If you’ve seen movies like “The Blind Side” and “The Passion of the Christ” or TV series like “Lost” and “24,” you’ve been exposed to projects that have been worked on by alumni or faculty of the Act One program in Hollywood.  Originally created to be a screenwriting school for Catholics and people from other Christian denominations, it now includes a Producing and Entertainment Executive program as well.

Since The Christophers have always been concerned with the quality of popular entertainment (that’s the reason our founder, Maryknoll Father James Keller, established the Christopher Awards), I recently interviewed Act One’s Programs Director, Vicki Peterson, on “Christopher Closeup” to discuss effective storytelling from a Christian perspective.

Peterson explained, “I believe—and really the Act One philosophy is—what the audience does with a film or with a TV show after they watch it is just as important as what they’re doing when they watch it…We strive to instill in our students that it’s important to respect the audience.  It’s important to give them opportunities to think.

“It’s what God is doing in the hearts and minds of the people watching your material that is important.  If your material can be a vehicle for someone to get in touch with their thoughts and their beliefs, then that’s a great thing.  But that’s not something that the filmmaker can force someone to do.  The filmmaker is only presenting stories and situations that people will hopefully chew on later.  The way to do that is to create mystery, and to create situations where the audience can…have something to think about.”

One of the temptations for Christian storytellers can be to get a little preachy in their work.  During the interview, I recalled writing a story in high school with a pro-life theme and being told my point was “subtle as an anvil” by the teacher. I was annoyed at the time, but in retrospect, he was absolutely right. In order to engage readers or viewers—especially those who might disagree with you on a subject as heated as abortion—it’s more effective if you take a more emotional approach.

For instance, one of the most accepted pro-life movies in recent years was “Juno,” which won a Christopher Award.  Yet the screenwriter was not looking to make a pro-life movie.  She herself said she was pro-choice, but the story took those aspects on by itself.

Peterson said, “The reason why ‘Juno’ worked was that the storyteller was telling the truth.  The abortion room scene where she walks into the clinic is a great example of what an abortion room scene should be in a movie.  She walks in and it’s this gross, crass place.  Then there’s this wonderful scene when Juno realizes that babies have fingernails.  Just that thought alone and that image—she looks around and sees all these people using their fingernails in this room.  That is the way to address the fact that there is a human inside of her…We can all be on the same page when somebody’s talking about fingernails.”

Though movies and TV programs reflect the culture in which we live, they also influence it, shaping our thoughts and beliefs. That’s why it’s important for more people with well-developed talent and a firm foundation of faith and values to get into the entertainment business—to share stories of truth. Thanks to Act One for helping many young people do just that.

Kourtney Kardashian one of the stars of the popular reality TV program, “Keeping up with the Kardashians” is surprising Hollywood and maybe even herself as well.

The 30 year old model and socialite announced recently not only that she was pregnant but that she had decided to keep her baby.  Now I know what you’re thinking; having a baby out of wedlock in the 21^st Century, and especially in Hollywood, isn’t exactly breaking news. As a matter of fact, in the last few years it has become a status symbol and almost a rite of passage – especially in Tinsel Town.  Well, that’s the case if you “want” the baby. If you want the baby then the Hollywood types might event throw the Mom a chic shower and have their picture taken with her for the latest segment of Entertainment Tonight. If you don’t want the baby, then in Hollywood and lots of other places, unfortunately, some of your friends and acquaintances think nothing of pointing you to the nearest Planned Parenthood office.

And maybe that’s what first led to Kourtney Kardashian’s decision to keep her child, even though the news was a surprise to her and her family.  Getting pregnant, after all, wasn’t part of the “Keeping Up with the Kardashian” TV script.  But in an article for PEOPLE magazine Kourtney explained she was even more surprised by the flippant attitude of so many friends concerning her pregnancy. 

 ”I can’t even tell you how many people just say, ‘Oh get an abortion’ like it is no big deal.”

Maybe it was the callousness of her friends that got Kardashian to think differently about her pregnancy.  Although she still considers herself a support of legalized abortion (although I think that will soon change), she did take a big step that too many people in similar situations ignore; she did some research about the impact of abortion on women.  Her on-line search stopped her in her tracks.

“I looked on-line and I was sitting on the bed hysterically crying, reading these stories of people who felt so guilty from having an abortion,” Kardashian said.   “I was reading these stories on how many people are traumatized by it afterwards.”

Kardashian said her decision came after the research and some intense soul-searching. She came to the conclusion that this “is meant to be” because “God “does things for a reason.”

We know as believers that nothing happens outside of God’s providence.  Scripture tells us every hair on our head is counted and His eye is on the sparrow.  Now I am certainly not in any position to try and second guess almighty God but I do know Him, love Him, and try to serve Him as best I can.  And I know Him well enough to recognize that He works in mysterious ways.  Maybe just maybe He allowed this to happen because He knew this young woman, even though she hasn’t quite grasped the entire pro-life idea yet, would be open to not only reading the stories of post abortive women but to sharing with the world at least a little what she has learned.   Maybe just maybe some other young woman who finds herself in a similar situation will think twice before heading to the local abortion mill.  And maybe another one will learn about the devastating impact of abortion; the killing of 50 million babies since Roe vs. Wade since 1973, the connection between abortion and breast cancer, the increase rates of drug and alcohol abuse among post abortive women and men.  The list goes on and on.

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” will soon have a new star on the popular TV show and the program could in turn have a whole new meaning by pointing many in the right direction; not toward what so many see as the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle but to life itself.

Editor’s Note:  Teresa writes from beautiful Southeastern Michigan and is the host for Ave Maria Radio’s “Catholic Connection” which also is heard on EWTN.  Teresa is a best-selling author and speaker.  Her website is www.TeresaTomeo.com.