TAKE #13 - SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT PRODUCERS / MISSIONARIES... ARISE!

Iris Ministries - Kids amazed and thrilled at a video camera irisglobal.org

As a Christian Film Producer myself sometimes I feel there are so many great positive movie stories that could be produced today, but because movies are a lot more complicated, expensive and take more time to produce.... In the meantime (while writing the scripts or having a film in the pre-production stage), currently, just to keep my creative juices flowing, I'm writing these posts, but I also... post short Creative & motivational Words from The Lord for such a Time as this... and that's a ministry in itself.  In fact, I call it, being a: 

'Social Media Content Producer Missionary'.

I believe Short Motivational Words, Pics or Short Gospel Videos produced and posted with The Lord's help and guidance, are just as Powerful as any movie, because we all know that One Word from The Lord... can change a Life!  Sure we love movie making, but we often forget that the 'Simplicity of Posting' just one short Word, Positive Phrase, and Creative Pic with a message, or even a Short Gospel Video on Social Media can go such a long way as a Social Media Content Producer Missionary! Because whether we know it or not, or like it or not.. Today, as Christians we are all Called to be Social Media Content Missionaries for The Kingdom of God as well. 

And it has become very clear to me and many others, that this is what God intended for us to do when He Created and gave us... The Internet.  So that Christians could post Gospel Messages, Pics and Videos on a Daily basis.  And so many are doing so.  But the great thing, is that we as filmmakers may become as Creative as we can... like for example filming a 30 second mini-short Gospel story on video... with one actor... or even without an actor.  And create a powerful message on video with Text over some cool scenes.  The key is always to grasp the viewers attention, in a cool creative way so that they may receive God's message for that day.

Sometimes as Christian movie makers, we are too focused on the Big Picture, planning the movie we want to make, but forget the little things and the powerful messages we could post each day, just to touch a life out there who may really need it.   Your short Gospel video may be that one message they needed to hear to get them through the day, or even worst, in a more dramatic manner... perhaps, stopping a person from committing suicide.  Because of what God showed them through the short 30 second video you just posted on Social Media, Youtube, Pinterest, Instagram, etc, the key it to try to impact and motivate someone at the other end of the wifi connection of the Internet.   

What I am trying to say here, is that we don't have to always think BIG PICTURE or that we MUST produce this 90 Minute feature film to reach the masses for Christ, today, a well made... short 30 second Gospel video, can reach the world faster and 'sometimes' more effective than a movie can.  Yes, we have reached that time in History when such things are truly possible.   If you don't believe me... Think of the millions that are reached daily through the production of small 30 seconds TV and Web spots, which are produced by Secular Companies around the world.   Ask them what they think of the Power of a 30 second spot?  Or ask any Marketing Company of the power of just one 30 second spot?    This is why we don't see Big companies that do have millions to make whatever they want... making movies.  Why?  Because the truth is that it has been proven that a 30 second spot can and will impact the world just as any blockbuster movie.  And the thing is... what does it take to make a blockbuster film?  Nobody knows, because movie making has always been a gamble.  Some make it and some don't.  

I'm not saying that we should stop making movies.   But I am saying that we should also (in the meantime) as The Lord guides us and directs us, we should also become Social Media Content Producer Missionaries.   I believe this is a Time and a Season to post the things that God is telling us to post (even in the process of trying to making a movie).   Keep in mind a movie concept, can also be made into several short (30 seconds) minute videos, and it can well be used as a Movie Trailer for your film.    And even then, if you already have a movie trailer, today you can have several movie trailers for the same movie, to help you self-promote and market your feature all over Social Media in a more effective manner.    

I also know this... and I will be totally honest with you, today, God is bypassing Christian Filmmakers altogether.  How you may ask?  By making every Christian a Social Media Content Producer Missionary!  Let's not forget, that everyone and their mother own a camera these days in the palm of their hands... a smartphone.  And a lot of people are getting busy making all kinds of short videos and short films with it.  So we too, should consider making shorter Gospel videos whenever possible.

Think about it, how many feature length movies can we make in a year?  One or Two feature films?  I have not been able to make more than one a year.   And once a filmmaker makes one Feature film, it takes 3 to 5 years to produce the next.  That at least is the norm (all depending on how much budget you have).  But the reality is that once we finish a movie, we are all broke... and we are still stuck in trying promote, market and distribute our just produced film.   I don't know about you, but for me, that process alone, takes me 3 to 5 years, just to get 'some' of the money back from the Christian films I've produced.   

That said... the reason I tell you this is because I've already tested the waters and have become a Social Media Content Producer Missionary myself.   This very blog you are reading, is part of the several blogs I produce and post on.   This one happens to be on teaching Christian Movie Making.  Something we should all do once we feel we've reached a specific level of professionalism in making movies.   Meaning, we (as Christian Filmmakers) always have something to teach about, we all have our own tricks and techniques on how to make a movie, so why not teach on that. 

