Industrious Family Fun Films Blog

Dec 21, 2024

How The Story Of Redemption Is An Often Storytelling Pattern

The days of waiting and longing are fast closing to an end. In today's O Antiphon we refer to ourselves as captives that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death in need of setting free. Only Our Lord can open the doors to our life of eternal happiness through His passion and death on the cross. Thanks to His choice of becoming man and coming into this world as a Little Child, we will one day be happy with Him in Heaven.

As the story of man's redemption is the greatest of all stories, it is most often used in our own storytelling patterns.

In A Home for Christmas, the first few minutes of the movie follow the bleak, cold, dreary mundane existence of a young girl. There is a feeling that nothing changes, nothing will get better. This world is her prison but she lives with the promise that she will be rewarded and set free.

Halfway though the story is the critical moment of her life: she meets someone who points her in the right direction. This is similar to how Our Lord came into the world in the most unexpected time and in the most unexpected circumstances. He lived for 33 years to point us in the right direction. The girl now transitions into her second life, one of comfort, peace and happiness. Her life of darkness and shadow is a thing of the past thanks to a chance meeting with someone.

Our own lives are the same. We life in a Valley of Tears but with the hope of a promise that this is only our temporary home. Then about this time every year, we remember most vividly the miracle of the Incarnation. Lent and Passiontide quickly follow to remind us what it cost to be redeemed. But we are filled with joy in the knowledge that He conquered death and by that death we will join Him, Our Blessed Mother and the angels and saints forever in paradise.

If you'd like to help tell stories like A Home for Christmas, please consider sponsoring this year's Christmas Special LIVEstream! Fill out this form on our advertising page.

Dec 20, 2024

Deliver The Souls From Purgatory And Tarry Not

I am talking about Purgatory a lot in these O Antiphon posts, and that is because it is one of the themes in our upcoming short film, "A Home for Christmas". In the third O Antiphon we ask Jesus to deliver us and tarry not. During advent the Church draws our attention to the symbolism and typologies found in the Old Testament.

When we hear the words come to deliver us, and tarry not, we think of God delivering the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. Jesus delivered us from the bondage of sin when He died on the cross. This one act of redemption satisfied for the sin and Adam and our own sins allowing us to become heirs of heaven. And yet, we must cooperate with grace and follow God's laws to attain heaven.

Debt is owed for our sins and if that debt isn't paid on earth by good works, penance, and fasting, it will need to paid in Purgatory. God loves us and is merciful, but we must be pure to enter heaven because we could not be happy with God if we were not perfectly holy. Often after death, souls are not pure enough to enter heaven but first must pass through the purifying fires of Purgatory. These poor souls cry out: come deliver us, and tarry not!

Pray for the poor souls and have Masses said for them.

We are seeking sponsorships to help cover our Christmas Special LIVEstream. If you have a brand you want to promote we want to partner with you during this special event. Contact us on our advertising page for more information.

Dec 20, 2024

Here’s The Inside Scoop And My Takeaways From Angel Studio’s Bonhoeffer

One of my brothers bought me a ticket to watch Angel Studio's new release, Bonhoeffer. (It has actually almost been out for a month but it just now arrived at our small town movie theater. ☺️) I have written an honest movie review touching on what I enjoyed and what did not resonate with me in the film.

Continue Reading "Bonhoeffer Movie 2024 Explores Another Angle Of A Hitler Assassination Attempt"...

Dec 20, 2024

Can A Poor Soul Be God's Messenger? Explore These Mysteries In "A Home For Christmas"

In the second O Antiphon we are reminded that God appeared in the burning bush to Moses. Under the Old Law, it was the prophets who were sent to warn the people to change their ways. Angels often appeared as God's messages in both the Old and New Testaments. Under the New Law God most often sends the Blessed Virgin Mary to warn the people to change their ways. There are also many accounts of poor souls appearing in modern times to promote devotion to the poor souls as well as to warn the living to convert their hearts.

A poor soul appears in "A Home for Christmas" for an unusual reason: to give thanks and be God's hand in helping his benefactress.

