Part One of a Three Article Series: Big Budget, Medium Budget, No Budget
by Richard Gazowsky
God commanded Moses “You shall be the head, above only and not beneath.” This is a pretty strong command for leadership and it was the same command that was given to me a few years ago. This is why our company, Christian WYSIWYG Filmworks, is committed to making a film that will become a leader in the film industry on all levels. We are shooting for our film to have a great story, awesome special effects, high quality production and, God willing, huge success in the marketplace. Over the years I have been criticized for making such a hard, fast, adamant choice to single-mindedly seek leadership in the film industry. And if we are to accomplish this task where will the money come from? This week on our website wysiwyghome.com my staff and I will try to answer the questions that many of you are facing concerning the financing of Christian films. I will personally talk about the big budget film, the medium price film and the no-budget production. So now, onto today’s subject: the big budget film.
Through a number of devastating events the Lord gave me a clear message that our company was only facing one option when it came to breaking into the Hollywood Industry and that was that we had to lead. Leadership by definition means that you are the one who is breaking out the machete and cutting a pathway through the forest. One of the most difficult areas to deal with is to make sure you are actually leading in a direction that the rest of the world is going to follow. We have all seen the film director who makes a classic movie like “Citizen Kane,” but nobody follows him. It’s amazing how Avant-Garde people will jump on the bandwagon and say, “Wow! Such genius, such greatness!” Yet rarely will the common man break out his pocketbook and spend money to go and see these movies. This is why at the last Oscars ceremony they awarded films that nobody went to see. I’ll never forget the times I walked into two different Hollywood Executive’s offices. Both of these men had the title of ‘President’ in their respective companies. But amazingly, within the first 10 minutes of our conversation they bragged and said, “I haven’t gone to see a film in twenty years.” Now the truth became plain to me. The people that are really making films don’t even love movies. For those of us that do love movies this means that it should be very simple to race to the front of the pack. Let me share with you how my journey happened.
Years ago we attempted to get use of Sony’s new Alta-Cine 900 camera. Because we had connections with the corporate office we were able to do some test shots on the camera. But when we went to secure use of it we found out that all the available cameras were being used by George Lucas to film his Star Wars film in digital. It didn’t take us long to figure out that the good cameras were always booked and locked up by the major players in the industry. No matter how much money we had we could not get access to the best cutting edge equipment. An example of this is Sony’s new Genesis camera. It is distributed exclusively through Panavision and is only leased to their special customers. Rather than letting this be a negative I realized that this was a positive and an opportunity for true leadership.
God led me to design a new camera chip with a company in Belgium and the camera was subsequently built by a company called Vision Research. I simply thought back to my love for film and how I enjoyed watching the 70 mm classics like “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Bathsheba.” That crystal clear, wide frame image was so amazing yet today filmmakers never take advantage of it because of the high cost of the actual 70mm film. I knew with things eventually going digital that we could take leadership in this area by jumping ahead of the pack and developing the first 70mm digital film camera. Then God really blew me away. He said, “Since it is digital, film speed is not important. In the digital format, you can run the frame rate at any speed you want.” Oh, this was going to be mind blowing because I knew that the ’standard’ 24 frames per second currently used in the industry was chosen not for clarity of picture, but for the purpose of keeping the cost of film down. (Film is made with silver which is currently at $20.00 an ounce. A single print copy of a two-hour film costs a minimum $2,500.00) in the digital world these costs become immaterial. Actually for the picture to be as clear as possible the best frame rate is 60 frames per second. I remember conversations I was having with scientists at the time and we calculated that to store our movie using the 60 frames per second 70mm digital format we would need to have a 20-foot long trailer filled with hard drives. But if you are cutting a trail you must ignore the difficulties and realize that others will follow you that will be capable of making your trail a super highway. That’s right we are bridge builders and tunnel drillers. That’s what happened in the development of our camera. Today this dream is a reality. We have had help from some of the largest companies in the world. For example, if you have an Apple Computer, open up your QuickTime program and go under the ‘File’ option on top. Click on ‘Export.’ Then at the bottom of the window click on the box next to ‘Export’ and change the format to ‘QuickTime Movie.’ Next, click on the ‘Options’ button next to this. When the new window opens, click on ‘Settings’ and you will see you have the option to select 60 frames per second. Currently, our camera, called the P-65, is the only camera designed to film at this frame rate. Click the link below to see the camera:
The reason I share this with you is because I did not have any clue what the future held for our camera. When we did test filming at 60 frames per second two years ago in Italy our Director of Photography told the entire film crew that I was crazy and that he was going to secretly switch the film to 24 frames per second when we filmed. Titus, my nephew, told me this so I realized that I was going to have to face the issue before I got to Italy. There are a lot of problems when you are cutting a new pathway. I took the entire film crew to dinner that evening and told our Director of Photography this. “If I have heard from God, God will support me.” I pulled a coin out of my pocket and said, “I’m going to cast this coin into the air and if it comes up heads then the Lord has confirmed that we are to shoot this film at 60 frames per second.” The Director of Photography smiled and agreed, “OK. If the coin comes up heads then I’ll do it. I’ll shoot it at 60 frames per second.” An amazing thing happened. When I cast the coin it stopped in mid-air and slammed down on the table heads up as if an invisible hand had slammed it down. The nine people at the table sat there with their mouths wide open and the Director of Photography said, “I’ll never question this again.”
