Regular readers of this blog may remember earlier posts about Scott Derrickson, a Christian filmmaker who has had some measure of success directing mainstraem films with horror elements. I stumbled across an article in The Christian Century that he wrote, outlining his philosophy of film and art, along with comments on "Christian film" in general. As usual, I think I would disagree with him on several points, but boy, would I love to sit down for a few hours and discuss the subject with him. I find his viewpoint very interesting.
"The church loves truth in its prescriptive form, truth that says, 'Here's what's wrong, and here's how you fix it. Here's the diagnosis, and here's the cure.' The truth of the artist, although far more often descriptive, is still truth. Church people are uncomfortable with too much descriptive truth. It's often ugly, confusing, disorienting, problematic, wild and sensual. But prescriptive and descriptive truth don't cancel each other out. They coexist. Films and screenplays can contain prescriptive truth, but unless they're also saturated with descriptive truth they won't work. The most common problem of Christian art that it tries to get to grace too quickly. It's uncomfortable with tension. It's uneasy with any questions left hanging."
"Filmmakers must be willing to portray pure descriptive truth, and recognize that it's impossible to prescribe answers unless the questions have been properly asked. If we create with an agenda that people perceive before they feel the descriptive truthfulness of our story, they'll resist it. Why? Because we are giving them propaganda, not art. Every 'Christian film' I've ever seen is propaganda. Christian films are often resistible because Christian screenwriter have the habit of writing about what they believe instead of about what really moves them."
Behind the lens. (A Christian filmmaker in Hollywood) - The Christian Century
