When we see COURAGEOUS in theaters next year, this heartfelt, action-packed film will be approximately two hours long. Currently, as director Alex Kendrick works on the editing of the film, he has access to a little bit more footage than that.
Try 90 hours worth!
“This is the first time we’ve worked with two cameras and we have a ton of footage. But we’re really pleased with the footage,” says producer Stephen Kendrick. “Just to watch this much footage takes a couple of weeks!”
Of course, they could have just stayed up and watched all the footage in four days’ time, but after seven weeks of intense filming, that wouldn’t have been too practical.
“As much as we enjoyed filming, we’re grateful that production is behind us,” Stephen says. “This season of time is a bit more relaxed.”
Yet the intensity of editing a film that looks to impact fathers and families across the country and around the world brings its own pressures.
“We’d ask for prayers of wisdom and discernment for Alex as he works with all of the footage we have,” Stephen says. “We’d also ask you to pray for creativity and efficiency in the editing. There are a ton of decisions that get made in editing. In a lot of cases, he has to choose between what’s good and what’s best.”
We have more great updates to share with you in the next eBlast early next week—including Stephen’s insights on the opening scene of the film! If you don’t already receive our regular eBlast updates, be sure to register now.
While COURAGEOUS has moved into post-production with film’s editing and musical score taking center stage, reports from the set continue to tell the story of the movie and the people behind it, including the great piece that ran in USA Today last week.
In a series of blog posts, our friends at BreakPoint, Charles Colson’s ministry that is part of Prison Fellowship, talked about their time on the set of Courageous. Here are some excerpts from Billy Atwell’s posts (which you can read here, here, and here).
“Could a true fatherhood initiative and a revamping of the culture’s mindset with regard to the vital role of the father, come at a better time? No.
“Chuck Colson often reminds his audiences that the prisons are filled with fatherless individuals who are desperately in need of love. Not surprisingly, our juvenile prisoners are just as lacking in active fathers as adult prisoners.
“The prisons have long served as a microcosm to view our culture’s systemic lackings. When families are broken and desperate, you can expect crime to increase and prisons to fill. Why? Well, sin, but this sin proliferates more abundantly when young men—the highest demographic in prisons–are often given little-to-no positive male leadership. Who is the best to provide such leadership? The Father up above, and the father in the home.
“Pastor Michael Catt clearly understands the central role prayer and discipleship building must play in an effort like this. If Sherwood Baptist Church continues to work on building up their local community and the Church at large with these tools, then they will likely serve as a guiding example for an entire movement of Christian leaders and fathers as well.”
As they like to say in the newsroom, COURAGEOUS is big news! But don’t take our word; instead take a look at the USA Today.
The national newspaper has a long feature story on faith and films in today’s newspaper (and online) highlighting COURAGEOUS. Reporter Cathy Lynn Grossman spent time on the set and her story captures some of the flavor of the only upcoming movie shot in southwest Georgia.
The most-quoted person in the piece is Sherwood Senior Pastor Michael Catt, including this paragraph in which he talks about Sherwood’s focus in moviemaking.
“Hollywood sells entertainment to make a profit,” Catt says. “We make entertainment to change lives. Anyone can resonate with the idea ‘I could be a better person.’ People are afraid, discouraged. There can’t be too much encouragement.”
In addition to the story, the reporter also has a blog post about her on-set experience. Director Alex Kendrick shares his thoughts about how COURAGEOUS has a bit of a different approach to its story:
“We aren’t saying, just say a prayer and it all works out. We’re showing people, ‘If you don’t step up to God, trust God, you’ll have a troubled end, in this life and beyond.’”
Because the day and age of the old newsprint-only story with a couple of photos has passed, there’s also a video piece (see below) and a series of photos on the paper’s website that were put together by Jack Gruber.
All in all, it looks like there’s some good news in the paper today!
Throughout the two months that COURAGEOUS was in production, Facebook fans were able to experience all of the adventure of filming with the cast and crew of the movie. It was like being part of the Sherwood community as we received first-hand reports from the set.
Now, as the film moves into post-production, Facebook continues to be a key place to get the latest news … and to interact regularly with other fans from all corners of the world.
Here are some great comments from just the past few days:
“WOW! I absolutely cannot wait to see this movie. I think this looks like a great movie and will be a tool that God will use in many men’s lives in great ways. Thanks so much for being faithful to God’s leading!” (Corbin)
“Patiently waiting; thankfully I have Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof either in the DVD player or next to it … always watching one or another.” (Mary Lee)
“I am a man whose father figures were not all that they should have been, but am smart enough to follow the example of the greatest Father! Thanks team for doing your part in helping God to stop more children going through what I have been through! To HIM be the glory, forever and ever!” (David)
More than 50,000 people are part of the COURAGEOUS Facebook page. We hope to see you there too!
