Film Conversations

Elijah Davidson and Jessi Knippel sit down to talk about streaming series with a special focus on Netflix’s newly released Judd Apatow production Love

Reel Spirituality co-directors Eugene Suen and Elijah Davidson discuss the 2016 Oscars.

What of the film’s marketed fatalism though? What are we to make of that? The trailer suggests that the bad guys are bad because they have nothing else to live for. Their violence is an outworking of their existential angst.

Proyas’ films all deal with conflicts between the world we think we know and the world that is truly at work behind the scenes

More important than what Disney/Pixar wants us to see though, is what they want us to hear.

“Tell the truth,” he says.

Kutter Callaway and Dean Batali sat down for a series of conversations related to the material in their book.

As artists, it’s only natural that our consciousness will be influenced by a belief that we can draw upon our relationship with God within the creative process…

“We don’t sell DVDs. We don’t market to churches. “Who’s behind you?” we’ve been asked countless times. No one. Just thought we’d tell a story. I think it confounds Christians.” – Greg Batiansila

“I have a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and ran my own software engineering business for many years. Approaching 30, with a wife and three kids, I decided to make a big career move to making films.” – Jeffrey Travis

“Difficult subject matter is something that I feel like can show greater redemption in the end.” – Paul Kwak

“Hark focuses on breaking stereotypes that anyone can make poor choices leading to debt bondage and sex slavery.” – Jonathan Fung

“I wanted to know as much as possible about every part of filmmaking as quickly as I could. It was too late to change my major, so I helped out on every project I knew was being made. From then on, my life has been more of the same…” – Andrew Christian Neel

“When I was growing up in the church, there were no role models for me, specifically no female role models, certainly no artist role models. Later in my life when I realized that it was up to me to chart a path, that really defined the way that I work as a filmmaker.” – Lauralee Farrer

“I think that’s where Christian filmmakers often stumble – they’re making movies that are more akin to the story of Noah’s Ark that we tell our five-year-olds instead of the version that’s actually in Genesis.” – Matthew Aughtry

“I finally made the jump [to filmmaking] when I realized I was more afraid of being at the end of my life and regretting not trying to make a film than trying to make a film and failing.” – Jacob Roebuck

“I believe that every good joke has a kernel of truth to it. I don’t know who said that, but it wasn’t me.” – David Moore

“As I spend more time in filmmaking, the distinction between my craft and my faith is less evident. Being a filmmaker with Christian faith has become less like preaching and more like a fish swimming.” – Dan Long

“I am drawn to film because of its ability to hold people. To hold is to love. To love is to move faithfully in the world.” – Michaela O’Donnell Long

“We built this decision making paradigm called the Kinema Commonwealth Manifesto, which puts respect on the film as art, on the filmmakers as individuals, and on the film-making community that expands beyond the set. By making sure that there’s an even balance with respect to those three areas, we hoped and dreamed that wonderful communities of filmmakers would start to develop.” – Matt Webb