Being a Christian helps me deal with the challenges of this career. It also adds a few. For example, a producer once described my teen hero in a poignant coming-of-age screenplay as "whitewashed" due to the lack of profanity and pants-dropping. A Silicon Valley client stopped hiring me after interviews appeared online about my faith. But these situations are rare and at this time in my life, I know to my bones there's nothing that can replace the power and peace I have from following Jesus. I'm grateful and I'm all in.
Here are challenges you may encounter.
CHALLENGE 1: BASIC NECESSITIES
Ideally, as a screenwriter, you're talented, well-trained, entertaining in a pitch, and have relatives in the film industry who owe you favors. You've written more than one screenplay and won awards. You're ambitious, young, and live within 20 miles of a studio. If any of these do not apply, they are your first challenges.CHALLENGE 2: UNCERTAINTY
The hard truth is that, even for the talented Christian with the purest motives and most eager desire to serve, among all of God's beautiful and precious promises, he never promised anyone a film deal.CHALLENGE 3: RISKY CAREER, TOUGH INDUSTRY
Maslow's hierarchy of needs reveals potential problem areas.
NEED FOR FOOD, SHELTER, AND OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPERATIVES: For these, money comes in handy. But, of the 50,000 screenplays registered with the Writers Guild each year, as few as 150 films are released. Many Guild members report annual earnings of $0. Paychecks are reduced, sometimes drastically, by commissions to agents, managers, entertainment attorneys, and taxes.
NEED FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY: There can be long stretches between gigs even for the most successful writers. Deals fall apart and projects fall through for reasons beyond the writer's control. Some writers find it hard to work in this fog of "no."
NEED FOR LOVE AND BELONGING: There are great collaborations and loyal friendships, but you'll also find fierce competition, jealousy, ageism, and all the usual behaviors that erupt from naked, selfish greed or despair. All writers endure blunt critiques, rejection, and harsh reviews. Many work in isolation.
NEED FOR ESTEEM AND RESPECT: Screenwriters get rewritten, replaced, and rejected. In a pitch meeting, you may feel awkward, desperate, or like an organ grinder's little monkey. The writer may not be welcome on the set. Your best lines may be casually cut or attributed to the stars who say them. As writers age, most are considered less relevant.
NEED FOR THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION THAT COMES FROM REALIZING PERSONAL POTENTIAL: Finally! This is why we write. Writing allows us to probe human nature, explore deep themes, and work through complex emotional territory. But I highly recommend celebrating your self-actualization sometime between typing "Fade to Black" and the organ grinder's monkey routine.
Every single one of these needs is addressed in the Bible which provides wisdom and comfort in times of struggle and redirects fractured priorities. But this is a tough industry. When power and big money are involved people often, shall we say, deteriorate. "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:16) The craving that permeates the heart can be torture. Keep your own eyes on true riches (Romans 10:12-13) and be compassionate because there can be a lot of pain behind beautiful faces and bright smiles.
CHALLENGE 4: NEGATIVE PERCEPTION OF CHRISTIANS
The best films are stories of redemption — people striving, failing, finding redemption, and being recommissioned with hope. Seems like a good fit for Christians, right? Christians are redeemed sinners, nothing more or less. But have you ever noticed that when someone quotes the Bible in film it's often a clue that something is "off" about them? Here are some of the most cliché "Christian" characters on film and TV:
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Judgmental hypocrite.
Repressed, prejudiced person.
Naïve do-gooder.
Unintelligent, gullible person, often from middle America.
Ignorant, superstitious person, often from southern America.
Psychotic maniac or serial killer, quoting Scripture.
Frothing-at-the-mouth evangelist (don't forget the southern accent!)
Magical misfit who summons God to do his earthly bidding.
Delusional person, believes he sees or actually is the Messiah.
Formerly religious person, now bitter (don't forget the drinking scene!)
Secret pervert.
Whether these stereotypes are due to lazy writing, ignorance, hate, or something else entirely, this prejudice creates obstacles to selling faith-based or even faith-inclusive stories. To be fair, every self-proclaimed Christian does not behave like a follower of Jesus and certainly every person in media does not persecute Christians. In fact, the producer of A.D. and The Bible mini-series, Mark Burnett, was just named president of MGM Television. But at times it can feel as if the only on-fire Christian likely to illuminate an industry meeting is Joan of Arc.
Filmmaking is collaborative and Christians working in the industry have limitations similar to other workplaces. An executive at Tesla may be a Christian, but that doesn't give him the power to stamp "John 3:16" on each steering wheel. What Christians can do is push for a faith-inclusive atmosphere, make worthwhile projects, and continuously strive for excellence.
