Monday, June 12, 2017

Faith and Film: Part II

There was something in seeing that Black Panther trailer that caused a fire to rise up in me again. Something that made my eyes burn with tears and heart swell with pride. Yeah, it could have been the Boseman-Coogler combo or Angela Bassett giving us all of the life in the world for the 0.2 seconds she was on screen.  But I think it’s deeper, bigger even. I’ll say it again for the people in the back: representation is so important. If we stop at visual images, the work is unfinished. We must create and demand thoughtful, complex, and diverse representations of our Black spectrum. And something in me believes that Black Panther is going to do that. It just has to. 

So what exactly does this have to do with faith? I’m glad you asked, you committed and diligent reader, you! If you haven’t already checked out Part I of this post, you should do that. If you haven’t, shame on you! Pull the lever, Kronk!

There’s grace for that…

Let’s recap: Genesis 1:27 says, “… God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” A new understanding of this verse changed my entire perspective on who I am as a Christian and artist (did you know you can be both? Wowza!) It’s good news; it’s gospel; it’s something that everyone deserves to hear, experience, and believe. And with my little camera and my hard drive full of scripts, that is exactly what I intend to do. A nice little cycle, ain’t it? 

Art is a reflection of God The Creator. But you can’t just make things in some big cosmic void...well, I mean you could, but I’m not. In case you didn’t know, there's literally a Struggle happening and I don’t have time for that. I have to approach this goal with intense specificity. That’s where the “image” part of this scripture comes into play. What do those images look like? Well, for me they're Black, Black, Black, oh so dark, and Black. Let me explain. 

 Keep reading to verse 28 and you’ll find this: “God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” Scholars call this the Cultural Mandate, meaning that from the beginning, God intended for the earth to be filled with people, whom he loves and values. I’m no biologist, but because of things like climate and geography, in order for humans to survive, different types of people with different traits and practices had to develop over time. As a result, a diversity of cultures was born. Ta da. This wasn’t an accident; God knew that this was going to happen. Culture is a part of God’s plan--Blackness is a part of God’s plan. (How’s that for a Sunday School Lesson?)

Black people are made in the image of God. But how many of us live like that’s the truth? Some people don’t even know that it is. And I mean, how can we blame them? In textbooks our history starts with “yessuh massa,” moves to “We Shall Overcome” brought to you in part by your local white savior, and ends somewhere around Regan telling us to “just say no.” We are intentionally conditioned to believe that we are inferior. America and much of the Western world was built on this principle and on the backs of African peoples. If you think something’s racist 9/10 times (let’s be real, 15/10 times) it is. (Oh. You didn’t know I was a conspiracy theorist? Well now you know. The Lord is working on me). This system THRIVES on the subservience of our people and the media only fuels that. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that lines up with who God told us we were in Genesis. He made us fearfully, wonderfully, and on purpose. We’re so much more than this world would lead us to believe, y’all. We are dancers, doctors, lovers, poets, philosophers, fathers, freedom fighters—we bear the image of God in so many beautiful and diverse ways. 


Art, films in my case, help to remind us of this holy truth. Disagree with me if you want, but I really believe that thoughtful depictions of our people help to carry out God’s plan. So, that’s what I am trying to do, create deeper, wider, and more thoughtful depictions of Black people and Black experiences. 

I found that who I am as a Christian, artist, and Black woman only makes sense in the Kingdom of God. Like I said before, I didn’t always know that. It's been a journey, especially over the past three years. A real turning point came for me in an unlikely package, the most sincere blond-haired, blue-eyed white guy that you will ever meet. After seeing a play that I produced and directed that basically digs into what it means to be Black (Black Monologues stand up!), he wrote a letter to the cast and me explaining how he saw God and His glory through the work. I love the writing, directing, and bonding that goes into creating this production. But that’s all I ever wanted—for people to see God and know Jesus. Thanks, Bradford. 


I’m gonna keep listening to God, but for now, I think that I'm supposed remind my people that we are made in God’s image through art. If I’m being honest, I don’t think that this message only has to be carried out through super Christian-y, churchy, worshipful-looking films. I find this message in Selma, Fruitvale Station, Daddy’s Little Girls, and even in Do The Right Thing. The list goes on and I’m trying to write the next one. One day. In His timing. God will create the image that he wants to see. He will equip me with words and characters that reflect the breadth of his being. I am committed to making art for, by, and about my people, not independently, but completely dependent on God. 

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Faith and Film: Part I

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be about another Woman Thou Art Loosed sequel or a remake of God’s Not Dead, featuring Amadla Stenberg (Please no. Never.) But you will have to endure a dramatic opening story. You’ll be fine. 

