When Movies Do Good, A Response To Hollywood

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Interview with Stan Foster, Writer, Director, Producer

Stan Foster is an up and coming writer, director producer who has been working in numerous projects over the last several years. From writing the screenplay and producing the Film Woman Thou are Loosed, a somewhat controversial film featuring the story from Bishop TD Jakes dealing with physical abuse and adult themes, to experience from appearing on the Mo’Nique Show and producing the television program Homeboys in Outer Space, Foster is sure to raise eyebrows with his blending of spiritual themes with real life events, episodes, and language.

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Mr. Foster regarding his work and to discuss some about his new DVD release of his most recent film, Preachers Kid. The following includes some of the insights of Mr. Foster including the making of film in general.

Stan Foster (SF): Hey Mike

Mike Furches (MF): Hey Stan, how are you doing?

SF: I’m doing well, how’s it going?

MF: Doing great

SF: Have you had a chance to see the film yet?

MF: No not yet, I am planning on seeing it this weekend. I do have a few things I am interested in talking to you about if I can, including of course the film.

SF: OK

MF: What is it that you as a director have brought to the table in the making of the film Preachers Kid?

SF: You know, it’s interesting as I started as an actor, then I mingled into writing, then producing and now directing. What I’ve learned the most is that in all four mediums, which are so closely related, I’ve found that your life experience is your color palate. It’s like all of these wonderfully vivid colors have been lived, viewed and experienced, and so when you paint, you are painting from experience. As a director I brought my own personal experiences to the table. It was very important to me; I remember in shooting the movie, in one of the last scenes that you will see, which is of course the story of The Prodigal, and I know that at the end of the prodigal, that his father greeted him with a robe and a ring. I was adamant about that because in my own personal experiences the story of the prodigal really resonated with me. I don’t know how many conventional directors would insist on something like that, but it was very important to me. There was one cut of the film in the editing process that the studio actually wanted to take out the ring. When I saw the version without it I said this is not right. So I think I bring my own personal experiences and values as a director.

MF: Where do some of those values and principals come from?

SF: You know, I didn’t grow up in the church, I actually grew up in a sort of really rough neighborhood, in the projects, drug dealing from the time I was in the 3^rd grade drug use, physical abuse, there was sexual abuse that was rampant and I didn’t get saved until I got to college during my first year of college. I met a guy from Augusta Georgia, and you talk about bringing your personal experiences to the screen, which is why The Preachers Kid takes place in Augusta. It was because of that individual, who is a lawyer now in DC now named Eric Seabrook, but he was from Augusta Georgia and so I decided to use that as my backdrop.

MF: Speaking of abuse, you did some work on the film, Woman Thou Art Loosed…

SF: Yes, I was the writer and producer of Woman Thou Art Loosed. That story was actually the story of my ex-girlfriend in college. Her name was Michelle which is why her name is Michelle in the film. In the play that we did, her name was Michelle Foster, but for the film I changed it to Michelle Jordan, which was my mothers’ family name. You know, long before Precious, there was Woman Thou Art Loosed and it really dealt with some of those same issues, in a real, no holds barred, kind of way. I think it is really another wonderful film that has proven over the years to be able to be cathartic and actually help some people through and dealing with some of their past pains.

MF: With Woman Thou Art Loosed, there was a little bit of controversy, mainly because it went outside the norm of typical Christian movies with the theme, language and so forth. If not mistaken it was one of the first ‘R’ rated Christian movies?

SF: Yes, one thing that TD Jakes and I talked about early on, he told me, that if you get the Bible, and you shot a movie about the Bible and showed every scene that the Bible describes, what would the rating be? (laughing)

MF: It would be NC-17

SF: (still laughing) You know that, or worse. It’s like, it’s real. I think a lot of times we as Christians kind of get caught up in the beliefs that once we get saved, once we start going to church that our worlds going to be perfect, so when we go out into the real world we’re faced with the dilemma that the world brings us. We don’t know how to deal with it in a real, practical sense. Sometimes, we can’t just pray it away. Sometimes, we have to make tough decisions. I think that in Woman Thou Art Loosed and in Preachers Kid these characters have to make some tough decisions, and it doesn’t mean that they have to be right all of the time. In the end, whether it’s Preachers Kid or Woman Thou Art Loosed, or any other movie that I write, God’s going to get the glory, and he’s going to get the credit, and there will be redemption.