"O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and didst give unto him the Law on Sinai: come and with an outstretched arm redeem us." How happy for us that we have been redeemed! We have also been given a Law and when this Law is transgressed there is debt owed. This debt for our sins is paid in purifying fires of Purgatory.

Join us as we explore these themes at the "A Home for Christmas" premiere. This premiere will be a part of an hour of entertainment made for Catholic families! As our guest appearances list is confirmed we will be announcing other entertainment we have lined up for you.

Until then, you may find our page about ways to observe advent in joyful expectation here.

Dec 19, 2024

Countdown To Christmas LIVEstream Where Wisdom And Joy Will Be On Full Display

We are counting down the days until our Christmas Special LIVEstream as we count down the days until Christmas.

We have a full hour of entertainment lined up for you. It is the very best Christmas gift that we can make for wholesome entertainment fans this year.

Our first short film is color locked and we are paying a rush fee to get it through post production. In "A Home for Christmas", a young lady spends her last penny to offer a Mass for the poor soul closest to heaven then she meets just the person to turn her life around.

"O Wisdom, Who didst come out of the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come and teach us the way of prudence." This O Antiphon that we pray first in the days leading up to Christmas is shone in the right decisions made by the young lady in the movie and how even though feeling desperate she aligns her will to the Will of Almighty God. She is rewarded in this life although this is not always the case. The true reward for practicing the virtue of prudence is the reward we will experience in heaven.

Dec 18, 2024

Behind the Scenes: How Can We Use Buildings As Cinematic Tools

Hello, it's Mary. During the filming of A Home For Christmas, we made an effort to film in front of some really impressive buildings for the outdoor shots. I still need to study how to film extremely wide shots though because these building did not get very much screen time in the edited film. There were three buildings that I wish would have had more frame height. So, I am going to keep an eye out for how this is done on a more professional scale and try to use the buildings on screen better in the future.

We are going to host. Christmas Special LIVEstream so subscribe to our free newsletter to be notified when we announce a date and a time.

Dec 17, 2024

Now Open Casting Calls For Industrious Family Films! We Invite You To Join The Team!

Industrious Family Films is currently seeking actors and actresses to fill some very important roles in FABIOLA. Mary here to invite you to join our team that is telling this wonderful story of the Church in the catacombs. If you are interested, fill out the casting call and I will invite you to our January audition! We are looking for enthusiastic actors who are eager to help us tell this story. Acting experience is not necessary to get the role though you must make an attempt to participate in at least 6 virtual acting club meetings after you are casted.

Dec 17, 2024

Mastering the Craft: Celebrating Breakthroughs and Tackling Weak Spots

Acting is improving with each new film. The three of us Bowens that acted in this film used a method that we learned in the Catholic film acting class that we attended in the late summer and fall. We memorized our lines flat, then we added pauses, then we created a backstory for our character. It worked really well. As for myself, this is Kathleen, I felt much more comfortable and was able to react rather than simply say my lines. In the past, and this is a little embarrassing, I would have had trouble with movement and acting. But this was not so with my role in "A Home for Christmas".

Something we are really focusing on is blocking and using the beautiful building more to our advantage would have made it more interesting. Blocking and acting are things that we are continuing to learn.

We are prioritizing our time working on business tasks that have the potential to make money. One of our money makers is LIVEstream events. They are like the old PBS-style telethons. We are learning how to present well and put together a fast paced and entertaining program.

Our shorts, "A Home for Christmas" and "Merry Anne Bright" are projected to cost around $1000 for both so we hope to recoup that during our Christmas special LIVEstream! Any amount above this tentative goal will go towards our Fabiola crowdfunding goal.

An announcement of the day and time will be forthcoming. Make sure you are signed up for our free newsletter so you don't miss the announcement!

Dec 16, 2024

Our First Christmas Film Makes A Wrap. Join Us For Our Christmas Special LIVEstream

We finished filming one of our Christmas shorts! Michael said that his scene's shoot was the smoothest shoot day that he has ever seen. This is probably due to the fact that he and Adelaide put time aside to memorize their lines. I will be polishing up the editing today and then off to the colorist and composer it goes.

Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when we release this short film during our Christmas Special LIVEstream.