 When I was headed to college, I had an interview with a local scholarship committee (no, I will not give you the tea.)  During that interview, one of the committee members asked me what I wanted to do with my degree (because that happens literally every time I tell someone my majors). I told her that I wanted to be a screenwriter. Her response: “Well, that’s no career for a Christian girl.” **Diane from Blackish gasp** As much as I wanted to have some quick-witted and effortlessly shady response, I just didn’t have one. I was “shook,” as the young folks say. So this dream isn’t part of God’s plan? God’s kingdom and Hollywood could never collide? Okay. I’m done with the metaphors—but I’m taking notes for my auto-biopic, so can y’all just let me be extra? 


Fast forward to my first year of college. I was going to church regularly, taking theater class, and studying and protesting for my people. Sounds good, right? All of these things are great, but not when the things that you love require you to exist as three different people. Making art, being a Black woman, and being a Christian were three very separate identities for me. I didn’t see how all of these things could fit together in one person. That’s tiring. That’s toxic. That’s like a never ending cycle of Comedy-of-Errors-esq quick changes. 

It wasn’t until I became involved with my campus ministry and was challenged to take ownership of my faith that who I was, who I was becoming, started to make sense to me. I had to backtrack all the way to passages in Genesis to be reminded of who God already told me I was from the jump. "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; Male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27. I realized that I’d glazed over what would become the foundational scripture for my artistic practice.  As a filmmaker/playwright/person who makes things, I literally have an opportunity to show the world a part of who God is. This is a way to carry out His plan. Creation is a direct reflection of the Creator. I am out here trying to write worlds into existence. God already did that and all he had to do was say it. Boss. 


So how do I put this into practice? Where could I exercise this renewed faith practically? It really hit me during my first cinematography class. 

I love theatre with my entire heart and soul, every fiber of my being, yada yada yada. I really do. Here’s the thing: theatre is immediate—it is in the moment, it is live. I think that that immediacy is where a lot of its power lies. Reality and imagination are playing out in real time and you can’t escape. Coming of age in a town of thespians, this became my life. This is where I was rooted and started to find my way as an artist. Sure, as a playwright I’ve gotta wait sometimes to actually hear my words out loud, but after a reading, I’m able to get a pretty good idea of what is and isn’t going to work and can going from there. I get quick affirmation. The immediacy is comfortable. 

So while theatre is a place of safety, film is an exercise of faith for me, in both big and small ways. In my cinematography class (read: cult) we shoot 16mm film on Bolexes. Translation: we make movies out of old-fashioned film with even more old-fashioned cameras. You load the film into the camera and follow a lot of very particular steps to make sure that you’re letting the right amount of light into the camera and that the image is in focus.  The point of this is to make sure that your film is exposed properly. See, unlike digital cameras, there’s no LCD screen showing you what you’re shooting. The viewfinder isn’t even reliable. You have to carefully follow all of the steps and make creative decisions without even knowing what your footage is going to look like until you’ve spent seventy bucks getting it processed.






Do you see where I’m going with this? If shooting film isn’t an exercise of faith, I don’t know what is. As I grow as a filmmaker I am continually repeating this practice, drilling this discipline into my brain, and more importantly, into my heart. There is so much room for error in shooting film, leaving even more room for anxiety and worry. But wait! There’s a scripture for that, too: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. 



This doesn’t stop at cameras for me. It’s in writing, it’s in editing, it’s in showing my work. Bigger picture: I am entering a field that doesn’t provide newcomers with a clearly charted path (other than being a sits-in-coffee-shops-with-Celtx-open-cliché. I do that SO well.) I know what I want to become, but how do I get there? Making sure that I cross my i’s and dot my t’s is a part of the process, but if I stop there, then that’s reliance on self. I’ve gotta add active faith to the mix—doing my very best and trusting that God will take it from there. If you don’t know Christ, I know that sounds completely insane, passive even. But if you’d let me, I want to introduce you to the God that makes art. He changes my life every single day. 

So, I guess you can call this a testimony. And if it is, it’s the kind that I like to hear. The one’s that say the Lord is lit, but he isn’t done. We’re still plugging away together. Yes, I’m putting in the work, but honestly I don’t know what comes next. I’m learning (asterisks, star, underline!) to be okay with that. What I do know is that I dream of being a filmmaker and that I’m lucky enough to know a God who is bigger than those dreams. 



Honestly, name a better “career for a Christian girl.” I’ll wait. Actually, no I won’t, because I’m not trying to become a Grace Greenleaf preacher. 


P.S. This covers the Christian and artists parts of my once multiple personality triangle. Stay tuned for the Black part…my favorite part of any cast.