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Outside Hollywood: The Young Christian's Guide to Vocational Filmmaking
The Young Christian's Guide to Vocational Filmmaking Like the Berlin Wall, the seemingly impenetrable colossus of Hollywood, with its enslaving influence on American culture, will someday come crashing down, destroyed by inexpensive technologies, new distribution methods, and a rising tide of independent filmmakers. All of these factors represent unprecedented opportunities for innovative Christian visionaries who are willing to take every thought captive through a presuppositionally biblical approach to making films outside the Hollywood system. In this groundbreaking book, experienced cinematographer, writer, and animator Isaac Botkin prepares Christians for successful Christ-honoring leadership as writers, directors, and producers. Botkin has worked as both a Hollywood outsider and an insider, and is a leading proponent of a new independent film industry. In Outside Hollywood, he smashes the myth of methodological and cultural neutrality and offers a paradigm for developing a family-friendly approach to this hugely important field of cultural influence. Readers will benefit from his insights on the proper training and qualifications and the history and future of the Hollywood industry, as well as the key to courageous script writing, and the responsibilities of professional directing. Several appendices explain ways to get the most out of modern equipment, how to avoid the common mistakes of new filmmakers, and more.
- GenresChristianity
313 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2007
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34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 10, 2012
Cyprian of Carthage wrote "No salvation outside of the church." Today's film industry seems to share a similar sentiment - "no success outside of Hollywood."
But this book asks the question: Do aspiring Christian filmmakers need the Hollywood system in order to be successful artists?
This book was timely for me, since I have, in a sense, been asking myself those questions lately. Inside or outside Hollywood? Independent films are the way to go if you want control over your project - and want to get noticed. But a lot of screenwriting/filmmaking books I've read suggest using independent films as a bridge to Hollywood. Get noticed on a good indie film, and the next film you make could be the summer's biggest blockbuster!
In Outside Hollywood Isaac Botkin challenges this mentality, especially for Christian filmmakers.
"Films," he says "are not primarily an entertainment medium. They are weapons. If you understand that, then you are ready to pursue filmmaking as a vocation."
He makes the case for filmmaking as a weapon, and for the young aspiring filmmaker as a warrior. He includes a chapter on "training and qualifications" with questions such as "are you a leader or a follower?" "Are you weak in faith, or strong?"
If there's one thing you come away with after reading this book, it's that filmmaking is a serious occupation, with serious capacity to do good or evil. Stories are a big part of our culture, and those who write the stories have enormous influence.
Isaac Botkin also sees a dangerous Marxist and Communist influence in Hollywood today. Though I might be a little skeptical of some of his theories, I can certainly see that they have some truth to them. It only underscores the need for serious, moral filmmakers who aren't operating underneath the pressures and prejudices of Hollywood.
I've always known that stories were influential. I love stories. I've seen the power they have over me and over other people. This book only confirmed that for me. The storyteller is a teacher. That's not a responsibility to be taken lightly.
Thus, he urges Christian filmmakers to go "outside Hollywood" to tell their stories. In Hollywood, stories are inevitably changed. A director may have more control than a screenwriter, but it's the man with the money who ultimately decides the direction the story will go. Indie films have more freedom, as has been shown by Sherwood Pictures and other independent Christiam films.
Finally, Isaac Botkin urges Christian filmmakers to tell stories full of truth and beauty, to turn away from the anti-hero model and give the audience heroes to admire. From the book:
I would highly recommend this book, not only to aspiring Christian filmmakers, but to any storyteller, in any medium. Storytelling is a serious profession, with serious power. We need to be conscious of that power we wield, so that we can use it for good and not for evil.
And if that can be done better outside Hollywood, as the book suggests, then that's where you're going to find me.
This review was also posted on Word Art: Painting with Words.
But this book asks the question: Do aspiring Christian filmmakers need the Hollywood system in order to be successful artists?
This book was timely for me, since I have, in a sense, been asking myself those questions lately. Inside or outside Hollywood? Independent films are the way to go if you want control over your project - and want to get noticed. But a lot of screenwriting/filmmaking books I've read suggest using independent films as a bridge to Hollywood. Get noticed on a good indie film, and the next film you make could be the summer's biggest blockbuster!
In Outside Hollywood Isaac Botkin challenges this mentality, especially for Christian filmmakers.
"Films," he says "are not primarily an entertainment medium. They are weapons. If you understand that, then you are ready to pursue filmmaking as a vocation."
He makes the case for filmmaking as a weapon, and for the young aspiring filmmaker as a warrior. He includes a chapter on "training and qualifications" with questions such as "are you a leader or a follower?" "Are you weak in faith, or strong?"
If there's one thing you come away with after reading this book, it's that filmmaking is a serious occupation, with serious capacity to do good or evil. Stories are a big part of our culture, and those who write the stories have enormous influence.
Isaac Botkin also sees a dangerous Marxist and Communist influence in Hollywood today. Though I might be a little skeptical of some of his theories, I can certainly see that they have some truth to them. It only underscores the need for serious, moral filmmakers who aren't operating underneath the pressures and prejudices of Hollywood.
I've always known that stories were influential. I love stories. I've seen the power they have over me and over other people. This book only confirmed that for me. The storyteller is a teacher. That's not a responsibility to be taken lightly.
Thus, he urges Christian filmmakers to go "outside Hollywood" to tell their stories. In Hollywood, stories are inevitably changed. A director may have more control than a screenwriter, but it's the man with the money who ultimately decides the direction the story will go. Indie films have more freedom, as has been shown by Sherwood Pictures and other independent Christiam films.
Finally, Isaac Botkin urges Christian filmmakers to tell stories full of truth and beauty, to turn away from the anti-hero model and give the audience heroes to admire. From the book:
"Your stories can teach the truth in every scene. You can show the negative consequences of bad behavior. You can show the proper roles of protagonist - the good guy - and the antagonist - the bad guy. Many films get it backward today, usually on purpose. You can have a purpose, too, for every scene and every character. Every virtue can be supported rather than vilified. See how gratifying it is to your audience to root for the good guys and boo the bad guys, for a change. When they clash, let the collision between good and evil be resounding. The losers need to lose instead of being lionized."
I would highly recommend this book, not only to aspiring Christian filmmakers, but to any storyteller, in any medium. Storytelling is a serious profession, with serious power. We need to be conscious of that power we wield, so that we can use it for good and not for evil.
And if that can be done better outside Hollywood, as the book suggests, then that's where you're going to find me.
This review was also posted on Word Art: Painting with Words.
June 22, 2016
A MUST READ for any budding Christian filmmaker!
December 23, 2011
This book is amazing. Even if your just a big movie buff, but not interested in making movies, I would totally recommend reading this book. It made me really see why going with Hollywood would not be such a good idea, and a little more about the film world.
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July 4, 2015Great book for Christian filmmakers young and old to read! gives you great questions to think about and apply to your life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews