In Theaters NOW!!

Friends!

The long-awaited new film from Sherwood Pictures & Provident Films (makers of Flywheel and Facing the Giants), FIREPROOF opens in theaters around the country TODAY!



Fireproof looks like a powerful film that you won't want to miss. As I'm sure was true for many of you, Facing the Giants was a film that impacted me greatly when it opened in 2006. I am SO excited about this movie--view the trailer and see for yourself--it looks to be just as good and better than FTG!

Also, be sure to peruse some of their BTS videos, especially the one titled "BTS: Marriage".

Opening weekend is a crucial time for theater-released films. The initial Box Office numbers determine how long the movie will show for. Christian films, especially ones made by the Kendrick brothers, are not just made because making films are cool and fun. And definitely not made for the sole purpose of making money. Dedicated Christian filmmakers are producing films because they love Jesus Christ and care for other people. There are messages of freedom that we need to hear and the world needs to know about. The prayer is that as many people will see these movies and hear these messages as possible, and that God would bless and work in the people's lives who do.

If you can, show your support for this film and the Christian filmmakers behind it by seeing Fireproof this weekend. Follow this link to find a theater near you.


Here's something from the Kendricks via their email update:


FIREPROOF Arrives!
It's late November 2007. Sherwood Baptist Church volunteers are out in full force, both behind the scenes and in front of the cameras—another amazing day on the set of FIREPROOF. Real firefighters from the Albany Fire Department stand shoulder to shoulder with volunteer actors playing firefighters in this new film. News media, local residents, and church members anxiously watch as a house burns time and again ... all in the name of moviemaking!

Beyond all of the actors and crew, prayer has been cast in the central role this day ... and every other day of filming. Protection for all involved, the ability to thematically capture the drama, and the desire for these scenes to impact moviegoers months from now are just a few of the prayers.

It's the same day, but two hundred miles away. A small team from Sherwood and Provident has traveled to the WinShape Retreat Center to show two rough-cut scenes from FIREPROOF to the Marriage CoMission, a high-impact group of marriage-ministry leaders from all across the land.

Knowing these people could help build interest and awareness for the movie, and eager to see how the film will be received outside of the set, the team prays ... for these leaders, for the marriages they impact, and for the marriages that might be impacted by this movie.

After the two scenes are shown, tears stream down the faces of the leaders. They have long prayed for a rallying point to help people commit to God-honoring marriages. Stephen Kendrick finds himself choked up as he tells how God has given Sherwood this story of a firefighter, his wife ... and a marriage worth rescuing.

At some point on that day, November 29, 2007, FIREPROOF became more than a movie ... it became a movement.

On this day, September 26, 2008, the FIREPROOF movement takes hold in 839 theaters across the country. Churches, ministries, businesses, and individuals have brought the movie to 98 different communities by committing to purchasing 1,000 tickets. Other churches, ministries, businesses, and individuals have purchased hundreds of show times.

FIREPROOF has consistently been the top-selling ticket on Fandango this week. The Love Dare, originally a plot device in the film, has become one of the 25 best-selling books on all of Amazon. The movie has been highlighted this week on FamilyLife Today ... and The Today Show. It's been the subject of conversation with Dr. Dobson ... and Dr. Phil.

And to think ... it all goes back to that day in November where on the set and at WinShape, the prayers of different groups of people with different focuses really became the same prayer: That God would do exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever hope or imagine with FIREPROOF.

Welcome to FIREPROOF ... Opening Weekend!


A Word from Sherwood Pastor Michael Catt
"I am encouraged by the hundreds of emails I've received from pastors around the country regarding FIREPROOF. To know that pastors and church leaders have taken up the cause and believe in the message of this movie is encouraging to me.

"It is my prayer that every pastor, church, and ministry that uses this film will find that it helps them in their desire to change the world from where they are. I hope and pray that all across this land, churches will seize this God-sized moment and use it to impact homes and the culture."

