Because I Promised...
...that you would be able to read about this here, let me describe the new film project I'm undertaking.
Back a few months ago, Kent Larsen of A Motley Vision posted a list of things he'd like to see in Mormon arts this year. The following is part of my response to that:
"I wish some really high-quality and spiritually appropriate film adaptations of scriptural stories would be produced by a non-institutional LDS filmmaker."
An important part of this sort of project would be that it couldn't be a parody of a scripture story, or simply be based on one. It couldn't be the general situation from the scriptures flung into the lives of other characters, but would have to be an honest to goodness interpretation - a thoughtful take on the actual events the scriptures describe. So, although it may or may not come to fruition this year, this project represents several months of me trying to come up with an idea to fulfill my own wish. After all, I really don't expect anyone else to pay much attention to what I want. Here's the concept:
It is the meridian of time.
That's basically it. All other things being as equal as possible, the meridian of time - the Savior's earthly ministry - is happening now, rather than a couple thousand years ago. I realize that given that circumstance, the world would be vastly different, but lets just say that the same countries, institutions, and other phenomena evolved to the point they are today somehow in spite of the absence of Christian influence as we understand it.
I thought it would be fascinating to do a series of short films depicting some of the events from the Gospels with word-for-word dialogue from the scriptures, no invented characters being directly involved in the story, set in our time.
What would the Savior's ministry look like if it were happening right now?
That's the question that this project revolves around, although the idea came to me when I was discussing the film Finding Faith in Christ with the mother of an investigator in my ward. The discussion particularly focused on the woman taken in adultery, so I naturally wanted to start with that particular episode. I had a couple of good discussions with family members about it, but when my sister-in-law pointed out that the incredible difficulties involved with that story make it a sort of holy grail for this sort of project, I started considering looking for something else to cut my teeth on. Sort of like the guy on my mission who caught an albino rattlesnake and wanted to skin and mount it, but didn't know how, so he took up snake hunting just to get good at it before he handled his trophy too much.
We tried, but couldn't think of any other stories that had the same baggage, but I also can't think of any that excite me as much. Nevertheless, I agree with Brienne that it may have to wait.
I suppose in the end, this may be just another parody, in one sense of the word, but I'm trying to be true enough to the scriptural description that it doesn't feel that way.
I guess the other motive for this is to help myself apply these scriptures in my life. I don't think there's anything inappropriate or sacrilegious about casting the Savior in a modern role. After all, He's still around and still has an influence. We get to see shadows of His ministry in our own, and we all fit into society somehow. But the stories would be told from the perspective of the person whose life was changed by meeting Christ. I think that will enable me to include everything that is in the scriptures while avoiding certain doctrinal entanglements, particularly a perfectly detailed depiction of the Lord.
I chose the short format for various reasons, chief among which is that no single story has enough material to justify anything else, and I don't want to invent too much, as I've said. I'm out to interpret. I suppose that I can't avoid a certain amount of invention, but that will all be hashed out as the idea is refined.
Speaking of which, I'm going to put up another blog that's devoted to gathering feedback and posting updates on this project, if you're interested in contributing to or following it. I'll edit this post to link to it when it's ready.
For now, let me know what you think here on this page, even if you hate the idea and think I should be excommunicated for even considering it, and I hope we can talk it over.
Thanks.
Back a few months ago, Kent Larsen of A Motley Vision posted a list of things he'd like to see in Mormon arts this year. The following is part of my response to that:
"I wish some really high-quality and spiritually appropriate film adaptations of scriptural stories would be produced by a non-institutional LDS filmmaker."
An important part of this sort of project would be that it couldn't be a parody of a scripture story, or simply be based on one. It couldn't be the general situation from the scriptures flung into the lives of other characters, but would have to be an honest to goodness interpretation - a thoughtful take on the actual events the scriptures describe. So, although it may or may not come to fruition this year, this project represents several months of me trying to come up with an idea to fulfill my own wish. After all, I really don't expect anyone else to pay much attention to what I want. Here's the concept:
It is the meridian of time.
That's basically it. All other things being as equal as possible, the meridian of time - the Savior's earthly ministry - is happening now, rather than a couple thousand years ago. I realize that given that circumstance, the world would be vastly different, but lets just say that the same countries, institutions, and other phenomena evolved to the point they are today somehow in spite of the absence of Christian influence as we understand it.
I thought it would be fascinating to do a series of short films depicting some of the events from the Gospels with word-for-word dialogue from the scriptures, no invented characters being directly involved in the story, set in our time.
