The Honest Artists

If you do not know and love Truth you lack what is needed. . .

to make long lasting beautiful film. John 8:31 The more you can recognize truth the easier it is translate impactful concepts into motion pictures. The more you are in touch with the cor of who Christ made you to be the easier it is to receive supernatural input.

‍

THE GOLDEN RATIO

Speaking of Truth. Math can lead us to know what is true. For example the Golden Ratio, which is 1: 1.618033988749894...

‍

The human mind recognizes the proportion instinctively as pleasing to the eye.

1:1.9 is not the same beautiful proportion. It might be somewhat beautiful but it is not objectively as perfect as 1:1.618  If we take this to an extreme we will find it becomes less beautiful.

What we can see is that when the proportions are true to the golden ratio our eyes recognizes it a beautiful.

When it's true we see the beauty.

The Golden Ratio is one way that leads us to truth and beauty. I would hope you want to make beautiful art. Knowing we have these types of helpers can improve our art. Being in touch with our creator is an advantage. Arguably one of the best poets of all times is a priest from Spain know as John of the Cross.  His best poetry was written in the most difficult of circumstances.  He was being persecuted by the members of his religious order. The trial was extremely difficult from a human perspective but this man united himself so closely to God, John of the Cross seemed distant to others. They saw him as a fool. He was in this world but on another level.

Despite being personally misunderstood, his poetry spoke to the human soul. He reformed the Carmelite order. His influence lives on to this day 500 years later. And those who persecuted him are only remembered as the idiots who persecuted an innocent saint.

‍

Educated beyond your intelligence.

John of the Cross' persecutors thought they were so great and so smart they didn't want to see how they could ever be wrong.

But that would make them perfect.

And humans are IMperfect. which means humans make mistakes.  Since you are human expect to be wrong at times. It seems that if we are not willing to admit we are wrong, like the brother friars that persecuted their own, John of the Cross, then we are missing our greatest strength,

Our weakness.

(thanks St. Paul)

Great and smart people can do amazing things. Look at the work of Caravaggio.  He obviously was brilliant in his art But he worked with theologians because that was not his strength.  Socially he was a wreck. A murderer. But why was he able to capture and lead viewers into the mystery of Christ through his painting. I would guess somewhere in his being he knew he was a sinner. He was honest with himself. To recognize our sinfulness or imperfectness  takes a degree of humility. Therefore he was not completely full of pride. And There is no room for God in the prideful part of our heart. But He is in the humble part completely and even if a very small finite place is all that the Lord has to work through in a heart with tons of pride, it becomes infinitely bigger despite the person.

God only needs part of a humble heart to work with.

‍Jesus is not as much concerned about you making an amazing film to bring others to repentance, he's more concerned about your repentance.

This is probably a good time to start praying the litany of humility. especially the part that say, 'Jesus grant me the grace to desire that others may be holier than I as long as I am as holy as I ought to be.

Humble hearts are honest.  I've looked at other films and their filmmaker and said, out loud, I'm more talented than that guy. why did he get to do that film? My reaction was wrong on so many levels. I'm not proud of this. I think we could talk about who does what film and why for along time, but for now let's agree that the "whywhy" mindset does not help my craft, my relationship with others, and most of all not with God.

Being honest with my selfish reaction here helped me see that God uses the best person for the job always. They may not have the best credentials, but their film did just what the Lord wanted it to do. In my instance, their movie evoked an ugly part of myself to come out and call me to repentance of my pride and judge-mentalism. That's a true power of Christ working through cinema.  

You might be a mess socially like Caravaggio. And the Lord wants to fix that so you'll be happier. And the more talented you become the more temptation you will have toward pride and if you fall into that you're cutting yourself off from doing what you desire to do most, which is let Christ work through you to create trans-formative films.

And you know.

I'm sure you've had your tastes of fame and know others that have real fame

and it's always the same.

It's lame. It's pain.

And theirs only one to blame.

Like Able and Cain, on a run away train, across the plains of Spain.

Don't feign, your relationship with Christ.

Be fain to walk with Him

If not, in vain do we film.

But when his Precious Blood is in our veins. We can do all things in Christ who strengthens us.

When we are honest with who we are what our strengths and weakness are, we're making room in our heart for Christ to fill us. And the result of our honest collaboration with God will be heavenly.

‍

I can't do this topic justice in a blog. To go deeper we need to connect and come together for the glory of God.

‍

Pray that people will have generous hearts and fund this renaissance.

‍

‍

Unite with other Catholic Filmmakers like you.