True beauty and the ethics of Photoshop

I just posted this on my other blog for computer artists, Completely Free Tutorials, and decided I might as well post it here as well...

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I find it fascinating how fake the models are that we see in magazines and ads.  Most models look like ordinary people before the makeup, lighting, and particularly the Photoshop adjustments, transform them into these artificial and flawless... what shall we call them?  Gods and goddesses?  Angels?  Aliens?  Whatever they are, they are not natural and they are not real.  Here are a few examples I pulled from www.hemmy.net:

(The original image is first; the Photoshop image is shown after.)

Is it just me, or do these pictures make you feel sick?  In each of these cases, I think the original model is physically attractive.  None of these photo edits make sense to me, with the exception of the blemish that was removed in the second picture (with a blemish that obvious, I think I'd remove it, too!).

And yet, it is these edited, counterfeit pictures of models that so many people -- girls and women in particular -- subconsciously look up to as standards for attractiveness and beauty.  According to a study in 2004, only 2% of women think they are beautiful (www.dove.co.uk).  This is a shockingly low number, but should it really be surprising, with the repulsive way beauty has been contorted by our media?

"I wish I looked like such-and-such an actress!" a woman may moan.  But I would plead in response:  "Please understand that you probably do!!"

If you haven't seen Dove's video "Evolution", you need to.  This is another excellent glimpse into the phony world of modeling:

Now, don't misunderstand me: I am not necessarily opposed to editing photos.  I've done it myself on a small scale.  I understand; sometimes the lighting of our photos isn't good.  Sometimes models wake up on photo day with big zits on their foreheads (GACK!!).  That isn't what I'm talking about.

What I am talking about is morphing someone into an unnatural, impossible non-human that no person could ever physically rival in real life.  I'm talking about making aliens into our standard for beauty.  I mean, you might as well make this our standard for beauty (I am talking about the left half of the picture, of course):

By the way, I have no idea what this book is about, I'm not endorsing it, and I couldn't tell you if it was extremely inappropriate or terribly written. I'm just borrowing the cover to emphasize my point... 

As computer artists, we have these questions to ask ourselves:  What is most important or valuable, as we make our computer art, or edit our photos?  What is our highest priority in this matter?  What should be our highest priority?  What power do we wield, as computer artists and culture influencers, and what are we personally doing with that power?  Let me be more specific:  Are we doing more harm or more good with that power?  And if we are doing more harm... what should we do differently so we are doing more good?

What do you think?

Nightmare Academy

A couple days ago, I finished Nightmare Academy by Frank Peretti.  I just want to briefly say that this was an excellent book.  It's been a long time since I read a novel and thought, "This is why I want to write!" It was also one of the best examples I've seen of how a story can be the best way to express a message. 

In Nightmare Academy, Peretti paints a disturbing picture of a society stripped of its standards for truth.  What would it be like to live without right and wrong?  Without good and evil?  With a morality that is relative?  Also, this book deals with a chilling take on communism and world domination.  And if you're wondering what the connection is between truth, morality, communism, and world domination... well, you're just going to have to read this book.

As with all Peretti's novels, Nightmare Academy is a thrilling and intriguing read, that will grip you and keep you turning the pages way past bedtime.  But, I wouldn't recommend reading it at night...

...Because this nightmare is real.

How EXACTLY Do You Influence the Culture?

A commenter on my last blog post asked a really good question. He said:

"Brianna, I commend you for wanting to wanting to influence our culture with media that draws us nearer to Christ. I'm curious, how do you intend to do this?"

My response to him ended up being so long, that I decided to turn it into its own blog post. Here's what I wrote:

I think there are two main aspects of films that can draw people closer or further away from God, and from truth. They are: (1) The characters, and (2) The worldview of the films.