MF: When you do a film that deals with spiritual themes, yet it addresses the real world, how do you go about getting financing and funding for something like that? Is that something that Hollywood will normally jump on or did you have to work at getting the funding, and did how did you get the funding for both Woman Thou Art Loosed and for Preachers Kid?

SF: Well, Woman Thou Art Loosed was unique because we actually went about getting independent financing with some entertainers, Oprah Winfrey put up some, Johnny Corcoran’s estate put up some, athletes, Gary Sheffield the baseball player, Cedric the Entertainer, and other celebrities and they are all credited at the end of the film with thank yous. Then there were just regular folks, lawyers, doctors and regular business people that just gave money as we broke it up in increments and raised the money independently and we raised and shot it for just under $2,000,000.

With The Preachers Kid I was introduced to Warner Brothers through a friend, and my friend told me that I should not pitch my faith based movie to this division because they weren’t interested in doing that. They were going to do prequels, sequels, and remakes. Then I get in the room and I start pitching, prequels, sequels, and remakes and the executive is looking bored and he goes, ‘You know that Tyler Perry is amazing, you got anything like that?’ And I went, like ahhh, yeah! (laughing)

You know at the end of the day, what makes people like Tyler so important is that if we can show that faith based movies, and that’s not just Tyler but Fireproof and some of the other ones that have done pretty well, and if we can show Hollywood that there is profit, then they will put up the money ultimately. I believe that there is a large group of people that want to see movies that are in this genera, that will not compromise their walk and their faith.

MF: So when you were trying to get the money, was that just individuals that you knew, or did you just pound the pavement trying to get the doors open?

SF: It was sort of a mixture of things and circumstances. One of the producers was friends with Oprah Winfrey and some other people who had invested in one of his other films. He just told her about this project and they were like, oh yes we love TD Jakes, ok. You know, you just kind of put the word out to people. There was a banker in Los Angeles who was helpful, and she dealt with investments for some of the people in Hollywood. She just sort of mentioned to them what we were doing and they were like, wow I want to be involved in that. So there is really no formula for financing. You just kind of play it by ear.

MF: In trying to relate to the common person who may not know that much about the role of a director, can you tell us what all is involved for you as the director and in what parts of the movie are you involved in?

SF: This is my first time directing, so I had no idea how intense a process this is. When I tell you that every single frame of this film has my stamp on it, that film has as much as Stan Foster in it as a painter, painting every stroke on a painting and handing it to you. I work with every bit of music, to get it to specification, every graph, every table, what the characters are eating, what they are wearing, how their hair is, how the acting is directed, the editing process, do we use this angle, or do we use that take, what kind of cars are driving by, every department comes to you. I’ve been a writer before that and as a writer you just write, okay, so and so sits in a car and they are eating a sandwich, then they say x, y and z. As a writer that is a real simple life, but when you’re a director that so and so becomes how do you want things. The wardrobe department comes to you about dressing her, what do you want her wearing, this, this and this or something else? The hair department comes to you and asks how do you want her hair, like this, or this or do you have something else in mind? The prop department comes you and says, what do you want in the car; do you want these kind of seats? The transportation department comes to you and asks what kind of car is it, what kind of car is passing by. These are the guys that are saying, what kind of music do you want in the background playing? The actors are asking you, what is our motivation here? So the director is involved in every bit of it. Then when you are done shooting the film, the editor is saying, which take do you want to use? Do you want to use that one, or this angle? Your DP is saying do you want to use a dolly wrap or a steady camera or a hand held? Every bit of it is your decision and your call, where the actors are lined up or who speaks first. Sometimes you are rewriting scenes on the fly, it is really intense. Yet, I loved it! I loved the whole process.

MF: That gives some detail as to the direction, as the writer though; do you give up the baby?

SF: It’s different in every case when you are the writer and director as I was on Preachers Kid, it’s the same baby. You do understand that you may have to sacrifice some of the baby for a greater good on down the road. I was also the producer so I determined which scenes also got cut. It’s hard but I would rather make that decision than have someone else make it.

