The money and legal stuff is taking awhile, as it always does, so there's not much to report. In the meantime, I continue to watch movies, read books, and now I'm starting to look at paintings. Some of the movies I just saw include Nashville (I appreciate Altman but don't "get" him--too emotionally detached), 400 Blows (loved it--what a devastating film), Witness (BEAUTIFUL), and I'm about to watch "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." Both 400 Blows and Witness had great composition in the shots, something I'm really working on.
I continue to read MacKendrick's "On Directing," which is deep and difficult but helpful.
I'm already having some conversations with my production designer Jim and DP Randall. They both agree wholeheartedly with my ideas about shooting the first chunk of the film in a raw, desaturated way, with the latter part of the film more composed and colorful.
Really hope we get this money stuff taken care of ASAP, I'm eager to get going.
A Perfect Film
Published: February 12, 2008
Just read this from Roger Ebert:
"Now what do I mean when I say a film is perfect? I described Atman's "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" as perfect, that's what I mean. A perfect film is serious or funny or anything in between, but in its way it owns wisdom about life, and we learn something from it. Our attention is fully engaged by it. If we are movie critics, our notebooks rest forgotten in our hands. It is cast so well that the roles fit the actors like a second skin. It has dialogue that functions to accomplish what is needed, and nothing more; it can be poetry, prose, argument or bull----t, but we believe the characters would say it. There is not an extra or a wrong shot. The compositions make everything clear but not obvious, and they work on an emotional level even if we're not aware of it. And when it's over we know we've seen one hell of a film."
I'm going to post this wherever I can to remind me of what I'm shooting for.
Script, locations, movies, books
Published: February 6 2008
I think we're pretty much done with the script. I can't think of any more things I need to do to it; or, at least, I can't think of anything I CAN do to fix any of its needs. At some point you get to close to it and don't know what works and what doesn't. I feel like I've addressed most of the problems that my friends and advisors have pointed out, so I'm feeling pretty good. Right now the script comes in at 111 pages, which I think is too long. Page count is usually equal to minute-count. If the movie came in at exactly 111 minutes, that wouldn't be awful, but I'd prefer to get it down to 100. Just not sure how to do that at this point.
I had a good talk with a production studio in Georgia that might end up being our shooting location. Nothing has come from Virginia, and with the money we'll save shooting at one location, along with the fact that Georgia offers a 10% or so tax rebate (meaning you get 10% of all the money you spend in Georgia returned to you at the end of shooting), I'm leaning in that direction. I should be flying out there to check it out in a month or so.
Just watched "Badlands" for the first time, the Terence Malick film with Marty Sheen (I can call him Marty because I'm in the biz) and Sissy Spacek, made back in the 70's. I'm trying to watch as many great films as I can, of course, but I'm concentrating on films that have a lot of exterior locations, made by directors known for the visual brilliance. The film really was gorgeous. As I've said, I plan on shooting the first half of the film, when things are rough and raw, with a loose, rougher style, and the second half of the film more composed and pretty. I already do loose pretty well (although I'll get better), but I'm not as great at the composed, pretty stuff. It's not my tendency, but it sometimes needs to be. After watching some Wim Wenders, Kurosawa, and Terence Malick films, I feel like I'm getting better versed on the subject.
Finishing up "Our Southern Highlanders," which will help me understand the setting better, and then I'll read "On Filmmaking," by Alexander MacKendrick, which will help me shoot said setting. Hopefully.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Research
Still working through the deal with these guys for financing of Mountain. Nothing indicates the money isn't real, but we have to figure out all the particulars of how it's going to be distributed, who's in charge of what, etc. The least interesting and most frustrating part of making a movie by far.
In the meantime, I finetune the script and prepare for making the film. I'm currently reading the book "Our Southern Highlanders," a book about the Appalachians written in the 1920's. I remember when I made Hometown Legend, I read a book called "Friday Night Lights" (which inspired the best show on TV) while we were already in pre-production. A regret of mine on that film is that I didn't read that book sooner. I underestimated how valuable "color" is to a film, the little facts and figures and characterizations that go into creating a world that people want to see. If you as a filmmaker become an expert about the topic that you're telling a story about, then all the "color" that you understand will make its way into the film and add authenticity. For instance, you can tell when watching a sports film if the director didn't understand the sport.
