Injecting Faith Into Film—Fast

Have you ever walked out of a really bad movie and thought, "Man, I could have made one better than that!" I've said it many times. Whether or not I could make good on the claim, though, is another thing entirely.

But what if I did want to invest the time to learn the craft of filmmaking—and from a faith-informed perspective at that? Last year, Plugged In Online reported on a growing number of Christians working to influence Hollywood from the inside out. Universities, seminaries and training programs such as Biola, Azusa Pacific, Fuller and Act One are shaping a new generation of faith-filled filmmakers in Hollywood.

Since then, we've learned about another organization with a vision to mentor young Christian filmmakers. The 168 Hour Film Project singles out budding directors, assigns them a Bible verse and gives them a week—168 hours—to make a 10-minute movie that illustrates the passage.

Where Faith and Film Intersect
The 168 Hour Film Project is the brainchild of its founder and executive director, John Ware. In an area where aspiring directors and film festivals are legion, Ware and some fellow filmmakers at Bel Air Presbyterian Church decided to sponsor a unique contest designed to "illuminate the Word of God through short film."

Christian filmmakers, whether novices or industry veterans, put their skills to the test as they practice telling spiritually engaging stories—fast. As each of the 55 participating teams shoot their films, they're encouraged to focus on crafting a strong story and authentic characters while avoiding preachiness. (They're also instructed not to use gratuitous profanity, violence, sexual content or blasphemy.) After that week of shooting and editing, the completed films are screened and given awards. Says Ware of this accelerated filmmaking process, "We give them a place to be seen and a proven method for getting a story out on a deadline and proving to themselves that they can do this."

To help each team complete its film on time, the Project sponsors a "mixer" where local actors, cinematographers, editors and technicians are invited to volunteer their talents. That means the resulting teams aren't composed of just Christians. Ware notes, "They're encouraged to get crew members from wherever, regardless of creed, nationality or faith."

Not surprisingly, just shooting the movies often leads to evangelism opportunities—before the films are even screened. "Last year," Ware says, "a team of seven Italians flew over from Milan and made a film. Two of them met the Lord over here." Another participant who began with more interest in filmmaking than spiritual things commented, "Before 168, God and I weren't talking, and now we have a relationship."

Is 168 Hours Enough Time to Change the World?
Listening to John Ware talk about the 168 Hour Film Project (which just wrapped its fourth year of production), it's hard to tell what he's most excited about. He loves to describe how God shows up as believers and non-believers work side by side. He's equally passionate about the films getting "outside" exposure in other film festivals. And he's jazzed about young filmmakers who explore their craft and make the industry connections they need to succeed—and to keep their faith—as they pursue careers in Hollywood.

He's going to need every bit of that enthusiasm. If you've been to the movies lately, you know Christian moviemakers have their work cut out for them. Many of the most "buzz worthy" pictures the last several years have championed ideas in direct conflict with the Christian faith. Whether it's Oscar-winning movies such as Brokeback Mountain or Million Dollar Baby, blockbuster projects like The Da Vinci Code, or the latest über-edgy entry at Sundance, the Hollywood machine often thrives on controversy, questioning established cultural mores and pandering to society's lowest common denominators.

So, can the efforts of organizations such as the 168 Hour Film Project counterbalance such influences? Will their presence become a key part of challenging the mainstream studios' vacuous values? In the short run, probably not—at least not visibly at the mall multiplex. But in time, this trend toward training Christians in Tinseltown may result in more mainstream movies whose themes reflect spiritual truth instead of rejecting it.

(DVD anthologies of each year's entries, as well as information on next year's contest, can be found at 168project.com.)