Just got back from Tampa Bay, Florida, where Midnight Clear was screened for over 700 people as part of a fundraiser for the Tampa Crisis Center. It was a pretty remarkable event, and the film seemed to resonate with people. When I made the film, I didn't think of it as the kind of thing that could be connected to "causes," but it's been a nice bonus. The president of the crisis center absolutely raved about the film.
Regardless of anything else, and as cheesy as this sounds, this is why you make films. Whether they're strictly entertainment or have a message, you make films to arouse some sort of emotional or passionate response in people. One of the women from the crisis center came up to me after the screening and couldn't talk because of her tears. What's better than that as a response to the film you spent so much time on?
So if there's a piece of advice in all this, it's this--when you're writing or directing your film, think about the potential audience response while you're shaping the story or scene. Think to yourself, "What is it about this film that will affect that one person sitting in the 10th row, hoping the film will move them in some way?"
Review
Published: December 6, 2007
This review represents EXACTLY what I'm trying to do in this business. I'm not sure I can put it any better:
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Fund-raising
We are getting closer than ever to making something happen with Mountain. I recently told you that a company guy that had liked the script was no longer interested because they thought Midnight Clear was a "snoozefest." Well, it turns out that it was somewhat of a misunderstanding, which I discovered after I wrote him a passionate letter that was basically a last ditch, "for the record" attempt to let him know that I was capable of making a film he would want to be a part of. I outlined my specific vision for the film and included details of how I've been preparing for it. It seemed to make an impact, as he said he still liked the project and saw no reason for me not to direct it. We'll see what happens, but you never know!
We've got about 4 or 5 different financial options that seem to be presenting themselves. None of them are locked in stone or anything; obviously, if they were, we'd be making the movie. But they all have some viability and potential. We want to make the film in the Spring, which means that once we find a real production partner, we've got to move fast.
More to come...
Updates
Published: November 8, 2007
Been awhile in my blog, I guess I've just been lazy. A few things going on:
1. In the "that hurts" department, there was a studio that was really interested in Mountain, the project I've been developing. One of the head guys really loved the script, was excited about it, and was talking about putting up some money for the project. Then he saw Midnight Clear, the feature I directed, thought it was a "snoozefest," and said he wasn't really interested in the project anymore. The thing is, I've gotten enough good reviews of the movie, and have had enough success with festivals, that I can handle a bad review or a negative comment without getting too depressed. Plus, I know the strengths and weaknesses of the movie and know that it might not be for everyone. But obviously, it's not fun to lose out on a project because of your own work. It also makes me concerned that there might be an actor who's interested in Mountain but who doesn't like Midnight Clear.
Anyway, I decided to write him a letter to outline my vision for the project and basically tell him that I believe the movie's going to be great, and that he'll be proud of it if he gets involved. I figured it can't hurt anything, what have I got to lose? We'll see what happens.
2. I had a meeting with a producer who's part of a big movie fund for a slate of films, and he wants to make Mountain. We'll see how serious it is, and we'll see how the structure works out, but it's certainly promising. I'll keep you updated.
3. I'm working with a local Virginia businessman to meet with the Virginia governor and local authorities to discuss the idea of shooting the movie in Virginia and actually getting possible funding or tax incentives from the state. I really believe that shooting on location, where the story took place, is the best option, but we're going to have to go to where it's most financially viable.
4. The book I'm about to read is called "Save the Cat." I've heard it's a terrific book for screenwriting, and I want to take the time to make the Mountain script even better. I'm also reading Roger Ebert's books, "The Great Movies" and "The Great Movies 2." He basically gives great critique of some of the greatest films of all time, so while I'm currently getting caught up on some of the great all-time films and studying them, I can read his critique afterwards to get additional perspective. This is a great tool for a filmmaker who's seeking to learn what makes a film great. I just saw Godard's "Breathless" for the first time, and some of his techniques were revolutionary. It's important to not only see films from those who influence you, but from those who influences the influencers.
So if you're in the early stages of your film education, I'd recommend renting the movies that are in the AFI Top 100 list, or Ebert's books, and then reading Ebert's analysis of what makes them great.
More to come...
We've got about 4 or 5 different financial options that seem to be presenting themselves. None of them are locked in stone or anything; obviously, if they were, we'd be making the movie. But they all have some viability and potential. We want to make the film in the Spring, which means that once we find a real production partner, we've got to move fast.
More to come...
Updates
Published: November 8, 2007
Been awhile in my blog, I guess I've just been lazy. A few things going on:
1. In the "that hurts" department, there was a studio that was really interested in Mountain, the project I've been developing. One of the head guys really loved the script, was excited about it, and was talking about putting up some money for the project. Then he saw Midnight Clear, the feature I directed, thought it was a "snoozefest," and said he wasn't really interested in the project anymore. The thing is, I've gotten enough good reviews of the movie, and have had enough success with festivals, that I can handle a bad review or a negative comment without getting too depressed. Plus, I know the strengths and weaknesses of the movie and know that it might not be for everyone. But obviously, it's not fun to lose out on a project because of your own work. It also makes me concerned that there might be an actor who's interested in Mountain but who doesn't like Midnight Clear.
Anyway, I decided to write him a letter to outline my vision for the project and basically tell him that I believe the movie's going to be great, and that he'll be proud of it if he gets involved. I figured it can't hurt anything, what have I got to lose? We'll see what happens.
2. I had a meeting with a producer who's part of a big movie fund for a slate of films, and he wants to make Mountain. We'll see how serious it is, and we'll see how the structure works out, but it's certainly promising. I'll keep you updated.
3. I'm working with a local Virginia businessman to meet with the Virginia governor and local authorities to discuss the idea of shooting the movie in Virginia and actually getting possible funding or tax incentives from the state. I really believe that shooting on location, where the story took place, is the best option, but we're going to have to go to where it's most financially viable.
4. The book I'm about to read is called "Save the Cat." I've heard it's a terrific book for screenwriting, and I want to take the time to make the Mountain script even better. I'm also reading Roger Ebert's books, "The Great Movies" and "The Great Movies 2." He basically gives great critique of some of the greatest films of all time, so while I'm currently getting caught up on some of the great all-time films and studying them, I can read his critique afterwards to get additional perspective. This is a great tool for a filmmaker who's seeking to learn what makes a film great. I just saw Godard's "Breathless" for the first time, and some of his techniques were revolutionary. It's important to not only see films from those who influence you, but from those who influences the influencers.
So if you're in the early stages of your film education, I'd recommend renting the movies that are in the AFI Top 100 list, or Ebert's books, and then reading Ebert's analysis of what makes them great.
More to come...
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Sorry It
Been on vacation for a few weeks, haven't gotten to this blog in awhile. If you read it by any chance, I apologize.
First off, the novel my Dad and I wrote that comes out in October got a nice review from Publisher's Weekly. Here it is:
Midnight Clear
Jerry B. Jenkins and Dallas Jenkins. Tyndale, $9.99 paper (204p) ISBN 978-1-4143-1659-8
Most Christmas novellas are as gentle as snow falling in a well-contained snow globe: everything is muted and soft around the edges. But this story by Jenkins (Left Behind), a novelization of the December DVD release Midnight Clear starring Stephen Baldwin, takes on some darker themes than the usual holiday fare: one character is a realistically portrayed alcoholic, another a young mother whose husband is brain damaged after a devastating car accident, and another an old woman carefully cleaning her house on Christmas Eve to prepare for her planned holiday suicide. The other two characters are a depressed gas station owner and a disillusioned youth pastor, both of whom are wondering why life is so stultifying and hard. Jenkins is not a lyrical writer, and many of the story's transitions are abrupt and more suitable for a screenplay than a novel. But these are surprisingly genuine characters, and the novel doesn't have a contrived ending. Though the characters discover the hope of Christmas in the ordinary kindnesses they render each other, their difficult circumstances don't change overnight. The simple story, refreshingly devoid of treacle, becomes all the more hopeful because of the characters' earlier despair. (Oct.)
We're currently working on getting all our "delivery items" to Lionsgate. Note to filmmakers--make sure you're keeping good track of all your paperwork and contracts, and have in mind ahead of time that if you get a distribution deal, you're going to have to deliver all your key items and contracts to the distributor. The movie is scheduled to release December 4th.
One bummer--I shot the movie with a few "choice" words, a little vulgarity here and there that in my opinion fit the characters in the film and their level of roughness. I think the movie plays better to adults anyway. I was always planning to release two versions of the DVD--one mainstream, and one "clean" version for Christian bookstores. But Lionsgate, in their attempt to appeal to the Christian market overall and deal with two marketing strategies, only wants the clean version. In a way, this is my fault. If the film would have been more successful, I would have been able to dictate this kind of stuff. But because it's not a big-name, high profile film, Lionsgate needs to do everything possible to get an edge in the customer game, so I guess I'm stuck. Oh well, I still think my idea will work for a film eventually.
First off, the novel my Dad and I wrote that comes out in October got a nice review from Publisher's Weekly. Here it is:
Midnight Clear
Jerry B. Jenkins and Dallas Jenkins. Tyndale, $9.99 paper (204p) ISBN 978-1-4143-1659-8
Most Christmas novellas are as gentle as snow falling in a well-contained snow globe: everything is muted and soft around the edges. But this story by Jenkins (Left Behind), a novelization of the December DVD release Midnight Clear starring Stephen Baldwin, takes on some darker themes than the usual holiday fare: one character is a realistically portrayed alcoholic, another a young mother whose husband is brain damaged after a devastating car accident, and another an old woman carefully cleaning her house on Christmas Eve to prepare for her planned holiday suicide. The other two characters are a depressed gas station owner and a disillusioned youth pastor, both of whom are wondering why life is so stultifying and hard. Jenkins is not a lyrical writer, and many of the story's transitions are abrupt and more suitable for a screenplay than a novel. But these are surprisingly genuine characters, and the novel doesn't have a contrived ending. Though the characters discover the hope of Christmas in the ordinary kindnesses they render each other, their difficult circumstances don't change overnight. The simple story, refreshingly devoid of treacle, becomes all the more hopeful because of the characters' earlier despair. (Oct.)
We're currently working on getting all our "delivery items" to Lionsgate. Note to filmmakers--make sure you're keeping good track of all your paperwork and contracts, and have in mind ahead of time that if you get a distribution deal, you're going to have to deliver all your key items and contracts to the distributor. The movie is scheduled to release December 4th.
