Advent Filmmakers' Center Takes Over Advent Film Group's Training Endeavors
Contact: Michael Snyder, 540-338-8023
PURCELLVILLE, Va., Aug. 23, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Co-founders George Escobar and Michael Snyder announce the formation of a 501(c)(3) ministry: Advent Filmmakers' Center for Training and Discipleship.
Escobar sees the Center as the logical next step in fulfilling the vision and mission of Advent Film Group (also founded by Messrs. Escobar and Snyder). "In the five years since Advent Film Group's conception, we've trained hundreds of young people and adults of all ages in the fundamentals of filmmaking through our workshops, webinars, and through internships on five major film projects, including the best-selling documentary, THE ISAIAH 9:10 JUDGMENT, which Advent made for WND Films. Now it's time to provide these and future students with the next level of their education." The Center will hit the ground running as it takes over and expands Advent Film Group's prior training endeavors, while the latter devotes itself to continued film production.
The Center will develop skills in potential Christian filmmakers via scholarship, discipleship, and "hands-on" internships on the sets of the feature films in which the Center becomes involved. It will also equip the Church and the general public to understand how visual media so strongly shapes individuals and culture, and to choose wisely what they view.
The Center will harness current trends in social media, initially by utilizing an interactive training blog, a content-rich website, and a Facebook page, to facilitate interaction between students and the Center. A formal "media defense" curriculum as well as an extensive film curriculum are currently in development for individuals, schools, and churches who wish to receive and/or provide to their constituencies quality training from a Christian perspective for media engagement, personally or professionally.
According to Snyder, "the Center is positioned to contribute to the advancement of the Christian film industry by increasing the breadth and depth of affordable, consistent training and by increasing the number of students and funders. Until now, we could only offer informal education as internship positions became available. Also, financial support could come only as investments made by accredited investors -- who represent only a very small portion of the Body of Christ," says Snyder. While such investors can still invest in certain of the Center's productions, the ministry's 501(c)(3) status also allows receipt of deductible donations from anyone who wishes to support the ministry's work.
For more information, visit www.adventfilmmakers.org.