What would the Savior's ministry look like if it were happening right now?
That's the question that this project revolves around, although the idea came to me when I was discussing the film Finding Faith in Christ with the mother of an investigator in my ward. The discussion particularly focused on the woman taken in adultery, so I naturally wanted to start with that particular episode. I had a couple of good discussions with family members about it, but when my sister-in-law pointed out that the incredible difficulties involved with that story make it a sort of holy grail for this sort of project, I started considering looking for something else to cut my teeth on. Sort of like the guy on my mission who caught an albino rattlesnake and wanted to skin and mount it, but didn't know how, so he took up snake hunting just to get good at it before he handled his trophy too much.
We tried, but couldn't think of any other stories that had the same baggage, but I also can't think of any that excite me as much. Nevertheless, I agree with Brienne that it may have to wait.
I suppose in the end, this may be just another parody, in one sense of the word, but I'm trying to be true enough to the scriptural description that it doesn't feel that way.
I guess the other motive for this is to help myself apply these scriptures in my life. I don't think there's anything inappropriate or sacrilegious about casting the Savior in a modern role. After all, He's still around and still has an influence. We get to see shadows of His ministry in our own, and we all fit into society somehow. But the stories would be told from the perspective of the person whose life was changed by meeting Christ. I think that will enable me to include everything that is in the scriptures while avoiding certain doctrinal entanglements, particularly a perfectly detailed depiction of the Lord.
I chose the short format for various reasons, chief among which is that no single story has enough material to justify anything else, and I don't want to invent too much, as I've said. I'm out to interpret. I suppose that I can't avoid a certain amount of invention, but that will all be hashed out as the idea is refined.
Speaking of which, I'm going to put up another blog that's devoted to gathering feedback and posting updates on this project, if you're interested in contributing to or following it. I'll edit this post to link to it when it's ready.
For now, let me know what you think here on this page, even if you hate the idea and think I should be excommunicated for even considering it, and I hope we can talk it over.
Thanks.
Comments
Brienne and I discussed at length some of the challenges with the adultery story. It had to do with the same issue you and I discussed: namely that the credibility of the film would depend on the Pharisees being able to legitimately bring this woman before Jesus for judgment. There were other things as well.
One of those things was that it may be appropriate to cast Christ in a changing role. In other words, he may be a carpenter in one story, but something else in the next one. I don't want to make these so episodic that it feels like a TV show. I think every film can have its own feel, look, and flavor, but because Christ played (and plays) so many roles - He is the master of each - defining Him as one particularly in all cases may be belittling, or at least too restrictive.
I remembered what you said about Mahonri's play about Joseph Smith: that the narrator refused to let history define the man. I wonder if a similar approach to Christ is not in order here.
Rereading your comment just now did give me an idea. You mentioned the Cana miracle. I think it could be exciting to do something with that - possibly involving John the Baptist and ending with the realization by a larger group that Jesus is more than what they thought Him to be.
Hmm...
To stick with my premise, that film would have to revolve around Mary, since the miracle was in her behalf. It would be her perspective. I'm not sure how John would fit in such a film. Hmm...
Uh oh. You've got me thinking now and I've got to catch an early bus tomorrow. Great. :)
On a side note, I'm fairly certain that Christ never went to a seminary because of various vague memories and John 7:15:
"And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?"
That was one of the issues some had with Christ. Although he met the cultural requirements to be a public minister, I get the impression that there was a lack of following the traditional educational path that gave some an excuse to question Him.
Now I thought I'd drop a comment over here as well. Thanks, by the way, for joining the LDS Filmmakers' Network; we're slowly growing, but hopefully it'll reach a critical mass within a year or so. Tell everyone!
As for this film series, the premise is quite intriguing; I don't know if exact scriptural dialogue has ever been transposed to a contemporary space, and it would certainly be interesting to see: the juxtaposition would make the words stand out, become defamiliarized. From what I can think of quickly the best films about Christ in the modern day are those, like, first and foremost, "Ordet," that invent new dialogue for him but retain the novelty of his appearance and incredulity of his associates by making him just someone they new before who now is saying that he is Jesus. That film is so powerful because nobody except kids takes Johannes seriously, not even the audience, so when he actually does perform an incredible miracle we're indicted along with the other unbelievers for our previous incredulity about who he is. Having Jesus just be some average joe makes it that much more effective when it's really him--because that's how it was in his day. (I haven't yet seen "Jesus de Montreal," but it strikes me as another example, one that you really ought to watch, if you haven't seen it, before getting into your scripts.)
And I'll do what I can to promote the network.