CHALLENGE 5: FAITH-BASED MARKETS
Whenever a faith-based project is financially successful, interest surges. Following hits like The Passion of the Christ and The Bible, studios work to capture the same audience and earnings with other faith-based projects. Trouble arises, in my opinion, when these follow-up projects are created by people who don't understand or respect the material or the audience (see clichés above). They attempt to create art for the fly-over states which they apparently visualize as populated by gophers, adults with childlike minds, and toothless snake handlers. When these ill-conceived projects fail, the commitment to faith-based film evaporates.Another model involves churches raising funds and rallying talent from their own media programs and pews to make a film. Here, the filmmakers are passionate about the material and the audience, but the budget is microscopic. This makes it hard to deliver the quality performances and cinematography people are accustomed to seeing onscreen. To avoid alienating their core audience, filmmakers tread a fine line when delving into painful issues or showing honest depictions of the ugliness in the world. As a result, stories can sometimes be simplistic or predictable. Key messages may be preached in one big speech rather than integrated into the story, sometimes to satisfy a group financing the project. Still, these films are finding audiences and the grassroots support of people who are desperate for films that don't disrespect their values and mock their beliefs. As audiences grow and these heroic efforts become financially viable, quality improves.
CHALLENGE 6: ADAPTING SCRIPTURE
In 2015, I wrote My Son, My Savior, the story of Jesus' life through the eyes of his mother. It was a beautiful experience, spiritually and professionally. It wasn't my first adaptation, but I realized an immediate challenge in adapting Scripture for film is the awesome responsibility to truth — you potentially infuse meaning or editorialize with each idea and word not in Scripture. A second challenge is that Bible adaptations depict phenomenal, miraculous events. These require creativity to portray and viewers must be fully absorbed in the story to be convinced. Throughout, I had guidance from four wonderful content experts and my own son who is a pastor.CHALLENGE 7: THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY
Film must touch emotions, a challenge when sharing a very familiar account. My Son, My Savior shifts the point of view to Mary, a devout Jewish girl eagerly awaiting the Messiah along with her people. Every beat of her story points to Jesus as the promised Messiah, but we focus on Mary as she gives birth in a squalid barn, flees from a king determined to kill her baby, watches as her son's destiny unfolds, and weeps at his feet as he is as tortured to death. Many viewers know this story well, but if we experience it through Mary, it's no longer a familiar reading or a beautiful stained glass window. It's an emotional journey with the woman who knew and loved Jesus like no other. His sacrifice is even more emotionally powerful on film when we feel her sacrifice. Ideally, the experience lingers and viewers want to learn more.CHALLENGE 8: WORK
So, find your role and approach every challenge "as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matt 10:16) Work hard and "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." (Col 3:23) May you be blessed and may your work be a blessing to many others!
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Discussion
It intrigues me because many Christian friends of mine who work in China in education or technology have told me that people are extremely eager to hear the gospel message and learn about Christianity since that information is not easily accessible. This presents a challenge and perhaps an opportunity, especially as distribution becomes less dependent on brick and mortar theaters.
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Jas: Are writers like yourself already doing work like this on a much smaller level? I'm sure your list of challenges for the writer would be much different when working up such "screenplays" as I'm imagining.
Yes, I do donate my time to write and produce short form projects for ministry and humanitarian aid as time allows. My husband, an A/V enthusiast, often volunteers with me. For these projects, we use our own camera gear and Final Cut Pro 10 edit system. Currently, with demanding careers, we can donate only one or two of these projects per year. We also volunteer in our church video studio. In 2004, a wedding videographer and I decided to “tithe on our careers” - donate our professional skills for 4 hours a week to launch a video streaming program for our church. We wrote a proposal, the church purchased the equipment, and we began training volunteers. We now have 16 trained volunteers who work in teams of four each Sunday to record and broadcast the sermon message. We also produce promotional and informational videos as resources allow. Our church recently added a Media Outreach Elder position, invested funds to update our 11-year old studio and convert to HD, and established a Social Media team. We hope to do more production. But even short pieces require time, equipment, skill, crew coordination, and collaboration to do well and this is a challenge with an entirely volunteer crew.
That said, may I brag on the Apostles Video Studio volunteers a bit here? They range in age from 17 to 81 – half are over age 60. Our volunteers were willing to start at square one to learn how to operate cameras, direct, edit video on the computer, write scripts, run a TelePrompter, and share video online. They have a great time working together and know the value of the service they provide. Plus, I just love when grandkids stop in the studio and are amazed and proud to see “Poppi” directing a 3-camera live-switched production or Grandma editing at a computer work station. So I highly recommend tapping this pool of wise, talented folks. They'll rewrite your vision of retirement.