One bummer--I shot the movie with a few "choice" words, a little vulgarity here and there that in my opinion fit the characters in the film and their level of roughness. I think the movie plays better to adults anyway. I was always planning to release two versions of the DVD--one mainstream, and one "clean" version for Christian bookstores. But Lionsgate, in their attempt to appeal to the Christian market overall and deal with two marketing strategies, only wants the clean version. In a way, this is my fault. If the film would have been more successful, I would have been able to dictate this kind of stuff. But because it's not a big-name, high profile film, Lionsgate needs to do everything possible to get an edge in the customer game, so I guess I'm stuck. Oh well, I still think my idea will work for a film eventually.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Chapter One
Here's the official first chapter of the novel I wrote with my Dad, set to come out from Tyndale in October:
December 24, 8:15 a.m
Lefty
Lefty Boyle's rusted '76 Caprice sat half a football field from the other cars in the factory parking lot, and he was in it - head back, eyes closed, mouth open, drooling.
A loud knock on the window interrupted the Hallmark portrait.
The car door opened from the outside. "You alive in there?"
The voice belonged to Kamal, the janitor who'd served as Lefty's alarm clock for the past three days.
Lefty stirred. "Yeah."
With that word came a stench of alcohol and morning breath that almost startled Lefty fully awake. Almost.
"You're fifteen minutes late. Dale's looking for you, and he's more ticked than usual."
Lefty tried to sink back into sleep. Nothing to think about. No reminders of, well, anything. Sleep was good.
Kamal nudged Lefty's shoulder. "You hear what I said?"
Lefty opened his eyes a sliver, but the morning light blinded him. He saw just enough to be reminded of where he was. He didn't remember exactly how he had gotten there, but fortunately, routine was his guide. As long as he got to his workplace parking lot at the end of each night, he would be where he needed to be the next morning.
"Yeah, I’m coming. And thanks for making me late!"
"Oh, gee, I'm sorry! My boss, who pays me, wanted me to do something more important than waking you up. Next time I’ll tell him I work for Lefty."
For a foreigner, Kamal had an impressive grasp of American sarcasm.
Lefty grabbed his mangled toothbrush from the visor and stumbled out of the car. The effects of sleeping upright for six hours, combined with his usual morning headache, nearly caused him to collapse. He steadied himself against his car, rubbed his eyes, and took a deep, nasty breath. He found the factory entrance up ahead, trained his eyes, and headed toward it.
Two minutes later, his shoes shuffled across the sticky floor of the factory bathroom. Lefty brushed his teeth and smoothed his greasy hair. He noticed a mustard stain on his shirt and, thinking quickly, turned the shirt inside out and took another glance at himself.
The shirt idea was a good one. Perhaps today had some promise. And wasn't it the twenty-fourth? Yeah, the last day before a holiday break for a few days. He could make it through today no problem. He straightened his shoulders and stared confidently at the image of himself before spotting his boss behind him in the grime-spotted mirror.
"Hey, Princess," Dale said, "when you're done putting on your makeup, get your royal behind into my office." The door slammed behind him.
Lefty's shoulders returned to their slumped position.
Merry Christmas.
Kirk
It wasn't even 8:30 in the morning, and Kirk was tired. Not a good sign.
The call had awakened him at 6:30. Kirk found it hard to believe that his seventeen-year-old employee had magically fallen sick the day before Christmas, but he was at least impressed the kid got up that early to call him. If only he was as committed to his work . . .
The fact that it was Christmas Eve wasn't what annoyed Kirk about coming in. He had no special plans, and he wasn't a big holiday guy anyway. It was more that he had gotten his hopes up about sleeping in today. Kirk took only a handful of days off each year; and when he did, he slept in till noon, worked on the porch he'd been building for years, and relaxed. He'd been looking forward to today for over a week, and he'd been in the middle of some deep sleep when he was informed that this day would be the same as the 360 or so other mind-numbing days of the year.
Kirk wheeled into Mr. K's Quick Stop and parked in his usual spot, off to the side, amid loose gravel and tall weeds, close to the woods. He glanced up at the rusted sign. Good grief, what a cheesy name. That he was responsible for it made it worse.
He unlocked the door and two padlocks and stepped inside. His place. Four rows of "convenient" goods (healthy food was inconvenient, apparently) in front of a wall of beverages and frozen food. The side wall bore random fishing items and included a tiny, greasy eating area no longer open for business. Large banners, depicting beer and cigarettes consumed by people who looked nothing like his customers, hung from the ceiling.
For most gas stations of this ilk, opening meant turning on the pumps, the cash register, and the food machines. But try as he might, Kirk couldn't break the routine he'd started when he first bought the place and actually gave a rip. Toilet scrubbed. Garbage emptied. Soap dispenser filled. Paper towel and napkin canisters loaded. Merchandise organized. And, of course, brewing the gourmet coffee. He knew that offering gourmet coffee at a place like this was akin to offering a filet mignon at a hot dog stand. His store and his customers didn’t deserve gourmet coffee. But he couldn't do the instant stuff. Just couldn't.
He finished the brew, wiped down the counters, and tossed some loose trash. For the local trailer park families, shirtless smokers, meth addicts, fisher men, and long-distance travelers who thought the Southwest would be a good Christmas location, Mr. K's Quick Stop was ready.
Sorry, We're Closed became Yes, We're Open!
Merry Christmas.
Eva
Eva was determined that her death would cause no complications for anyone, and since today was the day - or rather, tonight would be the night - she thought it best to prepare.
She trudged through her house toward the kitchen, running through a mental checklist of the tasks she needed to accomplish today. She had always made a point of ensuring nothing was left undone or turned on when she left the house for vacation; she certainly wanted to make sure of the same now that she was leaving her house forever.
As Eva grabbed the cat food bag from her kitchen counter for the last time, it wasn't sadness or remorse she felt. Just a sense of duty. She would accomplish her tasks today with calm and dignity. She would not cry, she would not be overly sentimental, and she would not act scared. This would be like any other day, just perhaps a little busier.
Eva lugged the bag out to her driveway and, leaning against the house, bent and filled the bowl. The sound brought Scrappy, the neighborhood stray, running. As the cat dug in, Eva emptied the rest of the food onto the concrete. Scrappy would need enough to last however long it took for someone to discover Eva's body.
Merry Christmas.
Mary
Mary pulled into the drop-off spot at the elementary school a bit too fast. Her morning routine with Jacob always seemed rushed now that she was raising him on her own. At six years old, Jacob had no problem getting up at 6:45 every morning. But Mary did. She would turn on the Disney Channel for him, go back to bed for half an hour, then slam through the morning to get him to school by 8:15 and herself to work by 8:30. It helped that she didn't need to look flawless and that she and Jacob were both fine with Nutri-Grain bars in the minivan as their breakfast of champions.
Jacob's too-cute teacher, wearing a too-cute Santa hat, bounced out to greet them. "Hey, Jacob!" Megan said. "How're you doing, buddy?"
Jacob smiled and waved, unbuckling his seat belt.
Megan's smile vanished, and she cocked her head.
Here it comes.
"Hey, Mary. You doing okay?"
"I'm fine. You?"
"Seriously. You doing all right?" Megan lowered her voice, as if to emphasize the seriousness of her question.
Mary paused. Megan wasn't going to let her off the hook, especially today. "As well as can be expected. Seriously."
Thankfully, Jacob struggled with the door, and Megan rushed to help him out of the van.
As he ran off, Mary called out, "Love you, Jacob! Be good!"
Without turning or slowing, he hollered, "Love you!"
Mary turned back to Megan. "His juice box is in his backpack. He’ll try to tell you I forgot to give him -"
"Got it." Megan smiled knowingly, then looked puzzled, peering in at Mary.
"Hey, you know those seats are adjustable."
Mary had been riding low in the seat, reaching for the wheel, for a year and had gotten used to it.
"Oh. Yeah. Well, this is the way Rick liked it, though. I just . . . you know . . ."
Megan backed off. "Yeah. Okay. See you at noon?"
Finally.
"See you at noon."
Today was December 24. This conversation would not be the last of its kind, Mary was sure. People are just trying to be nice, she reminded herself.
Merry Christmas.
Mitch
Mitch exchanged his car for the fifteen-passenger van in the church parking lot. The van needed gas for a dozen small trips all afternoon and evening. This jaunt to the gas station would mark the only time he would be in it without a load of loud teenagers.
It was going to be a miserable day, plain and simple. In six hours, when he had to take his youth group kids caroling, it would get really miserable. But this was also the one-year anniversary of the accident.
A year before, Mitch's car had been in the shop, so Rick, his best friend and one of the youth leaders, gave him a ride home from the church youth party. The drunk driver never slowed as he raced through the intersection and rammed the driver's side of Rick's car. Mitch suffered cracked ribs and a separated shoulder when Rick’s body drove him into the passenger door.
Mitch had needed a sling and bandages. Rick had needed epic, emergency surgery. A year later, he was still institutionalized.
Everything had changed that night. Everything. Rick wasn't really Rick anymore. On the rare days he was settled enough to have a moderately coherent conversation, they had nothing to talk about. Most days Rick was like a two-year-old, everything included - tantrums, diapers, you name it. Either way, the casualness and shared sense of humor that had defined their friendship were gone, replaced by awkward small talk.
Mitch hadn't visited him in weeks; it was too hard, and the visits didn't seem to do much for Rick anyway.
Now, as Mitch passed through the same intersection, he got that same chill and couldn't keep from looking both ways repeatedly. He'd passed through it hundreds of times in the past year, but it was always the same. Every time, random details of the accident flashed in his mind. The screaming of a woman bystander, the blood pooling in Mitch's lap, the flashing lights of half a dozen cop cars and ambulances. Every time, he shuddered and felt weak because of his reaction.
The fact that the accident had taken place on Christmas Eve made forgetting or ignoring the one-year anniversary impossible, even if he had wanted to. Eventually, Christmas Eves might feel normal again. But so far, this one wasn't looking good.
Merry Christmas.
Latest
Published: July 3, 2007
Well, it looks like we got a deal with Lionsgate for Midnight Clear, so that's pretty great. They're a great company that knows how to handle all kinds of movies. Interestingly, their acquisitions guy saw the movie at a screening I held in December that went awful. The movie wasn't quite ready, but he thought the Christmas element of it could sell.
Whenever you finish an independent film, you obviously want to get it to distributors. The best way is, of course, to get accepted into the Sundance Film Festival. We apparently came incredibly close. Then, you hope that it gets accepted into a few other great festivals. Another way to go is to simply hold an industry screening, where you send out postcards and perhaps a trailer to every acquisitions executive in town. Because it's their job to see as many movies as possible, it's usually not that difficult to get SOMEONE to come from each company. For Hometown Legend, the first film I produced, we got dozens of acquisitions executives to come, and the screening went very well. The acquisitions guy at Warner Brothers showed up and liked the film, and we had a deal.
On Midnight Clear, I arranged a screening, but the movie wasn't totally ready by the time the screening was held. It didn't look or sound very good, unfortunately. But thankfully, Lionsgate saw past that. The movie should come to DVD in December.
