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Are people less religious? It's a
question of spirituality
Baldwin
reaching youth
with an edgy message |
With camera in hand the actor created scenes for
`Livin' It,' an evangelistic extreme sports production |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Stephen Baldwin was all business as he got ready for the shoot.
“Come on guys, help me out now,” he said as he looked through the
lens of the camera, setting up the shot. “Clear the set guys.”
“This is gonna be sick.”
Baldwin and crew were at the Chehalem Skate Park Wednesday night to shoot a
segment of the documentary ‘Livin’ It,’ an evangelistic extreme sports
production created to reach youth with a Christian message.
According to Bill Dolan, film producer, it will be a documentary DVD
featuring Christian skateboarding and BMX competitors. The idea for the DVD began in
March, but has hit full speed in the last 60 days, Dolan said.
The crew used flashlights and slow-moving film to shoot the scene, a ballet
of light streaks and trails that will follow the skaters as they make their way around the
bowl in the dark. The idea was a vision of Baldwin.
“Did you make big arm circles?” Baldwin asked one of the skaters.
Baldwin came up with the idea after seeing the reality of skating as
connecting to the youth of America. Baldwin then asked evangelist Luis Palau for help in
producing the documentary.
Right now more kids are skateboarding in the U.S. than are playing baseball,
Dolan said. Baldwin thought this would be a good way to share the gospel.
“Christian folk are nice folk,” Baldwin said, as he shared a quick
corndog with the crew.
Crew members bantered between one another, speaking lines to movies and
discussing California’s newest governor, fellow actor Arnold Schwarznegger.
A documentary, the film has no scripts and according to the crew is meant to
show the reality of the lives of extreme Christian athletes like Judd Heald, Bruce
Crisman, Shawn Plimner and freestyle skater Tim Byrne.
“(Steven) takes advice from the skaters,” said David Ward, a sound
man on the production.
The crew chose the Newberg skatepark from a long list of venues provided by
the athletes. Also utilized in the Portland area was the Burnside skatepark.
“Everyone believes in the project,” said Cosimo-Michael Occipinti,
assistant producer and utility man on the crew.
Baldwin worked the shot over and over, “turn it on, turn it off,
action,” he said as the flashlights flashed and the skaters began sliding around the
bowl. “Cut, awesome.”
“Those guys are living the life,” Occipinti said. “Everyone
— pretty much — on the team is Christian.”
According to Occipinti, Baldwin found Christianity soon after the events of
Sept. 11.
“We’re not fanatical, we’re not conceited, we’re
convinced,” Baldwin said, adding that the concept of the project stemmed from a
desire to give Christian kids a choice.
Secular kids, he said, have a wide variety of choices in everything
from music to sports. When Baldwin began to do research on what types of entertainment
were available to people with Christian tastes, he found that their options were limited.
Compared to secular entertainments, there is nothing out there, he said.
“I wanted something that was very cool, just as hard core and edgy as
any skateboarding video, only the subtext glorifies God,” he said.
The idea has already caught on, Baldwin said, and many extreme sports
athletes who are Christian are bringing in their secular friends, many of whom are finding
the message appealing.
“If the door can be opened that much ... ,” he said pinching the
air between a finger and thumb.
Although Baldwin has acted in a variety of films in the past, including
“Usual Suspects” with Kevin Spacey, he said he would not be making a “Usual
Suspects 2.”
“Unless McManus converts,” he said with a smile. McManus was the
character Baldwin played in the movie.
In spite of the low light and batteries going out in the flashlights held by
the skaters and crew, the shoot went on until Baldwin abruptly said, “that’s a
wrap.”
Baldwin plans to release “Livin’ It” at Acquire the
Fire’s April 2 and 3, 2004, event in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. |
|
From Oct. 4,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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