So here's the thing. Since I was about 17 I've felt a calling to missions, but I wasn't sure in what capacity. I always thought it would be in the inner city since I feel there is a need for a transformation of the inner cities in a big way. I am in no way interested in letting God use me to transform the inner city for MY own glory. It seems that my boyfriend thinks I am partially interested in it for that. Anyway, I am not sure what to do with my life now. I also am interested in filmmaking and screenwriting and would like to persue that area to see if it may be what God is calling me to do. I think that Hollywood is also a place Godly people are very needed right now. I think Mel Gibson's film of Christ's death on the cross is a great way to reach people. I would love to be able to make great Christian films and I feel God has given me some talents in that area. So, my question is, what should I do? Besides praying about it. I already have a bachelor's in social work and right now I'm working on my Master's degree in social work. However, what if God is calling me not to finish my degree? I am almost done with it so should I finish, then go to film school or what? This would mean a really big change for me and I'm not sure I am ready for it! Any advice?
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What do I do with my life?
- Thread starter Living4Him03
- Start date
catch22
Filmmaker for Christ
Now way! You're a filmmaker too!? I've been making movies for seven years now! I was kind of even thinking of going into Christian filmmaking just because I have some ideas that I think could refresh the whole genre. I'm actually working on a new screenplay right now, and I just got Final Draft yesterday (finally!). It's my second feature that I've written, but I have well over a thousand pages of various other scripts that I've worked on over the years. Maybe if your anywhere near Colorado this time next year you could lend a hand on my film (which hopefully will actually be shot on film). As for going to film school, don't bother. It's totally not neccessary. No one in Hollywood cares if you have a degree. They only care if you can make them money (sad but true). Spend your time making movies! Also, there's several books that I'd highly suggest. Robert Rodriguez's "Rebel Without a Crew" is great. A very inspiring book. Also, for screenwriting, there's "The Screenwriter's Bible", "How to Make a Good Script Great" (cheesy title, great book). unless your just starting out, I would avoid Syd Field's books altogether. Other than that, grab a camera, grab some people and start shooting. Then when you get more and more into it, buy more equipment (or toys as I call them) and give the production more structure, build a crew and a cast, get a little editing system, and cut to your hearts content. 
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Thanks so much! I will go and pick up some of the books you suggested and see where that leads me! I used to have this big plan for my life and then suddenly this year I realized that it was MY plan not God's necessarily. I really love films and if I could do something I love AND reach others for Christ it would be great! It's not that I don't like social work, it's just not my biggest passion. I am just starting as a filmmaker/screenwriter, but I have written part of a stage play (just a few scenes) and I have some ideas of some short films I would like to make. One of them would be specifically for youth groups. I am hoping to take an online course in screenwriting from NYU and I am totally willing to pay the cost to find out all the ins and outs. If you would like, send me an instant message either here or aol or something! It would be nice to have someone to chat with about films and writing screenplays and all God bless!
I will go and pick up some of the books you suggested and see where that leads me! I used to have this big plan for my life and then suddenly this year I realized that it was MY plan not God's necessarily. I really love films and if I could do something I love AND reach others for Christ it would be great! It's not that I don't like social work, it's just not my biggest passion. I am just starting as a filmmaker/screenwriter, but I have written part of a stage play (just a few scenes) and I have some ideas of some short films I would like to make. One of them would be specifically for youth groups. I am hoping to take an online course in screenwriting from NYU and I am totally willing to pay the cost to find out all the ins and outs. If you would like, send me an instant message either here or aol or something! It would be nice to have someone to chat with about films and writing screenplays and all God bless!
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If the lord has spoken unto, do what he say's, for it must be in your best iterance. Also, I think filmmaking is a great idea for reaching the NON believers, for as fellow Christians we must not just sit back and watch all of the NON believers walk through there life without the grace of the lord, for if they were to die, we know they would be thrown in the bottomless pit, and we know, that no man deserves that, thats why its our job to go out there and save souls through the name of Jesus.
