I have tended to avoid media associations, like this one. There is a secular group in Columbus, Ohio who meet monthly, and every time I go it feels as if we are all like the passengers on the Titanic who wound up in the water. We're all struggling to survive, and we're looking for that person who is going to help "save us." I have connected with very few people who genuinely see what I am doing and offer to come on board to help simply to see to it that my project succeeds. People typically have an angle and are wanting to launch themselves through other people's projects. It has been my hope that, this being a Christian group, I would have a different experience. I know there are genuine people out there who want to make a difference in the world, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to be part of something special for personal reasons. We all want to be used by God to make an impact in this world. I feel that if we keep this as our focus, then there is a lot of good media we can create. I also am not a huge fan of film festivals. I recently did a low-budget film (A Story For Winter) and got it on Amazon Prime, which was honestly satisfying enough for me. I had told people that I wouldn't enter the film into a festival, but I eventually relented. I figured that festivals at least help to get word out about our work, so it was worth trying. I entered the International Christian Film Festival this year and got my film as an official selection. I guess I should be honored for at least having achieved that much. I by no means thought that my little David of a film was going to overshadow the Goliaths that were created with substantially larger budgets. However, there is something about awards shows that is leaving a very bad taste in my mouth. I have watched the Oscars for years, and I have slowly come to realize that, while they are showcasing a lot of good work, the awards themselves send a message that tends to clash with my theology. I struggle with the idea that we have to continually place one person on a pedestal to proclaim they are the "best" above all others. Our crowning achievement in life is simply making it to Heaven, and even though the Bible addresses the idea of us receiving crowns, it also expresses that we will lay them all down at Jesus' feet. It just seems to me that awards are senseless. If good work has been done, we should showcase it. Why do we feel the need to continually follow the world's example and raise one work so highly above another? Don't get me wrong. I am very pleased that the Christian world has acquired the means of creating a consistent, steady supply of God-honoring films, because this was a long and difficult struggle for many decades. I remember growing up and only seeing rare sightings of God-inspired cinema (Chariots of Fire, The Mission, China Cry). It's great that we have this avenue now, but I hope to goodness that, in the process, we don't create Hollywood the sequel - our own micro version of an industry that uses people up and spits them out. The media and the message may be good, but how it is created is equally as important as what we create.