Dec 13, 2024

Give Persecuted Catholics In Pakistan A Wonderful Christmas This Year

Industrious Family is happy to be sponsored by the Gospel Outreach in Pakistan.

This is a Catholic group who we know personally and who is doing great work in the lives of persecuted Catholics in Pakistan. This Christmas, Awais and his family are trying to bring the spirit of Christmas to 100 families. This includes providing meals, clothing and even a Christmas drama performance. Please consider giving a wonderful Christmas to these families by donating here today.

Dec 13, 2024

Behind the Lens: Lucy Kennedy's Insider Stories on "The Longford Fox"

“Wouldn’t it be fun to make a play or film?” was a thought which bounced about among the Ros Orga Production team in December 2019. Then one day they decided that somehow, they would stop speculating and start doing.

Ros Órga Productions' Lucy Kennedy shares some behind the scenes pictures and stories on the blog. Continue reading her post...

Dec 12, 2024

Our Christmas Gift To You: 3 Short Films Coming Soon!

Do you want to know what is the craziest feeling in the world? Being far away from home and making a film and then seeing pictures of the people you usually film with making another film then kicking back in the evening and mentally planning my shoot schedule for the film I’m going to be making next week.

Yep, members of the Industrious Family Films crew are currently involved in three different film projects!

Hi, Faustina here!

Mary and the gang are working on a Victorian Christmas short film. Meanwhile I’m filming a St. Dominic short film here with my cousins (you should see the tonsure I gave one of them 😅). And on top of that I am planning on my own Christmas short taking place in the North Pole with Santa Claus himself!

I think that all of this tends to the fact that we are very confident in the filmmaking process (and maybe just crazy enough to attempt insane things!) But I have every reason to believe that you will be seeing all of these films in a very short time!

So keep an eye out for release dates for "A Home For Christmas", "Merry Anne Bright", and "St. Dominic".

Sign up for our free newsletter to get an invite to our Christmas Special Livestream release of these shorts.

Dec 12, 2024

Join the Joyful Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe Today!

Happy Feast Day! We've been praying Cardinal Burke's 9 month novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It always feels good to be on the finish line of a long novena. May the graces be abundant.

We honor Our Lady of Guadalupe today as patroness of the Americas. We pray for her maternal protection and an end to abortion.

We like to eat Mexican food today and let the children watch Saints and Heroes' Juan Diego Messenger of Guadalupe on PureFlix.

Dec 11, 2024

Pursuing Our Studio Dreams - How Converting Small Rooms Restricts Our Filming Space

If you would like to know what needs work well it would really be amazing if we could build a studio. It was great shooting in my mother-in-law's house but we were still very restricted by space. You need so much room to shoot a film.

Two areas where we really struggled during this scene from A Home For Christmas were the lights and blocking simply because there was not enough room.

The low ceiling worked well for the set, but I did run into ornaments and the tree while acting. A Victorian mansion would have a much higher ceiling but I'm not sure if all the decorations would have made it into the shot if they were higher. That and the tree was only 7 feet tall and that would have also posed a problem. It was distracting to run into things at first but I got over it. I live in a yurt so I am used to bumping into things.

But the real problem was that we needed at least three more feet on the exterior of the room for camera and light placement. There would have been no way to suck everything in because the room was only 8 feet by 12 feet. So on my wishlist I am wishing for a studio and budgets for sets.

Dec 10, 2024

Adding Actor Movement To Our Productions - Creating A More Interesting Frame For Our Audience

Did you know that it is best practice to have actors move every 20 seconds in a scene? This is something that we are going to try to implement moving forward in our moviemaking projects. This can sometimes be hard for low budget moviemakers without dolly tracks, cranes and other movement stabilizers. But the result of not allowing movement in shots is a series of headshots that can be a little boring for the audience.

My number 1 goal in the above scene from "A Home For Christmas" was to have the actresses move 4-6 times around the room in the space of 2 minutes.

As you can see, Adelaide and I start in front of the tree. After mom enters, she and Adelaide have a conversation while walking around and behind the tree to the radio on the right.

Sign up to our mailing list to get studio updates and to be invited to our Christmas Special LIVEstream!