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Yes catch 22! But I mean, if movies were just less nasty and deglorifying to God (is deglorifying even a word?) then that would be a start! Tonight I went to see Along Came Polly, and while I laughed, it featured the naked butts of two men. Not something anyone under 13 should see or even ANYONE! I just really thought they could convey someone being nude on a beach without the naked butts. I also think movies are a great way to reach younger audiences...the MTV generation as I call them. I think the problem with many Christian movies today is that they are honestly too preachy. The gospel is preached about every five minutes! I don't think that is necessary to reach people! Movies are powerful and I believe that if Christian filmmakers would take the time to make some quality movies that people are just as interested in seeing as secular ones, it would be a start. I also think believers need quality movies! We need to be able to go to the theater and not see naked butts on the screen in just about every movie we go to or premarital sex or what have you. I also think many Christian youth need something to watch that will be entertaining and also not be full of sex and violence. I think movies are also a good way for youth ministers to help youth get into the Word of God...if your favorite movie character has a fervor to get into God's word it's true that many of us will also get into reading God's word...not that NOTHING ELSE will motivate us, but when I was a teen I know that would have helped me!
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catch22
Filmmaker for Christ
Want to take over Holywood with me? heheh. Yeah, I totally agree with you though. I mean it's totally unneccessary to have the gratuitous sex scenes in movies the way they do today. And It's been awhile since I've seen a movie that didn't use the F-word. What I've been thinking, is that the only way to change things is to work from the outside in. What I mean by that is Hollywood is far too liberal for it's own good. If anyone wants to make any meaningful change, it would have to come in the form of independant films that could reach mass audiences. For example, the film that I'm working on, I'm planning on going to Sundance with it. If I get in, and it does well there, then chances are I could find a distributor to get it into theaters. Then, at that point I'd have somewhat of a relationship with one of the studios. They'd want me to do more of what I had done, and this time maybe they'd even fund the whole film themselves. At that point, it would just be up to me to write a film that could in fact reach mass audiences and would do well at the box office. If people swarm to see the movie, then the Christian film genre will have a foothold in Hollywood. Thats the plan anyway.
heheh. Yeah, I totally agree with you though. I mean it's totally unneccessary to have the gratuitous sex scenes in movies the way they do today. And It's been awhile since I've seen a movie that didn't use the F-word. What I've been thinking, is that the only way to change things is to work from the outside in. What I mean by that is Hollywood is far too liberal for it's own good. If anyone wants to make any meaningful change, it would have to come in the form of independant films that could reach mass audiences. For example, the film that I'm working on, I'm planning on going to Sundance with it. If I get in, and it does well there, then chances are I could find a distributor to get it into theaters. Then, at that point I'd have somewhat of a relationship with one of the studios. They'd want me to do more of what I had done, and this time maybe they'd even fund the whole film themselves. At that point, it would just be up to me to write a film that could in fact reach mass audiences and would do well at the box office. If people swarm to see the movie, then the Christian film genre will have a foothold in Hollywood. Thats the plan anyway.
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Hi!
remember what Jesus said..don't worry about tommorrow for today's troubles is enough for today? He meant this literally. Thus, wherever Christ wants you to be tommorrow, he would lead you.
in the summer of 2001 I started reading a book on how to write a screenplay just for the pure interest of it. I didn't think that the next summer I had an idea for a sci-fi movie that makes christ look cool and after a year and a half, I'm still working on that same screenplay. I know that the screenplay...if to be done well, will be finished in a couple of years. I also am developing a vampire movie
3 years ago I was setting myself up to go to medical school, but the score I did on my MCATS the lack of ability to handle the stress of med school came too much and I am not able to go. I just wanted to do med research to help ppl. Now maybe if I keep writing my two screenplays..maybe I can help ppl psychologically and if God allows, be some sort of director. (I wouldn't trust anyone else with my work)
Thus, there is no worrying about how u would deal with your life b/c I used to feel the same way. God will lead you each day.
