Posts Tagged ‘Mammoth Film Festival’
February 11th, 2011
When the JesusFreaks(JF) journey started in 2004, our first priority was to create the first faith-based reality TV series to air on a secular network. I knew that JF was edgy enough and presented Christians in a way that had never been observed before. The first year we filmed 30 hours and produced a 7 minute teaser to help sell the concept, hopefully raise the money ourselves and go into a full production.
But as I shopped the trailer, people weren’t really getting what this trailblazing series would look like. Year two we filmed another Boarders DTS and shot 60 hrs of footage and produced another short, this time targeting the baby-boomer generation. After all, this was the generation that disapproved of a majority of the TV programming out there for young people. I believed that we could rally the Boomer’s with a reality TV series which was positive, showing young people trying to make good choices, not that they were perfect, but that the series could reveal young people who are seeking God and trying to better themselves through the process of true discipleship.
This second year JF short galvanized a few people, however, people still weren’t really understanding what the series would look like.
So…in year 3 we filmed the entire 5 month Boarders Discipleship Training School and produced a feature film length documentary.
FINALLY, PEOPLE COULD SEE THE POTENTIAL…
We screened JesusFreaks at University of Colorado at Boulder, a focus group of sorts, in 2008…12 film students, all in attendance were self-described atheists or agnostics…at the end of the screening on a scale of one to 10…10 being the best, we received 7 and 8′s. We also had a screening at BIOLA University in LA, an audience of about 25-30…the average score rating was a 9.5. JF received comments such as “the best documentary I ever seen” as well as, “this is the kind of project I want to be a part of.”
What both audiences loved about the film was that it was “real.”
Since these humble beginnings, with the support of the YWAM Denver community as well as the Global YWAM community, and PERSEVERANCE that is only inspired by God, the response for the JF documentary has been incredible.
In 2010, JF has been recognized by 8 different film festivals, as an “official selection.” At the Mammoth Film Festival, which according to MovieMaker magazine is a top 25 film festival, JF won “Best Faith Film.”
We went from 180 hours of film, then to a 3 1/2 hour cut, and finally to the finished 96 minute doc…only to wonder, “…what about all of the other stories we did not use?”
In the fall of 2010, we created a new platform and produced and produced 18 short episodes ranging in length from 3-7 minutes…these were story-lines which did not make it into the film or storylines from the documentary that are expanded in the shorts. 8 of the 18 shorts were posted on our website www.jesusfreaksmovie.com as a WEB SERIES.
I wanted to share with you the “broad strokes” of the journey to let you know we have not reached our destination yet. Our goal is still to do a Reality TV series about True Discipleship and what that looks like.
The facts are, it’s not always pretty when you come to Christ.
However, through true Godly Discipleship…and this take guts…to be the Disciple and to be the one who is Disciplining, that lives are transformed, that leaders are birthed, and that futures are reclaimed.
Please pray for this door to open…tell your friends about JF and what we are trying to accomplish.
I speak it out and lay claim to the first faith-based reality series on a Secular outlet…to the creation of secular media with a christian world-view!!!
And I can hear people saying, “…did you watch JESUSFREAKS last night?”
WE must all keep pushing and believing and God will do the rest!!!
Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, we are almost at the final destination, I feel it in my soul.
A Generation is Waiting.
Creating a Shift in Culture…
Charles(Chad) Cobb Jr.
December 16th, 2010
I have been on the road for nearly 18 days straight…It has been a long leg of pushing JesusFreaks(JF). First stop was Kona,HI for the Jubilee Film Festival (Nov.29-Dec.4) , then it was on to L.A. to meet with DBA West, our marketing team, then headed out to Mammoth Film Festival where JF was an official selection. A lot was accomplished but i must admit I have been overwhelmed at times. I continue pushing on knowing the God has a love story to tell this generation.
I want to say first off that Mammoth Film Festival was a first class film festival and JesusFreaks(JF) being an official selection was a great honor. Mammoth is recognized as a Top 25 film festival according to MovieMaker Magazine. The first night of the meet and greet was on Thursday, (Dec.9) as the festival ran till Sunday, (Dec.12). I saw some great films; “Sissy” and “The Potential Inside,” are two films that really stood out in my mind. Both were very well produced and the acting was top notch. My favorite film was titled, “The Butterfly Circus”-it won best short film at Mammoth Film Festival and it was every bit as good as it was billed to be-Awesome!!!
The three head guys who organized the festival were Andreas Wettstein, Meng King, and Brian Hammers. It was a pleasure meeting and hanging with them this weekend-I had a blast… As I told them in person, they did a great job of putting on this film festival and we were honored to be a part of it. First Class all the Way-Again, THANK YOU Mammoth Film Festival!!!
On Sunday was the awards brunch and “JesusFreaks,” won best film in the faith-based category…I WAS STOKED. Please know, I do not take this award alone it is representative of the hard work and sacrifice of many-A Production team, all 7 of you but specifically Andrew Strobridge and Josiah Thiesen who gave a year of their lives to the project, they shot the whole movie and cranked out the edit from 180hrs. of footage to a 96 minute piece-Awesome job fellas!!! To Spillt(motion graphics) who put together awesome motion graphics that have won several Telly Awards-Thank You…Also to Steve Taylor of Digital Spatula for being a guiding force throughout the JF production and edit-thank you friend and mentor… JF is only as good as the people brought alongside Katherine and I to produce it. So this award goes to you guys as well-Congratulations and great job.
As a film maker you put so much into your work…it feels so good that others in the film industry enjoyed JesusFreaks and said, “…great job we loved the film.”
This recognition was just further confirmation that JesusFreaks can touch people of all background’s and faith’s.
I hope this exposure from Mammoth Film Festival enables JF to continue to grow in popularity and the film continues impacting people’s lives.
Please pray for JesusFreaks(JF) and that this story will continue to snowball and get bigger and bigger and the exposure will allow this film to get to the masses, and that the reality TV opportunity will happen.
The goal is off of the success of JF that a reality series production will ensue…
Many people at Mammoth Film Festival told me they thought JF would make the perfect reality TV series.
We will keep pushing and praying and God will continue to open doors as He has throughout this JF journey…
A Generation is Waiting…
Creating a Shift in Culture…
Charles(Chad) B. Cobb Jr.
