Albany's Kendrick brothers on track with another Hollywood hit

Albany — After a summer of blistering heat that broke state records for temperatures above 100 degrees, it would seem only natural that Sherwood Pictures would begin work on a new release that dealt with heat.

But Stephen Kendrick, who serves as co-writer/director for Sherwood Baptist Church’s newest movie, jokingly says any similarity between Georgia’s blistering heat wave and the name of the new project – Fireproof – is purely coincidental.

Stephen, along with brother Alex, wrapped up five weeks of filming their newest Christian drama in December as they entered their third cinematic enterprise. Earlier releases – Flywheel, The Movie in 2003 and Facing the Giants in 2006 – received strong reviews and calls for another installment in the feel-good, faith-based, family values vein. Giants drew $10-million in box office receipts and remains a best-selling DVD.

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It’s a long way from the sets of Flywheel: The Movie and Facing the Giants to the Kendrick brother’s latest Hollywood venture, but the Albany team is up to the challenge.

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After August’s release of the marriage-affirming drama they will begin work on a fourth work now just in the planning stages. As with Giants and Fireproof, the new production will also be distributed through Provident Films, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures. The team plans to begin writing the yet-unannounced script this summer and begin filming in early 2009.

But the early days of 2008 find the brothers and their virtually all-volunteer team focused on August when their newest venture hits the big screen and teaches modern culture the lessons of what happens when a life – and a marriage – is turned over to God. Helping to bring that story to life is Hollywood actor Kirk Cameron who will give the production star power and increasing credibility in the eyes of moviegoers unfamiliar with Sherwood Pictures’ previous releases.

The storyline focuses on a young couple, Caleb and Catherine Holt, whose seven-year-old marriage is on the rocks. Divorce is imminent when Caleb’s father, played by former Camilla and Americus pastor Harris Malcom, issues a “love dare” to his firefighter son as a last-ditch attempt to save the marriage. Malcom’s wife, Phyllis, plays the firefighter’s mother.

The movie is set in Albany and has widespread community support, says Sherwood executive pastor Jim McBride.

“We could not be more pleased with our relationship with Albany. The police and fire departments offered their services and equipment and some officers volunteered their time and others received credit for training exercises.

“The fire department even burned down an old house for us that is a pivotal role in the movie and gives Kirk’s character the opportunity to rethink life’s priorities. Phoebe Putney Hospital let us film on site as well as provided some doctor’s offices as a set for some scenes. More than 20 sets and a production office were provided by local businesses,” he says, during a break in filming in which he is cast as the fire chief.

The actor with the greatest name recognition, which will help generate media attention, is Kirk Cameron. The Los Angeles resident – best known for the popular 1980s television series Growing Pains – bumped into Alex Kendrick and Sherwood pastor Michael Catt in an airport several months ago and the three began discussing the next venture. Cameron, who had supported Sherwood’s efforts in the past and attended the Hollywood screening of Facing the Giants, offered his services and eventually auditioned “just like anyone else,” he said in an interview in late December.

 

Changing lives

“I just wanted to be part of something exciting that a church was doing on the quality level that Sherwood has brought to the screen. I wanted to be sure that my casting, if it occurred, would be of the Lord and not just because I had more experience than others,” he explained.

That he was “just another member of the team,” as he put it, was obvious on the set in tiny Shellman, outside of Cuthbert, on the final days of shooting. In between filming he was just another sweaty face on the crew and was accessible to any who wanted to chat while sitting on the rails of the train tracks on the set.

And that, the Kendrick brothers maintain, is what they want the film to be remembered for. In such a faith venture, it’s not about making money but about changing lives.

They credit Catt with being the visionary that allowed them to make the first movie when they didn’t think a church would be willing to take on such a risky project. The church already had a successful media ministry and the brothers were unsure if Sherwood would want to venture into the risky world of movie production. Now, thanks to Catt’s leadership, the church’s vision to change the world from Albany has expanded even further.

“Marriage touches almost every life,” Catt said. “In my lifetime the divorce rate has climbed to one out of two marriages, and the marriage rate has dropped 30 percent. What if we can make a dent in those statistics?”

More than 500 church members, on the set and behind the scenes, are personalizing the pain behind those numbers and introducing the hope that is found in the storyline, he added. As with the church’s first two films, the production is driven by volunteers; one professional film crew of eight is working at a discounted rate.

When asked what is different on the set of Fireproof, Alex Kendrick quickly jokes, “We’ve got more than one camera, plus I don’t have to both direct and play a major role.”

Then he turns serious when discussing the state of marriage in 2008.

“The foundation of marriage has been attacked, devalued, and redefined by many in our culture,” he continues. “It is our desire to tell a story that would allow the audience to relate to common marital issues, and then to take them down a path toward understanding principles for unconditioned love through the roles of husband and wife.

 

Challenging viewers

“Our hope would be that after viewing the film, couples and singles hoping to marry would be challenged and exhorted to pursue God-honoring relationships that reinforce the foundations of marriage in light of a relationship with Jesus Christ. We want people to realize that fireproof does not mean the absence of fire, but the ability to withstand it.”

Stephen Kendrick, taking time out from shooting a scene in Shellman in mid-December, underscored his brother’s comments. Standing on a railroad track swatting gnats with the twisted remains of a car in the background, he explained why the brothers and Sherwood Baptist Church opted for a third movie.

“If we go back to the idea of redeeming the time because the days are evil, this is the best use of our ministry time. We each have fulltime responsibilities at the church but this is just something else that we feel needs to be done and is worked into our schedule.

 

Volunteering self

“When was the last time you worked on something that directly impacted 3 million people in 56 countries around the world? Since the release of Facing the Giants in September 2006 we have received 10,000 emails and reports of more than 5,000 professions of faith, and we feel Fireproof has that same potential.

“That’s why you see all of these volunteers out here in the hot sun, taking vacation and personal time away from their jobs to help make this movie. We are preaching a two-hour sermon in the format of a Hollywood movie and will be able to reach people who would never set foot inside a church.

“They are doing this for more than here, more than now. They have a sense that long after they have left this world, this movie will still be telling a story of redemption and will represent what they feel is important in life.”

 

 

Related stories:

• Plot overview

• Timeline for Fireproof materials

• Volunteers remain the backbone of Sherwood Pictures cinematic efforts

• Taking the "love dare"