In Woman Thou Art Loosed I was just the writer and producer and the director was really, and he didn’t have to be this way, the director was really considerate of what my intent was, so when he would set up a scene, he would look at me and ask, is this what you had in mind or did you see it differently? There are other projects where the writer is never on the set, and not allowed on the set and somebody takes it and you go, what movie did they make, what were they reading?

MF: As of late, it seems like there has been a lot of movies made with the Black church that is used as a backdrop. What do you see going on there? What is happening to where we are seeing more of that now and is there the potential for crossover?

SF: I think that for this genera, the African American genera, the black church is really the starting point. There was a time, right after slavery it was our everything, it was where we had our socialization, it is where we had our political meetings, it is where we met our wives, it’s where we did everything, it where we worshiped, so the church was everything, it is where we voted, it was, everything for the African American community. I think there is usually a fundamental belief in church and God, I think in the genera.

In terms of it being the backdrop for this film, it really is the starting point, but not necessarily the backdrop. We’re in the church for a few scenes to show where our character starts out before making her journey and it helps us understand her better. I think whether it is a trend or not, I’m not sure. I would like to see some other films. I don’t think I have ever seen that many films that really depicts what happens in the church. You know what’s interesting is there is films that Christians seem to ignore, but it’s true there seems to be a Black church and a White church and a Latino church; the worship is different, there is something about being able to embody a hybrid of the two. I realized this when I did Woman Thou Art Loosed, in that same year I did a film called Hangman’s Curse, which was Frank Peretti’s book brought to film. I was a writer on both of those and we were doing screenings and Fox had distribution for both films. There was a guy named John Scott at Fox and so we would give a screening for Woman Thou Art Loosed in a theater and John would say Stan is a wonderful writer and he also did Frank Peretti’s book and they would go, who’s that? Then we would be at the Peretti screening for Hangman’s Curse and John would go, Stan is a wonderful writer and he also did Woman Thou Art Loosed by TD Jakes and they would go who’s that? (laughter) You know, sometimes it’s just two different worlds. Hopefully, if we continue to make movies that have universal themes and stories that will resonate, whether it’s in the church, or the circus, or the boardroom that it will be relatable, because I think that relatable themes and issues are important. The church should happen to be a jumping off point in any film.

(At this point the publicist steps in): Mike We have time for one more question

SF: Make it a good one Mike, (genuine and warm laughter)

MF: One more question, goodness gracious. (both of us are laughing at this point.) Here is one, what do you think is the importance of getting spiritual themes out into the mainstream of movies and into the general market?

SF: I think if there is a word more than important, I think it is crucial, I think it is vital, I think that the problem with Christian movies in the past is that they had to be word for word, literally as they were read in the Bible, or as they were taught. But I think the Biblical theme and message is what’s important. It’s sort of like when Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and they were complaining about working on the Sabbath. He is like looking at them like; you’ve missed the whole point. You’ve taken it literally word for word and you’ve missed the whole message. I think this film, and the films I hope to do in the future, and Woman Thou Art Loosed is that the theme is what resonates, and the theme is what we’re selling. Just quickly; when I was on TBN about a month ago promoting the film I was with a pastor named Kenneth Ulmer who’s got a huge church in Las Angeles and I said, Bishop, I was concerned about getting this movie right for Christians, I was a stickler for details, and he said, that’s not your calling. You are called to reach with your movies, people who would never show up in the church and you’re supposed to get your film into them, instead of bringing them into the church. So I think that is my responsibility.

MF: I sure do appreciate it Stan.

SF: Thank you Mike.

The following is a video of cast interviews of Preachers Kid, just click on the video to watch, if the video don’t appear, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81tbd-7-XaI

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Slumdog Millionaire

I had been wanting to see Slumdog Millionaire since hearing of the premise based on the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup. The movie is essentially the story of a young man who grows up in the slums of India, falls in love with a girl, and realizes the opportunity to get back with her after a series of tragic events by appearing on the Indian Television Program, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. With the success of the television program in America, and the reality that many wonderful movies have come from India in recent years, I couldn’t pass up the temptation to see this movie. Slumdog Millionaire is a movie that is catching steam and with recent accomplishments at the Golden Globe Awards, a movie that may get serious Oscar consideration, as it should. Hopefully beyond that, it starts to get into more movie theaters for patrons to see.

