Documentary

I just finished watching the documentary, Dreams on Spec (2007.) Several years ago I donated my DVD to a local library, but it never appeared in their catalogue. Fortunately, I recently found it listed on the video streaming service Tubi. Dreams on Spec follows the lives of three aspiring screenwriters as they attempt to get their scripts produced, interspersed with commentary on the profession by screenwriters working in Hollywood.

You don’t have to write screenplays to relate to the experiences of the three screenwriters profiled in Dreams on Spec. All writers have been on the same emotional rollercoaster, from dreaming of success, to the reality of rejection.

Throughout the documentary two questions dominate: How far are you willing to go to succeed as a writer? and Is it worth it? Two writers put everything on the line, risking their family relationships and financial stability, but their scripts aren’t produced. The third writer keeps his day job, but his screenplay is produced.

As Dreams on Spec demonstrates, devoting your life to writing full-time doesn’t guarantee success as a writer, but writing part-time doesn’t necessarily prevent you from enjoying success as a writer either.

Considering how much time and effort these three writers invested in trying to find success in Hollywood, was it worth the sacrifices they made? I think the best answer is: If you love writing, keep at it, because you never know where it might lead, and regardless of the ultimate destination, you’ll appreciate what you learn on the journey.

The Essential Church (2023), Written and Directed by Shannon Halliday, is a documentary about pastors, on both sides of the United States/Canadian border, who refused to comply with government restrictions during the Covid-19 crisis.

In California, Pastor John MacArthur, a man in his eighties, was threatened with fines and imprisonment. In Alberta, Canada, Pastor Tim Stephens and Pastor James Coates both spent time in prison. While they were behind bars, their congregations were meeting outside the churches, because they had been locked out of the buildings.

The documentary includes discussions with the pastors, their lawyers, and church elders, as well as television interviews and clips of police and health authorities. One clip records police arresting Pastor Tim Stephens at his house, in front of his wife and children. During the arrest, one of the police officers can be heard quoting scripture to Pastor Stephens. Would a police officer quote the Koran (Quran) to a Mullah?

Since I find history fascinating, I enjoyed how modern events were contrasted with events that took place hundreds of years ago in Scotland. When the Crown tried to dictate how they were to worship, some congregations rebelled and Christians lost their lives as a result. The stories of martyrdom use an animation technique with stone carvings in dark shadows. The unique animation adds a sense of gravitas to the narration.

During the Covid-19 crisis, the question many pastors had to grapple with, was whether government restrictions were forcing them to disobey the Lord Jesus Christ. The Essential Church is the story of three pastors who believed that was the case, and refused to back down.

J. Paul Cooper, Writer

Dreams on Spec (2007)

The Essential Church: A Review