I became a Social Media Content Producer Missionary the year I was able to produce over 100 short Gospel videos for a ministry called YesHeis.com  But of course, at the time, we were ready, organize and we had a budget and a crew, so that made things easier.   

Here is one of the 100 shorts Creative videos we produced for Social Media.  It can be done.  It's like making a short film in a day.  Most of these shorts (see short below), were under 3 minutes and shot in half a day.  I work fast, so we moved fast.  

I was camera operator and DP in this YesHeis.com

 short Gospel Video titled: La Prueba (The Test)! 

And again, just because we are Christian movie makers, that shouldn't stop us from becoming a Social Media Content Producer Missionary and Posting Daily creative content for The Kingdom of God.  Of course, some content could be just Text with a Plain Background, or Tex with a Pic, and of course, the key as Christian Filmmakers is to produce a short 30 second Creative video, so that we may continue to be Ministers of The Gospel for The Kingdom of God. 

In such a time as this... God needs you, getting His Word Out... more than ever before!  Amen.

Make Movies 4God!

Norton

TAKE #10 THE HISTORY OF SILENT FILM CINEMATOGRAPHY

Silent Film Cinematography

Because we (Christian Filmmakers, Movie Makers and Christian Movie lovers) are all currently taking a 'Pause' because of the Coronavirus saga (it's March 2020), and many of us have more time in our hands than ever before :)   I have included here, a short Youtube Documentary Film about The History of Silent Film and It's Cinematography!  (you will find the link below this blog post).  

I really love this documentary and I know you will love it too (specially if you truly have a Passion for Motion Pictures, of course).  If possible, try watching it on a big screen TV through Cable TV (I have Comcast which gives me direct access to youtube, but if you don't have cable, you could connect your Laptop or Computer via HDMI cable (and if your laptop doesn't have HDMI OUT, you may need an adapter/converter to do so) just get it from Best Buy or some other similar Electronic store.   

This is a great time to learn everything there is to learn about FilmMaking and specially The History of Silent Films, because in everything we see, research and watch we always tend to learn something we didn't know before, even if it's just one thing, it will all be worth it!    In fact, this is the process of how we learn and how our mind stores and uses information... so that one day, when we least expect it, perhaps while we are filming our next Christian Movie and we are standing on a movie set, perhaps thinking on how we should light the set or shoot a certain scene...  and at that very moment... this one thing you learned years ago, will come to mind and give you that specific edge you need to make the scene work.    

My greatest film making ideas have come to me while in the middle of filming one of my Christian movies.   In that very moment, when I had no idea what to do or how to do something (sometimes because of the pressure of being live on the set), the... when I least expect it, that one filmmaking trick I learned years ago... pops into my head.    As if somebody was watching me from above (and some is watching over us... of course:)   At that very moment, is as if God knows exactly when to bring that one Idea that we learned years ago... again, at the very moment when we (behaps had totally forgotten about it), but suddenly God brings it to our mind as a simple thought, but it becomes clear as day.   And the thought, usually starts as a barely perceptible thought that if we are not paying attention and we are not seeking for it... we may miss it.  This is why Prayer, and seeking God before, during and after each filming is SUPER important.  

For me, being in touch with The Kingdom of God throughout the making of my God Films is the KEY to my success!, and to me, success is NOT making a Million Dollars with a movie, to me success is as simple as Starting and Finishing God's Kingdom Message in a movie format.   A movie that is ready to be shown online or on theaters anywhere and everywhere possible (whether it makes money or not) that's God's domain.   As a Christian Filmmaker my job is to help Plant the Seed in Good Soil, and then Water It, but it's GOD who makes it grow!    In other words, my job as a Christian filmmaker is to make the movie happen with God's help.   And I always make sure that God is with me in every movie I make.  In fact, I have often told God, the following;

 "Lord, if you are NOT with me on this film, I'm out!"  "I rather never make another film... unless, you show me You are ALL IN with me."  "And Lord, if this is NOT the film I should make, please, show me now!"

I don't know about you, but that's how I talk to God, He's my best friend and He knows it :) 

The truth is that I never stop learning, it doesn't matter that I have over 30 years of movie making experience, that means nothing today.  Filmmaking has changed a lot, as you will soon see on the documentary below!  But I love learning and I keep learning everything I can about movie making, cinematography and movie magic all the time, because you just never know when you get to use that one thing (trick) you read about on a film book, you saw in a movie or in a youtube video and then use such new or old technique in one of The Lord's movie.    Also, keep in mind, that what the world calls old or out of style, for God there is no such thing... because for God All Things are New and also everything is Eternal.