I'm making a film about the Appalachian mountains in the 1920's, so I want to know as much as I can. And in reading this book, I've already read a few things that I've added into the film, whether it's an interesting anecdote, a description of a cabin or a custom that the people performed. These things can provide cool background to the main story, and as a director, understanding these things will allow me to better supervise the production design, accents, even the accuracy of the dialogue. If I read something in a book that makes me think, "Oh, cool! Very interesting! That's something I didn't know, and now that I know it, I'm a better human for it!" two things will result--one, I'll wonder why I started talking like a moron, and two, the audience will probably have a similar reaction when I portray it on screen.
Contracts
Published: Januray 21, 2008
So now we get to the contracts stage. I like the money guys and producers who have approached us on Mountain, they like me, and now we exchange deals. To be frank, I suck at this. I tend to want everyone to be happy, I don't like fighting for my stuff, I always assume we'll piss off the other side. My lawyer is the opposite--he doesn't want to give anything up, he thinks I deserve everything, etc. I suppose that's good. So we end up somewhere in the middle.
We still haven't made too much progress on the location thing, although I'm talking to a Georgia production facility tomorrow. I'm guessing that's our most likely location if we don't end up shooting in Virginia. Man, I want to shoot in Virginia, the actual setting of the story, so bad. Doesn't look like it's going to happen, though.
Still finetuning the script. Trying to get it as tight as possible. We've decided to alter history a bit and put Bob in attendance at the famous courtroom massacre. In 1912, there was a massacre after a man was found guilty in a courthouse--his family shot the judge, a jury member, the sheriff, etc. It had a huge impact on the community, and the subsequent national media attention really affected Bob (main character) because it caused him to realize that the rest of the country didn't live in the ignorant and dangerous way the mountaineers did. We've decided to actually put him in the courthouse to witness the massacre, which cinematically will personalize it more and send Bob quicker on his journey towards change.
Mountain journal
Published: January 8, 2008
I'm going to start journaling more frequently here as we start the new year with the development and hopeful production of "Mountain," my passion project. I'll try to do this once a week, and perhaps you can get a glimpse into the process of how a movie gets made.
Today, Monday, Jenkins Entertainment officially secured our side of the financing. I won't give details, but we put a chunk of money into an account, combining investments from a few different people including our company. There is a financing group that loves our project and has verbally committed to bankrolling the picture assuming that they can verify our funds. Today was that verification. So now they get their stuff together to put up the rest of the money and greenlight the movie. Of course, we have to agree on all the terms and the contracts and all that, and that will likely take some time, but we're moving along.
Ironically, there's another company that is showing the same interest. I met with these guys a couple months ago, and they said they were in, but they didn't get back to me with anything official. The group from the above paragraph came in out of the blue, so I hit the ground running with them. After all these years of frustration with this project, it's bizarre that I might actually get to a place where I'm turning money down.
Here's how this current group came about, it's quite a story. A producer from Texas named David Chandler, who's been trying to get some projects set up out here for years, has always loved Mountain. We became buddies through our discussions about each other's projects, and he's always tried to get Mountain in the hands of various people, but nothing has come of it. We don't have a deal or anything, he's just been doing what he can on the side. Anyhoo, a couple months ago his aunt was in a small town in Georgia and struck up a conversation with a stranger, who told her about all the developments that were taking place in this town. For some reason, she mentioned a movie studio and gave David's aunt a brochure. David's aunt then passed it on to David, who decided to contact this production facility for the heck of it.
He cold-called them and said basically, "I know you guys are a production facility and aren't investors, but I've got a cool project that should be shot in the south, and I'm wondering if you know of any money guys who are shooting some films at your place." The guy gave David contact info for some guys, David got ahold of them, sent them the script, and wala (how do you spell that?)--they loved it, one of the producers grew up near where the story took place and had heard of Bob Childress (the man on which the story is based), and they wanted to make it. Unless these guys are liars or stupid, neither of which appears to be the case, they've got the money and are on board. All they needed was proof from us that we can guarantee some funds as well, which we did today.
Funny how God works, assuming He cares about my career and the movie business and actually has a hand in all this. Of course, I know He cares about my career, but sometimes I think we think He's devoting more time to our vain pursuits than he actually is. Either way, I'll take it and give Him credit for anything good that happens.
So right now I'm preparing to make this movie assuming everything gets in order. I need to get the script in great shape before it's sent to actors, so I'm doing some last minute minor adjustments and clean up.
