A group of filmmakers of the John Paul II generation, looking to spread
the Gospel of Christ, is working to produce a new high-quality short
film, called “Bandit,” in San Diego, Calif.
The short silent film aims to explore the innocence of childhood through
humor, as a masked and mischievous little girl sets out on a quest to
cheer up a friend.
Students at John Paul the Great Catholic University plan to use the
project to further launch themselves into the world of Hollywood film
production.
“It’s really going to capitalize on a sense of childhood innocence and
beauty, and look at laughter as medicine for sadness, all within a
Charlie Chaplain-style film,” Maria Mitchell, a graduate student in film
production at the university, told CNA on July 1.
The project is part of the greater mission of the university, known as “JP Catholic,” which is to “Impact Culture for Christ.”
“Oftentimes Christian media can be very cheesy and preachy and it’s just
not as well done,” explained Mitchell, one of the three producers of
“Bandit.”
“But we need to be better; we need to be funnier; we need to be smarter. We need to be more powerful.”
JP Catholic students seek to make movies with the universal properties
of truth, goodness and beauty, which are accessible to everyone and can
“give you something to chew on,” Mitchell noted.
“'Bandit' is an example of that: it’s meant to be really charming and comical and beautiful.”
“We’re not trying to be in your face with it, and we’re not going to be
explicitly talking about the faith, but we’ll be presenting beauty, and
man craves beauty.”
The short film – and the mission of JP Catholic as a whole – is based on
Blessed John Paul II’s call to use media and communications to further
the New Evangelization and spread the Gospel of Christ.
“He said that the question is not whether modern man can accept the
Gospel, but how can we use the communications media to communicate (the
Gospel) effectively to him? So that’s what we’re trying to do,” Mitchell
reflected.
As a producer, Mitchell remarked that she is somewhat of an “event
coordinator,” in charge of the logistics of bringing the film to life –
hiring actors, drafting contracts, finding catering for the set, and
fundraising enough money to make the film a reality.
“The most enjoyable thing about this program has been finding that this
is my skill set,” she explained. “The hardest part is fundraising.”
“Bandit” will cost $15,000, and the production team has a limited amount of time to reach their goal. They have set up a webpage to seek donations.
“When you’re not in film it’s really hard to understand why it would
cost $15,000, it seems like just a bunch of kids running around,”
Mitchell said.
But being better, funnier, smarter, and more powerful than typical Christian media requires an investment, she explained.
Between hiring and housing 20 professional actors, feeding a cast and
crew of 40 people for three days, and securing a location and all
necessary equipment, costs quickly add up.
“We’re doing a student project on a professional level,” Mitchell said.
After the film is made, the production team will be submitting “Bandit”
in various film festivals, where it may win awards and be picked up for
further development.
Essentially, Mitchell said that this film is a way for her and her classmates to “break into the industry.”
“We really have to start somewhere, and this is our somewhere,” she explained.
She said her time at JP Catholic has prepared her to be a faithful Christian in the Hollywood environment.
“Within our media department, the majority of our professors currently
work in the industry,” she said, “and they’re highly committed
Christians who are swimming against the current.”
Professors at the university urge their students to maintain their
values and standards while working in Hollywood, and to witness to
Christ by doing their job well and through simple friendliness and
personal relationships.
“You can’t have the mentality that you’re going to convert the whole
place. But to be a person of morals and standards, and be a witness in
the way you handle yourself…that alone will speak volumes, and people
will notice,” said Mitchell.
Her professors also emphasize the need for more Christians in the film industry.
“We can’t complain about the content if we’re not willing to go in there and change it,” she observed.
“MTV is preaching its gospel pretty loud and clear,” she continued.
“How culpable will we be for not doing it better and ‘fly-er,' and in a
more attractive manner?”
Spreading Christ's Gospel is what motivates Mitchell to work on films
such as “Bandit” with her classmates, so she can one day work on bigger
projects that can impact even more people.
Investing in the project is “not so much investing in the film alone,
but in the next generation of JP2 filmmakers,” she said. “And what we’re
trying to do is answer his call.”