Crossroads Bible College Considered for Filming Location

Sat, 28 May 2011 22:47:04 -0400

by Guy Camara

Our production meeting on May 26, 2011 was held at Crossroad Bible College. The team met at 10 AM following our Thursday morning prayer time. We met Elizabeth Meyer there and she gave us a tour of the locations we prepose to use. Those members of the team present were Bart Willard. Chris Waterman, Sean Stuart, Ian Smith, Eric Filson, Jerry Nichols and yours truly, Guy Camara. The team discussed the feasibility of using the school facilities for certain scenes in the movie. If we don’t have to go from one location to another we can complete a number of pages in one location. There was a consensus in favor of using the space.

We had a chance to visit with Dr. Charles Ware, the President of the college. He was gracious and hospitable. He expressed his desire to help us thought it was a worthwhile project. We were humbled by the love and support they expressed to our our team. We are very eager to work with them on Sound of The Spirit.

After we spend time carefully examining every location from each department’s perspective, we moved into the large classroom that will be used as a mini-sound stage. Each department discussed the challenges of building two bedroom in this classroom that would pass for Rivka and Rhena’s room. Bart Willard who heads up the Art Department felt that this was doable. Eric Filson who heads up the Camera department thought the space will suit us well and allow interesting creative shots. Jerry Nichols our 1st Assistant Director was impressed with the facility and felt this would allow our team to move quickly and stay on schedule. The sound department will be headed up by Caleb Camara who is still finishing school at Rose-Hulman Caleb was unable to attend, but the team felt that this location would help minimize delays due to noise. The school would also allow our team to be-able to leave the equipment on the location so we wouldn’t have to spend time loading in and loading out. We thought of many scenes that could work there. To name a few. Rabbi Stein and Rabbi Kahn’s office. Secretary’s reception area, Synagogue bathroom, synagogue youth room, Eric Posner’s office, the insurance office where Marty works. The Messianic or Jewish sanctuary, the board room. Rivka’s school where Marty drops her off. There are other locations for us to consider for other scenes, but Crossroads would give us parking, bathroom, eating areas, and space to work. Congratulations to the team for a great day of planning.

Courageous

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:53:00 -0400

Courageous is the continuous courageous work of Alex and Stephen Kendrick. I had an opportunity to see a sneak preview at the All Pro Dad’s event held on April 14, 2011 at the Colts complex. Leslie and I got tickets from a friend. Since it was my birthday outing with my sweet-heart, I considered it a great way to spend my 47th. I was skeptical of the project from the first time I heard about it. Skeptical because the Kendrick films tend to be message films that don’t necessarily disguise their agenda, but the past three films have managed to avoid the pitfalls that many christian films fall into. They tend to take themselves too seriously and forget that the artistic importance of a good motion picture. We tend to excuse these short-comings because as christians we are so glad to see a movie unafraid to speak the truth and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those of us who get so frustrated with the poor acting or the lack of cinematic beauty or the total of disregard for production design. I must say that of all the films I’ve seen, christian ones, the Kendrick films have something I cannot describe. They are just so-so in many areas. The are often competently written, poorly acted, and the camera work is well... ok. The editing is competent. However, why do they have such an effect on us? Why do we respond to them? Why do we feel moved by them? I propose this... these films are anointed. I can’t explain it beyond that.

In Courageous the Kendrick brothers take things up another level. The story, the acting, the cinematography, editing, production design, and music all have improved. The story is about a police officer who is challenged to become a better father following a tragic loss. He asks his buddies to hold him accountable. He shares his commitment to be a better father with his close friends. He challenges them to commitment themselves to becoming better husbands and fathers. As hokey as that sounds it actually is well crafted and you buy it. One way the brothers sell it is by making the protagonist a police officer working a rough neighborhood. His experience working the tough streets causes him to become negative and too busy for his own kids. The percentage of crime is caused in large part by broken families. Broken families can be attributed to the lack of responsible men. As our protagonist recognizes this pattern in his own life, he asks his friends to hold him accountable and challenges them to do the same. They make a pact to become godly men. He writes a pledge for himself to sign. This inspires his friends to follow along. They form an accountability partnership.

Each man discovers their own inadequacy as a husband and as a father. The movie tells all of their stories at the same time. This takes quite a long time, which is my one problem with the movie. The stories weave nicely with each other. We do like following their individual stories and actually like them all.

The movie has twists that are unpredictable and refreshing. They brought back a lot of the humor that existed in Flywheel and was missing in the subsequent films. There are a lot of funny moments that gets you through the often serious issues.

The action sequence was taken up a notch from Fireproof. There is a great chase sequence and gun-play. There were scenes that reminded me of The Wire TV show.

It is definitely their best work to date. Well crafted, Courageous will be liked. I believe it is going to start a movement that may sweep the country. Churches will benefit from the movie as a powerful tool to motivate fathers from all walks of life; it is a message that transcends race, culture economic and cultural demographics. I am reminded of Promise Keepers as a movement that impacted men. Courageous has the ability to stir men around the country and around the world to commit to being good fathers and husbands.

I applaud Alex Kendrick in crafting a movie that entertains and challenges people to consider Christ as the answer to their problems. He is a great example of a non-compromising Christian filmmaker. The movie comes out September 30th.

Prison Ministry

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 09:50:31 -0400

I had a wonderful opportunity to minister to a group of prisoners this past Wednesday at Camp Atterbury Correctional facility. It was my 3rd time at the ministry. A number of men responded to the gospel. I showed my movie Time Won’t Fly. It is an awesome experience when you are sharing truth with a group of men who are at a point in their lives where they have to evaluate things. I sensed the Spirit’s presence. Thanks to those who prayed for me.

Revolution

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 09:45:22 -0500

Civil unrest across the globe. I believe a post-cold war, post colonialist, post western domination, post capitalist, post communist revolution has enraptured the planet engulfed the planet. Revolution is in the air. What does it mean?

Taylor Talk

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 23:59:23 -0500

I had an opportunity to talk to the students of Taylor University on the subject of the Rwandan Genocide. It was a marvelous conversation with the students there. There is a lot of good that came out of that bad situation.

This link shows how the truth commission helped foster peace; http://www.usip.org/publications/truth-commission-rwanda-99