IMPACT
VOL. 6 ISSUE 2 MARCH 2015
A P U B L I CAT IO N O F R EGE N T UN I V E R SI T Y
Production on Regent’s first feature-film project is well under way
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egent University’s School of Communication & the Arts (SCA) recently “wrapped” principal photography on its first feature film. Impact initially reported on the university’s co-production with veteran Hollywood actor and producer Corbin Bernsen’s Home Theatre Films back in June. After months of pre-production, shooting on Jesse & Naomi (the film’s working title) began January 20 and continued into mid-February. According to scriptwriter and assistant professor Sean Gaffney, Regent University’s first Hollywood-backed feature film is “a contemporary comedy inspired by the biblical story of Ruth.” The story centers on Jesse, an atheistic, New York City-bred divorcee, who follows her mother-in-law Naomi back to her rural hometown. Jesse ends up horrifying the local congregation by falling for their pastor. C H R I S T I A N
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“The project began with a conversation with a friend about what a modern take on the story of Ruth would look like,” Gaffney explains. “I was intrigued by the promise Ruth makes to Naomi and wondered how God would play out the redemption of such a promise in the realm of the romantic comedy.” “The Ruth and Naomi story is one of the Bible’s greatest love stories,” says SCA dean Dr. Mitch Land. “Through the eyes of a woman who is naïve and unfamiliar with Christianity, this film explores the question
INSIDE:
MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE
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THE “NEW” NEWS LEADERS
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of whether the church and our faith have value in the real world, not just on Sunday mornings. We think this film will remind the church of our mission, while offering hope to the ‘Jesses’ of the world.” Land adds that the feature film has been integrated into SCA curriculum, giving students the opportunity to earn a professional film credit while still in school. As part of their relevant course work, students have been involved in every possible phase of production. “Regent faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and alumni all are working on this film,” he says. Donna Dean, a senior in Regent’s College of Arts & Sciences, says the professional interaction between Christian filmmakers on the set of Jesse & Naomi inspired her. “There are so many Christians who do not embrace the world of filmmaking as a calling from God,” Dean says. “I have worked in ministry for over 20 years, and the presence of God’s love between the workers was as strong as any that I have experienced. There were some long days, but the time went quickly due to the unity of the workers. The overall experience gave us (students) a real feel about the commitment that filmmaking requires.” Surprisingly, this modernized take on a popular biblical narrative is being co-produced by Corbin Bernsen (LA Law, Major League, Psych), who says that, so far, the joint project has surpassed
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his expectations: “The experience working with Regent and, specifically, the students on Jesse & Naomi has far exceeded my modest goals regarding the project.” Bernsen continues, “There’s always a question as to the ‘logic’ of incorporating nonprofessionals into a demanding movie-making process, where time and money are key factors toward a successful shoot. In our case, the incorporation of students has not only
“These students, who happen to be Christians, have expertise when it comes to new ways of telling stories and new ways of making films.” -Corbin Bernsen been without issue, it has greatly enhanced our production process, kept costs down, become a source of vigorous youthful inspiration, and added an overall magnificent energy that is not only felt on set, but will also be evident on the screen. As I had hoped for, (it’s) a win-win for everyone!” Bernsen’s Home Theater Films produces and distributes “smart family films” with the belief that any changes on a personal or national level must begin with the family. The company’s most recent project, Christian Mingle, opened in theaters in
REGENT UNIVERSITY
Photography by Kim Kopeski and Alex Perry
October 2014. The Emmy- and Golden Globenominated actor says he prefers to describe his films as “projects,” because they often involve more than just making a movie. For example, Home Theater Film’s 25 Hill (released in 2011) was a partnership with the city of Akron, Ohio, to help revive the city’s Soap Box Derby. Another film, Rust (released in 2010), was filmed in a small Canadian town of 1,100 residents to help bolster the local economy. “We make films in communities for communities,” he says. The cast of Jesse & Naomi features several wellknown and veteran Hollywood actors. The lead roles of Jesse and Naomi are played by Chelsey Crisp (The Office, CSI Miami) and Marilu Henner (Taxi). Joseph Williamson (Red Line 2013) has been cast in the role of Ben (aka Boaz), and Philip Boyd (The Young & the Restless) will play Jesse’s ex-husband. Shooting took place over several weeks at locations in and around Regent’s Virginia Beach campus, including Portsmouth, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cape Charles, Virginia. As for life on the set, Gaffney says there were “a lot of ups and downs,” adding: “It has been thrilling to see my story come to life through the lens of director Rob Kirbyson’s (Red Line, Snowmen) leadership and vision. … Part of the fun has been watching students come to an understanding of the messy, yet rewarding, process of creating a feature film.”