As far as that's concerned, I'm obviously disappointed the movie wasn't big enough to garner a theatrical release, but I can accept responsibility for that. When looking at the common themes of independent films that break out and get distribution, there are two things that really stand out. One, these films have one or two strong, central characters that really stand out and get noticed, either for the originality of the character or the performance of the actor. Our film had basically five lead characters, so i think I might have spread myself a bit thin in that regard. Also, most of these films have a lot of humor, even if the films aren't outright comedies. Midnight Clear doesn't have as much humor as it probably should have.
I'm very proud of the film, and I think it's a very good film. Is it a great film? Probably not. There are some choices I made aesthetically that probably held it back a bit, and again, I probably spread myself too thin emotionally and character-wise for a film this small. But the film will hold up well over the years, I believe, and I think it will be a good part of our library.
In the meantime, I'm reading a lot of books on filmmaking and watching a lot of movies. My close friend and successful filmmaker Scott Derrickson (Exorcism of Emily Rose) has been essentially mentoring me in that regard, helping me see some of my shortcomings and how I can grow. I'm desperate to become a great filmmaker, especially so that my next film, Mountain, can be truly great.
My plan over the next few months is to read at least ten books, and hopefully I'll be in pre-production on a film by the end of that time. The first few books I'll read will be on the industry in general (I'm currently reading "Tell Me How You Love the Picture" by Ed Feldman), and as I get closer to making a film, the books will be more and more about the specific aesthetics of film.
Dallas
December 24, 8:15 a.m
Lefty
Lefty Boyle's rusted '76 Caprice sat half a football field from the other cars in the factory parking lot, and he was in it - head back, eyes closed, mouth open, drooling.
A loud knock on the window interrupted the Hallmark portrait.
The car door opened from the outside. "You alive in there?"
The voice belonged to Kamal, the janitor who'd served as Lefty's alarm clock for the past three days.
Lefty stirred. "Yeah."
With that word came a stench of alcohol and morning breath that almost startled Lefty fully awake. Almost.
"You're fifteen minutes late. Dale's looking for you, and he's more ticked than usual."
Lefty tried to sink back into sleep. Nothing to think about. No reminders of, well, anything. Sleep was good.
Kamal nudged Lefty's shoulder. "You hear what I said?"
Lefty opened his eyes a sliver, but the morning light blinded him. He saw just enough to be reminded of where he was. He didn't remember exactly how he had gotten there, but fortunately, routine was his guide. As long as he got to his workplace parking lot at the end of each night, he would be where he needed to be the next morning.
"Yeah, I’m coming. And thanks for making me late!"
"Oh, gee, I'm sorry! My boss, who pays me, wanted me to do something more important than waking you up. Next time I’ll tell him I work for Lefty."
For a foreigner, Kamal had an impressive grasp of American sarcasm.
Lefty grabbed his mangled toothbrush from the visor and stumbled out of the car. The effects of sleeping upright for six hours, combined with his usual morning headache, nearly caused him to collapse. He steadied himself against his car, rubbed his eyes, and took a deep, nasty breath. He found the factory entrance up ahead, trained his eyes, and headed toward it.
Two minutes later, his shoes shuffled across the sticky floor of the factory bathroom. Lefty brushed his teeth and smoothed his greasy hair. He noticed a mustard stain on his shirt and, thinking quickly, turned the shirt inside out and took another glance at himself.
The shirt idea was a good one. Perhaps today had some promise. And wasn't it the twenty-fourth? Yeah, the last day before a holiday break for a few days. He could make it through today no problem. He straightened his shoulders and stared confidently at the image of himself before spotting his boss behind him in the grime-spotted mirror.
"Hey, Princess," Dale said, "when you're done putting on your makeup, get your royal behind into my office." The door slammed behind him.
Lefty's shoulders returned to their slumped position.
Merry Christmas.
Kirk
It wasn't even 8:30 in the morning, and Kirk was tired. Not a good sign.
The call had awakened him at 6:30. Kirk found it hard to believe that his seventeen-year-old employee had magically fallen sick the day before Christmas, but he was at least impressed the kid got up that early to call him. If only he was as committed to his work . . .
The fact that it was Christmas Eve wasn't what annoyed Kirk about coming in. He had no special plans, and he wasn't a big holiday guy anyway. It was more that he had gotten his hopes up about sleeping in today. Kirk took only a handful of days off each year; and when he did, he slept in till noon, worked on the porch he'd been building for years, and relaxed. He'd been looking forward to today for over a week, and he'd been in the middle of some deep sleep when he was informed that this day would be the same as the 360 or so other mind-numbing days of the year.
Kirk wheeled into Mr. K's Quick Stop and parked in his usual spot, off to the side, amid loose gravel and tall weeds, close to the woods. He glanced up at the rusted sign. Good grief, what a cheesy name. That he was responsible for it made it worse.
He unlocked the door and two padlocks and stepped inside. His place. Four rows of "convenient" goods (healthy food was inconvenient, apparently) in front of a wall of beverages and frozen food. The side wall bore random fishing items and included a tiny, greasy eating area no longer open for business. Large banners, depicting beer and cigarettes consumed by people who looked nothing like his customers, hung from the ceiling.
For most gas stations of this ilk, opening meant turning on the pumps, the cash register, and the food machines. But try as he might, Kirk couldn't break the routine he'd started when he first bought the place and actually gave a rip. Toilet scrubbed. Garbage emptied. Soap dispenser filled. Paper towel and napkin canisters loaded. Merchandise organized. And, of course, brewing the gourmet coffee. He knew that offering gourmet coffee at a place like this was akin to offering a filet mignon at a hot dog stand. His store and his customers didn’t deserve gourmet coffee. But he couldn't do the instant stuff. Just couldn't.
He finished the brew, wiped down the counters, and tossed some loose trash. For the local trailer park families, shirtless smokers, meth addicts, fisher men, and long-distance travelers who thought the Southwest would be a good Christmas location, Mr. K's Quick Stop was ready.
Sorry, We're Closed became Yes, We're Open!
Merry Christmas.
Eva
Eva was determined that her death would cause no complications for anyone, and since today was the day - or rather, tonight would be the night - she thought it best to prepare.
She trudged through her house toward the kitchen, running through a mental checklist of the tasks she needed to accomplish today. She had always made a point of ensuring nothing was left undone or turned on when she left the house for vacation; she certainly wanted to make sure of the same now that she was leaving her house forever.
As Eva grabbed the cat food bag from her kitchen counter for the last time, it wasn't sadness or remorse she felt. Just a sense of duty. She would accomplish her tasks today with calm and dignity. She would not cry, she would not be overly sentimental, and she would not act scared. This would be like any other day, just perhaps a little busier.
Eva lugged the bag out to her driveway and, leaning against the house, bent and filled the bowl. The sound brought Scrappy, the neighborhood stray, running. As the cat dug in, Eva emptied the rest of the food onto the concrete. Scrappy would need enough to last however long it took for someone to discover Eva's body.
Merry Christmas.
Mary
Mary pulled into the drop-off spot at the elementary school a bit too fast. Her morning routine with Jacob always seemed rushed now that she was raising him on her own. At six years old, Jacob had no problem getting up at 6:45 every morning. But Mary did. She would turn on the Disney Channel for him, go back to bed for half an hour, then slam through the morning to get him to school by 8:15 and herself to work by 8:30. It helped that she didn't need to look flawless and that she and Jacob were both fine with Nutri-Grain bars in the minivan as their breakfast of champions.
Jacob's too-cute teacher, wearing a too-cute Santa hat, bounced out to greet them. "Hey, Jacob!" Megan said. "How're you doing, buddy?"
Jacob smiled and waved, unbuckling his seat belt.
Megan's smile vanished, and she cocked her head.
Here it comes.
"Hey, Mary. You doing okay?"
"I'm fine. You?"
"Seriously. You doing all right?" Megan lowered her voice, as if to emphasize the seriousness of her question.
Mary paused. Megan wasn't going to let her off the hook, especially today. "As well as can be expected. Seriously."
Thankfully, Jacob struggled with the door, and Megan rushed to help him out of the van.
As he ran off, Mary called out, "Love you, Jacob! Be good!"
Without turning or slowing, he hollered, "Love you!"
Mary turned back to Megan. "His juice box is in his backpack. He’ll try to tell you I forgot to give him -"
"Got it." Megan smiled knowingly, then looked puzzled, peering in at Mary.
"Hey, you know those seats are adjustable."
Mary had been riding low in the seat, reaching for the wheel, for a year and had gotten used to it.
"Oh. Yeah. Well, this is the way Rick liked it, though. I just . . . you know . . ."
Megan backed off. "Yeah. Okay. See you at noon?"
Finally.
"See you at noon."
Today was December 24. This conversation would not be the last of its kind, Mary was sure. People are just trying to be nice, she reminded herself.
Merry Christmas.
Mitch
Mitch exchanged his car for the fifteen-passenger van in the church parking lot. The van needed gas for a dozen small trips all afternoon and evening. This jaunt to the gas station would mark the only time he would be in it without a load of loud teenagers.
It was going to be a miserable day, plain and simple. In six hours, when he had to take his youth group kids caroling, it would get really miserable. But this was also the one-year anniversary of the accident.
A year before, Mitch's car had been in the shop, so Rick, his best friend and one of the youth leaders, gave him a ride home from the church youth party. The drunk driver never slowed as he raced through the intersection and rammed the driver's side of Rick's car. Mitch suffered cracked ribs and a separated shoulder when Rick’s body drove him into the passenger door.
Mitch had needed a sling and bandages. Rick had needed epic, emergency surgery. A year later, he was still institutionalized.
Everything had changed that night. Everything. Rick wasn't really Rick anymore. On the rare days he was settled enough to have a moderately coherent conversation, they had nothing to talk about. Most days Rick was like a two-year-old, everything included - tantrums, diapers, you name it. Either way, the casualness and shared sense of humor that had defined their friendship were gone, replaced by awkward small talk.
Mitch hadn't visited him in weeks; it was too hard, and the visits didn't seem to do much for Rick anyway.
Now, as Mitch passed through the same intersection, he got that same chill and couldn't keep from looking both ways repeatedly. He'd passed through it hundreds of times in the past year, but it was always the same. Every time, random details of the accident flashed in his mind. The screaming of a woman bystander, the blood pooling in Mitch's lap, the flashing lights of half a dozen cop cars and ambulances. Every time, he shuddered and felt weak because of his reaction.
The fact that the accident had taken place on Christmas Eve made forgetting or ignoring the one-year anniversary impossible, even if he had wanted to. Eventually, Christmas Eves might feel normal again. But so far, this one wasn't looking good.