One of the problems that I have seen with leadership is sometimes when you get a handle on one thing, such as our camera, you stop at that. From experience I know that that this is not the way God works. Yes, we want to innovate when it comes to the filming process but we also want to be pushing the edge throughout the entire project. In my dealings with Sony Corporation I learned that 85% of the picture is the soundtrack. You can have a great high-resolution picture but if the soundtrack does not match the film’s quality the audience’s reaction will be that of just “better sameness.” So we worked on innovations in the audio format moving from CD quality to DSD, which is a digital audio format that replicates analog sound. Then we explored a new sound system for the theater called H-Ghost. The H-Ghost system has the ability to place sound at any physical point within or outside the theater walls. I’m sorry I don’t have time in this blog to explain this advanced concept but trust me if you hear it once you’ll never forget the experience!
As I said before innovation for leadership must continue. Even though we had a killer camera we needed lenses that could match our camera’s technical standards so we worked with a company called Coastal Optics in Florida that develops special lenses for NASA Space Center and University research projects. By pushing optical technology we were able to make a lens that has a 150-degree field of view and is faster than 1-F stop. This, in effect, is the fastest lens in the history of cinematography. The last time a lens of this type was used was when Todd AO built the Bug-Eye lens for the epic opening shot of ‘Oklahoma!’ in 1954. We actually own this very lens now.
I am telling you all of these technical stories because you must understand that doing an epic big budget film is not about talking big and planning big. This is where most Christians stop. They think, “Oh, we will do a big film. So let’s hire a big name actor that costs $20 million, build a big set that costs $20 million and let’s get a lot of extras that cost $20 million and NOW we have a big film! Oh, and by the way, since we can do all of the effects digital on our computers we can secretly save money!” They act as if they are the only ones who ever thought of cheating the screen with digital 3-D imaging. Don’t get me going on how bad 3-D images look when you have extremely high-resolution cameras. Remember, innovation on one end obsoletes innovation on the other end. What it all comes down to is the only changes that are actually going to affect the industry are changes in the core products we use. Now you are talking a truly epic, big budget film.
So what is the core product? I’ve mentioned a few of them in the previous paragraphs: the camera, the lenses, the soundtrack and now the true core: the script.
The script is everything. We realized that we had to come up with a new process for developing a script that really catches the attention of the world and I’m about to share with you one of the most precious secrets that God has ever given us. The best way for you to see this secret is for me to show you the process that God lead me through to discover this.
When we shot our first film, ‘Guardians,’ I was amazed to discover how the audience in test screenings reacted differently than I expected to certain scenes. This taught me about my ignorance when it comes to audience reaction. The closer a subject is to you the more distant you are from your future audience. This is especially true when Christian filmmakers are trying to communicate to non-Christian audiences.
Our second film, “The Roman Trilogy,” was done totally as a test project for the purpose of understanding audience’s potential reactions to scenes. I realized that the key to a good script was even more elusive.