First, the way the characters behave has a HUGE impact on viewers; whether it's a surface impact, or a subtle impact, taking place in their subconscious. I once read a survey that showed that, even if they wouldn't admit it, teenagers who watched movies or TV shows with teenage sex in it, were more likely to engage in sex themselves during their teenage years. (I'm sorry that I do not have this survey or the statistics in front of me... but I remember that it was in a "Brio" magazine, so if any of you absolutely have to have the statistic itself, I could probably dig around for it. :))

Anyway, this was just one statistic involving one issue, but the point stands that we ARE impacted by what we see on television, or in the movies. I remember that when I was a little girl, after watching a movie or TV show, I would often start to behave, in a small way, like the characters I saw. I realized what I was doing and tried not to do this, because I was sort of embarrassed, but as a kid I somehow just couldn't help it. Younger minds are especially susceptible to what they see on the screen, but even adults are impacted, whether they realize it or not. 

(Pictures from www.morguefile.com)

 

So, I said all that to say, that the characters should be GOOD ROLE MODELS. Not perfect -- they should be real people -- but when they make mistakes, those mistakes shouldn't be glorified or encouraged with the way the story works out.

And, the most important thing they should model is a RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. When we watch characters pressing into God and growing in their walk with Him, who's to say that won't impact us in a positive way, in the same way "teenage sex" shows would impact us in a negative way?

Now, for the second thing: The worldview. The worldview of a film is, I think, almost as -- if not AS -- powerful and influential as the characters. Is it a world where evil has the upper hand and there is only a faint hope for good to win? Is it a world where sin is portrayed as good, and something to model? Is it a world where we are all "animals", on the same plane with dogs and birds and ants; where we all climbed up from the goo over millions of years, and Creator God is just a make-believe fairytale?

Or is it the world portrayed and explained in the Bible?

We might know what we believe. But then, when we start watching movies with worldviews that contradict our views, those worldviews begin slowly seeping into our minds. Eventually, we start thinking in those worldviews, even if they're not what we really believe. And if we really let them get a hold of us, those worldviews will become what we actually believe, instead. And then we are falling headfirst away from Truth and away from God.

As a final thought, here are a few movies (off the top of my head) that, in my opinion, can draw people closer to God in the way I describe. Now, a note: none of these movies, of course, are exactly the way I personally want to make movies. Everyone has their own style, myself included. But, with each of these movies, there is at least something about them that I like.

* What If - Encourages people to dedicate their lives to God, not to themselves.
* The Chronicles of Narnia series - An analogy that shows Christ and His sacrifice with a fresh perspective (esp. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)
* Faith Like Potatoes - Based on a true story, encouraging us to have faith in God; shows how God can change a life.
* To Save a Life - Deals with teenage suicide, depression, etc.; a call for the church to look past our judgmentalism and reach out to people.
* End of the Spear - Based on a true story, about bringing the gospel to a tribe centered around killing and revenge; a message of powerful, emotional forgiveness.
* Come What May - About doing the right thing, regardless of the outcome; and honoring God through absolute purity in relationships.

So, that was just a few movies I thought of off the top of my head... there are plenty, plenty more. What are some more that you can think of? 


Pursuing the Truth in Christ,
Brianna

How to Influence the Culture...

Barna research findings revealed, after a year of research, that the leading influence on American society is MOVIES.  

"Whoever controls the media controls the culture." - Francis Schaeffer (author of "How Should We Then Live?") 

If you want to influence the culture for Christ... there is no more powerful medium than movies.

THIS IS WHY I WANT TO BE A FILMMAKER.

My Vision As A Filmmaker

I just got back from a film "workshop", and the topic of filmmaking is very present on my mind right now. 


I haven't written much about filmmaking on this blog so far. Actually, I don't think I've mentioned it at all yet.  There are a lot of things, actually, that I'm very passionate about that I haven't taken the time to blog about.  One of these days, I'll invest more time into this blog, and write about more of the things I'm passionate about.  But lately... my time has been spent doing other things, unfortunately.


I've mentioned on this blog that I want to write novels, and that I am working on a futuristic novel presently that I want to publish when I finish.  What I have not mentioned is that I have a strong passion for filmmaking, as well as writing. 

It will probably be quite a few years before I can make feature-length films of my own, but that is most definitely my goal.  In the meantime, I am trying to find as many ways as I can to learn more about the craft, and get experience. 