As Independence Day is celebrated across our nation this weekend, Sherwood Baptist Church moves from making movies to reaching out to their neighbors throughout southwest Georgia.
Sherwood is once again hosting its annual Freedom Festival at the Sherwood Sports Park, the community complex that has been funded by Sherwood Pictures since the success of Facing the Giants.
For Senior Pastor (and executive producer) Michael Catt, it all works together. In a recent story in the alumni magazine for Dr. Catt’s alma mater (Mississippi College), he talks about the role of a church in touching lives … both around the world and in Albany, Georgia.
“Our outreach begins here, at home. If we lose Jerusalem to get the world, we have not done much. It would be very sad if all we were known for is making movies. We never forget that we are a church with a production company, not a production company with a church.
“Success for us is when God is pleased with what we do, when we hear stories of people being saved and lives being changed. The church dies when it tries to reach people where they should be. Instead, you have to go where they are. Whoever wants the next generation the most will get them.”
We hope all generations have a great Fourth of July!
On Monday, April 26, at a yarn-manufacturing factory in Albany, Georgia, the cast and crew of COURAGEOUS gathered for prayer and a devotional before the first day of filming the fourth movie from Sherwood Pictures.
On Saturday, June 26—two months later—COURAGEOUS wraps up filming in an Albany neighborhood, following the morning prayer and devotional.
Following seven weeks of filming covering 38 days (and evenings), shooting wraps up today. The cast and crew celebrated on Friday with a wrap party at Sherwood Baptist Church. Today, the remaining scenes are being filmed.
And while one adventure—filming—concludes, a new one begins next week: post-production. From editing, to music, to sound, to effects and more, you can keep updated on all things COURAGEOUS at CourageoustheMovie.com.
Thanks for being part of the filming of COURAGEOUS … we look forward to the ongoing journey to theaters in 2011.
We had the opportunity a while back to take a behind-the-scenes tour with Erin Bethea (Catherine Holt in Fireproof). She took us inside the house that served as the Courageous headquarters for Makeup and Wardrobe when the team was filming for more than a week in one location.
In addition to getting the inside information from Erin and her friends, we get to see Ken Bevel (Nathan Hayes) getting his make-up on. Not your typical day for a Marine!
In today’s video from the set video of Courageous, Marie Keefe talks about the rigging of the production trailer in order for the crew to get interior shots from the road. It’s great behind-the-scenes info that you’ll want to watch.
We thought we’d also share some photos from the set highlighting the process trailer. As always, you are benefitting from the photography skills of Todd Stone and Hayley Catt. And don’t forget, you can find scores of other exciting photos from the set on the Courageous flickr photostream.
Being a Marine is not for the faint of heart. Neither is fatherhood. Serving your country is never easy. Neither is serving your family.
Lt. Col. Vincent Hutcherson faithfully serves both his country and his family on a daily basis.
And this week, he is also serving as an actor on the set of Courageous. Playing a dad that protects his daughter in a key scene is not a stretch for this Sherwood member, especially since his daughter Joi is playing the part of his child in the film.
Another daughter, Taylor, has a key role in the film as Jade Hayes, the oldest child of Nathan Hayes.
But not all of Vincent’s children are in the film. After all, he’s the father of 12! While that may seem even more overwhelming than serving in the Marine Corps, Vincent says it works when you keep your eyes on the main thing.
Listen to Vincent talk about his goal for his children as he discusses fatherhood and Courageous with Stephen Kendrick.
The cast and crew of Courageous have been sweltering in southwest Georgia heat filming key outdoor action scenes over the past few days. The conditions are enough to make everyone nostalgic for the days earlier in production when the action consisted of mainly scripted conversations in a tree-lined neighborhood in Albany.
Two houses were used for a number of key scenes that take place at the Mitchells’ home in the film: one for the interior and the house next door for the exterior. Jean Phelps’ yard will be prominently displayed when Courageous opens in theaters next year.
“When they decided to use my yard, Stephen Kendrick asked if I wanted a privacy fence for my yard. I said I’d rather not,” she says. “The script called for them to build a fence, so I said if they needed to, they could build it, but I would appreciate it if they took it down afterward.”
The script quickly found its way to rewrite and now, we’d like to present the world premiere of Mrs. Phelps’ tool shed!
“This will be my storage for all my gardening tools and pots,” says the longtime Sherwood member. “It’s almost too pretty to use. I didn’t expect it to be this nice.”
Another nice element was the ability for the cast to use Mrs. Phelps’ home for wardrobe, makeup, and cooling down.
“It was a joy and honor having everyone here,” Jean says. “It’s been enjoyable watching them work. Everything is covered in prayer. I’m so blessed. I never, ever dreamed something like this would happen.”
Of course, they could have just stayed up and watched all the footage in four days’ time, but after seven weeks of intense filming, that wouldn’t have been too practical.
