New Trailer for "Amazing Love: The Story of Hosea"

Hey, everybody. Very busy with writing these days, and unfortunately have used up what few deep thoughts I have, so this blog will be rather short :p I just wanted to stop by and give a little update on Amazing Love: The Story of Hosea. I wrote the original script for this and am happy to say that the movie is finished. But, instead of playing at a theater near you, the producers wish to play it at a church near you. They believe this can be a great outreach tool as well as something that can strengthen any believer. If you would like to show this movie at your church, call 949-380-8550 or email your contact info at rc@christianmovies.com and they will set you up. I believe the movie will be out later this year on DVD for personal sales, but right now they're trying to give the opportunity for the churches to have a special movie night :)

Hosea is one of my favorite accounts in the Bible and when the producers said they wanted me to write a Bible movie, I knew I had to write Hosea's story. Dig on the trailer below and scroll down to read what others are saying about the movie. What I am most excited to see is that so many are taking a second look at a wonderful book of the Bible that they might not have paid much attention to before. Hosea's a hero, to me, so I'm especially proud to bring a dramatization of his life to the screen.



Amazing Love - Trailer 1080p from Rich Christiano on Vimeo.

“A powerful story of redemption.  This one should not be missed.”

   --The Dove Foundation (5 STARS)

“This movie was excellent, both theologically and dramatically.”

--Paul Reiner, Pastor, Salina Bible Church, Salina, PA

“Amazing Love is amazing! The film captures real life issues of today by reflecting back to yesterday and the life of Hosea. The message of God’s amazing love for us, reminds us all, to try and show that kind of love to those we come in contact with. A powerful film with an applicable message for today”.

     --Mike Drayton, President, Serving Him Ministry, Mocksville, NC

“I just finished watching Amazing Love.  Wow!  Praise God for such a beautiful presentation of God's amazing love! It was powerful and moving, brought tears to my eyes.  Great job!”

     --Mark Opseth, Hope Church, Apple Valley, MN

“From my heart I thank you for including our community in a preview of your newest release “Amazing Love”.  This was such an outstanding movie!  It was not only well done, great film quality, great acting, wonderful story, but the message of this movie was inspirational.  There was so much discussion around this movie when it concluded; expressions of awe about how God moved in Hosea’s life to help him understand God’s own heart and how much God suffers when His people turned away from Him.  That message alone was “amazing”!”
--Debra Wagamon, Movie Coordinator, Illinois City United Methodist Church

 

“I  absolutely loved it. What a great way to learn about the Bible. It was like having a bible study that was exciting and relevant. This movie is a great tool that all churches should use.”

     --Isaac Hernandez, EVP of Programming/The Parables Network

 

"The film really brings eyes of understanding to help us imagine and understand the life of Hosea, a prophet who provides a vital picture of God's phenomenal love for His often wayward people. Made us praise God for His faithful, amazing love!" 

    --Jonathan Stewart, Executive Director, All Tribes Christian Camp, Ontario, Canada

 

“Wow!  I am in tears. Just finished watching Amazing Love and it blew me away. The simplicity and beauty of God's love came through loud and clear. Can't wait to share this with my whole church this summer!”

     --Matt Mitchell, Potter's Hand Bible Church, Apex, NC

 

“My whole family including all 6 of my children watched Amazing Love last night.  It is very appropriately named and was great for the whole family.  I had only breezed over the book of Hosea before -- what a DEEP love story!!! Church families will LOVE this movie!”

    --Chris Beach, Cornerstone Assistance Network Tulsa, OK

 

“Amazing Love brings the unconditional love of God to the Silver Screen. This movie brings the book of Hosea to life with very practical applications for this generation of how we are to love others like God loves us. Some of the prophecies of Hosea are as relevant to this generation as they were to the nation of Israel back then.”

     --David Lange, Pastor, Mission Community Church, Pacific, MO  

 

“My wife and I along with two other couples watched this wonderful movie together. It was so good that we could not stop talking about it after the movie was over. We believe it will be inspiring to everyone who has an opportunity to see it. Amazing Love is so relevant to the time in which we live that it will become a tool for all who are wondering about the purpose of their being and give them the true meaning for their faith.”

    --Thomas Jernigan, Gospel Tabernacle, Dunn, NC

 

“This is a great movie. I have read the book of Hosea many times, but the telling of the story accompanied by the watching of it unfold really brought it home. I see many parallels between what was happening in Israel in Hosea’s day and the USA today.  Hosea could have been standing on any street corner in America and the message would be just as true.   I hope this movie makes it to many churches and is seen by thousands of people.”
   --John Jaye, Minister of Education & Outreach, Northside Baptist Church, Jasper, AL

Acting Out in Your Writing

Coming from a screenwriting background, I always write from a very visual place. My books first come to me (and most others I'm sure) as a movie in my head. I'm not in love with prose. In fact, often I feel that my words--feeble as they usually are--get in the way of my story. When I really feel a character or their journey, my goal as a writer is to stand out of their way and let them live.

One of the things that helps me is to act out my characters. Now, no, you won't find me prancing about my Batcave (that's where I write) with a cloak reciting lines to thin air (I don't know why I would have a cloak, it just sounded appropriate). But I really try to picture actors or put myself in the role. Not just in what they think or their background, but I want to define their mannerisms. How they relate to one another and what that visually looks like.

Today I had a blast watching through some audition tapes of the young actors that are going to be in the movie I wrote "Amazing Love: The Story of Hosea" (title subject to change). The film starts shooting in a couple weeks and I'm really excited to see the finished product. I wrote this a few years ago and, since then, filmmakers Rich and Dave Christiano worked on the script, found a director, and have put this whole thing together. Watching the young actors cast in the movie was a real treat. It was even a little emotional, watching them live out my dialogue. Some of them brought things to the roles that I would have never dreamed of. Their nuance, their acting choices--it showed me a new side to my own characters. What was especially neat was watching one young actress in particular read one of the more tender, emotional scenes. I marveled that she was making all the same nuanced mannerisms that I made while writing it! Perhaps I'm just really in tune with my inner teenage girl, but I felt a real kinship to that performance. That was my character, ripped right from my heart, and on the screen staring back at me.

I think watching the actors has helped my writing process even more. It's given me new things to think about in how people act and the various ways that a single line can be delivered and all the new meanings that arise out of each interpretation.

I'll let everyone know when the movie comes out. It's a far cry from my usual projects--you know, no monsters or disembowelment--but I think you'll like it anyway :p We're hoping to see it out early next year.

For the writers, what are some of the ways you've acted out your characters to better understand your writing? For readers, would it bother you to think of your favorite author prancing about in a cloak reciting dialogue to thin air? :p