Again, the secret of becoming a Top Professional filmmaker is to be alway learning as much as possible about the art, the history; including learning about every new equipment that just came out in the market, just last week or the week before.  Staying on top of the latest Digital video production gear in the industry always keeps us ahead of the curve, and these knowledge will always help us become a better Movie Maker for The Kingdom of God.

I have personally selected this Silent Film Cinematography documentary for you to watch, as a Film Class to help you understand the true power of Motion Picture Film, as well as Today's Digital Cinematography! 

Enjoy the following Documentary film: 

The History of Silent Film Cinematography

We will be showing more Key Educational Documentary Films such as this one for the sake of Learning everything there is to know about Motion Pictures and It's History.

TAKE #2 - START WITH CREATING A SHORT FILM

START WITH CREATING A SHORT FILM

Why a Short Film? 

Because a short film can be used as a very effective stepping stones to producing full length feature films.  Once you have tested yourself on a lower and easier level (a short film could have a length of only 5 to 10 minutes), while a feature film is an 80 to 90 Minute movie with at least 75 to 90 scenes, and it's about the same for a script (screenplay) pages.

Producing a short film is a great way to start.    A short movie gives you the opportunity to learn and practice your movie-making-skills while not having the pressure that comes with producing a full length movie.   The making of a short film (from writing the short script to filming it and editing it) teaches you the basics of film making and it gets you ready for becoming a Christian producer and director.   

Many big time filmmakers in Hollywood started their careers making short-films.  Steven Spielberg used his "silent" 16mm short film Amblim (1967) (it was silent because he didn't have the money for a sound person) to get his big break in Hollywood and George Lucas USC thesis film THX 1138 (1971), perked the interest of Warner Brothers and was later made into a feature, which later helped him write, produce and direct the first Star Wars (1977)... and the rest is history.    Moving making has always been a very organized and creative step-by-step process, meaning you need to learn to walk before you may run with your first movie.   

And we are here to help you.   If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me through our website: www.TheGodofmoses.com

TAKE #1 - HOW TO FIND YOUR MOVIE IDEA

HOW TO FIND YOUR MOVIE IDEA

So where should we start?

IDEA ONE

One of the Best ways to find great movie ideas is by finding stories from our own personal life experiences.   Just as top Comedians often times get their break into comedy by using their own personal life experiences or by finding funny stories that has happened to family members, friends and co-workers.  In the same manner, Christian filmmakers may find great Creative dramatic stories within their own life experiences or the experiences of others.  There are great golden nuggets in anyones life story and experiences and we should study them first, specially if we don't have a movie idea in mind.

IDEA TWO

Getting ideas from the Bible itself is another great alternative.  The Great director of the 1920's - 1950's  Cecil B. DeMille once said "The Bible is full of Movie Ideas".   Hundreds of movies have been made from just one of Jesus's Parables.   Taking a Bible story like the story of David and Golliath and turning it into a modern times movie is a great idea and has been done many times by filmmakers everywhere.    But just because hundreds of films have been made about a Bible Story, Verse or Jesus Parable, it doesn't mean that it can't be done.   Just think for a moment or do a search on Movies made about Jesus Christ.   There has been hundreds of movies made about Jesus starting since the silent film era.   And when the Passion of The Christ came out, we all thought, that's it.  There will never be another great movie about Jesus, yet, since then... it's been totally the opposite, there has been hundreds of movies about Jesus made since The Passion of The Christ.  Only because there are a million ways to make a movie, each filmmaker and producer may use different techniques, different locations, different actors and so on... making every film about Jesus very different and at times... very interesting to watch.    

IDEA THREE

Another great source for Great ideas is Our Lord, yes God.  God is the source of ALL Creation, God is a Mighty and Creative God.  In fact, everything we see, hear, feel, touch, taste and sense... has been created by God.   But even more interesting, God has even Created every Good Thought or Idea that comes to our minds.  Think about it, the only reason a Thought or an Idea comes to mind, is because that Idea or Thought most be real and tangible somewhere, right? In other words, why would an idea or thought come to mind in the first place if it doesn't exist?       We know this because God has a Kingdom and everything we see on earth came from God and His Kingdom.  So it makes sense that every Good thought comes from God and so... every good thing that has been created before the Foundation of The World.   But at the same time, every evil thought comes from the god of darkness.   But Jesus Christ overcame evil with Good... in fact He overcame it with Love.   

IDEA FOUR

  

If none of the above works for you, then simply make it a habit to search the web for good stories.  It used to be that we would search and read Newspapers and Magazines, but today... it's best to search the Web for good movie story ideas.

There are millions of people being Interviewed for the Web by giving their testimonies using their smartphone, webcams or video cameras.  If you search the Web hard enough or youtube you will find amazing testimonies.   Plus millions of Website owners often times post their personal testimony on their website as well.   Become a great researcher of Great Movie Stories and as you do... you will find them.