“This is exciting because it’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” Bernsen explains. “We get the innovative young minds of kids who want to make films who can give us a pulse on what’s relevant. We give the students real-world experience and a professional credit while they’re still in school.” Bernsen adds, “These students, who happen to be Christians, have expertise when it comes to new ways of telling stories and new ways of making films. It’s been gratifying to meet some of the Regent students. They have a real determination, a real confidence, and that’s critical. We are making a movie, and we have a lot at stake.” Land says the co-production takes the university’s academic program to a whole new level: “Our students and faculty want to make excellent art, including superlative films. I am convinced that Regent is poised to influence the entire industry. … Launching our first feature film with a talented Hollywood veteran like Corbin Bernsen and his company builds on our strategy to provide the best education available to Regent students.”
For more information about Regent University’s School of Communication & the Arts, call 888.777.7729 visit regent.edu/sca.
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Miracle After Miracle How a Regent student endured his missionary father’s imprisonment and kept a heart of faith
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onatas da Silva, a senior at Regent University’s College of Arts & Sciences, has already added his name to the university’s distinguished list of World Changers. The son of Brazilian missionaries serving in Senegal, da Silva grew up in the West African nation and arrived at Regent in the fall of 2011 — without his family knowing how they were going to pay for his education. “As a Brazilian and an international student, I cannot get loans or grants that regular students have access to,” he says. “However, we trusted God’s calling for my life, and my parents decided I should come anyways. Through some miracle, God always provided a way for me to pay for my tuition and housing every month of my first year of college.” During his sophomore year, da Silva served as vice president for the Regent Undergrad Council, which increased his scholarship to 60 percent. “My parents were elated,” he explains. “We saw this as God’s provision and confirmation for my calling to get a degree in Cinema-Television from Regent University.” The halfway point of his education, however, brought the toughest challenges yet. “One day, while I was working on a film set, I received a call from my mom letting me know my father had been arrested and thrown in jail because of their orphanage work in Senegal,” da Silva remembers. “People in Senegal were not happy the rescued street boys were becoming Christian at the orphanage. Documents at the
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police station were loaded with false accusations in hopes of closing the orphanage and stopping all work with the street children. What we thought was a simple misunderstanding turned into five months of unjust imprisonment for my father.” The family’s legal costs rose quickly as they tried to free the husband and father of three. But da Silva says Muslim leaders and corrupt government officials complicated his dad’s release. The situation also threatened his return to Regent. “With the rising price of the legal battle and the cost of my tuition, we did not know how I was going to finish my last two years at Regent,” da Silva admits. “Despite the odds, my father told me to stay, having faith that God was going to provide.” Word spread quickly on campus about his father’s imprisonment. He says professors would stop to ask how he was doing, and fellow students started praying and encouraging him every day. “One day,” da Silva recalls, “I was called into the president’s office and told that Regent had awarded me the President’s Scholarship for 75 percent of my tuition! When I told my mom, she cried. My father, when he was told, could not believe it at first. Again, we saw God’s hand in all of this!” Soon after that amazing news, he was offered a resident-assistant positon on campus, which would completely cover his housing costs for his final two years at Regent. “It was another huge answer to prayer,” da Silva says. “I know this was only possible through the generous support of donors. I want to thank them for being God’s way of encouraging my family during those hard times and allowing me to continue pursuing my calling as a filmmaker. ” Even before earning his bachelor’s degree, da Silva knows that the Lord has called him to leadership: “Regent has taught me that God is constant, despite our quickly changing world. He can always be my source of joy and wisdom. I believe these lessons are invaluable and have prepared me to be a Christian leader, even in the cinematic arts.” As far as his father’s legal situation, a nearly two-year battle ended last fall. “Six months ago, he was finally granted freedom to leave the country,” da Silva explains. “We are now making preparations for my family to attend my graduation in May. ”
For more information about Regent University’s College of Arts and Sciences, visit regent.edu/cas or call 888.718.1222.
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THE “NEW” NEWS LEADERS
Regent is training Christian journalists to communicate truth from a biblical worldview
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inding news organizations you can trust seems increasingly difficult these days. Training journalists who can uncover the truth behind the headlines — and do so morally and ethically — has become vitally important. Regent University’s graduate Department of Strategic Communication & Journalism is doing exactly that. Department chair Dr. William Brown says, while the lives of many students “have been profoundly changed” through their time at the university’s School of Communications & the Arts (SCA), each must fully believe “that Regent’s graduate program will educate and empower (them) to fulfill that calling.”
capital, where they visited CBN News, the Newseum and FOX News. There, they met “On the Record” host Greta Van Susteren and political analyst Juan Williams, in addition to getting a behind-the-scenes look at FOX’s Washington, D.C. news bureau. “The trip to FOX News gave me an inside look at one of the biggest news outlets in the U.S.,” says Mari Sagedal, a Regent master’s candidate from Norway. “Greta passed on some advice that Larry King gave her once: ‘Don’t talk too much. It’s not about you; it’s about the story.’”
As an international student, Sagedal has a unique perspective on what sets Regent apart: “(Its) focus is on Christian Leadership to Change the World. … I view journalism “Good journalism equals as a calling, a platform to tell that are important accuracy, fairness and stories and can make an impact. I truth firmly rooted in want to be a voice for the ethical practices ...” voiceless.”
