creative writing... what are my limits?

[iesousfreak]

I am into films and editing and writing and what not. i am planning to make a documentry on a friends band. i am also wanting to write a screenplay or two... or three...


anyways, i wanted to know that since i am a christian, do i have limits? or should i say SHOULD i have limits? I obviously wont make anything too racey, but the story i have in mind has a lot of violence, mainly because it is historical and i plan to make it as acurate as possible. (spanish conquests)


also, the documentry i'm working on is on a secular heavy metal band. i work with two of the members and they are really down to earth, easy going guys who simply like LOUD music... i'm really doing this to practice filming and editing and hopefully use it as a demo reel when i go job hunting...

this question could go for any type of creative writing or artistic media (film, tv, paiting, music, etc...)


i appreciate your imput... God Bless!!

 

[Blessed-one]

um, when i think about it, writing realistically is good, meaning there should be no limits if you wrote within the boundary of what happens in the real world (no boundary really if you were creative enough) . The only thing that is different with christians writing is that we're trying to bring out the good side too, and that is ultimately from God. We don't glorify the pagan gods, we don't write things that say homosexuality is acceptable. We can use the medium to bring out the message, by all means, write violence if it was needed, but basically, we don't go against the teachings of God.

 

[NeonBlack]

look at it this way, would you be able to play the documentary, in front of your pastor

or a member of your church?

 

[iesousfreak]

look at it this way, would you be able to play the documentary, in front of your pastor

or a member of your church?

well, if i were to make doc. that would be featured on mtv or vh1 and that would have some taste (ofcourse, taste on those channels is debateable), i dont see why not. now if all this group does is cus and continually make rude gestures, not being serious at all, i probably wouldn't document it to begin with.

i am very much into music and the art and professionalism that goes with it. I wouldn't document a kid band if they played only because "its cool, man." would i show my pastor or member of church a docu on a punk rock band, sure i would, as long as it could teach something to them about thier lives... everyone always have things to learn (IMO)...

 

[plum]

I am getting into film and television production and have worked with Christian filmmakers in the past. I also am studying creative writing and might dabble in screenplays pretty soon.

So on that note, here is my own personal "mission statement" of sorts:
To produce and create products that are technically sound and superior... to give my full talents and skills into every project I am involved in... to act in a way glorifying to my Lord... to offer my clients an equal alternative to secular filmmaking... to do nothing that would go against the Word of God and the Spirit's leading in my heart.

So, this means to me that I want to have my cake and eat it too, I suppose. I want to be the ebst I can be professionally while still living completely by the moral standards God has set. This means that I might be turning down projects that involve messages I don't support, and it means that I need to bring my projects to God in prayer faithfully because we are to do every single things to the glory of God the Father, as if doing it for Him alone.


i doubt that answers your question, but i wanted to share what I have learned in my short time making videos and television...

 

[wgjones3]

Your concious and your Bible are your only guides in this. You have an obligation to God to stay within the confines of morality as a Christian (to glorify God in all things), but as an artist, you have a responsibility to be open to your own creative and artistic whims and push the limits of creativity and innovation.

The good thing about it all is you can write it and film it anyway you want, and then edit out anything you feel the need to at a later time, in light of the (nearly) finished product.