During this time, I became good friends with a lot of different workers at a local animation company called Pixar. Their company’s process of developing a script for their animated films was completely different than the Hollywood process. Pixar would take rough scenes from their film and put a finished soundtrack and dialogue track on it. Then they would take it to a small California town and play sections of the developing film to test audiences. Amazingly, this feedback helped them throw away the garbage and keep the good. Wow! Did this change my perspective!
When we heard about this we realized that we had to completely change the process of developing our scripts. For us to get a high quality script we needed to get it in front of a test audience so that we could increase the movie’s impact. We first did a 3-D animation of a scene, excluding facial features. We put a soundtrack to it and discovered that there was confusion in audiences about the concept. They thought that our film’s final product was going to be an animated film so they were lost in the low quality of the animation. At this point, we redid the test film using simple hand drawn storyboard cards. We found that most people understood that it was only a storyboard and that the final film would be done with live action. This process was much cheaper and we were now getting a clearer measure of the audience’s response to the script even before it was placed on film. We then discovered an additional benefit of using the actual actor’s voice that was going to be playing the part in the film. As I mentioned earlier 85% of the picture is in the sound track. Wow! This especially true when it comes to actors and how believable their voice is. In effect what I had was an old time radio show playing to the storyboard and we were now getting a good feel of how the audience would respond to our movie. This process is time consuming and requires a huge effort. Most filmmakers trust their own opinion way too much but might I remind you that Pixar is the only company in the history of the film industry to only produce blockbusters. I wonder why that is so?
Finally, I want to talk about the foundational roots of your story and script. Does the story have enough intellectual roots to relate to the general population and cause them to want to see your film? Horror films, comedies and romances just don’t pull that strong of an audience to create the revenue to justify the expense of making a blockbuster. It is very simple to look at the top 100 films in history and see that all of their stories are classic and give the audience an entertaining view of a subject that is much larger than one man’s personal view.
If a man is building a large skyscraper he does not approach the project the same way he would if he was going to build a small house. This is the eye opener that Christian filmmakers need to have. If we are going to lead the industry we must have films that are ruling the charts and to do that we must stand back and approach the whole process of making films as mega projects. You cannot do a film of this caliber as a loan director or producer. Instead you must have a core team that is willing to take on the challenges that you face. In that core team there must be a culture that knows what it means to seek leadership at every level. This is what we have tried to develop in Christian WYSIWYG Filmworks over the last few years.
This now leads me to the conclusion of the subject, how do you get your financing? As shocking as it may sound it is easier to fund a high budget $100 – $200 million-dollar film than it is to fund a $5 million dollar budget project. The reason for this is very simple, the effort that it takes and the contacts that you make in the process of doing something epic naturally leads you to the people that have the funds that you are going to need. Our camera cost $5 million to develop. I never had to ask for a dime because the money showed up on its own. If what you are doing is truly worth doing you will find that wealthy people are actually hunting for you.
So what does it come down to? The secret to raising money is, “Fresh Water”. Jesus said that out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. I believe that this living water is fresh new innovative ideas birthed from the power of the Holy Spirit. You need to listen to these ideas no matter how radical they are and flow with them completely. It is fresh, new innovations that are the key and Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would show them to us.
When you and your company become a source of fresh water or new innovations a community of investors and business leaders will form around you. This process of freshness is probably the most important secret that you need to develop to have any kind of competitive edge in the movie business. I am constantly praying and seeking God in this area. Here are a few examples:
• The next generation of camera chip – God showed me an organic imaging chip or” living chip”. This chip approaches imaging capturing in a completely new way and changes our concept of shutters, pixels and even storage methods.
• Recently I was praying on a mountain and I saw in a vision of a battle occurring in the angelic realm. As I continued through the next following months to visit this vision again and again it has turned into an incredible movie script on the subject. At the same time God has been downloading other script ideas to me from the fresh water of His Spirit.
• Recently God lead us to look at different methods of creating camera lenses. These are “liquid lenses” that allow new approaches to depth of field and zooming issues.
• Recently the Lord has spoke to me about developing a patent on a new type of camera shutter that would change digital filming.
