From Bibleman to the Big Screen: Brian Lemmons on Faith, Film, and Finding Your Path

I think it's important that we have these models where as Christians we can watch something on TV or stream it and we can see good examples of how God would have us behave.

And I think there's a change.

And maybe you could speak to this.

Is there a change in what you're seeing with the way that Christian films are being made now?

Well, Yeah, I mean, back when they kind of started, when they really started gaining ground, obviously money's always the issue, right? Money is an issue with all films, to be frank.

You got more money, you can make a better film.

Keep pouring money into it.

It goes from the A-list actor or the top-billed actor all the way down to the crew, anyone on the crew.

You get better people and all that, better stories, better writers and all that.

And I've seen faith-based films evolve in the last 20 years for the better.

And there is a huge audience for it.

And I think Hollywood's taken note.

There are a lot of A-list actors who are doing faith-based films now that you guys are aware of.

And I mean, I just saw Cooper Gooding Jr. last night on an interview he did about a faith-based film that he's got coming out.

And, you know, Dennis Quaid's of the world and all these people.

And I just think there is there's a thirst for it in our community.

But I think Hollywood is starting to take it more serious now because with all the crowdfunding and the things that Dallas Jenkins has been able to do with the chosen and all of these things that you can fund films differently now.

And that's evolving and we're adapting to it.

And I think we're getting better at these things because I, you know, Dave, I've, I've, I've told you off camera in private before that I've, I have been frustrated with a lot of the faith-based films that have come out over the last 20 years.

There's a lot of frustration for me because, you know, I, I'm, I am critical of, of storytelling and critical of movies and I like to think I've earned that right to be able to do that I mean everyone's a critic right but it's really close to home for me because one I am I am a filmmaker I am I am an artist and I am a believer and so when I see ones that didn't hit the mark I'm you know disappointed but there are some that have and and I just think if we keep if we keep pushing forward, you know, I just think if we give others a chance to write their stories and, and other people to, to be involved that have great ideas and filmmakers, young filmmakers, you know, filmmakers out there who have great ideas to give them a shot and, you know, try to move the landscape and move that bar even higher.

I think Karen Kingsbury, we interviewed her and we'll put a, A link to that interview for two pastors popcorn in a movie, but she used to hand off her scripts to other people to make the movies and so finally, last year she said no it's time, and they sold some property and things and they said we're going to go all in, so that we can make the movies that we want to make for Jesus, and I think you're seeing people like that.

Brett Barbell has done some incredible things that if you had a little more advertising, people would find out about them.

And really, that's what Dave and Dave are doing here is bringing people like you on so that we can make people aware of those movies that maybe people skipped over or that need to have that second look at.

Sure.

Sure.