A tip for those who are interested in creating their own short form pieces: think about everything from the viewer's perspective. Would I find this interesting enough to click on and view? Would it hold my attention? Would it make me feel something? Would it make me think? Would I share this with friends? Is the video quality good and the audio excellent? Is there a way for viewers to follow up, connect with a community, or learn more? Never use licensed or copyrighted material without permission or you could make your church vulnerable to a lawsuit - that includes licensed images, product brands, art, and music. Be sure to get a signed release from everyone who appears on camera.
I read the Bible cover-to-cover every year and, as mentioned, there are a number of accounts you'll never find in a child's illustrated "My First Bible". The Levite and his concubine in Gibeah, for example. Lot's daughters. All those Philistine foreskins in I and II Samuel. Definitely adult material but still true stories that could be depicted on film in a way that wouldn't cause Christians to drop their popcorn and flee. My strategy would be to focus on, first, what motivates the scene, understand why it's necessary to the film, and second, focus on the emotional reactions. I would probably use audio cues, metaphoric images, reaction shots, and let the brain fill in the blanks. How poignant it would be to see an extreme close-up of that concubine's dirty, bloody hand on the doorstep in her final mute appeal. It stirred outrage against rampant evil then and could stir similar feelings today.
I like your idea of CMI content experts willing to advise on the theology and also, for some films, provide cultural guidance for foreign markets. It's so great to tap the deep knowledge of a content expert. It elevates the script and can stimulate new ideas.
May I turn us back to the question: what makes a film Christian? As noted above, I used to say it at least had to mention Jesus. Now I'll venture, for your comment, a more refined view, inspired by the remarkable confession of Prof. Harstad that leads these conference presentations under the title "The Gospel for Today - and Always." He presents there seven basic teachings of Christianity in a way that is especially relevant today. Let me suggest that a film can be considered "Christian" if it, in some significant way, embodies one or more of those seven points.
If a film touches on none of them, it can hardly be considered Christian, no matter how heart-warming or God-referencing it is. If a film, even though promoted as "Christian" or "faith-based," contradicts any one of them - as for example presenting a conditional gospel, proclaiming that IF (very big if) we are faithful to God, THEN God will bless us with success (our team will win the championship, our marriage or business will succeed, our child will be miraculously healed, etc.) - such a film which conflicts with points II and III and V and VI of Prof. Harstad's statement would be considered perhaps a "flawed" Christian film.
And so, once more, a film can be considered "Christian" if it, in some significant way, embodies one or more of those seven points. Read Harstad again, and consider whether his statement of faith could be applied in this way.
In addition to the observation that very few ostensibly Christian movies were upholding any uniquely Christian values, we couldn't help but notice that these films were also almost all painfully "on the nose" about their subject matter. I would agree that if you were to say a film was a Christian film it would need to mention Jesus. However, I would also say that a movie can uphold all seven of Prof. Harstad's markers without directly mentioning Jesus (Ben Hur would be an example of how a movie like this might be generally constructed). On its own, a movie written in this way would likely not win anyone for Christ, but of course movies don't work in isolation of other factors. People talk about them. Christians talk about them. I think a movie which upheld the seven markers and yet never explicitly mentioned Jesus would be an effective tool for beginning a conversation about exactly these topics, an encouragement for Christians who would see these aspects of their faith celebrated rather than condemned, and frankly make for a very compelling story. The public image of Christians is (and has been since the beginning) an obstacle to combat. I am inclined to think that media which combats rather than supports that public image would be to our advantage. It may not be independently Christian without direct mention of Jesus, but it would be useful for Christians in our work.
The best strategy is to create and build a brand that is known for producing consistently excellent, compelling films that include a Christian message (see the guidelines Tom suggests). Viewers know what to expect from established brands and learn the differences between films involving James Cameron, Kirk Cameron, or Cameron Crowe. If these stories are compelling, they have potential to reach wide audiences, be tools for evangelism, strengthen Christians, and grow the brand (which is a necessity to be sustainable).
The challenge is that filmmaking is highly collaborative and, with each film, there are a lot of people and companies with skin in the game. Compromises take place. Also, films are expensive. It’s a huge leap of faith for Christians to put money into a film when there are so many ministries that need our support and funding. But these are challenges, not stoppers. It would be incredibly exciting and rewarding to be part of a creative community producing outstanding Christian films. And I don’t underestimate the potential. My own mom didn’t grow up in a Christian home but learned the gospel at age 13 through a radio program that invited listeners to request a Bible study course.