Merry Christmas.
Latest
Published: July 3, 2007
Well, it looks like we got a deal with Lionsgate for Midnight Clear, so that's pretty great. They're a great company that knows how to handle all kinds of movies. Interestingly, their acquisitions guy saw the movie at a screening I held in December that went awful. The movie wasn't quite ready, but he thought the Christmas element of it could sell.
Whenever you finish an independent film, you obviously want to get it to distributors. The best way is, of course, to get accepted into the Sundance Film Festival. We apparently came incredibly close. Then, you hope that it gets accepted into a few other great festivals. Another way to go is to simply hold an industry screening, where you send out postcards and perhaps a trailer to every acquisitions executive in town. Because it's their job to see as many movies as possible, it's usually not that difficult to get SOMEONE to come from each company. For Hometown Legend, the first film I produced, we got dozens of acquisitions executives to come, and the screening went very well. The acquisitions guy at Warner Brothers showed up and liked the film, and we had a deal.
On Midnight Clear, I arranged a screening, but the movie wasn't totally ready by the time the screening was held. It didn't look or sound very good, unfortunately. But thankfully, Lionsgate saw past that. The movie should come to DVD in December.
As far as that's concerned, I'm obviously disappointed the movie wasn't big enough to garner a theatrical release, but I can accept responsibility for that. When looking at the common themes of independent films that break out and get distribution, there are two things that really stand out. One, these films have one or two strong, central characters that really stand out and get noticed, either for the originality of the character or the performance of the actor. Our film had basically five lead characters, so i think I might have spread myself a bit thin in that regard. Also, most of these films have a lot of humor, even if the films aren't outright comedies. Midnight Clear doesn't have as much humor as it probably should have.
I'm very proud of the film, and I think it's a very good film. Is it a great film? Probably not. There are some choices I made aesthetically that probably held it back a bit, and again, I probably spread myself too thin emotionally and character-wise for a film this small. But the film will hold up well over the years, I believe, and I think it will be a good part of our library.
In the meantime, I'm reading a lot of books on filmmaking and watching a lot of movies. My close friend and successful filmmaker Scott Derrickson (Exorcism of Emily Rose) has been essentially mentoring me in that regard, helping me see some of my shortcomings and how I can grow. I'm desperate to become a great filmmaker, especially so that my next film, Mountain, can be truly great.
My plan over the next few months is to read at least ten books, and hopefully I'll be in pre-production on a film by the end of that time. The first few books I'll read will be on the industry in general (I'm currently reading "Tell Me How You Love the Picture" by Ed Feldman), and as I get closer to making a film, the books will be more and more about the specific aesthetics of film.
Dallas
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Writing...
One of the main problems that faithfilms have had is that they've been written in a way that would only appeal to Christians. Even successful "Christian" films haven't had much of an impact--financially,critically, or intellectually--outside of the Christian market. On the other -based hand, some religious or culturally motivated films from other groups have managed to cross over into the mainstream, films like Bend It Like Beckham, The Namesake, Big Fat Greek Wedding, or on a large scale, films like Schindler's List or The Last Samurai.
One thing that has kept Christian-themed films from breaking out has been a simple lack of quality. There are exceptions, of course, but even most defenders of the Christian film community would agree that there hasn't been much to crow about on the artistic scale.
But assuming for a moment that a high quality script could be written (and several have been, such as The Mission, Chariots of Fire, The Apostle, etc.), I believe there are five key issues that should be considered when attempting to create Christian-themed storylines and characters that would be accessible and compelling to a mainstream audience.
1. Show Christians with flaws. Many Christian-themed scripts present too rosy of a picture of the Christian experience. Oftentimes, whatever flaws that are presented are surface-level and quickly overcome or resolved. Unfortunately, that's not realistic, nor is it even an accurate portrayal of the Christian message, which is that we are all deeply flawed human being who are in constant need of grace. In fact, we would (or at least should) acknowledge that most of our biggest flaws are never fully overcome.
Of course, it's true that the overwhelming majority of Christians portrayed in mainstream films are usually the most flawed or crazy characters in the story, so there should be a balance. But faith-based films often go too far in the other direction.
2. Have self-deprecating humor. One of the great things about movies like Greek Wedding and Bend it Like Beckham is that they were willing to poke fun at some of the traditions and idiosyncrosies of their respective cultures and faiths. And they didn't do it harshly or with cynicism. The fact is, every people group has its own silliness, and far too often Christians seem to be unwilling to have a sense of humor about theirs. An audience member is far more willing to suspend his cynicism or wariness if he senses that the storyteller doesn't take himself too seriously.
3. Not every problem has to be solved by a Christian. In real life, many non-Christians are just as kind, generous, and truthful, if not more, as any Christian you'll meet. In many Christian-themed films, there are few non-Christian characters, even fewer who don't end up converting, and even fewer who help solve problems. It can be a turn-off to a non-believing audience member if he sees that in the world of the filmmaker, Christians are the only ones who have the answers or solutions. Think of Schindler's List and Greek Wedding--outsiders to the faith were oftentimes heroic or wise.
4. Show reality. This is similar to point #1, but I'm not referring to personality traits here. I'm referring to the fact that life is often dark and hard and difficult, and answers don't come quickly or easily, and solutions don't always arrive. If you look at the Old Testament, you'd see a grim and disturbing picture of life, and not everything wrapped up nice and neat. Too often Christian-themed films want to sugarcoat the human experience in order to maintain a G or PG rating. But the most important part of the gospel story is the fact that sin and evil exist, and that God doesn't always make life on earth a smooth ride. I believe that non-Christians would be more open-minded to a Christian-themed film if they thought it actually represented their life experience in some way, and not just the happy or clean parts.
5. Not every story has to end in a salvation experience. Many Christians think that a film isn't a Christian film unless it shows a conversion or includes the explicit gospel message. But think of the parables Jesus told, or most of the stories in the Old Testament--many of them were simple life lessons, or cautionary tales, or simply historical records. There are many fascinating and exciting stories from the Christian experience that don't necessarily involve an actual spiritual conversation, and that doesn't make the stories any less "Christian."
Hollywood studios are right now seeking faith-based entertainment to tap into a marketplace and business opportunity they never thought existed. Writers and filmmakers who are Christians need to be ready, and they need to be able to tell stories that can have wide appeal so that the studio will be incentivized to make even more films like it. And even more important, films like this can have the intellectual and spiritual impact on society that Christians want so badly to have.
One thing that has kept Christian-themed films from breaking out has been a simple lack of quality. There are exceptions, of course, but even most defenders of the Christian film community would agree that there hasn't been much to crow about on the artistic scale.
But assuming for a moment that a high quality script could be written (and several have been, such as The Mission, Chariots of Fire, The Apostle, etc.), I believe there are five key issues that should be considered when attempting to create Christian-themed storylines and characters that would be accessible and compelling to a mainstream audience.
1. Show Christians with flaws. Many Christian-themed scripts present too rosy of a picture of the Christian experience. Oftentimes, whatever flaws that are presented are surface-level and quickly overcome or resolved. Unfortunately, that's not realistic, nor is it even an accurate portrayal of the Christian message, which is that we are all deeply flawed human being who are in constant need of grace. In fact, we would (or at least should) acknowledge that most of our biggest flaws are never fully overcome.
Of course, it's true that the overwhelming majority of Christians portrayed in mainstream films are usually the most flawed or crazy characters in the story, so there should be a balance. But faith-based films often go too far in the other direction.
2. Have self-deprecating humor. One of the great things about movies like Greek Wedding and Bend it Like Beckham is that they were willing to poke fun at some of the traditions and idiosyncrosies of their respective cultures and faiths. And they didn't do it harshly or with cynicism. The fact is, every people group has its own silliness, and far too often Christians seem to be unwilling to have a sense of humor about theirs. An audience member is far more willing to suspend his cynicism or wariness if he senses that the storyteller doesn't take himself too seriously.
3. Not every problem has to be solved by a Christian. In real life, many non-Christians are just as kind, generous, and truthful, if not more, as any Christian you'll meet. In many Christian-themed films, there are few non-Christian characters, even fewer who don't end up converting, and even fewer who help solve problems. It can be a turn-off to a non-believing audience member if he sees that in the world of the filmmaker, Christians are the only ones who have the answers or solutions. Think of Schindler's List and Greek Wedding--outsiders to the faith were oftentimes heroic or wise.
4. Show reality. This is similar to point #1, but I'm not referring to personality traits here. I'm referring to the fact that life is often dark and hard and difficult, and answers don't come quickly or easily, and solutions don't always arrive. If you look at the Old Testament, you'd see a grim and disturbing picture of life, and not everything wrapped up nice and neat. Too often Christian-themed films want to sugarcoat the human experience in order to maintain a G or PG rating. But the most important part of the gospel story is the fact that sin and evil exist, and that God doesn't always make life on earth a smooth ride. I believe that non-Christians would be more open-minded to a Christian-themed film if they thought it actually represented their life experience in some way, and not just the happy or clean parts.
5. Not every story has to end in a salvation experience. Many Christians think that a film isn't a Christian film unless it shows a conversion or includes the explicit gospel message. But think of the parables Jesus told, or most of the stories in the Old Testament--many of them were simple life lessons, or cautionary tales, or simply historical records. There are many fascinating and exciting stories from the Christian experience that don't necessarily involve an actual spiritual conversation, and that doesn't make the stories any less "Christian."
Hollywood studios are right now seeking faith-based entertainment to tap into a marketplace and business opportunity they never thought existed. Writers and filmmakers who are Christians need to be ready, and they need to be able to tell stories that can have wide appeal so that the studio will be incentivized to make even more films like it. And even more important, films like this can have the intellectual and spiritual impact on society that Christians want so badly to have.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Update
Been awhile since my last blog. If any of you read it on a semi-regular basis, I apologize.
In addition to posting some of my general thoughts, I thought I'd make this more of a blow by blow account of some of stuff small production companies do. Maybe some of you would appreciate an inside look at it, I don't know. All it costs is my typing time, right?
Here are some updates on where we're at:
1. I've been touring festivals with Midnight Clear, having some good screenings. It's very important for any aspiring filmmaker to do the festival circuit thing at some point. Of course, you have to make a film that gets accepted into festivals, which isn't easy. I've been on both sides. My first short got rejected EVERYWHERE, it was depressing.
Midnight Clear's been odd, though. Frustrating and joyous at different times. The first festival I submitted to was Sundance, and it was a very rough cut. We found out that we basically got as close as you can get without actually getting in, and that they loved the film. Out of 2000 entries, we were in the top 5% considered. Two days after the rejection, which was also oddly encouraging, we were accepted into Cinequest, a great festival I'd really wanted to get into. And a week later, we were accepted into Sedona, another really good festival. So I was flying high, I figured we'd dominate the festival circuit.