Dr. Michael Patrick, a professional-in-residence at the school, insists that it’s crucial to have reporters, writers and anchors with a biblical worldview covering the news and events of our -Dr. Mitch Land Land believes that a day: “The values that our journalist operating from a biblical framework is students bring into the classroom enable them best suited to face the overwhelming challenge to advance as journalists and storytellers who of covering and reporting news around the are both passionate and compassionate. The world: “Despite our best efforts to report the whole truth sets us free, doesn’t it?” news objectively, there truly is no pure objecRegent’s program is one of only a handful of tivity. The journalist inevitably filters what he or accredited, fully online graduate programs she is reporting through a lens of meaning and that can be earned in as little as one year. “It is then makes judgments. Good journalism equals also fully multimedia in nature,” Patrick adds, accuracy, fairness and truth firmly rooted in “meaning that students learn how to create and ethical practices that are founded on Christian deliver compelling content and stories across principles.” a wide variety of media platforms, such as Patrick adds one additional note: “Today’s broadcast and the Internet.” journalists must resist the temptation to confuse “Many universities are now rooted in a news with entertainment. Regent students postmodern framework that says all belief are taught to hold the powerful accountable systems are equal,” explains SCA dean, by uncovering things hidden in darkness, and Dr. Mitch Land. “Journalism education at to foster freedom and compassion in their Regent originates from a Christian worldview. storytelling.” We teach about journalism — the principles of news gathering, reporting, interviewing, and storytelling — guided by ethical practices and a For more information about Regent quest for getting the facts.” University’s Department of Strategic Communication & Journalism, visit About a dozen current Regent students and regent.edu/communication or journalism faculty leader Dr. Markus Pfieffer call 888.777.7729. recently participated in the department’s annual two-day field trip to our nation’s
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FIRST FREEDOMS AND TERRORISM
APRIL 10-11, 2015 THE FOUNDERS INN AND SPA REGENT WORLD CHANGERS
Veronica Roy Hollywood Actress
When Veronica Roy ‘10 graduated from Regent with a Master of Fine Arts degree, she immediately headed to the West Coast. In the fall of 2012 she landed a co-starring role on the popular CBS crime drama Criminal Minds.
TO REGISTER, VISIT REGENT.EDU/MEDIAETHICS
CHANGE THE WORLD Your donation to the university’s World Changer scholarship program will help the university equip even more Christian leaders to make a global impact. Call 800.335.4409 or visit regent.edu/worldchanger to make your best tax-deductible gift today!
“My Regent education allowed me to develop strong relationships with students and faculty who really encouraged me to step outside myself and come here,” she says. Now, with her career on the rise, Roy knows that she, like Esther in the Old Testament, has been called to Hollywood “for such a time as this.” “God has me out here for a specific reason,” she explains. “All that’s left is to be patient, keep doing what I’m doing and stay tuned in and listening for my next step towards the bigger reason for why I am where I am.” Please join Impact in praying for Regent alumna and Hollywood actress Veronica Roy, this month’s alumni World Changer.
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GIVING MADE EASY Did you know you can schedule recurring gifts to Regent via electronic check and debit/credit card? That way, you’ll never miss an opportunity to support the university. Visit regent.edu/give to set up a monthly donation, or call 800.335.4409 for assistance.
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A Message From the Chancellor Dear Friend, My favorite verse in the Bible is Romans 8:28, which translated says, “God shapes every circumstance together according to His will to them who love Him.” I believe that every student who enrolls at Regent University is called here by the Lord. Whether they are part of our growing online community or they attend classes on campus, these men and women are pursuing God’s will for their lives. It’s a tremendous responsibility to equip future filmmakers, actors, journalists, businessmen, lawyers, teachers, psychologists, pastors, public servants and other professionals to become Christian leaders to change the world. Our faculty and staff do not take this obligation lightly, nor are we under the illusion that we can do it alone. Regent University needs your help to fulfill our vision to be the most influential, Christian, transformational university in the world. A quick glance at the headlines reveals that America and the world are in the grip of an unprecedented leadership crisis. Regent is equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to make a global impact for Jesus Christ. But in order to continue this God-ordained work, we need the support of alumni and friends, like you. Your faithful prayers and generous financial gifts will ensure that even more World Changers receive an excellent, Christ-first education at Regent University. Thank you for your partnership. Sincerely,
Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson Founder, Chancellor & CEO Regent University
“AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.” ROMANS 8:28 (KJV)
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Regent University’s Impact is published monthly by the university’s Office of Advancement, free of charge, for alumni and friends of the university. Regent University admits students without discrimination on the basis of race, color, disability, gender, religion or national or ethnic origin. Regent University is certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to operate campuses within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associates, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Regent University. Opinions expressed in Impact are those of individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of Regent University’s board, faculty, administration or staff. Regent University accepts news submissions from readers but reserves the right to edit based upon clarity, length and content. The university may decline to print material at its discretion. ADV150179
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