Delving Into My First Documentary

On an issue that I have been contemplating over for the past five years or so and something that I’ve really wanted to do a film on someday, something that is very relevant to both me and the world around me, I have decided to do a film that delves into the relationship or rather the rift that exists between Christianity and homosexuality. I personally am a devout Catholic and have been for pushing eight years now and am a weekly attendee in church who once upon a time was strongly conservative and in opposition to gay marriage. But in recent years my perspective there has fluctuated greatly and I am deeply troubled by this strong rift that is perceived and in many ways exists between Christianity and homosexuals. I, as well as many others, have problems with the disrespectful ways in which many so-called Christians berate and insult homosexuals for the lives in which they lead and it’s frustrating that in many cases just because I call myself a Christian that I am somehow in legion with these types of people. I feel so strongly about this that in a time when I should be trying to make more money and or getting more experience and connections working on other film productions I will be putting a lot of time in the coming months towards this project as I feel it can help readjust people’s perspectives and sometimes misguided perceptions. I am also doing this at risk for myself as well. I am risking my status in the church I have been attending for almost a decade now. Living on the rectory property I am certainly risking the living situation I have now so this is not some little insignificant or side project but something I have a great passion towards.  

All that said, I feel the strongest way in which to go about producing this piece is interviewing those who have a valid and productive perspective on this issue and in particular I wish to interview those who are both gay and Christian for they live through the issue on both sides. I am open though, again, to interviewing pretty much anyone as long as their intentions are not to rip into homosexuality or Christianity for such would obviously be in opposition to the objectives I have for the film. 

And this will not merely be 90 minutes of endless interview clips for my perspective is to delve more deeply into the lives of the people who are most directly influenced by this issue that I am addressing. Beyond interviews I want to develop a strong understanding of these people: how they live, how they deal with this issue being both gay and religious, how they feel about their religion as well as their homosexuality, etc. The objective here is not to create a pro or anti-religious film nor is it to create a pro or anti-gay film. This is purely a humanitarian pieces that examines human behavior and why we behave in the ways we do in regards to this particular issue. So I will be addressing fear, hypocrisy, love, hate, misconceptions, and of course our very humanity. Now obviously, based on whoever is being interviewed, the situations regarding that interview will vary greatly which I what I want. I have a massive listing of issues that I have pondered and written on over the years that I am planning on posing as questions for others to consider. In addition to that, when I am finished asking my questions I will give whoever is being interviewed the open opportunity to discuss anything else that is on their mind with regards to this issue and their feelings towards it. So it will be a very relaxed environment in which one can feel comfortable in opening up and releasing their feelings. Obviously the more direct, honest and passionate a given person being interviewed it’s more likely what they have to say will have a powerful impact. 

I don’t want people to come away from this piece disoriented but rather I want them to come away with a sense of peace and relaxation that will hopefully overcome any aggressive or adversarial feelings one may have had before. And certainly one of my strongest hopes is that someone of those who act with such aggression towards homosexuality will see the issue with more compassionate and reflective eyes. Even now I am not 100% certain how this piece will all come together as there is much to talk about and I am sure with each person I speak with new ideas and issues will arise that will take the production in a new direction. So while I have a strong outline and directive in regards to what I am going after and what a final piece will look like, this will be an educational experience for me just as well as anyone else involved. I will probably try and focus my interviews into the next three months or so, so by the start of spring I will be more or less completed with those and in the process of putting the final piece together. 

So, in the end, I am hoping to connect with and interview as many gay Christians or anyone who has something worthwhile to say (even if it’s just a few words) as I can and while I’m certainly going to be networking best I can it will be an even greater help if those I know and those reading this feel the can provide something worthwhile towards this film and perhaps they know others who will have something to say. Either way, I greatly appreciate your interest (which most certainly has been captured or else you wouldn’t have wasted your time reading this) and look forward to meeting with you or excepting your help in any way that you can provide.

-Steve