Objectified

Gary Hustwit, of Helvetica fame, has a new documentary coming out about industrial design titled Objectified. Screenings begin in early 2009.

God at the Movies…in Albania?

If you follow this blog, you know that Journey just finished up a six week series called God at the Movies V. (More on that series here.) It’s one of our favorite series to do each year, and is, arguably, the most popular series of our ministry year. Apparently, it’s popular around the world, too. Our programming team received this email:

“I thought you’d enjoy seeing how God is working in Eastern Europe.  My pastor friend…is doing a “God at the Movies” series this week in southern Albania.  He was inspired by what was happening at Journey during his visit.”

How cool is that? Below is our poster (left) and the Albanian poster (right). It’s incredibly flattering, and, simultaneously, a huge win. We really hope that the Church (worldwide) is always thinking and growing and stretching the way they leverage popular culture. My prayers are with this church as they reach out in new and unique ways to help people find this amazing grace found in the person of Jesus.

Inspiration, again.

One of the best books I’ve read this year was The Myths of Innovation, by Scott Berkun (for more on that book, read here). The Guardian had an interesting article on how to write a movie, and the following excerpt reminded me of a lot of what Berkun talks about:

“I think people see inspiration as the ignition that starts the process. In fact, real moments of inspiration often come at the last minute, when you’ve sweated and fretted your way through a couple of drafts. Suddenly, you start to see fresh connections, new ways of doing things. That’s when you feel like you’re flying. The real pleasure of any script is the detail. And a lot gets lost in the process. Put it back in at the last minute.”

Replace all the talk of screenwriting with any other sort of creative output, and you will still have great advice.

[via Kottke]

God at the Movies V is closing.

Well, this weekend, God at the Movies V is officially coming to an end. We’ll be finishing up the series with the second People’s Choice film, Enchanted (read more on Weekend Update). It has been a great series, as we’ve examined the intersection of modern cinema and God’s story. I must say that this was, by far, the best installment of the series yet.

The entire Weekend Design Team pulled together and created six excellent weekends (and a seventh for Father’s Day that was sandwiched in there). Every service was packed with creative elements and moments of awe. There is nothing like artists using their gifts in the local church. Our music team stepped it up and performed a total of four special songs throughout the series (the band nailed it on “Viva La Vida” - how cool is it that we go to a church where they do Coldplay songs?). All of these songs served as great connection points to the films.

Of course, there was the Woods family’s story of how God brought them and their son together, the incredible dance during the Amazing Grace weekend (read more about that weekend here), and countless stories of people who invited their friends, family, co-workers, strangers. In fact, that is one of the most encouraging things about this series - the “invite factor” of the JCC family. I love that I get to serve at a church where the people really “get it” - where they understand that we do series like this to meet people where they are at, to provide a common ground to dialogue about ours and God’s stories. There were so many stories of people who came and encountered Jesus for the first time; so many stories of people who were delivered from bondage and despair; so many stories of people who had their lives changed. There really isn’t anything like the local church.

So don’t miss this weekend as we wrap it up this awesome series. And if you are saddened that God at the Movies V is no more, don’t worry, God at the Movies 6 begins May 2009.

For podcasts of the messages from God at the Movies V, click here.

Musings on Grace

Two weeks ago, as part of our God at the Movies V series, Journey’s Teaching Pastor, Ed Noble, looked at the film Amazing Grace. My opinions on the low-quality film-making aside (I was one of two on the Weekend Design Team who didn’t like the film), Ed’s message and the overall flow of the service was something to cause awe. Heading in to the series, we knew we wanted to create a package in which the notion of grace could be experienced, not just talked about. What culminated was nothing short of a God-inspired moment. Looking back, it was one of those moments of wonder - moments we are always striving to create in our weekend services.

One of our pastors, Rod Kaya, set up the package, reminding us that, while grace has a definition, it is very rarely understood. It is something that we can think about, but it is harder to grasp, let alone experience through words. From there, we played a video piece that set-up some of the history of the hymn “Amazing Grace” and John Newton’s legacy as a slave-trader turned priest, a true story of God’s grace. The piece was synced to Yvette Flunder singing an a capella version of the prolific first verse.

Following the video, was a dance wonderfully choreographed by Pamela Turner and performed by she and Megan Merk. Pamela did a wonderful job in capturing the essence of grace. It wasn’t a “pretty” dance - something her and I both did not want for the piece. However, it was a dance that capture the raw emotion and picture of grace in people’s lives. (Rod posted a sort of bootlegged recording of the dance here).

When the dance finished, the lights faded and we returned with another video piece. Inspired by Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace?: Visual Edition, the piece was an experience of grace in the most visual way (selected images below). Combining text and black & white photographs (and Jonathan Elias’ moving composition “Move”), the video expressed the scandalous nature of this thing called grace.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I am the creator behind the piece. Most people didn’t realize, because it flashed for just an instant, but I included myself in the myriad of images of people touched by grace (third image below). I am not writing to brag about the piece or to gain attention for my work. I am writing this post to say that I am a person who has learned to better understand grace. I am writing to say that, along with images of Martin Luther King, Jr., Adolf Hitler, members of the KKK - stands my photo - a person marked by sin; yet, a person who grace is afforded. I do not fully grasp its entirety, but because of circumstances and the path of my pursuit (and at times anti-pursuit) of God I have come to gain a more deep and real knowledge of grace. I have learned it’s wrinkles. It has become palpable, known, experienced.