Someday, God-willing, I hope this will be the blog of a novelist... and of a filmmaker.  Among other things.  :-)


Here is an INCOMPLETE outline of my vision as a filmmaker...  (By the way, many of these things apply to my vision as a novelist, as well.)


I want to make movies that....

* Honor God, that follow Biblical principles, and point people to Jesus.

* Show people that there is a crazy, passionate, romantic, fulfilling relationship to be found in Jesus Christ.  That every longing, every deepest desire in our hearts can be fulfilled through Him.  That through Him, there is hope; not some far-off, elusive hope; but a real, tangible, strong, immense, overflowing hope that makes life more than worth living for.


* Pursue, defend, and proclaim the TRUTH.  That are not afraid to speak the Truth, no matter how unpopular it may be.  That ultimately lead people to the source of all truth: Jesus Christ.  To His Word.


* Speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15).  There are too many people who speak the truth, but do not speak it in love.  The Bible says that if we speak without love, we are only "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Cor 13:1).  And this is so true!  Whoever wants to listen to someone that rants and raves about something, without any love?  It's irritating, just like a "clanging cymbal".  It doesn't matter how right or true their words may be; no one wants to listen.  They might as well not open their mouth.  Actually... it'd probably be better if they didn't!  We need to speak the truth in love.  Not just a cheesy, unfelt little "God-loves-you"; but a true, deep, genuine love, even for the people you disagree with the most (and this is very hard sometimes!!). 

* Have characters who are role models... heroes.  Too many films today depict characters who are role models of how not to live; of how to live in sin, and in rebellion to God.  There is a desperate need for characters that we can look up to.  Now, they will be "real" people, in the sense that they will not be perfect.  They should be 100% realistic, 100% relatable.  But they should be examples of people who are genuinely trying to live in a way that honors God, even when they fail.

* Show children who are respectful and submissive to their parents, not rebellious, as the culture presently encourages them to be.


* Show fathers who are strong, spiritual leaders.


* Show romance in its truest, purest, most beautiful and most desirable way: between a husband and wife.  These will be movies that elevate marriage to the high place where the Bible places it.  They will show that marriage is not when the "fun" ends; it's when the adventure begins!  And... the beauty of true romance simply does not exist, outside of the boundaries of marriage between a man and woman.


* Encourage and inspire Christians in their faith... that motivate them to be radical Jesus Freaks, passionate for Jesus.


* And so much more. 


You know what... I dream of a day when the phrase "Christian film" is not associated with "low budget", "low quality", and "cheesiness".  I dream of a day when Christians no longer have to compromise their values just to watch a movie; that someday, no matter when we go to the theaters, there will always, always be at least one good, high-quality Christian film playing.  It may be a decade or two before this happens, but I believe it can happen.

Why?


Because I am not the only one dreaming like this.


Friends, we are in exciting times.  I hear the rumbling sound of a stampede, or an army, on its way over the horizon.  Can't you hear it?  A movement.  A revolution.  There have been quiet tremors for years; and now, the earth is starting to tremble and shake, as the movement gets bigger. 


A movement of Christian filmmakers is on the way.  Christian filmmakers who want to reclaim the media world for Christ.  They are all across the country... some of them may be quiet now, but you will hear of them -- all of them -- in time.  Slowly, their films are becoming more numerous. Slowly, they are released more frequently.  Slowly, they are increasing in quality.

I don't know about you, I want to jump on board this movement.

There are a number of Christian films in development right now that I'm excited about, and I can't wait until they come out.  Here is a list of them.  There are lots more that I'm not listing here, I'm sure.  Feel free to add to the list yourself by leaving a comment!  :-)

•  A Stubborn Journey (about the life of young Josh McDowell)
• For the Glory (from 1Voice Films)
• Courageous (from Sherwood Pictures; the makers of Facing the Giants and Fireproof)
• Alone Yet Not Alone
• Hero (from Advent Film Group)
• Red September (from Advent Film Group)
• Eleventh Hour