Tolkein finished The Lord of the Rings Trilogy books in 14 years. And even when he finished them, he wrote to the publisher that IF he thought it was a work fit to be published...then he could publish them. Tolkein didn't even feel his work was that good and still it became something so special!
remember what Jesus said..don't worry about tommorrow for today's troubles is enough for today? He meant this literally. Thus, wherever Christ wants you to be tommorrow, he would lead you.
in the summer of 2001 I started reading a book on how to write a screenplay just for the pure interest of it. I didn't think that the next summer I had an idea for a sci-fi movie that makes christ look cool and after a year and a half, I'm still working on that same screenplay. I know that the screenplay...if to be done well, will be finished in a couple of years. I also am developing a vampire movie
3 years ago I was setting myself up to go to medical school, but the score I did on my MCATS the lack of ability to handle the stress of med school came too much and I am not able to go. I just wanted to do med research to help ppl. Now maybe if I keep writing my two screenplays..maybe I can help ppl psychologically and if God allows, be some sort of director. (I wouldn't trust anyone else with my work)
Thus, there is no worrying about how u would deal with your life b/c I used to feel the same way. God will lead you each day.
Tolkein finished The Lord of the Rings Trilogy books in 14 years. And even when he finished them, he wrote to the publisher that IF he thought it was a work fit to be published...then he could publish them. Tolkein didn't even feel his work was that good and still it became something so special!
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catch22
Filmmaker for Christ
I hammered out my first feature in about five weeks. It was 134 pages. Of course I had nearly a full treatment, so it was relatively painless to write. The painful thing was reading it afterwards. hehe. That was nearly two years ago. On the script I'm working on now, it'll probably take me until at least April to get a first draft and who knows how long until I have the final draft. Speaking of Final Draft, if you're into screenwriting, I would highly recommend getting it. I got so tired of trying to set up pages so they were formatted properly in Word. Now I can just hammer out the scripts and not worry about the formatting. Plus, if you need to add numbering for a shooting script, all you have to do is push a button and it does it all. COOL!
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yeah it's expensive but I got final draft too. somehow it was cheaper in uc santa barbara bookstore.
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sounds like I need to pick that one up! Thanks ya'll I just went to see "Miracle" today and it was great! I am currently in search of my stage play I began in high school. We only had to write ten pages of a stage play and then we had our classmates act it out. It turned out really well and it actually looked GOOD on stage! My classmates wanted me to write more because they wanted to see what happened to my characters! It was great! So, I think I need to finish that one...I kind of know where to go with it, but there are several ways I could move the plot along, just not sure exactly how. I do know that I have some great characters I'll keep you posted on getting it finished...keep me posted on all your projects! God bless
I just went to see "Miracle" today and it was great! I am currently in search of my stage play I began in high school. We only had to write ten pages of a stage play and then we had our classmates act it out. It turned out really well and it actually looked GOOD on stage! My classmates wanted me to write more because they wanted to see what happened to my characters! It was great! So, I think I need to finish that one...I kind of know where to go with it, but there are several ways I could move the plot along, just not sure exactly how. I do know that I have some great characters I'll keep you posted on getting it finished...keep me posted on all your projects! God bless
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Wide-eyedWithWonder
The Paradoxical Woman
Wow y'all! This is exciting that y'all are into the film industry. I have a Christian friend in New York right now who is trying to make inroads into the film industry and having a difficult time stomaching the depravity in the city. But he's still toughing it out, to see what happens. Something crazy happened to me over winter break, and I'm now way more interested in film and I'm currently taking an Intro to Film class. My real interest lies in singing, dancing, and acting, though (besides going to Med School and/or going into politics). However, I know there is a long road of preparation ahead of me to even begin to succeed in these things (besides the fact that I'm not drop-dead gorgeous). I'm starting that by participating in Fashion Rock Spring Fest in Orlando next month (now understand, I am a penniless college student, so this will be paid for on God's financing plan). Don't wanna talk too long about this, but I pray that y'all will be able to affect change.
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