 Hi everyone, and thanks for joining for this exploration around filmmaking and community building it could have been called any number of things like learning about filmmaking or starting a learning process around filmmaking or Filmmaking and the power to contribute to discourse. There's so many things that I think filmmaking can actually do But we'll get there as we explore this together I wanted to just be clear that I'm recording this today on my computer because I'm actually sick with COVID And I can't seem to get a negative test. So The person who was going to come and make this really beautiful with me is actually Avoiding me at all costs right now. So that's why it looks the way it looks So please be forgiving of the appearance and even maybe of my energy and and for people who know me, this isn't my normal voice either, but Yeah, I just think it's so worthwhile this subject matter and So we wanted to open up this conversation today. Thanks so much for joining One thing that I think of often is when Abdul Baha says The drama is of the utmost importance. It has been a great educational power in the past. It will be so again As a young boy Abdul Baha witnessed the mystery play of Ali's betrayal and passion It affected him so deeply that he wept and could not sleep for many nights We all know drama is powerful. The medium of film is a powerful tool gifted in this new age as Bahá'í is the world over Explore how to apply the framework for action Experienced in the Bahá'í community to their own fields of endeavor Perhaps it is timely for filmmakers to engage systematically to do the same It's Exciting and encouraging to see an increasing number of very capable Bahá'ís Finding their way into the existing film industry So what might it look like to explore the implications that the teachings hold for the field of film? Both in terms of the processes that go into a film's creation and exploitation But also in its usefulness as a contributor to the building of community or the building of civilization Those working in media are facing a giant and sometimes even dangerous film industry teaming with experience creativity and extraordinary potential However far too often in its processes and outcomes It is at best harmless and at worst a promoter and purveyor of some of the worst traits of humanity The existing industry has money. It has power and fame and it has enormous influence The result of an evolution that takes full advantage of people's natural wish to be entertained To learn and to discuss and as with many other systems It has evolved in a way that is both good and bad Our challenge is to engage in this field by determining what is useful and what is not in Existing processes in light of Bahá'ís teachings For me the film industry often feels calcified and locked in place and one may feel discouraged or pressured to compromise What happens when new processes and ways of thinking are introduced to old models? For example through a process of prayer action reflection and consultation learned through the Institute process Filmmaking can be explored in ways never tried before Filmmakers may explore applying learning proven in other contexts learning from the whole worldwide Bahá'í community along with combined experiences of other filmmakers working in the field Is it possible that this is the beginning of the day that Shoghi Effendi referred to? The day will come when the cause will spread like wildfire When its spirit and teachings will be presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole Art can better awaken such noble sentiments than cold rationalizing especially among the mass of the people He continued We have to wait only a few years to see how the spirit breathed by Bahá'u'lláh will find expression in the work of the artists What you and some other Bahá'is are attempting are only faint rays that precede the effulgent light of a glorious mourn We cannot yet value the part the cause is destined to play in the life of society We have to give it time the material this spirit has to mold is too crude and unworthy But it will at last give way and the cause of Bahá'u'lláh will reveal itself in its full splendor A reimagining of the film industry's processes and outcomes are necessary Is it now possible to create a place where our consultation can advance and through which we can learn from the experience of other participants What process may emerge to glean from our own experience and from that of others? What works and what doesn't in terms of efficiency financial accountability and values? A specific but particular need is to address the difficulties filmmakers face in funding their projects and making their work sustainable And most of all can the work benefit and complement the community building efforts So what does a learning process for filmmaking look like? What are the issues? What can we already learn from the institute process? Only after 25 years would we collectively discover what an immense impact the junior youth spiritual empowerment program would have It appears to have been an extraordinarily potent factor in many large-scale community building examples Does this mean we should find ways to encourage more media focused on this age group? If so, what might that focus look like? We learned about the power of the institute process by taking systematic action together Which became a new strength. We didn't have before Can the same methodology be used to spark new media for junior youth and everyone else? Are we at a stage where we have enough individuals with the capacity to engage in the process of learning for film? Do we have enough institutional capacity and if we don't what are those capacities and how can we begin to build them? Is it timely to explore Bringing together more diverse voices to explore a learning process for filmmaking voices of youth Voices involved in ISGP Those at the forefront of learning in a variety of places How does this cross fertilization with like-minded individuals and organizations accelerate the learning process? Processes of film financing and onset protocols are based on over 100 years of film industry