Our Short Art Films spark significant conversations in your community and inspire them to produce their own films.
A Short Art Film is a hybrid of physical art works, motion graphics, spoken word, music and sound effects, all combined in films ranging from two to seven minutes. Its production can be simple, or complex, calling upon many different talents in your community to work together. The film can be abstract, poetic, following a story line or expressing a scripture passage. Finished films can be a witness of God’s presence on the Web and in film festivals around the world. See our Short Art Films page.
The following progression could be done without our help and configured by your own community to have fun and encourage your group to use their smart phones creatively.
The Progression
- Our Short Art Films (or yours if you’ve made some) are presented for contemplation along with the displayed physical art used to make them. Conversation is stimulated at the event. Visual art materials are provided as alternative ways to respond in spontaneous visuals.
- These spontaneous visuals are invited to be submitted as pieces of a new film. Any experienced filmmakers, musicians, visual artists and actors present are invited to work with the new production, or to submit their own film in this genre.
- The next event date is announced, a date far enough in advance for filmmakers to create new short art films. Invitation is given to sign up for a series of workshop/production meetings to produce the new film and provide community support for other productions hoping to be included in the next event.
- The next event shows the new film derived from the previous event’s spontaneous visual arts and any others submitted in the meantime, with the physical art used to make them on display and the production team present. Conversation is stimulated and spontaneous visual art making is again an option for another film. The next date for new films at the next event is announced.
- Sign-ups are taken for the next cycle of workshops/production meetings.
- Another series of workshop/production meetings is held to produce the new film and provide community support for other productions hoping to be included in the next event.
- Events could be offered once per quarter, or twice a year, and, for a house of faith, enhance the liturgical season in which they were held.
- Films produced could be entered into film festivals and shown on the Web.
Our role in this progression is to stimulate your community to rise as the kinds of creators they are meant to be. As spiritual leaders, artists and filmmakers,
Mark and Donna kindly guide, teach, and encourage participants to grow spiritually and as creators through the complete experience. The accessibility to your community of a media capable computer, scanner, digital camera and audio recording components will be important. All of these capabilities could be contained in one smart phone.
To learn more and discuss how to adapt Film Gallery Cafe to your community, please e-mail MarkandDonna at horizongate.org