Each one of these innovations are dreams of the future and that is what God has called us to do to be visionary dreamers. Financing your film is easy when you make God your partner. Partner with Him. Erase all of your ideas and come to the place of the quiet mind that is only influenced by the Holy Spirit There He will open up a treasure chest filled with divine fresh water experiences.
Richard Gazowsky pastors a church in San Francisco called The Voice of Pentecost, and is also president of Christian WYSIWYG Filmworks. He has directed the films, “Guardians” and “The Roman Trilogy.”
14 Comments
March 10, 2008 at 5:13 am
I agree that the key to raising the funds for a Christian blockbuster is a godly imagination. Einstein was famed for using his imagination. If the ungodly can imagine something and make it come to pass, how much more a Christian who’s open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As an artist, I love those quiet times when the Spirit whispers to me.
March 10, 2008 at 6:19 am
I read this in the email you sent me and it REALLY blew mind! This is exactly what Christian filmmakers need to do: be innovators. There’s so much to making films than acting and directing. Being creative in the fields of technology is crucial because new media is where the entertainment industry is heading. I applaud your risk-taking vision and your courage to get out there and make things happen. I hope that one day I will be surrounded with bold artists like your team.
Wishing you all the best!!!
March 10, 2008 at 6:45 am
Dear friend in Christ,
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I would be very pleased if you are able to pray for my designed, thanks in advance
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+821086973897
March 10, 2008 at 1:42 pm
One of the things I have discovered is God is working with His people in a multitude of ways.
He moved me from Christian filmmaking to writing and producing films that are secular in nature with subtle Christian-orientations as a way to impact the culture. That’s a far cry from my first feature film.
He has me working with the Hollywood industry as opposed to working separately. This…shift has taken a while to bring to fruition, it’s never easy, but God has been faithful in assembling the contacts necessary to move forward. We’re talking a lot more money, high production values, name recognized talent. But at the core, all the main principles needed to be Christ-followers to understand the vision, commit it to the Lord and be led by the Spirit. (EP, Producer, Director.)
I don’t ever want to make a film that does not have His anointing on it. There’s way to much time and money involved in making a film that, while it may be successful, or it may “work” is dry as dirt. It is God’s anointing that changes hearts and lives.
Nothing else.
I am certainly on page with being led by the Spirit. Attempting to write a script that would appeal to secular audiences, without losing the core essence of a film is a tough job, and the script needs to shine far above all others.
Lastly, one of the interesting maketing points I have learned and observed over the years is understanding the market. I lived during a period where if you didn’t see it in the theaters, you had to wait 5 years to see it on television. DVD’s have changed the industry. Many people are patient and wait for the DVD. So the theater industry has suffered. No longer does A-list talent bring people to theaters. There is only ONE thing that will override audience patience, and that one thing is curiosity.
It was the controversy that drove people to see THE PASSION. Drummed up curiosity.
It was imaging that drove people to see 300. Drummed up curiosity.
In virtually every successful film over the last 10 years, the main thing that got audience butts in seats was curiosity overriding patience.
To summarize, God has many of us marching to different drum beats, taking different paths to fulfill what He has called us to do. Mine is not to question why, but to lift up my brothers in prayer for their successes and continue to be obedient to what He has called me to do.
Each of our successes, benefits all of us, and certainly the Kingdom! Kudos on that camera and your obedience Richard!
March 10, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I applaude your efforts to be a leader in the film industry. Lord knows we need Christians as leaders in Hollywood. One issue is that there is no united Christian voice in Hollywood. I have long dreamed of gathering together an advisory board of sorts that would nurture Christian filmmakers, writers, and producers. It seems that if you are a christian filmmaker, writer, or producer your kind of on your own. I’ve come to discover that even seasoned Christians in the entertainment industry are not aware of one another; therefore, sharing of ideas and resources is limited.
March 10, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Richard-
Why don’t you start w/ a small budget film–do well with it–investors will see it and, perhaps, see a worthy investment in your larger, ‘visionary’ projects.
This same scenario plays out in the Venture Capitalist-SoftWare start-ups. The people w/ the money must see tremendous proof of promise and ability before they divest themselves of the kind of bulk-funding that you appear to be alluding to.