Such grace causes me to have “a wretch like me” understanding that Ed mentioned in his message. Such grace causes me to face the fact that I am not the sole receiver of this grace. Scandalous grace, grace that melts ungrace, is given to members of the Ku Klux Klan, transsexuals, Christians, philanthropists, children and drunks. I have learned that the limits of grace’s reach are endless. It is precisely that fact that affords me grace. I have learned that grace, in an unfair and illogical way, is afforded to all…even to someone like me.

The Life of a Designer

A coworker and I were emailing back and forth about Gary Hustwit’s documentary Helvetica. She commented that her favorite quote from the film was by the great Massimo Vignelli:

“The life of a designer is a life of fight - a fight against the ugliness.”

Fight the ugly!

Atonement

This past weekend, I saw Atonement, the 2008 Golden Globe winner for best picture. It was such an incredible film - deeply woven and wonderfully shot, it is obvious why it won the Golden Globe. The beautiful and tragic story of Robbie (James McAvoy) and Cecilia (Keira Knightley) is deftly told by director Joe Wright. It is a film that must be experienced, so I don’t intend to go into a description of the plot.

The complex and intriguing story, deftly crafted by director Joe Wright is quite spectacular. However, one cannot look at the film without acknowledging the innovative and great cinematography of Seamus McGarvey. McGarvey’s fluid camera shots are beautiful and deserve the Academy Award.

Also of note, is Dario Marianelli’s theme. Marianelli integrates a typewriter (a key element in the film) in such a creative way. It is really quite astounding.

Overall, a great film that explores love, betrayal and penance of sin.

Self-Indulgence

I was watching another of Hillman Curtis‘ Artist Series short films. This one focused on the designer David Carson. While not my style, Carson has a very innovative design eye. He helped to pioneer the use of “dirty” type and “grunge” design. Many critics argue that Carson is arrogant in his work, and that his style is self-indulgent. In the short, Carson responds:

“Self-indulgent was the big negative term, which I think is a very positive term. I wouldn’t want anybody working for me that wasn’t doing very self-indulgent work – totally absorbed in it. So, as we get more computerized I think it becomes more important than ever that the work actually become more subjective, more personal, and that you let your personality come through in the work. So, it becomes more important that you pull from who you are as a person and put that into the work.”

What a smart thought. Great creativity cannot exist without its creator. Our designs, art, creation are inherently self-indulgent - otherwise they aren’t truly ours.

Watch the film here.

Planet Earth

When Discovery Channel began airing Planet Earth in March of last year, I was sure to be home every Sunday night for the 11-part mini-series. Billed as “the definitive look at the diversity of our planet,” the documentary was shot almost entirely in high-definition - something that has never been attempted before. I sat in my living room every Sunday night, in awe at the beauty of our planet.

Recently, I purchased the DVD box set, and have started to re-watch the various episodes. I continue to sit in amazement at the intricateness and stunning magnificence of the world that we live in. I can’t help but revel in it’s splendor, it’s diverse wildlife, incredible geological formations and vast expanses. In fact, it has helped me in being creative - to see all that creation - it’s expanded the way I am thinking about the tasks ahead of me.

Top 10 Films, Vol. 1 (2007)

The Top 10 Films of 2007.

10. Blade Runner: The Final Cut (Ridley Scott) - I know it was released two years before I was born, and I shouldn’t have it on my Top 10 of 2007. However, this is The Final Cut, so, by default, I can include it. Who knew that a 25 year-old cult classic would remain such a prolific force of modern cinema? I loved the original Blade Runner and The Final Cut is even better.

09. Once (John Carney) - Unpretentious and deeply heartfelt - it was a great way to modernize a musical film. Wonderful performances by musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. It was a film that was great, without trying.

08. The Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson) - Not Wes Anderson’s best film (Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums are musts), but still a wonderful cinematic experience. Adrien Brody is inspiring - expertly playing one of Anderson’s best created characters. Angelica Huston, as always, is stunning

07. The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) - The 2006 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film was a deep, yet quiet picture of East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. It reminds us that amidst overpowering evil, there is still ability for good.

06. Interview (Steve Buscemi) - Buscemi proved that he wasn’t just an excellent actor, but also an excellent filmmaker (following other great films, like 2005’s Lonesome Jim). With quite a few twists and turns, it was a great look at celebrity - but also at the depth, darkness and vulnerability of the human soul.

05. Control (Anton Corbijn) - Excellent biopic about the late frontman of Joy Division, Ian Curtis. Previous blog here.

04. Juno (Jason Reitman) - By far, the funniest and wittiest of the films I saw in 2007. Ellen Page and Michael Cera are excellent. The dialogue is spot on. And an excellent soundtrack.

03. Heima (Dean DeBlois) - Sigur Rós beautiful film isn’t really possible to describe. It’s the sort of film that has to be experienced.

02. Across the Universe (Julie Taymor) - Taymor’s magically visual style is the perfect spouse to The Beatles’ music. Fun, moving and beautiful - truly one of the best films of the year.

01. Paris Je T’aime (Various) - Read my previous post here. Buy it. Watch it. Love it.