One of the key factors in creating mini-movies is time. There are a lot of important elements that happen in any given worship gathering, so as producers of media content for churches we have a goal of keeping our projects under 3 minutes. To make them longer is risky.
But some stories can’t be properly told in 3 minutes or less. Some stories need us to linger in a moment, to allow a certain thought or emotion to take over us. Some stories need time to take us to the depths of sorrow to allow the joy of salvation to be so much sweeter.
We feel the story of Easter is such a story. So last year we decided to take a risk and create Not The End as a longer mini-movie (5:35). After all, why tell a story if it’s safe, right?
We wanted to take a journey through the three days of Easter weekend: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – all through the perspective of Peter. To make it more challenging, I had this image stuck in my head of Peter running. I wanted most of the mini-movie to simply show the back of his head, with the reoccurring theme of “I wasn’t really looking.” We don’t reveal his eyes until Easter Sunday, when he opens his eyes for the first time, and turns toward the camera and runs to the tomb to find it empty. However, we don’t ever show the tomb or Jesus, simply Peter and his reaction. I think this decision allows us to focus on the emotion of the moment.
We designed the film to be used together as one piece, or broken up by the individual days and what they can represent:
FRIDAY: All hope seems lost. The disciples scattered. They were expecting Jesus to deliver them from Roman oppression. Worse, Peter denied his closest friend 3 times.
SATURDAY: God seems silent. We don’t hear much about Saturday. We used this day to represent when we feel God is not answering our prayers. How do you respond?
SUNDAY: The beginning. This is when Peter opens his eyes, when he runs to the tomb. His face shows joy, anticipation and fear as he runs.
Here are some examples of how you can use this piece:
As a 3 Week Series
Start a series 2 weeks before Easter, each Sunday focusing on a day.
2 weeks before: Friday
1 week before: Saturday (you could show Friday and Saturday, letting the moment build.
Easter Sunday: Sunday – You could show Friday and Saturday before the message, then show
Sunday after the message
All on Easter Sunday
Build the day around the concept, and divide the message up into 3 parts. Show Friday to intro the first part of the message, Saturday to transition to the second part, and Sunday to end the message with celebration into a time of worship.
Start on Good Friday
If your church is having a Good Friday service, you could show Friday or both Friday and Saturday during that service, then show them all on Easter Sunday for everyone to participate.
Because we know every church has unique needs, we’ve created a number of options for you:
With each version we are including several still images and Photoshop files from the mini-movie, giving you title or message backgrounds for each of the days.
Not The End (shorter version) uses the same story and imagery, but comes in right at 3 minutes.
Better yet, with the Director’s Cut, you get the full mini-movie, as well as each day as a separate file, all for the normal mini-movie price.
Better(er) yet, get the Not The End Collection, which includes the short version, Director’s Cut, all 3 days, and all the stills and Photoshop files.
However your church decides to share the story of hope this Easter, may you include some mystery and intrigue. His story deserves that.