Then the rejection laters came, from festivals big and small. Very disheartening. And now we're getting accepted into a few more, including three in one weekend coming up (Oklahoma City, Boston, and Waterfront). Just goes to show there's no rhyme or reason to it.
2. Still developing "Mountain," my passion project. Got a few different financial options, we'll see what happens. Our basic plan is to budget the project between $3 and $4 million, with up to $1 million to a lead "name" actor. The lead role is so juicy that we think we can get someone really good. FYI, my top choices are Josh Lucas, Christian Bale, and Woody Harrelson, with Hugh Jackman as my miracle option. Longshots, I know, but hey. Woody's not the biggest name around, but I've envisioned him in this role since the script began four years ago, and he'd be amazing in it. The movie is Matewan meets The Apostle. If you haven't heard of Matewan, it's set in the 1920's mountains of Virginia, during the coal miner's strike.
3. We've been talking with a couple of studios about about the possibility of a multi-picture deal. Right now there's tremendous interest in faith-based projects, and while my goal isn't to slide into the "Christian movie" factory the studios are running right now, I don't want to miss out on a good opportunity to get movies made. My Dad wrote a successful book series called "Soon," and there's some interest at a few places in turning them into movies. Doing that, along with Mountain, could make for a nice long-term relationship, where the studio puts up half of the budget for each production, we bring in the other half. It'd be nice to find a home.
As of now there's particular interest from two places, so we'll see how it goes. One company in particular REALLY loves Mountain, even though it's a difficult project to market.
Will keep you posted...
In addition to posting some of my general thoughts, I thought I'd make this more of a blow by blow account of some of stuff small production companies do. Maybe some of you would appreciate an inside look at it, I don't know. All it costs is my typing time, right?
Here are some updates on where we're at:
1. I've been touring festivals with Midnight Clear, having some good screenings. It's very important for any aspiring filmmaker to do the festival circuit thing at some point. Of course, you have to make a film that gets accepted into festivals, which isn't easy. I've been on both sides. My first short got rejected EVERYWHERE, it was depressing.
Midnight Clear's been odd, though. Frustrating and joyous at different times. The first festival I submitted to was Sundance, and it was a very rough cut. We found out that we basically got as close as you can get without actually getting in, and that they loved the film. Out of 2000 entries, we were in the top 5% considered. Two days after the rejection, which was also oddly encouraging, we were accepted into Cinequest, a great festival I'd really wanted to get into. And a week later, we were accepted into Sedona, another really good festival. So I was flying high, I figured we'd dominate the festival circuit.
Then the rejection laters came, from festivals big and small. Very disheartening. And now we're getting accepted into a few more, including three in one weekend coming up (Oklahoma City, Boston, and Waterfront). Just goes to show there's no rhyme or reason to it.
2. Still developing "Mountain," my passion project. Got a few different financial options, we'll see what happens. Our basic plan is to budget the project between $3 and $4 million, with up to $1 million to a lead "name" actor. The lead role is so juicy that we think we can get someone really good. FYI, my top choices are Josh Lucas, Christian Bale, and Woody Harrelson, with Hugh Jackman as my miracle option. Longshots, I know, but hey. Woody's not the biggest name around, but I've envisioned him in this role since the script began four years ago, and he'd be amazing in it. The movie is Matewan meets The Apostle. If you haven't heard of Matewan, it's set in the 1920's mountains of Virginia, during the coal miner's strike.
3. We've been talking with a couple of studios about about the possibility of a multi-picture deal. Right now there's tremendous interest in faith-based projects, and while my goal isn't to slide into the "Christian movie" factory the studios are running right now, I don't want to miss out on a good opportunity to get movies made. My Dad wrote a successful book series called "Soon," and there's some interest at a few places in turning them into movies. Doing that, along with Mountain, could make for a nice long-term relationship, where the studio puts up half of the budget for each production, we bring in the other half. It'd be nice to find a home.
As of now there's particular interest from two places, so we'll see how it goes. One company in particular REALLY loves Mountain, even though it's a difficult project to market.
Will keep you posted...
Monday, April 23, 2007
Books and movies
I'm often asked what movies or books I would recommend for people who are interested in the movie business in any way. I'll get straight to the point:
Movies that inspired my style or my desire to make certain kinds of films, in no particular order:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (the movie that made me want to make movies)
Pulp Fiction (the film that changed all the rules about storytelling and content--controversial, but a masterpiece)
Jerry Maguire (if I had a chance to make a bigger budgeted film, this is the kind of film I'd want to make--incredible structure, and a fanastic mix of humor and drama)
It's a Wonderful Life (in my opinion, a perfect film. Incredible structure, fantastic message, and I love how dark it gets before the redemption)
Erin Brockovich/Traffic (Soderbergh's storytelling and editing style have inspired me more than any other--he doesn't follow standard rules, he just shows you what he wants you to see)
Magnolia (Dramatic without being cheesy--so many incredible moments.)
American films every aspiring filmmaker needs to see:
The Godfather, Citizen Kane, Pulp Fiction, Casablanca--For various reasons. Citizen Kane is the film every film textbook looks at, because it set the standard for last century's films, and it literally invented certain camera and lighting techniques. The Godfather introduced a new kind of film and hero; Pulp Fiction changed the film world and brought indie films mainstream; Casablanca is film school for its dialogue and pacing.
Books that can help those aspiring to be in the film industry:
"Behind the scenes" books on the industry (if you want to understand the culture of Hollywood and how its top people think): You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again, High Concept, Down and Dirty Pictures, Keys to the Kingdom, Hollywood Animal
"Educational" books, if you simply want tips on navigating through the industry or making a film: Adventures in the Screen Trade and Whose Lie Did I Tell?, Directors Close Up, Making Movies, Wannabe, Hello He Lied. The books by K Callan are great for people getting started.
Hope that helps answer a few common questions!
Dallas
Festivals
Published: April 6, 2007
Just got back from the Sedona Film Festival, which was nice. Festivals are a strange beast--at a place like Sundance, you're trying to sell your film and give yourself a chance to get an agent, a deal, or another opportunity. At a place like Sedona, it's solely about showing your film to a receptive audience. You're not going to make money from it, you're likely not going to get a deal from it, and there aren't really any "important" people there who are going to make or break your career. It's really the most art-driven aspect of the film business--your art being shown to an audience with nothing exchanged other than appreciation or dislike.
Ultimately, I need my film to be financially successful, or I can't make films again. But in the meantime, festivals like Sedona are a wonderful experience. The audiences seemed to respond well to the film, and when someone comes up to you after the film and tells you how much it meant to them, there's really no better feeling.
For any of you who are film students or just getting into filmmaking, I hope you get a chance to submit any films you make to a festival. Even if it's a 10 minute video, try to get it out there. It will not only be a valuable learning experience, it'll be one of the few times in your hopefully long career where money and commerce have nothing to do with the viewing experience.
Movies that inspired my style or my desire to make certain kinds of films, in no particular order:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (the movie that made me want to make movies)
Pulp Fiction (the film that changed all the rules about storytelling and content--controversial, but a masterpiece)
Jerry Maguire (if I had a chance to make a bigger budgeted film, this is the kind of film I'd want to make--incredible structure, and a fanastic mix of humor and drama)
It's a Wonderful Life (in my opinion, a perfect film. Incredible structure, fantastic message, and I love how dark it gets before the redemption)
Erin Brockovich/Traffic (Soderbergh's storytelling and editing style have inspired me more than any other--he doesn't follow standard rules, he just shows you what he wants you to see)
Magnolia (Dramatic without being cheesy--so many incredible moments.)
American films every aspiring filmmaker needs to see:
The Godfather, Citizen Kane, Pulp Fiction, Casablanca--For various reasons. Citizen Kane is the film every film textbook looks at, because it set the standard for last century's films, and it literally invented certain camera and lighting techniques. The Godfather introduced a new kind of film and hero; Pulp Fiction changed the film world and brought indie films mainstream; Casablanca is film school for its dialogue and pacing.
Books that can help those aspiring to be in the film industry:
"Behind the scenes" books on the industry (if you want to understand the culture of Hollywood and how its top people think): You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again, High Concept, Down and Dirty Pictures, Keys to the Kingdom, Hollywood Animal
"Educational" books, if you simply want tips on navigating through the industry or making a film: Adventures in the Screen Trade and Whose Lie Did I Tell?, Directors Close Up, Making Movies, Wannabe, Hello He Lied. The books by K Callan are great for people getting started.
Hope that helps answer a few common questions!
Dallas
Festivals
Published: April 6, 2007
Just got back from the Sedona Film Festival, which was nice. Festivals are a strange beast--at a place like Sundance, you're trying to sell your film and give yourself a chance to get an agent, a deal, or another opportunity. At a place like Sedona, it's solely about showing your film to a receptive audience. You're not going to make money from it, you're likely not going to get a deal from it, and there aren't really any "important" people there who are going to make or break your career. It's really the most art-driven aspect of the film business--your art being shown to an audience with nothing exchanged other than appreciation or dislike.
Ultimately, I need my film to be financially successful, or I can't make films again. But in the meantime, festivals like Sedona are a wonderful experience. The audiences seemed to respond well to the film, and when someone comes up to you after the film and tells you how much it meant to them, there's really no better feeling.
For any of you who are film students or just getting into filmmaking, I hope you get a chance to submit any films you make to a festival. Even if it's a 10 minute video, try to get it out there. It will not only be a valuable learning experience, it'll be one of the few times in your hopefully long career where money and commerce have nothing to do with the viewing experience.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Cussing
In the last week alone I've had two detailed email "debates" about the issue of cussing in movies. It's been fascinating. The first one came because my Dad and I got an email from a viewer of the film "Though None Go With Me," which she saw on DVD. She was horrified because at the beginning of the film, one of the characters (a doctor) says, "I brought him into this world, and I'll be damned if I let him suffer because he can't afford medical insurance." She believed that using the word "damned" was inappropriate, sinful, and offensive, and it compromised the Jerry Jenkins name.
I've also been discussing the issue with someone who's interested in helping raise money for "Mountain." In the script, there's a fair amount of cussing (no F-bombs or blasphemy, but a few other choice phrases) because the story is about a bunch of drinking, fighting mountain people in 1920's Virginia.
This issue has always puzzled me in the Christian community. My films aren't intended to be Christian films or made solely for the Christian market, but because my films do come from a Christian perspective and worldview and usually include some Christian characters or references, I have a relationship with the Christian market.