And a Big Thanks
From the beginning, we've asked you to support this movie. And you've responded in amazing ways ... and numbers. You have caught the vision of how this film could make an impact in your home ... in your neighborhood ... in your community ... in your world. Thanks for all you have done.

As with all members of the FIREPROOF team, our final ask of you as the film opens is similar to what those people did on that November day last year:

As you experience FIREPROOF this weekend, please pray for each and every couple and single person in the theater with you. Ask God to do exceedingly abundantly more than they could ever hope or imagine in their relationships.

Now ... who's ready to go see a movie?

Visit FireprooftheMovie.com



As mentioned above, please be in prayer for this movie and the people who view it.

Hope to see y'all at the theaters! Leave us a comment with what you thought about the movie!



Links:
Sherwood Pictures & Provident Films
Flywheel Facing the Giants Fireproof
Theaters
Subscribe to Fireproof's email update list and follow the Fireproof Blog

September '08 Meeting Info!

We hope you're planning on joining us this month!

Saturday, September 20, 2008
Countryside Bible Church
9am - 5pm (or earlier if we're done sooner)

Contact the Secretary if you need directions, or would like to join us for our Friday fellowship night, where we will be critiquing another film.

During Saturday's meeting, our resident writer, theorist and film critic, Heidi Michelle Click, will give a lecture on screenplay writing, and will critique Star Wars after viewing some or all of the first episode (IV).

There will also be food. :D

Updates on projects.

And we will get underway with Pre-production planning for our upcoming film (to be officially announced soon! So hold your breath--it's coming!!)

So don't miss this opportunity to learn valuable information on the art, skill and ministry of filmmaking! We look forward to seeing you there!

August 2008 DCFM Meeting Recap

On Friday Night, DCFM privately screened a very exciting film that was released this spring. Come What May was produced by Advent Film Group, an organization led by George Escobar. AFG is dedicated to raising up the next generation of Christian filmmakers--a vision very close to DCFM's. Along with many professionals, this full-length feature film had upwards of 40 homeschoolers on cast and crew. This compelling drama is made up of a solid and powerful message, great humor, a love story, and good production values--a testament to the dedication of both the seasoned professionals and homeschool apprentices who worked so hard to make this film a reality.

You really should check this film out!!

As I sat watching the movie in the dark with some of my closest friends and fellow laborers, I had to laugh--we were definitely a group of filmmakers watching the movie. We talked all the way through it! LOL We critiqued, commented and learned from the film while we enjoyed taking in the experience of the story.

A word to the wise: if you want to watch a movie in silence, don't watch it with a filmmaker. That, or threaten to take away the popcorn if they open their mouth to talk. lol

Otherwise, look forward to getting way more out of the movie than you knew you could! :D


Have you heard of or seen Come What May? Leave us a comment with your thoughts!



After the movie, we continued talking about it and catching up with one another after a long summer apart.

John Naylor doing a good job entertaining people with his stories like usual.



The Rebelution.


Writers in the midst of a good conversation.






They must be talking about something exciting--they're still going at it!




Saturday's Meeting:


The President and Vice President. Getting set up.


Naylor lost behind the speakers




What happens when your flash doesn't fire.


Rubber chickens. There are stories behind this.



We really do try to keep the Lord and His Word at the center of our lives and our filmmaking. By God's grace, we learn to follow Him better as we walk this journey of life.


Evan leading devotions.


Mr. James Burgess was our guest speaker this month. We screened Pilgrim's Progress, released earlier this year, a project on which he served as Director of Photography.



If you haven't seen the movie, you should. You'll be inspired by both the presentation and message of this classic story portrayed in modern form. A quality production that retains the storyline's highlights that we all remember from the book, and the heart of Bunyan's message.
You can visit the Pilgrim's Progress website here.



Captivated.





Time for lunch!

Ladies first.
Thanks to Susan for getting all the food together for us!


Jaclyn.