If you still insist on overtaking the world with a supreme blockbuster, at the outset, try this angle:
Come up with a dynamic script and visionary theme–share it with your “film friends”, who are cinematographers and script writers. Discuss “how” you would like this ’script’ enveloped in audio/visual depiction. They should point you in the right direction if there’s ‘promise’.
It’s my opinion that movie production houses, invariably, give a “heads-up”(!) to a concept; to a stellar script(similar to going to a publisher), before they’re ever impressed with your possession of expensive digital equipment.
Do not let the manuscript leave your field of vision during this process!
It’s ‘funny’ how a simple concept, beautifully and intelligently articulated, reigns superior to all the expensive and inexorably-advancing audio/visual technology, in the collective minds of discerning investors.
And..it doesn’t cost a dime!!
As you may be aware, movie-production companies are not the only source of funding for films any more. I’m not just talking about the likes of a ‘Pepsi-Cola’ or ‘Ford Motor Company’ submitting dollars to the film house for placement of their respective products.
Another angle:
General Electric, Warren Buffet’s, Berkshire Hathaway and Donald Trump are just a few of the burgeoning “outside” actual PRODUCERS of films, that are absolutely rivaling MGM, Paramount and New Line Cinema!!
They are also quite capable of handling the marketing of the films as well as the cost of producing them..as you know, “marketing-of-the-films” is fast- becoming 3/4 of the entire cost and ’success’ of the project(s).
This is another avenue of opportunity for your advancing concerns…
Hope it works well for you!!
Cordially Yours,
Benjamin Bruner
March 10, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I couldn’t agree more with your desire to lead the industry. We are to as Christians “do everything as unto the Lord” and if we are making movies, or making lunch we should strive for excellence. When we are following the path that God has set for us, money is not an issue, because God has it all. Where will the money come from? Wherever it is now. God does not grant vision and then deny resources. The resources don’t always come from where you expect, but if they did you might get confused and think it was your victory and not His. And on the subject of movies let’s not forget the wise advise from the mysterious voice “If you build it they will come.” or rather, if you allow Him to build it through you, He will come, and bring the audience with Him.
March 10, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Re: your statement ‘The secret to raising money is, “Fresh Water”. Jesus said that out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. I believe that this living water is fresh new innovative ideas birthed from the power of the Holy Spirit. You need to listen to these ideas no matter how radical they are and flow with them completely.’
How absolutely true – whether in business, church, worship or other elements of life (since they’re really all the same & part of each other) what really touches people is LIFE – true life that only comes from the Holy Spirit; and almost always true LIFE, true ‘God Stuff’ is wild, is odd, is absolutely out-of-step, and usually seems to fly in the face of wisdom and good sense – and almost always in the end, produces true liberty, true life, true increase, true prosperity, true wisdom, true fulfillment. Good stuff, thanks.
March 11, 2008 at 5:38 am
“We have all seen the film director who makes a classic movie like ‘CITIZEN KANE,’ but nobody follows him.”
Richard, what have you been drinking? It’s impossible to complete a course of study in film without being inculcated with the genius of Citizen Kane and dozens of other remarkable and revolutionary films. It is their groundwork that defines the whole lexicon and process of filmmaking. Without them, you wouldn’t posses the language necessary to communicate your dream.
Whether you want to believe it or not, you ARE following in THEIR footsteps.
Who cares if the masses don’t flock to screenings of ‘great art’. These out-of-the-box imagers and storytellers will be revered long after the last frame of the latest, epic blockbuster fades from the collective consciousness of the movie audience.
To think that The Mystery and the unfathomable awe, power and glory of the Origin Of All can be reduced to the level of a bubble gum and popcorn
extravaganza, palpable to the ‘common man’ you hope will “break out his pocketbook and spend money” to see your film seems a bit naive. I can’t recall reading a directive in scripture that compels me to create something or “lead in a direction that the rest of the world is going to follow”. Quite the contrary, I’m here to make surgical strikes in the hearts of a few who have been ‘ripened’ to catch the vision. If they couldn’t see The Christ when He was standing in front of them, how are they ever going to see Him in some fictionalized allegory dressed up with technological wizardry.
