Christ Centered Gamer

Perhaps I've been inarticulate, or unclear, but it seems like you're missing the point I'm trying to send home. This story vs. message debate isn't a zero sum game. If you respect your characters and what they're going through the message will come through naturally, holistically.

And if something you want to say isn't being said then, rather than exclaim, "There isn't enough message!" take a step back and see if, maybe, less isn't more. Or, perhaps, the story you're trying to tell isn't the right place for that particular message.

You story has as much a voice as you do. Respect it. Cultivate it. Let it take you where it wants to go and say what it wants to say. Whatever that message ultimately ends up being will be embraced by more people than had you forced your views upon it, because your audience isn't stupid. Let a message come out naturally, even a message they disagree with, and they'll at least entertain it.

At the end of the day you have to decide if you're a storyteller or a preacher. If you're a storyteller your master must be the story. It's well-being must be the foremost in your mind because only you can nurture it.

Do that, and like raising a child, your values will shine through without you ever having to worry about there being enough message. And that's what I'm trying to say:

If you go into storytelling wanting to preach, you've failed before you started.

Selderane is spot on. You come in with the intent to preach, you already misunderstood the art.

ArchAngel wrote:Selderane is spot on. You come in with the intent to preach, you already misunderstood the art.

A good example in my mind, is The Prince of Egypt.
It's the classic Moses/Exodus story, but it is done in such a way that it isn't trying to 'preach'.
At the heart of it, there is a story of conflict between two brothers. They once loved each other, but through the changes in their lives they could no longer see eye to eye. This story, the development of Moses as a character and his journey are what make for a compelling story. Finding God is part of Moses' character arc. It is the event that changes him from being fearful to strengthening his resolve.

I think this is what Selderane is getting at. You need to have a good story to tell with characters people can care about before you can have any change of sending a message. It needs to be natural and not forced.

I think that's why a lot of 'Christian' movies are so terrible to watch.

Found this article that further talks about what I've been saying. It's a good read.

selderane wrote:Found this article that further talks about what I've been saying. It's a good read.

Thanks for that, it was indeed a good read!