I was somewhat upset going into the movie as a movie theater employee refused to let my sons girlfriend into the movie, despite her being 17 and with us. I gave the employee at the Warren Cinemas in Wichita the benefit of the doubt, as my son and his girlfriend went off to a local establishment nearby while my wife and I went to see the movie. After seeing the powerful film on screen, one of my first thoughts was a thought of anger, the MPAA rates, terrible films that glorify sex, violence and more PG-13 and here was a movie rated R that refused entry to for a 17 year old with adults. A movie that has more potential to get the self gratifying, selfish attitude of many in America to consider the realities of the harsh world we live in. There has to be something done at some point to get people to realize the overall redeeming value of a movie beyond the rating.

Whew, I got that off my chest, but now about the movie. Danny Boyle is a terrific director who just won the Golden Globe for direction for this film. To understand the talent of Boyle you have to consider that he is the same person who directed films such as Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary, and the terrific zombie style film, 28 Days Later. Slumdog Millionaire is a tale much different than any of these stories, and the diversity and talent of Boyle shines through in what may simply be one of the best directed films and efforts at storytelling in some time.

In many ways, Slumdog Millionaire is a terrific effort of storytelling. We follow the lives of three children to adulthood and the tragedy of growing up poor in India. Two brothers, Jamal played by Dev Patel, his older brother, Salim, played by Madhur Mittal, and Latika, played by Fredia Pinto. We follow these three primarily through a series of flashbacks and via three stages of life where the primary characters are played by other cast members from childhood, to youth, to young adults. The horror, the tragedy displayed throughout the film should have the viewer considering the plight of the poor, but more than this, we eventually come to an extremely satisfying conclusion where we see the power of hope, although we see that the hope one has isn’t based on whether or not one finds satisfaction in wealth, but whether or not one finds love.

I must comment on several components of this film, from its direction to acting, editing, and soundtrack it is a near perfect film. Not only does it in my opinion address the reality of the poor in the world, thus making fantastic social commentary, but it finds in a way to captivate the audience with beautiful storytelling, laced with terrific sound and song, and a story that is terrifically entertaining. In the two hour movie I was never bored, not an instant, not a second, I didn’t want the movie to end it was so good, but it does end, and after looking back on it, it ends in a way that transforms many in the audience of the things that are really important. Faith, Hope and Love!

I can think of a passage from the Bible this movie drove home. 1st Corinthians 13:13 states; “For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.”

While there is truth here, there is also truth we can learn regarding the faith and hope love can bring, and the inspiration it provides others. Slumdog Millionaire in a beautiful way, also reminded me of the story of Cane and Abel from the Bible. Slumdog Millionare also shows the power one can have when they exercise faith and live life as if there is purpose, a life driven by love, focused on love despite heartache, difficulty, terror, and at times resembling Hell on Earth. We see how one can conquer adversity, even coming at the hands of one who is supposed to love, we see the horror of hate, even when it comes at the hands of religion. We see it all, but ultimately, we see the power of love and the ability of that love to delver faith and hope to the multitudes around them.

I loved virtually everything about this film. It was a rare gem where I expected a great deal, and it delivered beyond my lofty expectations. I will see it again, no ifs ands or buts about it. Slumdog Millionaire deserves an even larger audience than it is getting. It is a film that does everything a film is supposed to. I am fairly confident that most will be glad they went to see this movie if they in fact make that decision.

How good is it, well it swept all 4 categories in the Golden Globes it was nominated for including, Best Drama, Best Director, Best Original Score, and Best Screenplay. For a little known film that a lot of people haven’t heard about, we can see that even when it comes to awards, the underdog, the unknown, the orphan of the movie world can still win, the inspiration continues.

On a scale of 1 – 10, while this is not the most perfect movie you will ever see, it is pretty close, so, for each of the actors that played the primary three characters in the film, plus the obnoxiously evil host of the millionaire, (not Regis or Meredith) I give a very deserving 10.

To see the trailer for the movie, Slumdog Millionaire click on the following video, if the video don't appear, just click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIzbwV7on6Q


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