That said, I've always wondered why most Christians have no problem watching films that contain the sins of betrayal, murder, stealing, lying, or drunkenness, but they can't stand to see someone commit the "sin" of saying a bad word. I didn't mean for that sentence to sound condescending, but it does puzzle me. I think that faith-based films have a tendency to be so sugar-coated and sanitized that the ultimate redemption they try to portray is tempered. The message of Christianity is that God can redeem and save the dirtiest of souls, and that hope can be found in the midst of the most vulgar of circumstances. I don't believe that films should be titillating or present wrong behavior in a glorifying or endorsing way (not sure if I'm being grammatically correct right now, but bear with me), but I also believe that sanitizing it in order to be "safe," "clean," or "family friendly" really ignores an important aspect of the Christian message.
The Old Testament, for example, is full of disgusting, horrifying, and yes, vulgar stories. Several translations tell of people "pissing on a wall," "eating their own dung," or one man "spilling his seed on the ground." Of course, the Bible always portrays an overall message of good over evil, of hope and redemption triumphing over immorality.
Therefore, in the case of cussing in films, it seems odd that we would treat that sin as worse than others and as something to avoid at all costs.
But let me illustrate my point through a scene in my script for "Mountain," which is the true story of Bob Childress, a man who went from being the biggest fighter and hardest drinker in the 1920's mountains of Virginia to become a life-changing preacher. Here's a scene that takes place during the period of time when he's trying to be a better man:
OUTSIDE CHURCH
Bob talks with other members. A MAN approaches.
MAN
The Heller of the Hollow at a Presbyterian church! Childress, you got no right readin' from the Bible.
BOB
I'm tellin' yuh, I ain't the same man.
MAN
Like hell you ain't! Your cousin Jess, your whole damn family live by stealin' and fightin'!
BOB
You jus' watch yerself!
MAN
You a sinner your whole life.
BOB
I reckon I'm still a sinner...but I been saved.
MAN
I don't believe you changed a lick. God got no place for the likes a you.
Bob punches the man, knocking him out. Bob realizes what he's done.
BOB
Aw, hell!
He falls to his knees.
BOB
Lord, please forgive these damn fists.
(covers his mouth)
And this tongue.
BUGGY - NEARBY
Lelia and Maggie stare at Bob. Reverend Smith walks up.
REVEREND SMITH
The Lord changes some slower than he changes others.
Now what's the greater sin portrayed in the scene? The fact that he punched a man or that he swore? I would say that he punched a man. But either way, why would it be okay to show the punch but not hear him say a bad word? This is what has always confused me about certain people's reactions to movies. I think the scene is very poignant and a creative and efficient way to show on screen one man's transformation from the "old" to the "new," which is very difficult to do. Showing a spiritual transformation is about as hard to do on film as anything--it's easy to show someone losing weight, or someone getting smarter, or someone learning how to box, or a building turning more beautiful. And it's also easy to show the moment in which these ideas are formulated--"I need to lose weight because my fat is killing me," or "I need to train for this big event so I can win," or "This building is broken down and ugly and needs improvement."
But showing someone have a spiritual heart change is extraordinarily difficult, and most movies fail at it, which is why most Christian movies never break out of the church basement. The reason is that it's so hard to show, in a short amount of time, someone's NEED for God, and then to show how their relationship with God has changed them. Do they smile more? Do more good things for others? How does their life improve? What if their circumstances don't improve (which is realistic in real life, but is rarely, if ever, shown in faith-based films)?
So how do we effectively and efficiently, in the course of 2 hour movie, show a heart change? Even more difficult, and in our case, how do we show it in the span of the first 40 minutes of the movie so that we can get on to the ministry part of Bob's life? And on that same train of thought, how do we show the transformation of the whole region? Especially when we don't have the benefit of a book format, where you can discuss people's thoughts and motivations without having to show them.
I suppose, if we really wanted the film to be as clean as possible, we could use narration, or we could have characters say things like, "I used to cuss, but I don't anymore." But I believe that would make for a static and sanitized movie. And what it would gain in appealing to church families it would lose in being unrelatable or dynamic to someone who isn't a Christian but was interested in the film.
In my opinion, a great way to show the spiritual transformation of Bob Childress, and subsequently the region, is to use the tools we have as artists--words and actions. In the scene above, in one page, we have efficiently and dramatically shown what is going on inside of Bob's heart, without being cheesy or overly simple. By using rough actions and rough words in the first part of the film, and then showing a lack of those actions and those words in the latter part of the film, we are showing victory. And I confess I wouldn't see the point in sanitizing those words to protect our ears as we watch the film, anymore than I would see the point in sanitizing the actions to protect our eyes. The "F-word," or the Lord's name in vain, would probably be pushing the envelope unnecessarily, because those words are considered so strong and inflammatory in our culture that they can be a distraction. Not that I would be adverse to using the "f-word" in a film if it had a strong and specific purpose, but usually, it's just window dressing.
Anyway, thsoe are some of my recent thoughts on this interestingly controversial topic. FYI, I do believe that there are some movies that can and should do without cussing, especially if they're marketed to families. And I also recognize that certain people go to films for different reasons, and sometimes they don't want to smell the dirty sewer of life, they just want some clean entertainment. That's totally fine. I've been part of movies that fit that description, especially Though None Go With Me (the word "damned" excluded). It's just not the type of film I'll usually make.
Cussing and funding...
Published: February 17, 2007
Have had some interesting financing opportunities for "Mountain" come up recently. At least five different producers or investor representatives have some level of interest in Mountain, and the film could end up being shot anywhere from California to Canada to Virginia. My ultimate preference would be to shoot in Virginia, where the story took place, because that would obviously be the easiest place to match the settings of the story.
When considering where to shoot a film, there are several factors to think about. You're trying to find the perfect balance between cost and authenticity. You want to be true to the story, but obvioulsy, if you're doing a movie set in space, you can't shoot on location. On a smaller scale, the same holds true for movies that take place in different countries or time periods. For instance, Cold Mountain took place in the American South in the 1800's, but the best place to shoot was Romania because of cost and efficiency.
The factors include:
1. Cast and crew base. Your crew will consist of several dozen people, and they'll be working nonstop for at least four weeks on indie movies, several months on bigger films. Best case scenario is to have a great crew available locally so you don't have to pay for hotels. If a great crew isn't available, you have to put them in hotels, give them "per diems" (cash for daily needs), etc. Same thing with actors--it's assumed that you'll pay to put a few of your lead actors in a hotel unless you're shooting in Los Angeles, but you don't want to have to put up all your supporting actors and featured extras. So ultimately, you want to find a location that has a good actor and crew base in the area.
2. Location costs. It costs money to rent an office, shut down a street, or close down a restaurant to shoot there. In Los Angeles, people are film-experienced enough to charge good money. However, if you shoot in certain towns around the country that haven't had a lot of films there, they often WANT you to shoot there, so they'll bend over backwards. On Hometown Legend, we paid a total of a few hundred bucks for all our locations in the film, which is unheard of. But the local area in Alabama wanted us there, knew we were adding economic value to the town, and were excited to host a real film. In exchange, we cleaned up our messes and even fixed a few town lights out of appreciation.
3. Authenticity. Obviously, you need places that look like the setting of your story. For Mountain, the story takes place in the 1920's in mountains of Virginia, so if we can get good deals on points 1 and 2, it would be ideal to shoot there.
4. Tax incentives. A lot of states (and countries, as Canada has shown) are offering tax breaks and incentives to shoot there. They recognize that by hiring their citizens and buying hotel rooms, food, equipment, etc., you are bringing value to the area. So they'll oftentimes give you significant tax breaks on everything you spend in the state. States like New Mexico, North Carolina, and Missouri are offering up to 30%, which is significant.
Anyhoo, that's my little film lesson for the day. Enjoy.
Dallas
I've also been discussing the issue with someone who's interested in helping raise money for "Mountain." In the script, there's a fair amount of cussing (no F-bombs or blasphemy, but a few other choice phrases) because the story is about a bunch of drinking, fighting mountain people in 1920's Virginia.
This issue has always puzzled me in the Christian community. My films aren't intended to be Christian films or made solely for the Christian market, but because my films do come from a Christian perspective and worldview and usually include some Christian characters or references, I have a relationship with the Christian market.
That said, I've always wondered why most Christians have no problem watching films that contain the sins of betrayal, murder, stealing, lying, or drunkenness, but they can't stand to see someone commit the "sin" of saying a bad word. I didn't mean for that sentence to sound condescending, but it does puzzle me. I think that faith-based films have a tendency to be so sugar-coated and sanitized that the ultimate redemption they try to portray is tempered. The message of Christianity is that God can redeem and save the dirtiest of souls, and that hope can be found in the midst of the most vulgar of circumstances. I don't believe that films should be titillating or present wrong behavior in a glorifying or endorsing way (not sure if I'm being grammatically correct right now, but bear with me), but I also believe that sanitizing it in order to be "safe," "clean," or "family friendly" really ignores an important aspect of the Christian message.
The Old Testament, for example, is full of disgusting, horrifying, and yes, vulgar stories. Several translations tell of people "pissing on a wall," "eating their own dung," or one man "spilling his seed on the ground." Of course, the Bible always portrays an overall message of good over evil, of hope and redemption triumphing over immorality.
Therefore, in the case of cussing in films, it seems odd that we would treat that sin as worse than others and as something to avoid at all costs.
But let me illustrate my point through a scene in my script for "Mountain," which is the true story of Bob Childress, a man who went from being the biggest fighter and hardest drinker in the 1920's mountains of Virginia to become a life-changing preacher. Here's a scene that takes place during the period of time when he's trying to be a better man:
OUTSIDE CHURCH
Bob talks with other members. A MAN approaches.
MAN
The Heller of the Hollow at a Presbyterian church! Childress, you got no right readin' from the Bible.
BOB
I'm tellin' yuh, I ain't the same man.
MAN
Like hell you ain't! Your cousin Jess, your whole damn family live by stealin' and fightin'!
BOB
You jus' watch yerself!
MAN
You a sinner your whole life.
BOB
I reckon I'm still a sinner...but I been saved.
MAN
I don't believe you changed a lick. God got no place for the likes a you.
Bob punches the man, knocking him out. Bob realizes what he's done.
BOB
Aw, hell!
He falls to his knees.
BOB
Lord, please forgive these damn fists.
(covers his mouth)
And this tongue.
BUGGY - NEARBY
Lelia and Maggie stare at Bob. Reverend Smith walks up.
REVEREND SMITH
The Lord changes some slower than he changes others.
