a movie freak all my life.
though,i appreciate thge creativity that goes into making these movies,i must say we still have ways to go in my comparison with hollywood movies.
i only need to watch a movie once or listen to music once to tell u the number of awards it will rake and how it would affect people.
pls,tell our directors we appreciate them,but tat stage presentation is different from the movies.
frank peretti happens to a fave of mine,and visitation my very best of his books,so i look forweard to see it in the nigerian market.
really love your efforts,God bless you!
November 1st, 2007 at 5:20 am
All I want to do? I want to produce a film and show to churches in the local area. I know it is a big undertaking. But, the Lord provided for me to produce childrens tapes very professionally from local writing talent, and studio. It came together. Now I want to produce a movie, where do I start? How can I find a producer who will work with me to raise the money? How do I find a talented writer to collaborate with to see it finished?
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Jay – I suggest contacting the group I mentioned above: International Christians in Visual Media. That’s the best place to start.
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Hello i wondered for awhile now that im sure everyone has seen movies related about revelation an the endtimes but they only done parts of it. Like only parts of the rapture or when the antichrist is there ruling the world, but im hoping if someone out there can really make a movie about revelations the full book of it into a movie bringing the past events of revelation and the future events. Its a great message to give to all so they will understand about what is going to happening of the rapture the antichrist and the second coming of jesus christ. Perhaps if we ask film devolpers to make a film of it, im sure it will bring other together to know that jesus love thems.
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:57 am
Hi Frank -
That would be a really ambitious undertaking! To try to cover all of that in 120 – 190 minutes would be an incredible task. Maybe the producers of the Left Behind series could pick up where they left off & make the rest of the Jenkins/LaHaye books into films as well.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
i would hope so remember the passion of the christ first time you saw it breaktaking. If there someway to get it into production, i think it would be great
god bless you.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
hi, i want to make a low-budget christian movie. I am based in Nigeria. Anyone has ideas I can incorporate? I already have a couple of scripts.
Thanks.
Fred
January 25th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Hi Fred -
That’s a pretty wide-open question. Are you asking about:
Financing
Production
Promotion
Distribution
Casting
There’s so much involved. I’d suggest joining a group like International Christians in Visual Media, which is composed of producers, directors, actors, writers, and ask for feedback about this.
There are people of all levels of experience involved, and you’ll get some great feedback & advice.
January 25th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Thanks Angela,
I should have broken it down. I am concerned about the financing and the production. I have the script. I can get a good cast within my location. Yes, how can we distribute internationally. In Nigeria, its easy.
I awaint contributions from all.
Thanks Angela,
Fred
January 26th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Thanks for your comments. Once I produced an audio project, I had been facing a cost of $20,000 for a small project. After praying, the Lord opened the door for a son of a trustee from our church to move to the area and open a studio. He taught elementary kids music in public school. Wrote music for Choirs & Soloists and was on staff as a choir for a church. There was a second person who also wrote music, was an elementary music teacher who wrote music and worked with choirs for his church and even traveled playing for a group. Together, we produced for pennys on the dollar. It was only a local project. But, the Lord blessed it tremendously.
My focus is to bloom where your planted. Let God send it around the World. There was another project I worked on and 2.5 million
got to read it. I did not get any money, but I did get the blessing. Thanks, Jay
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I wonder is there is a christain acting agency that people of faith can go to to find faith based movies to find work on?
December 24th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I’m not aware of one, Caesar. I’d check on websites or forums like Christian Filmmakers. Most agencies don’t restrict themselves to specific types of films, and most Christian films are done by independent filmmakers, which rely on word of mouth.
Best thing you can do is work on building relationships with people & just get out there. Search the web to see who’s making films & make contact with them. Best wishes!
December 28th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Yes, absolutely agreed with you, Angela, it is a very very hard work which has to be done behind scenes, behind the camera, even in front of the camera as well, a lot of time, dedicated into making a movie.
I am a saved child of GOD Almighty. Also, I am an actress with some good experience and I would like to know where can I send my resume and pictures. As far as I know International Christians in Visual Media makes films; so, I was searching there; but, couldn’t find where to submit my resume or who contact to with regards to this. I will appreciate very much if you can help and give an advice.
Many blessings to you all and GOD be with you always.
April 13th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Hi Laura,
International Christians in Visual Media (ICVM) is not a company, but an association for filmmakers to network with each other. You will find there many filmmakers doing all kinds of projects.
The best thing if you want to get your resume/info out is to join some of the filmmaker forums that online. Search for Christian filmmakers, Christian movies,etc., and find the forums where filmmakers are talking. They will often post casting requests there.
April 13th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Thanks a lot Angela. So, Christian Cinema.com is only a Christian films distributor, right?
April 14th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
We sell faith-affirming and family-approved films. We distribute only proprietary films that our producers’ companies have produced.
April 14th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
And do not those producers’ companies need to hire people to work, I mean, like actors and actresses?
April 15th, 2009 at 10:51 am
When they have films in production, they go through casting agents for actors & actresses. So for indie producers doing smaller films finding them on forums & places like FaceBook (look for Christian Film groups), MySpace, LinkedIn, etc., is going to be your best place. It’s so much about making connections with people.
April 15th, 2009 at 11:55 am
I need help to get into movie acting and writting.I believe God has called me.
January 7th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Hey,
I am nineteen years old and have had a great desire ever since I was a little girl, to bring people to Christ through acting in Christian films. I live in a very small town in the south and don’t know how to go about getting involved. Do you have any suggestions? Christ’s Peace!
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:57 am
Hi Alexandria,
First, get as much experience as you can in community theater, etc., in your area. Second, I’d check out things like filmmaker’s groups on Facebook – a lot of them are doing video auditions now so you don’t have to be in their area.
Do a search on YouTube for Christian film auditions and you’ll see who is doing it, and do the same for Facebook – so much is happening through social media that it really opens things up.
Also, I’d do Google searches, or look at our site ChristianCinema.com to see who is making these films and check out their websites. Contact them and let them know you’re interested & see if they have any productions coming up.
You can do a lot through the Internet – use it as your search engine! Good luck! I hope we see your name in a cast list some day, and when we do, call us and let’s do an interview about your path into film!
All the best – Angela
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:37 am