News About What's in the Works for Film and Faith Managing Editor Greg Wright
 Working in the Mainstream It's pretty easy to identify media intended for the "faith market." The production companies and distributors have Christianese names, like PureFlix, Echolight, Provident, Messenger Films. The press releases come from publicity firms with established clientele and reputations. The trailers are filled with obvious references to God, prayer, grace, faith, Jesus, the cross... And of course this makes the editorial job so much easier when your readership is part of that target market. Package it right, present it right, and you can easily connect product with audience. Most of this product, though, because it's so clearly destined for a niche audience, is didactic: "intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment." Many of these films hope to lead people to Christ, but for the most part come off as preaching to the choir. And the choir, of course, needs to hear a good sermon as much as anyone; but didacticism is not really the object of art. By comparison, there are a lot of obviously Christian artists out there who happen to work in mainstream media. Their films often look a lot like pure entertainment devoid of explicit or obvious Christian messages... so they're missing that "instruction and information" aspect of the didactic. Many Christians consider such entertainment "fluff" because it's not going to lead to an altar call; many consider it the work of the devil because it's indistinguishable from "worldly" entertainment. But some of these artists, and their films, actually have very deep and purposeful faith-motivated ends that go way beyond mere entertainment. They see their calling as (to cite a specific representative example) "developing and creating films of beauty and artistic excellence that provoke the public to engage with the providential mystery of grace." What do you think? How do you see faith working itself out in the works of these mainstream filmmakers? Take a look at a couple of trailers for upcoming films and ask: Are you attracted or repulsed... or something in between? Read More... Also from The Pipeline... A Warrior's Heart
Coming of Age drama stars beloved cast from the Twilight Franchise, Heartland, Glee and Burn Notice
Black Nativity
'Black Nativity' opened to rave reviews. It has been in continuous production across the nation with theatre companies, churches, college campuses and more for over 50 years
Unconditional
True story of 'Papa Joe' Bradford's outreach to At-Risk kids inspires movie
The Bible Series (TV)
Sometimes pictures are not enough. We need to see something more in order to fully appreciate what will be coming soon.
The Bible Series (TV)
You've been waiting to see what Jesus looks like in the upcoming series The Bible on the History Channel. Well, wait no more!
| 