"Because you didn't catch this amazing posture the first time, I have to stand here and 'do it again' for you."


Pickin' on Truett again with the camera.


John Naylor and Mr. Burgess getting things set up for the afternoon.


Can you guess to whom these hands belong? Leave a comment with your guess!


DCFM is always blessed with lots of great food and fellowship!


"Ya know...."


"I mean, what can I say? I gotta have my DP. Now quit making me laugh."


Sarah's amazing muffins!


"You sure this is safe to eat, man?
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's fine..."



Chips. Filmmaker food.
What's your favorite and absolutely-essential filmmaker food?


No way!?"


"I'm still not so sure about you."


Having a great time at lunch.





Evan eating quite Presidentially.


Mr. Burgess giving good advice to Truett and JC over lunch.


...The concept of money also comes into this. A lot of us are penny pinchers. We don’t want to spend money, but the problem is, if we don’t spend it now at the right time, you’ll spend more on it later. And this goes with the time factor. We often don’t understand how to put an accurate tally on how much time is worth. If one person’s work is extended, it pushes others and their jobs out. Keep an accurate image of what your life/time is worth and don’t rob yourself or push others back.
--From Mr. Burgess' afternoon talk


Mr. Burgess critiqued a slideshow of still frames to teach us about good cinematography.
Here he is teaching us about how to light an outdoor scene.

JC: How much time do you plan for setting up lights?
Mr. Burgess: I like to give myself an hour. But it depends on how complicated the scene is. This is something I’ve tried to teach some filmmakers: blocking!! It’s easy to get focused on one part of a scene—what’s at hand—but we need to have an accurate point of reference and sense of the bigger picture. I don’t like to do master shots. It can ware you out—THEN you have medium and close ups to do! Master shots are the wide angle shots that show everything. I don’t like to edit that way—sometimes I like to start close then reveal where the characters are, for example.

Jaclyn: Instead of shooting all three, how would you recommend it be done?
Mr. Burgess: Plan ahead of time. Some actors don’t like that because it doesn’t allow them to get the full arc of the scene. But it can be kinda hard ‘cause you know you’re gonna chop it up. That’s just how I personally like to do it. There’s a hundred different ways to do the same thing. And that’s where the art comes in. We each interpret things differently.

Thank you, Mr. Burgess for sharing your wealth of information with us!

Mr. Burgess shared a lot of technical info from his years of experience in the film industry, a lot of which we will have the chance to apply in our upcoming film. But something Mr. Burgess said that I think hit home in all of us was this:

I would encourage you to keep chasing after your dream. It’s a difficult field to make money in. Have another trade to fall back on. For me, there’s nothing more rewarding. Nothing I could do that would bring the same satisfaction. I’ve done a lot of work for non-profits, and I never really thought about it, but there are those moments in life when I stop and think, wow, I might have done something that actually changed someone’s life. You have no idea who’s gonna see the work you’ve done. Sometimes that’s sobering. But it’s also exciting. There’s no way to tally the reward your work has done. The most important movie you’re gonna make is the one your’e living. That’s the only one that counts.

Announcements.


A formal farewell to our dear Saphrin, who is following the Lord to Taiwan for a year, teaching ESL.


We miss you Saphrin!!


Heidi talks about upcoming events.


Phones are a big part of how we operate.


Evan giving an overview of the production schedule for our next movie.


"I WILL get two of you to do ___ !"
Just kidding. I don't remember what he was saying here.


After a funny moment with JC during the meeting.


Sarah explains what we're trying to say but can't.


...at which time Evan remembers why he married her and made her First Lady. :D ;-P
Everyone say it together--"Awwww!"
Newlyweds are so fun! :D


The meeting's done and it's time to clean up! Sarah sweetly takes on the vacuuming.


Talking as usual.


More great fellowship!



Where to eat for dinner?


Follow the desires God has put on your heart (Psalms 37:4). And as Mr. Burgess essentially said,


Live a movie before making one.