Now what's the greater sin portrayed in the scene? The fact that he punched a man or that he swore? I would say that he punched a man. But either way, why would it be okay to show the punch but not hear him say a bad word? This is what has always confused me about certain people's reactions to movies. I think the scene is very poignant and a creative and efficient way to show on screen one man's transformation from the "old" to the "new," which is very difficult to do. Showing a spiritual transformation is about as hard to do on film as anything--it's easy to show someone losing weight, or someone getting smarter, or someone learning how to box, or a building turning more beautiful. And it's also easy to show the moment in which these ideas are formulated--"I need to lose weight because my fat is killing me," or "I need to train for this big event so I can win," or "This building is broken down and ugly and needs improvement."
But showing someone have a spiritual heart change is extraordinarily difficult, and most movies fail at it, which is why most Christian movies never break out of the church basement. The reason is that it's so hard to show, in a short amount of time, someone's NEED for God, and then to show how their relationship with God has changed them. Do they smile more? Do more good things for others? How does their life improve? What if their circumstances don't improve (which is realistic in real life, but is rarely, if ever, shown in faith-based films)?
So how do we effectively and efficiently, in the course of 2 hour movie, show a heart change? Even more difficult, and in our case, how do we show it in the span of the first 40 minutes of the movie so that we can get on to the ministry part of Bob's life? And on that same train of thought, how do we show the transformation of the whole region? Especially when we don't have the benefit of a book format, where you can discuss people's thoughts and motivations without having to show them.
I suppose, if we really wanted the film to be as clean as possible, we could use narration, or we could have characters say things like, "I used to cuss, but I don't anymore." But I believe that would make for a static and sanitized movie. And what it would gain in appealing to church families it would lose in being unrelatable or dynamic to someone who isn't a Christian but was interested in the film.
In my opinion, a great way to show the spiritual transformation of Bob Childress, and subsequently the region, is to use the tools we have as artists--words and actions. In the scene above, in one page, we have efficiently and dramatically shown what is going on inside of Bob's heart, without being cheesy or overly simple. By using rough actions and rough words in the first part of the film, and then showing a lack of those actions and those words in the latter part of the film, we are showing victory. And I confess I wouldn't see the point in sanitizing those words to protect our ears as we watch the film, anymore than I would see the point in sanitizing the actions to protect our eyes. The "F-word," or the Lord's name in vain, would probably be pushing the envelope unnecessarily, because those words are considered so strong and inflammatory in our culture that they can be a distraction. Not that I would be adverse to using the "f-word" in a film if it had a strong and specific purpose, but usually, it's just window dressing.
Anyway, thsoe are some of my recent thoughts on this interestingly controversial topic. FYI, I do believe that there are some movies that can and should do without cussing, especially if they're marketed to families. And I also recognize that certain people go to films for different reasons, and sometimes they don't want to smell the dirty sewer of life, they just want some clean entertainment. That's totally fine. I've been part of movies that fit that description, especially Though None Go With Me (the word "damned" excluded). It's just not the type of film I'll usually make.
Cussing and funding...
Published: February 17, 2007
Have had some interesting financing opportunities for "Mountain" come up recently. At least five different producers or investor representatives have some level of interest in Mountain, and the film could end up being shot anywhere from California to Canada to Virginia. My ultimate preference would be to shoot in Virginia, where the story took place, because that would obviously be the easiest place to match the settings of the story.
When considering where to shoot a film, there are several factors to think about. You're trying to find the perfect balance between cost and authenticity. You want to be true to the story, but obvioulsy, if you're doing a movie set in space, you can't shoot on location. On a smaller scale, the same holds true for movies that take place in different countries or time periods. For instance, Cold Mountain took place in the American South in the 1800's, but the best place to shoot was Romania because of cost and efficiency.
The factors include:
1. Cast and crew base. Your crew will consist of several dozen people, and they'll be working nonstop for at least four weeks on indie movies, several months on bigger films. Best case scenario is to have a great crew available locally so you don't have to pay for hotels. If a great crew isn't available, you have to put them in hotels, give them "per diems" (cash for daily needs), etc. Same thing with actors--it's assumed that you'll pay to put a few of your lead actors in a hotel unless you're shooting in Los Angeles, but you don't want to have to put up all your supporting actors and featured extras. So ultimately, you want to find a location that has a good actor and crew base in the area.
2. Location costs. It costs money to rent an office, shut down a street, or close down a restaurant to shoot there. In Los Angeles, people are film-experienced enough to charge good money. However, if you shoot in certain towns around the country that haven't had a lot of films there, they often WANT you to shoot there, so they'll bend over backwards. On Hometown Legend, we paid a total of a few hundred bucks for all our locations in the film, which is unheard of. But the local area in Alabama wanted us there, knew we were adding economic value to the town, and were excited to host a real film. In exchange, we cleaned up our messes and even fixed a few town lights out of appreciation.
3. Authenticity. Obviously, you need places that look like the setting of your story. For Mountain, the story takes place in the 1920's in mountains of Virginia, so if we can get good deals on points 1 and 2, it would be ideal to shoot there.
4. Tax incentives. A lot of states (and countries, as Canada has shown) are offering tax breaks and incentives to shoot there. They recognize that by hiring their citizens and buying hotel rooms, food, equipment, etc., you are bringing value to the area. So they'll oftentimes give you significant tax breaks on everything you spend in the state. States like New Mexico, North Carolina, and Missouri are offering up to 30%, which is significant.
Anyhoo, that's my little film lesson for the day. Enjoy.
Dallas
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Midnight Clear book
My Dad and I have been working on a possible book deal for Midnight Clear. It would be a novel, based on the screenplay, but we would make it more than a traditional novelization. Most novelizations are just re-tellings of the movie, but we'd want it to be a little more than that. We're currently in discussions with a couple of publishers who are very interested. Hopefully, we'll have a deal to announce soon.
In the meantime, I thought I'd provide the first chapter here. We wrote it as a sample for the publishers, and the response was very positive. Thought you'd enjoy it:
ONE December 24th, 8:15 a.m.
Lefty
Why is it a guy seems to drool in his sleep only when someone might see it? Nestled in your proper place at the proper time, the pillow stays dry. Otherwise, you might need a bib.
Lefty Boyle was not in his proper place at the proper time. His rusted '76 Caprice sat half a football field from the other cars at the factory, and he was in it - head back, mouth open, and yes, drooling.
A loud knock on the window interrupted the Hallmark portrait.
"You alive in there?"
Kamal, the janitor who'd served as Lefty's wakeup three days running, opened the door.
Lefty stirred. 'Yeah."
"You're fifteen minutes late. Dale's looking for you, and he's more ticked than usual."
Back to sleep.
"You hear what I said?" Kamal said, turning away.
"Yeah, I'm comin'. And thanks for makin' me late!"
Kamal whirled. "Oh gee, I'm sorry! My boss, who pays me, wanted me to do something. Next time I'll tell him I work for Lefty."
Lefty grabbed his mangled toothbrush from the visor and stumbled out. Two minutes later, in the nasty factory bathroom, he brushed his teeth and smoothed his greasy hair. He turned his mustard stained shirt inside out, then spotted his boss behind him in the mirror.
"Hey, Princess," Dale said. "When you’re done putting on your makeup, get your royal behind in my office." The door slammed behind him.
Merry Christmas.
Kirk
The call had awakened him at 6:30. Kirk found it hard to believe that his 17-year-old employee had magically fallen sick the day before Christmas, but he was impressed the kid got up that early to tell him. If only he was as committed to his work...
Kirk wheeled into Mr. K's Quick Stop in his usual spot - off to the side, amidst loose gravel and tall weeds, close to the woods. He glanced up at the rusted sign. Grief, what a cheesy name.
He unlocked the door and two padlocks and stepped inside. His place. Four rows of "convenient" items (healthy food is inconvenient, apparently) in front of a wall of beverages and frozen food. The side wall bore random fishing items and included a tiny greasy eating area no longer open for business. Large banners hung from the ceiling depicting beer and cigarettes being consumed by people who looked nothing like his customers.
For most gas stations of this ilk, opening meant turning on the pumps, the cash register, and the food machines. But try as he might, Kirk couldn't break the routine started when he first bought the place and actually gave a rip: Toilet scrubbed. Garbage emptied. Soap dispenser, paper towel and napkin dispensers filled, merchandise organized. And, of course, gourmet coffee brewed. He couldn't do the instant stuff. Just couldn't.
For the local trailer park families, shirtless smokers, meth addicts, fishermen, and long distance travelers, Mr. K's Quick Stop was ready.
Sorry, We're Closed became Yes, We're Open!
Merry Christmas.
Eva
Today was the day. Or, better said, tonight would be the night. When you want your death to cause no complications for anyone, it's best to prepare.
Eva lugged the cat food bag out to her driveway, and leaning against the house, bent and filled the bowl. The sound brought Scrappy, the neighborhood stray, and as he dug in, Eva emptied the rest onto the concrete. Scrappy would need enough to last for however long it took for anyone to discover Eva's body.
Merry Christmas.
Mary
Mary pulled into the drop-off spot at the elementary school a bit too fast. Raising him on her own for the last year, her morning routine with Jacob was always rushed. At six years old, he had no problem getting up at 6:45 every morning. But she did. She would turn on the Disney Channel for him, go back to bed for half an hour, then slam through the morning to get him to school by 8:15 and herself to work by 8:30. It helped that she didn't need to look flawless, and that she and Jacob were both fine with Nutri-Grain bars in the mini-van as their breakfast of champions.
Jacob's too-cute teacher wearing a too-cute Santa hat, bounced out to greet them.
"Hey Jacob!" Megan said. "How ya' doin', buddy?"
Jacob smiled and waved, unbuckling his seat.
Megan's smile vanished and she cocked her head.
Here it comes.
"Hey, Mary. You doing okay?"
"I’m fine. You?"
Whispered now. "Seriously. You doin' all right?"
Mary paused. Megan wasn't going to let her off the hook, especially today.
"As well as can be expected. Seriously."
Thankfully, Jacob struggled with the door, and Megan rushed to let him out. As he ran off, Mary called out, "Love you, Jacob, be good!"
Without turning or slowing, he hollered, "Love you!"
Mary turned back to Megan. "His juice box is in his backpack. He'll try to tell you I forgot to give him - "
"Got it." Megan smiled, knowingly, then looked puzzled, peering in at Mary. "Hey, you know those seats are adjustable."
Mary had been riding low in the seat, reaching for the wheel, for a year and had gotten used to it.
"Oh. Yeah. Well, this is the way Rick liked it, though. I just…you know…"
Megan backed off. "Yeah. Okay. See you at three?"
Finally. "See you at three."
Today was December 24th. That conversation would not be the last of its kind, Mary was sure of that. People are just trying to be nice, she reminded herself.
Merry Christmas.
Mitch
Mitch exchanged his car for the 15-passenger van in the church parking lot. The van needed gas for a dozen small trips all afternoon and evening. This jaunt to the gas station would mark the only time he would be in it without a load of loud teenagers.