So many times in the New Testament narrative, we see The Christ pictured standing on a hill as he addresses a crowd. We hear shouts from the common folk and the religious leaders asking Him to “come down and reason with us”. I don’t think that icon of separation is placed there without meaningful intent. His position demands the select few to come up out of the comfort of the group.
I will grant you that sound has become 85% of the experience of watching a film, but that is only because we forgotten how to create CINEMA. Since we’ve lost our iconic vocabulary, [and become 'word' people] we have to turn up the volume to cover our lack of ability to speak to the deepest recesses of the emotional heart. A simple reaction shot without sound can say more than a page a dialogue. And, more often than not, be understood in almost any culture.
IF you really want to revolutionize the movie business, turn it upside down. Think small. Think quiet. Show someone the incredible power of the simplest act, touch, look. Use the big screen to unveil the smallest detail, that when understood, makes the heart leap in recognition of the Divine.
Everyday, Science teaches us the most awesome and powerful forces are contained in the smallest places. All you need to do is follow that blueprint.
March 11, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Richard, I see your little article is getting play on other sites around the web. I found the remarks at http://www.christianfilmmakers.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1185 to be very insightful, even if offered by novices.
It’s not the budget. It’s not the equipment. [though, I'd race my RED ONE against your Phantom any day.] It’s the heart of the filmmaker. If that person wasn’t gifted with the ability to tell a story visually, the greatest script, all the money and toys in the world aren’t going to…
You know how it goes, you got it or you don’t.
March 12, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Hey Brother James,
How are you? I totally agree with you. Storytelling and the art thereof is everything. I see that in today’s world, churches doing their own in-house stuff using hobbiests because, hey, they have a digital video camera that can plug into their computer. In spite of the gains in technology, 99% of the time the work is amateurish because they skipped the key ingredient, the art of storytelling, can’t buy that as software.
March 13, 2008 at 12:04 am
Re: Why Christian Blockbusters Need Money and How to Get It
Comments to your article:
• I’m not sure how you are meaning to use the scripture here in your newsletter where God said to Moses, “You shall be the head, above only and not beneath.” The only verse I could find in my Bible that may be the one you’re talking about is in
De 28:13, “The Lord will make you the head not the tail.” And if you read on it says, “If you pay attention to the command of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom…..” So, if this is the same verse you’re talking about it’s not really a command but rather a blessing; the outcome of being faithful in following through with whatever He directs you to do. I see faith fitting in to everything you have shared here. It is the essential and vital element in forging ahead and being successful with what the Lord has directed you (or anyone of us) to do.
The Lord has asked you to do things that go against the grain of logic and the norm in this industry (ughhhh, I love it!), and you have remained faithful to following through with those things regardless of what others may think, or say, i.e. the DP who intended to shoot at 24fps rather than the 60 fps he was suppose to shoot. You did not buckle under the (peer) pressure of another industry professional and stood your ground KNOWING & BELIEVING that the Lord was your foundation on this. You stood up for the Lord and He backed you up, and thus you gained the respect and the cooperation of not only the DP but the rest of the team.
This is what I happen to believe is missing among many Christian filmmakers – a level of faith that will enable them to excel in the way God has in mind. At least that is my observation with a number of filmmakers I have met and had the privilege of working with. Of course God is always actively growing us up in the areas we are week in, so…..it’s a process. But what an honor and privilege to be an example and encouragement to the family of God in the area of active faith. It will make us all stronger and more productive in pursuing the “missions” the Lord sets us out on.
By His grace He has gotten you to the point where you are able to trust Him with some BIG things. And not only will you (WYSIWYG) perhaps become a leader in Hollywood, but also a leader in faith for those who need encouragement in that department. That is a HUGE thing because if we want Christians & Christian films to make the impact God has in mind, we totally need to trust Him when He asks us to do something that seems ludicrous.
I am thrilled to see you stand firm on what the Lord has put in your heart and mind to do. I absolutely LUUUUUV when He directs us to do something that seems to make no sense or seems to be impossible and will make heads spin. It’s exhilarating, fascinating, and mind blowing. And the cool thing about it is everything you encounter in the journey as well as the final result itself can ONLY be attributed to the Lord. He gets ALL the credit. You are strengthened in your relationship with Him and you are given an incredible podium in which to brag about the power and grace of God! What can be more awesome than that!