Dec 09, 2024

A Masterful Example of Collaboration - Making A Christmas Movie With The Help Of Family And Friends

I've been challenged to make a Christmas short for less than $1000. So far I've only spent $3.58 on getting a 4x6 photo printed. This is mostly thanks to my extended family and friends helping out with set decorating, costumes, locations and props. Below is my grandmother's living room with my dad's company tree and ornaments. My grandma has a lot of antiques so we were able to easily make a corner look like a Victorian Christmas parlor. My mom has a lot of beautiful Christmas decorations as well that we were able to use to decorate.

The split heater is the only thing that does not quite fit the period. I think that I will cover it with a sheet or parchment paper.

Dec 08, 2024

Indie Film Lovers' Dream: Snag Our $12 Offer Before It's Gone!

All these years later, our first film is still our best loved by fans. If you have not seen it yet, now is your chance to make this great story a perfect Christmas gift. This is the last day of all our films being $12. Grab them before the sale ends!

Dec 08, 2024

Celebrate The Feast Of The Immaculate Conception With Gingerbread Creations!

Happy feast of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception! It is a custom in our home to make and eat gingerbread houses on December 8th. Read why and learn about more ways of making this Holy Day special here.

Dec 07, 2024

Dive Into Good Stories: Discover Indie Film Treasures With Our Exclusive $12 Offer

Today and tomorrow only! All our movies are $12. These films make great gifts! Our HISTORY Double Feature comes with two films about little-known, inspiring Catholic heroes. This disc is also loaded with bonus features such as a blooper reel, premiere speeches and a music video.

Dec 07, 2024

The $12 Sale Is On! Enjoy These Charming Independent Films During Our Biggest Sale Of The Year

You heard right! We are having our annual 3 day movie sale and all our movies are only $12! Visit our store to get your DVD copies while this special deal is is running.

Dec 06, 2024

Shop Gifts Under $20! Stuff Stockings With Industrious Family's Merch

We have a collection of gifts that are under $20. These includes our movies, which are on sale for only $12 each! Browse our store for several items like hats, cards and keychains that make great gifts. We also have t-shirts and mugs for sale at the gift factory as well. Support Catholic entertainment and shop at Industrious Family.

Dec 06, 2024

Red Carpet Premiere KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS! Another Movie About Catholic Heroes

Mary and Faustina Bowen sit down with KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS director Austin Kelly. This interview is loading with talk of knights in shining armor and how Kelly is fulfilling a dream by bringing the inspiring life of King Richard the Lionheart to the screen. Good stories and Catholic heroes meet again in this Medieval drama.

Watch Full Interview Here

Dec 06, 2024

Alert! Christmas Savings! All Our Movies Only $12! Sale Starts Today And Ends On The 8th!

Our annual three day $12 movie sale is on! Jump over to our gift shop and get one or all three of these great, engaging, independent movies.

Our first film, Outlaw of Ravenhurst, is lifted from the beloved novel by the same name written by a Franciscan nun. It follows George Abell as he starts a new life with his real family which is full of danger, persecution and escape. George learns that he must stand on his own two feet to be a man, especially in the defense of his Catholic faith.

Grisly Grisell is a heartwarming story about a young girl caught between the English Civil War and a forced marriage. But after her husband gets to know her better and learns to love her, her Cinderella life changes forever.

Our two historical shorts are bundled together in our HISTORY Double Feature. Max & Carlota touches on the tragic little known excitant of the Second Mexican Empire under Maximilian von Hapsburg and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium. Pelayo is the inspiring story about how King Pelagius with the help of Our Lady defended a small mountain from the advance of the Moors initiating the Spanish Reconquista.

All this films are on sale for only $12! from now until December 8th

Dec 05, 2024

Discover the Joy of Saint Nicholas Day: Traditions and New Twists

St. Nicholas Day is December 6. We celebrate the day by receiving gifts in the boots of the children and with a visit from St. Nicholas himself. Yesterday I finally made a manger out of cardboard for our family altar. The children have quickly filled it up with paper "straw" as they think of millions of ways of offering little sacrifices.

