Auditions for leading roles have been going on for the past three weeks. As is often the case, I’ve really enjoyed watching these characters suddenly become real when the right actor finally shows up to bring them to life. Of course we all know that without real, compelling, and detailed characters, a film is doomed to fail. But that’s especially true in an ensemble drama like ours, where the characters literally are the story.
So, as we continue to ask for your name submissions in this weeks contest, I want to throw you the T-bone steak of inspiration. In a snapshot, here’s a list and description of the lead characters, and the plot-driving dramatic question that each one represents:
SARAH
After losing her husband two years ago in an accident, Sarah now loses Becca, her daughter. Will she be consumed by hatred for Garrett and/or give in to her thoughts of suicide?
GARRETT
A self-made businessman who is his own god, until he comes home drunk from a party and crashes into Becca and Sarah. Will he give into despair or discover God?
DAVID
A doctor, broken by witnessing countless tragedies, David
is abandoning every aspect of his life. Will David return to his family
and his God?
ANNA
One of Sarah’s best friends, desperate to have children, abandoned abruptly by her husband David. Can her faith survive the death of her dreams and ultimately save her marriage?
TRACY
Sarah’s other best friend, a vibrant, funny wife and mother, suffering from stage 4 cancer. Facing her own death, can Tracy find strength to support her suffering friends?
STEVE
A small-town Sheriff suffering from severe PTSD, Steve lost his best friend (a chaplain) in Afghanistan, and returns to discover his wife’s newfound faith. Will he harm his daughter and destroy his family, or discover a true and healing faith?
RITA
Steve’s wife, who came to faith while he was in Afghanistan, who struggles to remain faithful to God and her husband. Can Rita’s new faith sustain her when life seems to get worse and worse?
* * *
So there you go – a quick overview of the characters and their plotlines. Any questions? Better yet, any name suggestions for this rapidly-approaching project? Let me know in the comments below!
ooo, fun game! I love titles!!!… reading through the characters, the word WRECKAGE came to mind… maybe something like “From the Wreckage” or “Out of the Wreckage”?
There are times in our lives when going forward is not an option. We must turn. With God, we can make the “right turn”. This project sounds awesome. Thanks for pouring into what you do best.
God Bless!
Chris
“Those Who Dream”
Psalm 126:1 says “When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream.”
The entire Psalm is amazing and speaks of laughter and weeping, of captivity and joy. If you think about it, dreaming can be dangerous – lost dreams are very painful. But we have to let go of some dreams in order to find new ones, and dare to dream again.
Might not be on the same page, but this is what I keep thinking when i read about your project:-)
Rising above the Ashes!
Chronicles of the Phoenix
Genesis 50:20
you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Before Joseph died he told his brothers ” I am about to die but God will surely some to your AID and take you out of this land to the promised on oath to Abraham , Issac and Jacob. Genesis 50:24.
Joseph was pointing to God as his deliverer and God to get, the glory not himself!
Name : 2 ideas
1.”Promised Oath”
Am I in the place of God?
Man intended to harm me but God meant it for good!
2.” Beauty for Ashes”
God takes our pain and makes it into something beautiful.
Ashes -Adversity
Beauty-Believe and you will be saved.
Enough
Searching for answers
Vine and Branches
Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Sometimes our branches are straight and smooth while other times our branches have thorns and are broken, destroyed and dead. But if we chose the “Vine” our branches bud, bloom and produces fruit and enjoyment for others.
When I read about the lives of the characters I though about the brokenness and the different direction or result of their choices much like Branches. They could be support for fruit and be useful as shade or die and fall off only to be picked up and thrown in the trash. Such a waste. But the choice is ours.
“Grave Clothes”. We just did a message on John 11, titled, “Take Off the Grave Clothes and Let Him Go!” The core message was if you have a problem, take it to Jesus, and watch as he turns your adversities into His Glory!
1. God in the Midst
2. Finding Faith
3. Unbroken
4. When You’re Broken
For the sake of realism, please don’t have all the characters “come to their senses” and have a feel good, happily-ever-after, ending. Many do not make good, biblically wise choices for themselves. Therefore, the title should reflect both potential outcomes, possibly by implication. “Some Will Hear”, “Decisions”, “Narrow Is the Gate”, “Surrender”, or “Rock and Sand”.
Broken
hey ya”ll, nice to note ya. been a while. here goes- (misguidedsouls-the journey) (racing the dark light) (reaching for his reign) (when rain comes dry) thats all for now,your brother in the back, kent
Hey Shane, Here are a few serious and some not so much…miss you guys.
Lost to Love
Above the Valley
Beauty is Broken
Tragedy and Divine
Restoration
the mending house
The Valley Below
Why?
God is God part Deux
God is God: the Remix
Dios es Dios Parte Dos
oops, These two got cut off.
