TheMorningFive 02/18/09
An Indie Church Movie that (Indie) Rocks
The Oklahoma-based Tulsa Bible Church is the latest congregation to try its hand at filmmaking. Inspired by the success of Georgia’s Sherwood Baptist (the church that produced Facing the Giants, Flywheel, and Fireproof), Tulsa Bible Church’s pastor approached member Brian Shoop, a 58-year-old Tulsa-area actor, to see if he would be interested in trying his hand at writing a script for their own foray into filmmaking. Over the course of the next year, Shoop penned the script for Treasure Blind (which he also stars in), a story about a lonely cab driver who, along with a blind grandson he never knew he had, embarks on a journey to find buried Civil War-era treasure.
Although the movie isn’t an official church undertaking, more than 100 volunteers from the church helped on the production of the film. The Tulsa World has an interview with Shoop here and you can watch the trailer for Treasure Blind on YouTube. The film releases on DVD this week.
On a side note, the filmmakers appear to have a taste for indie rock. The trailer for the movie contains music by instrumental outfit Explosions in the Sky (best known for scoring the film Friday Night Lights) and the movie's website contains a "thank you" to indie-pop darling Rosie Thomas for allowing them to use her songs in the film.
Although the movie isn’t an official church undertaking, more than 100 volunteers from the church helped on the production of the film. The Tulsa World has an interview with Shoop here and you can watch the trailer for Treasure Blind on YouTube. The film releases on DVD this week.
On a side note, the filmmakers appear to have a taste for indie rock. The trailer for the movie contains music by instrumental outfit Explosions in the Sky (best known for scoring the film Friday Night Lights) and the movie's website contains a "thank you" to indie-pop darling Rosie Thomas for allowing them to use her songs in the film.