US News
A Christian-Friendly Hollywood?
By Paul Strand
March 31, 2007
CBNNews.com - HOLLYWOOD - Just like in any other business, Christians are working hard in the entertainment industry.
But other than producing the occasional Chronicles of Narnia or Passion of the Christ, Hollywood's often felt like enemy territory...not understanding the Christian audience, maybe not even caring to cater to it.
For years now in the culture wars, it's been Hollywood versus the Christians. But both sides are starting to wonder if there can be a détente that's mutually beneficial.
Michael Patrick heads up Regent University's School of Communications and the Arts.
He said, "We're here to encourage and support the industry."
This week, Regent held a forum and get-together at the Director's Guild of America building in Hollywood to highlight the fact that there's a massive Christian audience out there, and if Hollywood reaches out to it with faith-friendly films and series, it can make big bucks.
The huge success of Chronicles and Passion proved that.
"There's a great demand across the country for these kinds of films," Patrick said.
And Regent took time to honor Cheryl McKay, one of its alumni who wrote the screenplay for the exceptionally faith-friendly film The Ultimate Gift, recently playing in hundreds of theaters across the country.
It is a sex- and violence-free look at how family, friends, faith and good hard work are the most important things in life.
CBN News visited with McKay and other Hollywood Christians to see if Tinseltown is turning more positive towards religious believers, and indeed, the Christians working right there in Hollywood.
"The executives in Hollywood have noticed there's a real market out there for Christians, and for content that Christians and churches can stand behind. So I have noticed the climate seems to be getting better for us out here," said McKay.
She said it took her about eight years to reach her present level of success, where she can make a good living from screenwriting.
But we also found out that success doesn't mean hanging out with Hollywood glitterati at swank parties -- in McKay's case, it's quiet toil inside her little bungalow.
"My day-to-day life is, I enjoy writing every day at home for about 10 hours," she said.
But her outspoken Christianity is beginning to get noticed and appreciated.
"The producer who approached me about doing The Ultimate Gift knew I was a Christian," McKay said, "and knew I had the sensibilities to do that kind of project."
And she says the evidence is there that the entertainment industry is committing big-time to reaching the faith community.
"One really awesome wave that's going through Hollywood right now is that so many studios are developing faith-based departments," McKay said.
Years ago, Andrea Wiley reached the heights that McKay is just beginning to attain.
Wiley said, "I think Hollywood sees green."
Recently she's been producing documentaries like Soul Mate about the struggles of black, single women in a sex-soaked culture. But before that, she made piles of cash producing and writing for such series as The Parkers and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
But even with such big hits to her name, she says she struggles to get anything faith-based green-lit by the studios.
She said, "I'm still trying to pitch Christian programming, and I'm not met with doors flinging wide open."
Still, Andrea believes if Christians would more often get out to the theaters to support faith-based films at their openings, Hollywood would produce many more.
"We've got to do it in the first weekend, because that's going to determine whether or not Hollywood's going to take the risk to do it again," she said.
Cheryl McKay completely agrees.
She's disappointed that Christians failed to show up at her film in anywhere near the numbers they did for Chronicles or Passion.
She says Christians could easily blow this golden moment if they don't get into the movie-going habit fast.
"When these studios are working very hard to come up with material for them, show up. Vote with your ticket sales and support those films," McKay said.
But Wiley feels that now Hollywood is wide awake to the fact that 85-percent of the population calls itself Christian, a real honeymoon could be ahead for both Tinseltown and the Christian audience.
She said, "It makes good financial sense to reach the majority of people in this country."
So maybe soon there'll be plenty more opportunities for Christian moviemakers to serve God, while Hollywood still makes lots of money off of them doing it.
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