experience However, these processes are based mainly on competitive models, which don't necessarily result in fairness In the best product or certainly in a product contended from the outset to be of service to the world Some of these approaches will have come from trial and error others from power and ego Our processes must align with the guidance of the universal house of justice When it says that at the heart of every development endeavor is consistent systematic action Action however needs to be accompanied by constant reflection to ensure that it continues to serve the aims of the endeavor A crucial factor in reflection is cooperation and transparency Our collaboration and transparency possible when filmmakers are of necessity In constant competition with other filmmakers for necessary finances Although finances are just one of the many factors that go into developing producing and marketing a successful film It is the single most significant barrier to all three It also factors into the degree To which filmmakers can sustain themselves and their families Because film is an expensive industry to try something with film and see if it's good or not is costly These are issues specific to it I feel confident that there are creative ways to innovate Create and resist the social norms of a broken model Many projects that have the potential to aid in discourse and serve humanity Will never get made in an industry marinating in the culture of competition It's not that there isn't anyone's driving to make change There are many noble practitioners of the art both behais and those from the wider society However, innovation experimentation and cooperation With a solid basis in the behai teachings are needed now more than ever Multiple high quality projects already exist seen by a relative few And given that the stories behais wish to tell May not be immediately recognized as valuable by the current industry New ways will need to be found to get the word out there Many other uses of film are yet to be explored meaningfully for example How can film be used to augment the core activities and other community building processes? There is an enormous opportunity in this regard How do we innovate the systems and explore new ways of learning more about filmmaking? One innovation worth consulting about is the idea of an incubator Such an incubator may assist in some of the challenges already listed It could be a place where projects of all sizes could be submitted under specific criteria The opportunity would then exist to engage in a process of consultation and development That includes all of the factors of learning already mentioned What if we begin to imagine for an example an incubation fund that allows for two kinds of projects And potentially many others These may include projects with low enough budgets to be funded entirely by the incubator And other projects that could benefit from development funds in hopes that greater production funds can be allocated from traditional from more traditional or other sources I believe innovators with some means are already beginning to think somewhat along these lines Such a space may also provide for a systematic approach seeking consultation with individuals of all backgrounds Interested in creating innovative and service oriented media Those participating in it can contribute to and take learning from it Shoghi Effendi wrote, we cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us And say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved Man is organic with the world His inner life molds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions It is also important not to presume that the industry must be like this or like that There are those with significant experience in the industry and because there are these giants in terms of the technical knowledge of film Serving the material side of it when engaging with those with great experience. It's important to understand their side So as not to neglect that Including films impact the self-sufficiency of it and its money-making abilities For example part of the process may include a focus on deeper engagements with those already immersed in the industry And accompanying them in this learning process In 1988 the universal house of justice wrote to an individual What you could do and should do is to use your stories to become a source of inspiration and guidance for those who read them With such a means at your disposal, you could spread the spirit and teachings of the cause You can show the evils that exist in society as well as the way they can be remedied If you possess a real talent in writing you should consider it as given by god And exert your efforts to use it for the betterment of society I find that so moving Personally as someone with some experience in media in the mainstream environment And very aware of the challenges of an industry in which a base of truth can't be counted upon I feel we may be at a time when having such a space that doesn't rely on greeting competition That presumes that everything that is created within it or passes through it is for the betterment of the world Even if there's no guarantee that it will sell but with the hope that it may What a joy it would be for filmmakers to turn their full attention to learning or even reinvention while doing What we don't know is what will be the world's reaction to new storytelling structures What will mothers do when they come across a type of film that positively impacts their children What will junior youth think of stories that recognize their inherent nobility? And how will the world be impacted overall when this art awakens noble sentiments among the people? Are we ready to take this step in a learning process around the art of filmmaking? A first step can begin with a few like-minded people committed to learning They would come up with an initial framework for action based on the available guidance and a learning process can begin This will be small at first but can then grow based on accumulated new understanding I'm really hopeful that we're at this stage in our development Thank you for listening today