As for the financing of Christian films, it has always been my perspective and belief, base on personal experience, that when your prime focus is a.) hearing what the Lord wants you to do, and b.) trusting Him enough to DO what He is leading you to do, He will provide everything you need in order to accomplish what He has in mind to do, whether you need $100 or a $100,000,000. Whether you need the most evolutionary camera in the world, or the most savy special effects technician, or the most saught after actor in the world……whatever . The point is, do you believe the Lord enough to look foolish in the eyes of others who will judge you based on logic and practicality? That takes guts, and a strong confidence and certainty in the capabilities of your LEADER (Jesus). Shoot, no one likes to be laughed at or thought of as a flake or wack job, ya know. But look at the many leaders and children of God in scripture and what the Lord enabled them to do because they trusted Him. They rocked the world, and turned it upside down. And we can do the same thing within the film industry, if only we take the time and make the effort to hear His voice, and trust Him enough to DO what He asks us to do. What the Lord will accomplish will be, as always, multi-faceted; He will accomplish WAY more than what you ever thought or imagined. You become a leader in more ways than one; it goes beyond the tangible. The Lord uses the tangible (physical realm) to convey spiritual principles thus impacting the spiritual with in us.
• “If I have heard from God, God will support me.”
That was a definite demonstration of faith and confidence in the Lord. I would have loved to have seen the faces of the DP and crew when the coin hit the table face up. YEE-HA! There is power in faith. By the shear flipping of a coin you gained the respect and commitment of the crew, BECAUSE you trusted the Lord! That’s what I’m talkin’ about! The same goes for the $5 million you were given to develop the camera, AND didn’t have to ask for the funding.
• I was so happy to hear what you said when I got to the final 4 paragraphs of your letter. I was so glad to hear you say, “I believe that this living water is fresh new innovative ideas birthed from the power of the Holy Spirit. You need to listen to these ideas no matter how radical they are and flow with them completely. It is fresh, new innovations that are the key and Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would show them to us.”
My immediate thought was, “Ahhh! He’s got it!” : )
I am anxious and excited to see what the Lord is going to continue to do with WYSIWYG. What a privilege it would be to be a part of a group that radically trusts the Lord. A MAJOR rush and adventure.
March 13, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Ana,
Here’s some answers.
Where can I go or how can I see the films you have talked about in your newsletters, GUARDIANS & THE ROMAN TRILOGY? Id really like to b e able to watch them.
I am sorry the films are not available and won’t be anytime soon. They were practice projects and are reserved for our in-house research.
To answer your question aboutThe closer a subject is to you the more distant you are from your future audience. This is especially true when Christian filmmakers are trying to communicate to non-Christian audiences. Im sorry but I dont understand this, would you mind explaining it a little bit. I really want to understand what youre saying:
The closer a subject is to you the more distant you are from your future audience. This is especially true when Christian filmmakers are trying to communicate to non-Christian audiences. Im sorry but I dont understand this, would you mind explaining it a little bit. I really want to understand what youre saying.
When you are writing or filming a story that is close to you the weakness is for you to make assumptions based on your familiarity with the story but the audience is completely clueless about the subject or it’s background. Communication that is done through film is incredibly shallow just because of the nature of the communication. When an audience views a scene in a picture they will only believe what you show them and there are two factors that influence this belief. The first one is the audiences prejudices. I am not using this term as a racial term but a predisposed social judgement upon what they are viewing in the picture. For example; if you show a Jew and an Arab in a picture automatically in todays current mind set they will assume that your picture is about the conflict between these two races of people. It doesn’t matter if you know that these two people are best friends and own a bakery together and your movie is about a new way to bake bread. Just that image has created such a strong prejudice view that no one would understand the true message that your film is trying to betray. The purpose of this statement is to clarify that no christian, no matter how aware he thinks he is, can predict how a secular audience is going to respond to a film or story. I hope this gives you a better explanation.
God bless,
Richard Gazowsky
March 14, 2008 at 2:42 am
Michael, it’s great to cross paths with you again.
Not to hijack this thread, but I tried reaching you through your website and ran into a dead end.
Send me an email through my website, http://www.eyemagic.biz we should get caught up.