END OF THE BEGINNING – Cloud Ten Pictures

END OF THE BEGINNING a thriller which takes place on a subway car

Cloud Ten Pictures, the Christian film production company behind the well known LEFT BEHIND series starring Kirk Cameron has announced that they are working on a feature length film with the proposed title:  END OF THE BEGINNING

This film is a Christian high tension thriller / horror film.  But this “on the edge of your seat, white knuckle” film is not just a scare ‘em flick.  No, this film has a shocking twist that will leave folks literally stunned and will be the talk of the town.

I smile as I write this because I know that some people will read this and freak out.  But the reason for this is that in the famous words of Paul Harvey, they don’t know “the rest of the story…”

I however do.

END OF THE BEGINNING has a message that will illicit incredibly strong responses from everyone who sees it, regardless of what they believe.  And because of its very nature, it will cause … Continue Reading

SILENT FALL – A Study On The Global Impact Of Abortion

Evan Davis, Director of Harvest Media Ministries, recently initiated production on a documentary entitled Silent Fall, which is to be a study of the global impact of abortion. This interview is the first of a three-part series which will follow the makers of Silent Fall through pre-production, production, and post-production stages.

Christian-Movie.com wishes Evan and his team all the best as they embark on their worldwide mission.

Evan Davis: I began producing promotional and educational videos for Christian ministries in 1988 and quickly realized that the need for professionally produced communication tools among ministries and mission organizations was virtually endless. I joined up with Harvest Media founding partner Gary Roberts in 1996, with a shared vision to serve and encourage ministries through the production of relevant and high-quality media tools. Gary’s technical know-how and skills as an editor and camera operator complimented my writing and directing strengths. The Harvest Media team continued to grow … Continue Reading

Interview With Barbara Sundstrom of Cross Wind Productions

Barbara Sundstrom is the Executive Director of Cross Wind Productions, a non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring teenage filmmakers, while producing dramatic movies that address tough teen issues. Barbara is also the writer, director and producer of four of Cross Wind Productions’ movies.

Barbara studied screenwriting in UCLA’s online professional writing program and was the Director of Promotion, a playwright and an actress with professional Christian theatre company, A.D. Players, in Houston, Texas. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) and her M.A. in Communication from the University of Houston (Houston, Texas).

Barbara Sundstrom: The primary purpose of Cross Wind Productions is to meet the needs of the teen generation through the films we produce and the teenagers we mentor. The teen interns are not only the actors, but also vital members of the production crew, working under the guidance of industry … Continue Reading

The Gaffer’s Role

By Daniel Silver

The gaffer is the chief lighting technician, but he does more than shine light on sets and actors: he works closely with the director of photography in deciding what lights will motivate the scene, what overall mood is desired, and how lights will tell their own story.

To better understand what a gaffer does, you need to know what tools he has at his disposal. His greatest tool is his team — he makes use of a large team of technicians to accomplish his goals. His right-hand man is the best boy. The best boy is in charge of keeping track of equipment and making sure that the lighting department has easy access to it on set. He ensures that the lighting department has adequate power and acts as an emissary to the other departments. Finally, the best boy serves as the first person in the chain of command that other members of the lighting department come to with problems. This frees up the gaffer to focus on implementing his lighting plan.

The best boy has a team of electricians that helps him load and unload the equipment. Under his supervision, the team of electricians helps implement the gaffer’s lighting plan. While the gaffer is setting up, he relies on the electricians to make adjustments to the lights or lamps. “Through the exchange of a few words or hand signals, or clairvoyance, the electrician … Continue Reading

Composing Music for Film Trailers

By Brian Steckler

Though I’m generally hired to produce artists, write songs, and mix music, I’ve scored tons of commercials and have created my fair share of library film and TV music in all sorts of musical genres, from big sweeping orchestral cues to in-your-face modern rock. The library that I do most of my cue writing for focuses mainly on film trailers. Their main clientele is a group of trailer editors at the major studios.

My job is to write generic trailer music that can be used in whatever way is useful. Most often, I’m asked to write aggressive rock, hip-hop, or electronica with full orchestra on top, for action or thriller-type movie trailers. That said, I’m also frequently asked to replace a temporary cue that the editor used in an initial cut of the trailer that has the right sound or energy, but is either unavailable or too expensive to license in the end. Those cues can be any style.

Brian Steckler’s studio, The Stickhouse

Typically, I’ll write cues that are from 40 seconds to … Continue Reading