In the Beginning...

Well...

Here we go.

Thus beginnith my Blog.

I don't guarantee that it will always be linear.
But... I'll do my best to have it make sense.

Who am I?
The Executive Director of the Center for Creative Media
www.centerforcreativemedia.com
We have nearly 100 people in "CCM." And, we all desire to make great film, television, and new media. We are Christians. But, it is NOT our goal to make great Christian film, television, and new media. We want to make great FILM, TELEVISION, and NEW MEDIA!

Good Christian
Good Mainstream
Good
Good, period.

It is our prayer that God would use us to create stories... pictures... films... tv... webisodes... print art... from our studio... and that we would do it with EXCELLENCE.

Let's start with my heart:
There is room in the marketplace of creative ideas for more perspectives and viewpoints than are primarily represented in the commercial release field today.

MAINSTREAM MARKET:
It's already been proven that when a WELL DONE movie that contains ideas that most Christians find palatable is released... the audience flocks to it in the millions. (ie., The Passion of the Christ, Narnia) Yet... there still aren't very many releases like these that have hit the big screen.

Why?? Apparently, there just isn't enough good material out there.
Or there aren't enough Christians who are willing to send their beliefs, thoughts and ideas through the main stream production grind and trust that God can see things through to the end in a way that will glorify Him.

("Bella" is an exception... despite less than blockbuster box office... this is a great film! Bravo for waging the fight.)

CHRISTIAN MARKET:
The Christian film & tv market is generally known for making stuff that just doesn't connect with the mainstream audience. Whether it be because of a mandatory on-screen altar call or an overall lack of production quality... put the label CHRISTIAN on the release and the available audience thins out to just a few folks.

Why isn't there more successful "Christian" film and television made? Money? Politics? Available Talent? Not enough good material out there? Probably all of the above...


THE DREAM
The vision of making GOOD film & television as a Christian is indeed LARGE and daunting. (But, with God, all things are possible, eh???) Let's assess the playing field:

Mainstream often thinks that:
Christians are in favor of censorship.
Christians want to limit ideas to only what the Religious Right thinks is acceptable.
Christians haven't lived enough life to tell a REAL story... one with texture and truth that most people could connect with.
Christians are narrow minded and NOT tolerant

Christians often think that:
Hollywood is too dangerous of a place to send their brothers to work (Interestingly sending fellow believers to be missionaries where they could martyred for their faith is honored... but heaven forbid we send them to Tinsletown)
Hollywood is so foul and wicked "we" need to form "our" own industry
Hollywood is controlled by the "Left" and would never let "our" stories be told
Film & Television can be made on a wing and a prayer without the budgets afforded to the mainstream market.

I'll address these issues over the next few weeks.

Like the world of politics these days... these two camps typically are dramatically polarized.

But... there is hope.
A Hit is a Hit.
Success negates all misgivings.

And... it is my contention that believers can be active, effective and artistically relevant participants in the mainstream marketplace. (it has been my privledge to work alongside many of these professionals who already are in "Hollywood." It just seems that there should many, many more of us)

So to make more than an occasional dent in the status quo... we need to raise up qualified, trained, competent, TALENTED professionals who can compete in their fields.

Thus the journey of The Center for Creative Media is underway...

This blog will chronicle the milestones that CCM will cross, bring you stories of the people who
pour every ounce of their heart and faith into their work, and my own personal observations along the way.

Come along....