One common note I'm getting from a few people is that there's a problem in the first act. This story is about a man who goes from being the hardest drinker and biggest fighter in his mountain region to a preacher who civilizes it. The thrust of the story is in the change he brings to the people in this depressed, backwards, deep mountain region, but we also need to take some time to show how he transformed. Not an easy task, because we have to do it in 20-25 pages so we get to the meat of the story quick enough.
Our trick is to try to show what would lead him to be desperate to make such a big change in his life. That's easy to talk about--"he was sad, depressed, felt like his life wasn't going anywhere, and actually contemplated suicide"--but not easy to portray on screen. We've got plenty of moments and incidents in the script that cause Bob to be frustrated and angry about how insane and violent the mountain region is, but we need moments of inner turmoil for Bob as well; private moments that show how dark and down he is. So that's what I'm working on right now, just moving a few things around, making slight tweaks, trying to spotlight those moments.
The good news is the majority of people really like the script a lot. The bad news is that those who don't love it make some decent points. It's always easier when someone doesn't like something you've done but they can't give good reasons why. That said, I think it's more important to seek out people who disagree with you or don't like something you're creating than to surround yourself with unconditionally supportive people. I'd rather hear bad things now, while I can still correct them, then read them in the paper from a critic after the movie's out.
I'm also reading Steven Soderbergh's journal while making "Sex, Lies, & Videotape," which was his debut feature. I suppose that journal is inspiring this in some ways. It's a great book, from the perspective of one of my idols, about a movie that really changed Hollywood in many ways. I'm reading this while also reading books and watching DVD's on Appalachia. I'm making a movie about the Appalachian mountains in the early 1900's--I suppose it's a world I need to know really well. I also figure that maybe I can get a few nuggets that would look good in the script.
All right, that's enough for now.
In the meantime, I finetune the script and prepare for making the film. I'm currently reading the book "Our Southern Highlanders," a book about the Appalachians written in the 1920's. I remember when I made Hometown Legend, I read a book called "Friday Night Lights" (which inspired the best show on TV) while we were already in pre-production. A regret of mine on that film is that I didn't read that book sooner. I underestimated how valuable "color" is to a film, the little facts and figures and characterizations that go into creating a world that people want to see. If you as a filmmaker become an expert about the topic that you're telling a story about, then all the "color" that you understand will make its way into the film and add authenticity. For instance, you can tell when watching a sports film if the director didn't understand the sport.
I'm making a film about the Appalachian mountains in the 1920's, so I want to know as much as I can. And in reading this book, I've already read a few things that I've added into the film, whether it's an interesting anecdote, a description of a cabin or a custom that the people performed. These things can provide cool background to the main story, and as a director, understanding these things will allow me to better supervise the production design, accents, even the accuracy of the dialogue. If I read something in a book that makes me think, "Oh, cool! Very interesting! That's something I didn't know, and now that I know it, I'm a better human for it!" two things will result--one, I'll wonder why I started talking like a moron, and two, the audience will probably have a similar reaction when I portray it on screen.
Contracts
Published: Januray 21, 2008
So now we get to the contracts stage. I like the money guys and producers who have approached us on Mountain, they like me, and now we exchange deals. To be frank, I suck at this. I tend to want everyone to be happy, I don't like fighting for my stuff, I always assume we'll piss off the other side. My lawyer is the opposite--he doesn't want to give anything up, he thinks I deserve everything, etc. I suppose that's good. So we end up somewhere in the middle.
We still haven't made too much progress on the location thing, although I'm talking to a Georgia production facility tomorrow. I'm guessing that's our most likely location if we don't end up shooting in Virginia. Man, I want to shoot in Virginia, the actual setting of the story, so bad. Doesn't look like it's going to happen, though.
Still finetuning the script. Trying to get it as tight as possible. We've decided to alter history a bit and put Bob in attendance at the famous courtroom massacre. In 1912, there was a massacre after a man was found guilty in a courthouse--his family shot the judge, a jury member, the sheriff, etc. It had a huge impact on the community, and the subsequent national media attention really affected Bob (main character) because it caused him to realize that the rest of the country didn't live in the ignorant and dangerous way the mountaineers did. We've decided to actually put him in the courthouse to witness the massacre, which cinematically will personalize it more and send Bob quicker on his journey towards change.