The Threshing Floor
The Sifting
I’m not very good at naming things, but I’m reminded of 1 Peter 5:10 “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
So here are couple that came to mind in reading this post: Out of Agony, Restoration
hey lady’s & guys you gotta love jackie’s reasoning & reading of scripture to “feel” that name. wow, OUT OF AGONY gotta love it. was going to maybe jot down one or two more, but i will re-think those for now. hey jackie,i think your officially “good” at naming THINGS now. nice job. untill next time ya”ll,your brother in the back, kent
“beyond it all”…..”press in”….”no exceptions”…”in our weakness”
“then comes the morning”
How about “The Potter’s Wheel”?
Sort of makes reference to the wheel of a car as well as The Potter and our need to be clay in His hands as he shapes us.
Desperate for Hope.
“Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 43:5 NLT)
Here are a few that came to my mind:
From Ashes to Beauty
Restored
Out of the Ashes
Redeemed
Redemption
Out of the Darkness
Hurting for Hope
Desperate Hope
Heavenly Hope
The Only Balm
something like “Amazing Grace”, the song that was penned out of extreme tragedy! The “amazing” part is that we don’t always understand why bad things happen, but if we understand “grace”, we know that God does!
The hidden God.
Why God??!!??
Suggestion for name: “God, Don’t Waste Our Pain” – a prayer we prayed 8 yrs ago when our son took his life @ age 25.
The Timshel (Hebrew word for Thou Mayest….meaning you have a choice, accept or reject. The question in the movie is what choice will you make
I think a good name for Bob Russel’s latest adventure would be “Joseph, the dreamer whos dreams came true.”
“God, Don’t Waste Our Pain” — this is a prayer we prayed after our son took his life, @ the age of 25, 8 yrs ago
The Seekers
Doing Life
The Joneses
Treading Lifely
“Evil” The Price of Freedom. This is the title I suggest. The age old question of why a God so loving a just allows evil in the world. I think God values freedom he made us free to choose between good and evil. We humans would never be free to choose if there was no evil. Evil is a “side effect” of our God given freedom. Thank the Lord almighty for making us free. As Americans we are blessed with a country that acknowledges our God given freedom. I truly believe our God values individual freedom and that is why he allows evil to exits. It is through our faith in Jesus Christ that we know Gods justice will prevail in the end.
1. Lean Not . .2. Choose Ye This Day.3. Choices: Which Door Will You Choose? 4. Let Go; Let God. 5. Rejection or Acceptance.6. Pathfinders.7. The Power of Choice.8.Transformatios. Hope in the Midst of the Storm.10. Hope: The NeverendingSaga.11.Hope: The Light Unto My Path
12. The Choices of Hope.
13. Choices: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do.
14. Transformations.
15. Choice Transformations
Most of us hate them, they show up when we least expect them, they slow us down, they are a nuisance when we’re in a hurry to get where we want to go….
‘Speed Bumps’ or ‘Speedbumps in the Journey’
1. At the Crossroads
2. Crossroads
Suggestions:
Broken to pieces
Why me?
Blessings
Esther Jaggers
When you are truly in pain and reaching out for God to help you want answers right away to make this pain stop. You get impatient, desperate, angry, you bargain, you wait but you feel abandoned. We all know God’s timing is not ours but still we pray, wait, and hope but that feeling comes back. “Where are you Lord?” Perhaps many would identify with a title like, Abandoned by God?
Bravo for this new series and movie on a topic so many can identify with!
Title for movie or series, “Peace that passes understanding”.
the wreckage, along the way
Hello, this is Paul from Louisville Bible College. I preached a series through Joseph’s life a couple of years ago. I think the best title for your film project, and also the main truth about Joseph’s life, can be found in Genesis 39. Three times in the chapter are a variation of the words, “The Lord was with Joseph.” No matter what a Christian goes through in life, the Lord is with him or her. He never leaves us or forsakes us.
I have personally felt deep tragedy in my life. In July 2009, my wife Dena had a heart attack driving home from work. She was revived multiple times at the scene and at the hospital and placed on life support. After eight days and no response, we had to let her physically pass on. I have known no one in my life more faithful than her; just a tremendous loss to me. But God is good. The Good Shepherd met me at the sheepfold each night, knew my name, knew what I had been through that day, and gave me safe harbour for the night, along with rest to face the next day’s challenges. The Lord was with Joseph, the Lord was with me, and the Lord is with all those who face the challenges of life.
Even through tragedy the Lord continued to bless me. I am now remarried to the one God sent to me. I tell people that God did all the work; I was just an innocent bystander. Again, the Lord was with me and continues to be with me; just as He was with Joseph. Your title: “The Lord was with Joseph.”
To See His Will
I went through stage 3 cancer in 2010. I was pregnant with our fourth child when I was diagnosed, meaning we waited for treatment until after we gave birth. Her name is Elisa Hope. Her middle name was an accident – or a God-incident, rather! The scriptures that were my rocks during that time are Isaiah 40:31 and Psalm 23.
Names from Isaiah 40:31:
-Hope
-Renewed Strength
-On Eagles Wings
Names from Psalm 23
-Shadows of Death
-Fear No Evil
do you believe, test of faith, only if you ask, one little girl