Trinity Professors Break into the Film Industry-and You Are Invited to Watch
This summer, Trinity College professors Chris L. Firestone (philosophy) and Nathan Jacobs (theology) are partnering with Westward Entertainment and film-maker Edward McDougal in the creation of a documentary.
Jacobs, recently hired at the College, is a fine arts painter, who pursued a career in the fine arts prior to his turn to theology. His art work reflects a variety of classical influences from Byzantine iconography to high-classical Renaissance painting and drawing. A crew of accomplished film-makers documents Jacobs, the artist and theologian, as he sets out to produce an 8′ x 8′ painting of the crucifixion in high-classical Renaissance style-a work four years in the making. Audiences will observe the intricacies of the planning and execution, the secrets of the artistic trade, and the trials and triumphs of this event.
Jacobs will paint this, his magnum opus, on Trinity’s campus over the course of three weeks (May 17-June 7). A group of select Trinity students will have the privilege of sitting in on the process, hearing daily lectures on art and theology from Jacobs, and learning hands-on from the crew about the film-making process. And, during the course of the filming, each of these persons will be blogging live about the process and their experiences. Online viewers will be able to observe and join in these sessions via web-simulcast.
That you will be able to observe the entire process live is one of the most unique features of this art and film-making event. Using professional grade, high-definition cameras and the power of the internet, both the documentary production and the painting process will be simulcast through the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding website. Viewers will be able to access the event 24/7 over the course of these three weeks as well as interact with the film crew, director, producer, and artist, asking relevant questions and getting real time feedback. If you have an interest in documentary film, classical art, and/or the power of internet, then you do not want to miss this event.
For additional information, enquiries, or to offer financial support, please contact Chris Firestone at cfirestone@tiu.edu or ph.# 847-317-7161. Information can be found at the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding website (http://www.henrycenter.org/trinity-symposia/ or http://www.henrycenter.org/art-documentary/). Specific times and details will be announced on the website as the event nears.
Key creative personnel:
Chris L. Firestone: Chris Firestone is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Trinity College (Deerfield). He has taught at Trinity College for 10 years and was the recipient of the inaugural and annual Regent Prize for teaching and research excellence. He has published numerous articles and books, including Kant and the New Philosophy of Religion (as co-editor; Indiana University Press, 2006), In Defense of Kant’s Religion (as co-author; Indiana University Press, 2008), Kant and Theology at the Boundaries of Reason (Ashgate Publications, Ltd., forthcoming 2009), and God and the Enlightenment: Retrieving the Sacred in Modern Thought (as co-editor; Notre Dame University Press, forthcoming 2010).
Nathan Jacobs: Nathan Jacobs is Assistant Professor of Theology in the School of Biblical and Religious Studies at Trinity College (Deerfield, IL). He has taught at Calvin College, Kuyper College, and Calvin Theological Seminary. He has published numerous articles on issues of patristic theology, Modern philosophy, and contemporary philosophy of religion in journals such as Modern Theology and Faith and Philosophy. He is contributor to Kant and the New Philosophy of Religion (Indiana University Press, 2006), and is co-author of In Defense of Kant’s Religion (IUP, 2008). He is currently co-editing God and the Enlightenment: Retrieving the Sacred in Modern Thought (Notre Dame University Press, forthcoming 2010).
Edward McDougal: Edward McDougal is a former Trinity student whose father served on the Trinity Board in the 1980’s. He is a 30 year veteran of Christian film production and distribution. He will be providing expert guidance from beginning to end and supplementary film equipment throughout. He is currently working as producer, director, and writer of a Civil War feature film, Dog Jack (2009, in post-production); he has worked as producer, director, and writer of The Prodigy (1999), executive producer of The First Stone (1993), and producer, director, writer, and editor of Geronimo (1990), Gold through the Fire (1987), and Against All Hope (1982).
Westward Entertainment: Westward Entertainment is a team of filmmakers based in Grand Rapids, MI. They are highly sought after for their creativity and skills in making high-quality films. Providing Pre-through-Post production on the current project, their crew will consist of Jeremy Tremp (Director of Photography), Adam Kragt (Editor), Chandler Forbes (Gaffer), and Drew Annen (Digital Technician).
