Faith Filled Family Magazine September 2016 | Page 74

years ago. This new series would be relevant to
them and reach them where they are at in today’s
world. It would spark conversations and get kids
talking about deeper, eternal things. That’s what
the original series did for adults.
One of the proudest moments of my life was when
my grandfather saw the movie and told me afterwards, “Finally, there’s a movie about Left Behind
that captured what made the books so successful.”
What was challenging about bringing this
script to life?
The most challenging thing was taking on such
a robust story with such limited resources. Most
YA feature films like Twilight and Hunger Games
have budgets exceeding $25 million. Ours was $2
million, with 21 days to shoot. When I look at the
movie that we shot, I am blown away by the way
it turned out.
When we went to Savannah, we had a very tight
schedule for shooting, and every day an obstacle
was thrown at us. The weather – it rained five of
the 21 days. The landscape – it’s flatland, with no
waterfalls for miles, and the ending of the movie
prominently featured a waterfall. So, we had to
rewrite the ending of the movie two weeks before
we shot it.
How did you see God at work during the
making of this movie?
Despite the obstacles, it turned out beautifully.
For the ending rewrite, we found the perfect new
location to film. In the heart of Savannah is the
oldest train station in America. They happened to
be renovating it and said we could shoot there. It
fit so beautifully.
God also provided quality people for the movie.
There was a spirit of passion that was contagious.
Even the young actors – 11, 15 and 17-year old
kids, showed up with a professionalism, humility and work ethic that went beyond anybody I’ve
ever seen in Hollywood. Amber Frank (Montana)
was really exceptional. After getting her for the
film, we learned that she’s a born-again Christian
who is very outspoken about her faith. She was
thrilled she got this role. This is a young woman
who turned down a Spielberg audition because

it was contrary to her morals. That’s a total God
thing. You find very few rising stars like this.
How did working on this production grow you
personally and spiritually?
It’s really given me more confidence. It’s so difficult to get a movie made. Period. Forget about
making a good Christian movie that doesn’t just
preach to the choir. My heart is that of an evangelist. I take after my grandfather that way. I want
to reach the man on the street that doesn’t know
God – and in this case, the kid on the street. This
movie has grown me exponentially in my faith and
in trusting God. I’ve learned that if I do everything
I can and keep moving forward, that He will go
before me, if He’s in it. Every single obstacle was
thrown at us, but we just kept putting one foot in
front of the other and trusting the Lord, and we
were able to overcome.
What will the audience be thinking about in the
car as they drive home after this show?
We thought about that in developing the screen
play. A good story always has specific themes.
The theme we hope people will take away is that
it’s not so much about the theology of the movie
but about eternal questions. Whether you are
taken suddenly, or live a long and prosperous life
– at some point, all of us will have to answer one
question – Who is Jesus and are you ready? This
is what everyone will be thinking about.
Can viewers expect to see more in this series?
You better believe it! I love getting this question.
Our movie ends with a cliffhanger. The immediate
response is - “When is the next one?” We take
it as a good sign. My grandfather’s original Left
Behind story is the seven year tribulation. It ends
with the battle of Armageddon and the glorious
appearing of Christ. It has never been completely
told in television or film. My dream and prayer is
this is the one that does it. How m any movies that
will take, I don’t know, but we absolutely plan to
tell the entire Left Behind story all the way to the
glorious appearing of Christ.
What’s the next project?
We’re looking to go into production next year
and start filming part two. Next will be Rise of the
Deceiver, followed by The Rebellion Awakens.