School of Digital Filmmaking

SDF has proved itself correct - a challenging, stretching time of business lots of assignments and lots of new information learned!  The first week, we learned all about different world views  and how filmmakers naturally portray their worldview in their films - which ends up influencing us as viewers!  It was a week where we really got challenged to face our own worldview and see why we think the way we do from our upbringing and trials in life.

Week two, we learned about the building blocks of a story - what makes a good story, about the "Hero's journey" and the three act structure.  I've learned how our lives are a story - it applies so much to just our everyday living.  A leaf can tell a story, and grain of sand has a story.  Inspiration is found in stories, and it's honestly given me SO much inspiration, in not only filmmaking - but music writing, story writing and every artistic aspect of my life.  Its made me realize that I want all of my art forms to tell stories of their own, that bring people inspiration.  A story is what people connect to - what brings life and hope - Jesus told stories and so should we. (He was the best storyteller, I believe (; )

Week three was all about the camera, lights, and sound.  SO much information! And we had our first test on Friday as well, and practical assignments where we got to play with all the equipment.

I'm so looking forward to seeing how God uses these new skills!  My brain is BURSTING, people, let me tell ya!  

Today is actually my first day where I can breath since SDF began.  On week one, I decided to do my movie presentation (everyone has to do one over the semester).  I did mine on Edward Scissorhands, and well, I got into it a bit.  Yeah, just, see below:

I woke up early, and glued my eyebrows, put massive amounts of heavy duty makeup on, created fake scars, Misha teased up my hair, and I became Edward for the day.  Minus the scissorhands - would have been a bit tricky to give a presentation and work my laptop with those, haha!  Man, makeup brings me LIFE! One day I'd love to do this on set. We'll see, hey!

We've been working on our first short film's scripts throughout the school.  I've discovered script writing and story making is HARD! I'm very good at coming up with concepts, with the icing on the cake and little things that would be funny to put in the story, but coming up with the building blocks of the story itself is a definite challenge - to have all the lose ends tied, and to not make dialog LONG or CHEESY. AH.  But I'm excited for the results that are coming together - you'll be able to see my first film in a few months I believe!

This last weekend, on Friday, our staff got us together in the afternoon and told us that we were doing the 48 hour film festival in Brisbane!  I got my mind of Mission Simulation mindset like on DTS - no rest for me yet. I was already exhausted from little sleep, and so much learned, and much fundraising over the last three weeks.  But thankfully, they said we'd have Monday off (which is today, and man am I soaking up today! Sleep sleep sleep has never felt so glorious and usually I feel like rest days are a waste of time, but today I WANT it, [thats when I know I'm working hard.])  Our call time was 6:00 Saturday morning, so we rolled out of bed and got GOING.  The staff was up all night taking shifts writing the script.  I was given the role of 2nd Assistant director, which basically meant doing what I am told and helping with various tasks.  We went to a church, and set up the set, I got to be an extra as well which was fun!  

^This is behind-the-scenes for a bit of our shoots!^

There was a surge of excitement and energy in everyone, making a story come to life is so exciting and takes a massive group of people working together in unity.  Sunday I was mostly on standby because editing was happening and a couple reshoots, so it was pretty chill.  We all got together Sunday night and watched the finishing product - BRILLIANT.  We'll find out about our placement next month, fingers crossed!  This was my first experience on a film set ever, we'll see if its something that I'll do longterm :)

This industry is in desperate need of more Christian positive influence.  One amazing thing we've been able to do is to connect weekly with Christians who are active in the industry via skype - actors, film crew people, etc.  Its been amazing hearing their stories of how they've been lights for God in such a dark place - its encouraging to hear people are out there making a difference and staying strong despite the negative cultural influence.  Please keep the industry in your prayers!

One massive prayer request:

My classmates are needing the rest of their finances by Friday or they will be pulled from class.  We're doing various fundraisers over the weekends, including working for Heartbridge's race, movie nights, breakfasts, etc.  They've all taken the leap of faith to come here under God's call and I know He'll provide - he always does. Please join us in interceding in agreement that their finances will come, and thank God with us for His perfect will.  

Also, pray for my energy to keep going and to stay in tune with God with all of this, and my future and my present!

ONE LAST COMMENT: The Meeting Place cafe has opened, with coffee for a gold coin donation the second week of our school on our base! It's been a wonderful evangelistic place - local high school kids come and hang out after school all the time, YWAMers perform, people mingle and do homework.  Pray for more blessings and for the word to spread like wildfire! Good coffee, good fellowship, good God, can't beat the price.  Doesn't help our coffee addictions over SDF craziness ;)