When Saint Nicholas comes he will remind them of their sacrifices by asking them what they are doing to prepare their hearts for Christ's coming at Christmas. This is such a fun day at our house. St. Nicholas is accompanied by his assistant Pieterbass. We picked this custom up by reading The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum. Read more about how to celebrate St. Nicholas Day that goes way beyond the traditions of boots and the saint's visit: https://www.industriousfamily.com/st-nicholas-day.html

Dec 05, 2024

Just Released! Two New Dog Movie Reviews Plus Studio Updates

Check your inbox! Another great newsletter just got sent to all our newsletter subscribers. Join this fantastic list and get the inside scoop first hand by subscribing to The Journal.

We have composed a list of our favorite (and least favorite) movies centered around the family dog. We are reviewing these titles in the next few issues of the newsletter. Enjoy this and studio updates by subscribing today!

Dec 05, 2024

Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep In Grisly Grisell

During the Wars of the Roses, the Red Rose's Copeland family enters a marriage contract between their brash son, Leonard, and the White Rose's Dacre girl, Grisell, beginning a microcosm of the English Civil War.

After a horrific accident in which Grisell is wounded at the hand of Leonard, she is left so disfigured that she is no longer marriageable thereby ending the betrothal.

Teaching us that beauty indeed is more than skin deep, Grisell's virtues shine through and transform her disfigured countenance which in the end wins the heart of the most unexpected hero who undergoes a transformation of his own.

Dec 04, 2024

Dallas Jenkins, Creator of The Chosen Delivers Big in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

I was so happy to be able to see this new film in theaters last weekend. It told a great Christmas story that I think touches many common chords.

Beth always knew that her mom was not the most organized person in the world. She acknowledges, however, that her mom is quite stubborn and will set out to do whatever hair brain scheme she puts her mind to when publicly challenged. What Beth does not expect is her mother’s stepping up to help an injured friend out by directing the town’s Christmas pageant and the arrival of “the worst kids in the history of the world” volunteering for all the main parts happening simultaneously.

Disaster seems imminent and things begin to escalate when the aforementioned villains, the Herdmans, stick with the play, and bring ruin in their wake. But Beth’s poor mother, Grace, cannot bring herself to kick any child out of a Christmas pageant. She feels that it would be missing the true meaning of Christmas. But the Herdmans have more than just pranks up their sleeves and are about to impress everyone with their inherent understanding of the Christmas story when they act it out after hearing it for the first time. Instead of becoming the disaster expected, the children’s heartfelt portrayals of the Holy Family, the three kings and the angel make the pageant instead the best Christmas pageant ever.

This movie was very sweet and I cried watching it. I just loved it so much!

Dec 04, 2024

Hot Item From Our Gift Factory - "For Such A Time As This" Jewelry Box

Pictured on this jewelry box are the Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by Judith and Esther. What better gift for young women than this beautiful depiction of three strong women on a jewelry box.

Order Today To Ensure Arrival Before Christmas!

Dec 03, 2024

Bring The Events Leading Up To Our Lord's Birth To Life With A Jesse Tree

It’s Jesse Tree time! This Advent custom is very full of meaning and I encourage you to create your own Jesse Tree tradition around Christmas time. The Jesse Tree is a symbolic way of learning and remembering the events that led up to the birth of Our Lord. Several ornaments are used to represent each important person or event and many are of the lineage of Our Lord. This tradition impresses the stories of Our Lord's ancestors on little ones' minds and keeps the stories ever fresh.

Dec 03, 2024

Courage And Conflict: Outlaws of Ravenhurst Highlights A Boy's Bravery In The Face Of Religious Persecution

This full length film, Outlaws of Ravenhurst, is written, directed and performed by Catholic children for Catholic children and those who are children at heart.

Introducing Becket Bowen as the Gordon, Jonah Lawrence as Sir Roger, James Phillips as Godfrey, and supported by a cast of first time actors. This movie is full of adventure and fun.

Outlaws Of Ravenhurst takes place in 1641 in the wake of the bloody Protestant Reformation when Catholics in Scotland were denied the right to true worship of God.

It reminds us of our past and encourages us to hope in the future, come what may.