Faith-Based Film Boom Sets Up Case for 'Second Look'
With this month kicking off a record season for faith-based filmmaking, the creators of an innovative new small group study series are hoping Christian moviegoers will do more than just watch the new releases.
"Our desire is to help Christians think critically about the arts in general and movies specifically," Seabourne Pictures co-founder Ryan Smith said in an interview with the Toledo Blade. "When you go see a film, there are so many decisions that are on screen that we don't even think about at times. Everything is intentional, or at least it should be. How do we evaluate what we're seeing? How do we evaluate rather than just consuming it?"
This week, a number of faith-based DVDs will be hitting the shelves, including "Somebody's Daughter," which makes a case against the destructive effect of pornography, and "Obsession," which explores the threat of radical Islam.
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Next week, "Fireproof," the latest production from the movie-making ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia, will make its theatrical release, followed shortly after by biography-based flicks "Wesley" and "Billy: The Early Years."
Though it has been two months since the release of Seabourne Pictures' DVD "C2: Giving Movies a Second Look," its creators and supporters are hoping movie fans that haven't looked into it will before giving the upcoming flicks a first look.
"In today's culture it's imperative that we help teens and young adults develop critical thinking skills for the movies, entertainment and art they interact with," expressed Darren Whitehead, youth minister at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., in a published endorsement of the "entertaining, easy to use and engaging" resource.
As noted in the past by prominent Christian researcher George Barna, movies are among the most powerful instruments of change and impact in society today – especially in America where the average adult watches around 5-8 movies each year.
"Nearly one-third of adults (29 percent) contend that movies have had a substantial impact on the development of their personal morals, values and religious beliefs," Barna noted in an article back in 2005.
"Our (The Barna Group's) studies show that movies are one of the most powerful influence agents in the world today," he added.
Furthermore, "[m]ovies have become the benign educator of choice in our media-happy society," Barna claimed.
In 2005, Ryan Smith, Mark Cowart and Christian music legend Michael W. Smith founded Seabourne Pictures with the objective of creating thought-provoking and engaging feature films. Over the past three years, Seabourne has produced various music videos and short films, while developing several feature film projects, one of which is now in pre-production.
Their latest project, which was released in partnership with Randall House Publications, was designed to help individuals develop critical thinking skills when watching movies. It is expected to help meet the increased demand for DVD curriculum, as well as the growing demand from fans of Christian films.
"C2 will be a great addition to any small group," stated Collide Magazine, calling the second volume of C2 "beautifully filmed, well-written and emotionally stirring."
"Using a three step learning process – connect, critique, conclude – C2 guides the viewer in developing a more biblical worldview," the magazine added.
And this applies to both secular films as well as Christian films.
"I've found truth in films that I would never expect to find it in," noted Ryan Smith, whose father is Michael W. Smith.
"I think it's because we're all created in God's image and we all have the ability to recognize truth," he told the Toledo Blade. "I think part of what C2 is about is that there's value in films made by people who aren't Christians but we need to recognize what's true, what's fake, and learn to recognize a worldview that's different from ours."
Smith also hopes C2 will inspire someone to go out and make a Christian film that measures up to the Hollywood standard.
Each C2 DVD contains a twenty-minute original short film along with bonus features, which include a personal introduction from Michael W. Smith, behind-the-scenes movie features, out-takes, director's comments and deleted movie scenes. The leader of a small group will have access to helpful tools, including study guides for three separate lessons relating directly to the movie and promoting critical thinking.