Mountain journal
Published: January 8, 2008
I'm going to start journaling more frequently here as we start the new year with the development and hopeful production of "Mountain," my passion project. I'll try to do this once a week, and perhaps you can get a glimpse into the process of how a movie gets made.
Today, Monday, Jenkins Entertainment officially secured our side of the financing. I won't give details, but we put a chunk of money into an account, combining investments from a few different people including our company. There is a financing group that loves our project and has verbally committed to bankrolling the picture assuming that they can verify our funds. Today was that verification. So now they get their stuff together to put up the rest of the money and greenlight the movie. Of course, we have to agree on all the terms and the contracts and all that, and that will likely take some time, but we're moving along.
Ironically, there's another company that is showing the same interest. I met with these guys a couple months ago, and they said they were in, but they didn't get back to me with anything official. The group from the above paragraph came in out of the blue, so I hit the ground running with them. After all these years of frustration with this project, it's bizarre that I might actually get to a place where I'm turning money down.
Here's how this current group came about, it's quite a story. A producer from Texas named David Chandler, who's been trying to get some projects set up out here for years, has always loved Mountain. We became buddies through our discussions about each other's projects, and he's always tried to get Mountain in the hands of various people, but nothing has come of it. We don't have a deal or anything, he's just been doing what he can on the side. Anyhoo, a couple months ago his aunt was in a small town in Georgia and struck up a conversation with a stranger, who told her about all the developments that were taking place in this town. For some reason, she mentioned a movie studio and gave David's aunt a brochure. David's aunt then passed it on to David, who decided to contact this production facility for the heck of it.
He cold-called them and said basically, "I know you guys are a production facility and aren't investors, but I've got a cool project that should be shot in the south, and I'm wondering if you know of any money guys who are shooting some films at your place." The guy gave David contact info for some guys, David got ahold of them, sent them the script, and wala (how do you spell that?)--they loved it, one of the producers grew up near where the story took place and had heard of Bob Childress (the man on which the story is based), and they wanted to make it. Unless these guys are liars or stupid, neither of which appears to be the case, they've got the money and are on board. All they needed was proof from us that we can guarantee some funds as well, which we did today.
Funny how God works, assuming He cares about my career and the movie business and actually has a hand in all this. Of course, I know He cares about my career, but sometimes I think we think He's devoting more time to our vain pursuits than he actually is. Either way, I'll take it and give Him credit for anything good that happens.
So right now I'm preparing to make this movie assuming everything gets in order. I need to get the script in great shape before it's sent to actors, so I'm doing some last minute minor adjustments and clean up.
One common note I'm getting from a few people is that there's a problem in the first act. This story is about a man who goes from being the hardest drinker and biggest fighter in his mountain region to a preacher who civilizes it. The thrust of the story is in the change he brings to the people in this depressed, backwards, deep mountain region, but we also need to take some time to show how he transformed. Not an easy task, because we have to do it in 20-25 pages so we get to the meat of the story quick enough.
Our trick is to try to show what would lead him to be desperate to make such a big change in his life. That's easy to talk about--"he was sad, depressed, felt like his life wasn't going anywhere, and actually contemplated suicide"--but not easy to portray on screen. We've got plenty of moments and incidents in the script that cause Bob to be frustrated and angry about how insane and violent the mountain region is, but we need moments of inner turmoil for Bob as well; private moments that show how dark and down he is. So that's what I'm working on right now, just moving a few things around, making slight tweaks, trying to spotlight those moments.
The good news is the majority of people really like the script a lot. The bad news is that those who don't love it make some decent points. It's always easier when someone doesn't like something you've done but they can't give good reasons why. That said, I think it's more important to seek out people who disagree with you or don't like something you're creating than to surround yourself with unconditionally supportive people. I'd rather hear bad things now, while I can still correct them, then read them in the paper from a critic after the movie's out.
I'm also reading Steven Soderbergh's journal while making "Sex, Lies, & Videotape," which was his debut feature. I suppose that journal is inspiring this in some ways. It's a great book, from the perspective of one of my idols, about a movie that really changed Hollywood in many ways. I'm reading this while also reading books and watching DVD's on Appalachia. I'm making a movie about the Appalachian mountains in the early 1900's--I suppose it's a world I need to know really well. I also figure that maybe I can get a few nuggets that would look good in the script.
All right, that's enough for now.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tampa Screening
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:
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:
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.
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