It was going to be a miserable day, plain and simple. In six hours, it would get really miserable, when he had to take his youth group kids caroling. But this was also the one year anniversary of the accident.
A year before, Mitch's car had been in the shop, so Rick, his best friend and one of the youth leaders, was giving him a ride home from the church youth party. The drunk driver never slowed as he raced through the intersection and rammed the driver's side of Rick's car. Mitch suffered cracked ribs and a separated shoulder when Rick's body drove him into the passenger door. Mitch needed a sling and bandages. Rick needed epic, emergency care, and was still institutionalized.
Everything changed that night. Everything. Rick wasn't really Rick. Mitch felt so awkward around him. On the rare days Rick was settled enough to have a moderately coherent conversation, they had nothing to talk about. Most days Rick was like a two-year-old, everything included - tantrums, diapers, you name it. Mitch hadn't visited him for weeks; it was too hard, and the visits didn’t seem to do much for Rick anyway.
Now, as Mitch passed through the same intersection, he got that same chill and couldn't keep from looking both ways repeatedly. He'd passed through it hundreds of times in the past year, but it was always the same. It made him feel weak.
He would have remembered the anniversary of the accident anyway, but that it was Christmas Eve drilled it. Eventually, Christmas Eves might feel normal again. But so far, this one wasn't looking good.
Merry Christmas.
Namesake movie
Published: January 9, 2007
I got my start in this business working for Namesake Entertainment out of Louisville. I worked there for over three years, right out of college, as they had optioned the rights to the Left Behind series. My time there was an invaluable learning experience.
This past weekend, their third feature film was released by Fox Faith. The fact that they've gotten so many films produced and released in the last few years is astounding, but this release brings up what is still frustrating about the "Christian film market." Fox Faith opened "Three" on 450 screens, and it grossed about $700,000, which is a pretty bad opening. Plus, the reviews were painful.
It seems as if studios like Fox are starting these "Christian" divisions and hoping the market shows up, but they're doing nothing to really massage or develop it. They assume the Christian market will support a film solely because of "the cause," as if the quality of the film or a normal marketing campaign are irrelevant.
I think the key for faith-based films to succeed in the long run is for them to be treated like normal films, with the Christian market used as a support and safety net. Think of films like Narnia or Walk to Remember. They were released as normal films, with either big name stars or big-time attention to quality. Then, the studios pursued the Christian audience directly to emphasize that this film was something they could trust. But before then, the audience had to believe that the film was something they could LIKE.
Three will probably end up being a moderate success for Fox on a financial scale. They'll hit a solid single. And I believe that Namesake is passionate about making successful and good films, and I hope that each one gets better. But I think the possibility of hitting a home run is there, if the studios would concentrate first on making great films before they focus solely on making sure it panders to Christians.
In the meantime, I thought I'd provide the first chapter here. We wrote it as a sample for the publishers, and the response was very positive. Thought you'd enjoy it:
ONE December 24th, 8:15 a.m.
Lefty
Why is it a guy seems to drool in his sleep only when someone might see it? Nestled in your proper place at the proper time, the pillow stays dry. Otherwise, you might need a bib.
Lefty Boyle was not in his proper place at the proper time. His rusted '76 Caprice sat half a football field from the other cars at the factory, and he was in it - head back, mouth open, and yes, drooling.
A loud knock on the window interrupted the Hallmark portrait.
"You alive in there?"
Kamal, the janitor who'd served as Lefty's wakeup three days running, opened the door.
Lefty stirred. 'Yeah."
"You're fifteen minutes late. Dale's looking for you, and he's more ticked than usual."
Back to sleep.
"You hear what I said?" Kamal said, turning away.
"Yeah, I'm comin'. And thanks for makin' me late!"
Kamal whirled. "Oh gee, I'm sorry! My boss, who pays me, wanted me to do something. Next time I'll tell him I work for Lefty."
Lefty grabbed his mangled toothbrush from the visor and stumbled out. Two minutes later, in the nasty factory bathroom, he brushed his teeth and smoothed his greasy hair. He turned his mustard stained shirt inside out, then spotted his boss behind him in the mirror.
"Hey, Princess," Dale said. "When you’re done putting on your makeup, get your royal behind in my office." The door slammed behind him.
Merry Christmas.
Kirk
The call had awakened him at 6:30. Kirk found it hard to believe that his 17-year-old employee had magically fallen sick the day before Christmas, but he was impressed the kid got up that early to tell him. If only he was as committed to his work...
Kirk wheeled into Mr. K's Quick Stop in his usual spot - off to the side, amidst loose gravel and tall weeds, close to the woods. He glanced up at the rusted sign. Grief, what a cheesy name.
He unlocked the door and two padlocks and stepped inside. His place. Four rows of "convenient" items (healthy food is inconvenient, apparently) in front of a wall of beverages and frozen food. The side wall bore random fishing items and included a tiny greasy eating area no longer open for business. Large banners hung from the ceiling depicting beer and cigarettes being consumed by people who looked nothing like his customers.
For most gas stations of this ilk, opening meant turning on the pumps, the cash register, and the food machines. But try as he might, Kirk couldn't break the routine started when he first bought the place and actually gave a rip: Toilet scrubbed. Garbage emptied. Soap dispenser, paper towel and napkin dispensers filled, merchandise organized. And, of course, gourmet coffee brewed. He couldn't do the instant stuff. Just couldn't.
For the local trailer park families, shirtless smokers, meth addicts, fishermen, and long distance travelers, Mr. K's Quick Stop was ready.
Sorry, We're Closed became Yes, We're Open!
Merry Christmas.
Eva
Today was the day. Or, better said, tonight would be the night. When you want your death to cause no complications for anyone, it's best to prepare.
Eva lugged the cat food bag out to her driveway, and leaning against the house, bent and filled the bowl. The sound brought Scrappy, the neighborhood stray, and as he dug in, Eva emptied the rest onto the concrete. Scrappy would need enough to last for however long it took for anyone to discover Eva's body.
Merry Christmas.
Mary
Mary pulled into the drop-off spot at the elementary school a bit too fast. Raising him on her own for the last year, her morning routine with Jacob was always rushed. At six years old, he had no problem getting up at 6:45 every morning. But she did. She would turn on the Disney Channel for him, go back to bed for half an hour, then slam through the morning to get him to school by 8:15 and herself to work by 8:30. It helped that she didn't need to look flawless, and that she and Jacob were both fine with Nutri-Grain bars in the mini-van as their breakfast of champions.
Jacob's too-cute teacher wearing a too-cute Santa hat, bounced out to greet them.
"Hey Jacob!" Megan said. "How ya' doin', buddy?"
Jacob smiled and waved, unbuckling his seat.
Megan's smile vanished and she cocked her head.
Here it comes.
"Hey, Mary. You doing okay?"
"I’m fine. You?"
Whispered now. "Seriously. You doin' all right?"
Mary paused. Megan wasn't going to let her off the hook, especially today.
"As well as can be expected. Seriously."
Thankfully, Jacob struggled with the door, and Megan rushed to let him out. As he ran off, Mary called out, "Love you, Jacob, be good!"
Without turning or slowing, he hollered, "Love you!"
Mary turned back to Megan. "His juice box is in his backpack. He'll try to tell you I forgot to give him - "
"Got it." Megan smiled, knowingly, then looked puzzled, peering in at Mary. "Hey, you know those seats are adjustable."
Mary had been riding low in the seat, reaching for the wheel, for a year and had gotten used to it.
"Oh. Yeah. Well, this is the way Rick liked it, though. I just…you know…"
Megan backed off. "Yeah. Okay. See you at three?"
Finally. "See you at three."
Today was December 24th. That conversation would not be the last of its kind, Mary was sure of that. People are just trying to be nice, she reminded herself.
Merry Christmas.
Mitch
Mitch exchanged his car for the 15-passenger van in the church parking lot. The van needed gas for a dozen small trips all afternoon and evening. This jaunt to the gas station would mark the only time he would be in it without a load of loud teenagers.
It was going to be a miserable day, plain and simple. In six hours, it would get really miserable, when he had to take his youth group kids caroling. But this was also the one year anniversary of the accident.
A year before, Mitch's car had been in the shop, so Rick, his best friend and one of the youth leaders, was giving him a ride home from the church youth party. The drunk driver never slowed as he raced through the intersection and rammed the driver's side of Rick's car. Mitch suffered cracked ribs and a separated shoulder when Rick's body drove him into the passenger door. Mitch needed a sling and bandages. Rick needed epic, emergency care, and was still institutionalized.
Everything changed that night. Everything. Rick wasn't really Rick. Mitch felt so awkward around him. On the rare days Rick was settled enough to have a moderately coherent conversation, they had nothing to talk about. Most days Rick was like a two-year-old, everything included - tantrums, diapers, you name it. Mitch hadn't visited him for weeks; it was too hard, and the visits didn’t seem to do much for Rick anyway.
Now, as Mitch passed through the same intersection, he got that same chill and couldn't keep from looking both ways repeatedly. He'd passed through it hundreds of times in the past year, but it was always the same. It made him feel weak.
He would have remembered the anniversary of the accident anyway, but that it was Christmas Eve drilled it. Eventually, Christmas Eves might feel normal again. But so far, this one wasn't looking good.
Merry Christmas.
Namesake movie
Published: January 9, 2007
I got my start in this business working for Namesake Entertainment out of Louisville. I worked there for over three years, right out of college, as they had optioned the rights to the Left Behind series. My time there was an invaluable learning experience.
This past weekend, their third feature film was released by Fox Faith. The fact that they've gotten so many films produced and released in the last few years is astounding, but this release brings up what is still frustrating about the "Christian film market." Fox Faith opened "Three" on 450 screens, and it grossed about $700,000, which is a pretty bad opening. Plus, the reviews were painful.
It seems as if studios like Fox are starting these "Christian" divisions and hoping the market shows up, but they're doing nothing to really massage or develop it. They assume the Christian market will support a film solely because of "the cause," as if the quality of the film or a normal marketing campaign are irrelevant.
I think the key for faith-based films to succeed in the long run is for them to be treated like normal films, with the Christian market used as a support and safety net. Think of films like Narnia or Walk to Remember. They were released as normal films, with either big name stars or big-time attention to quality. Then, the studios pursued the Christian audience directly to emphasize that this film was something they could trust. But before then, the audience had to believe that the film was something they could LIKE.
Three will probably end up being a moderate success for Fox on a financial scale. They'll hit a solid single. And I believe that Namesake is passionate about making successful and good films, and I hope that each one gets better. But I think the possibility of hitting a home run is there, if the studios would concentrate first on making great films before they focus solely on making sure it panders to Christians.
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