Story Time

Being LDS presents the world to us in a very unique way, especially when compared to the rest of the world – the artistic world, the scholarly world, all of it. We have an increased knowledge, and, we believe, a true knowledge that gives us added perspective on everything. We are indeed a peculiar people. I know lots of people who view this outlook and our standards as a hindrance to our lives. They don’t feel that we’re living them at our fullest. However, I think that being LDS gives us even more opportunities to do more with our life, especially when it comes to artistry. Our art is filmmaking and I truly believe that we as Mormon artists will be able to craft unique, honest, and completely appropriate stories that come from our experiences in life. I’m sure the missionaries among us each encountered scenes so extreme it was as though they came out of a movie. We have vastly different perspectives on family, violence and sexuality then the rest of the world. These perspectives are more important and righteous and things that are important to infuse into our work. We can find stories of light anywhere we look because we are looking through a unique lens. In many ways, being a Mormon would make us an interesting character in any film. I think it’s important to stress that compelling stories of light don’t need to conform to any strict Mormon mold. In my opinion, some of the most uplifting movies or stories only reach this level by portraying things that don’t comply with LDS standards. Sometimes it’s just because the characters use colorful language or the film shows the reality of war. Sometimes the subject matter is more serious, like when we see a drug addict lose his livelihood but come out on the other side. While many Mormon artists will never make films with such extreme subject matter, it is important to realize that with the right amount of compassion, any story about anything can become a compelling story that is filled with light