Images courtesy of Cooke Media Group.
The power of film is undeniable. It can make you laugh, make you cry, leave you holding your breath, change your thinking, even save your soul.
Capture sat down with filmmaker Phil Cooke to get his take on the absolute power of filmmaking, Christian filmmaking in particular, in today’s world. In the interview that follows, you’ll get a taste for what makes Cooke tick and why you won’t want to miss his keynote address at this year’s Capture event.
Q: How does the concept of Capture – Content Creation and Filmmaking Summit resonate with you, on a personal level?
Cooke: When it comes to engaging today’s culture through media, few things are as important as creating powerful and compelling content. That was what got my attention and is the most exciting reason I’m coming to Capture. Too many churches today are obsessed with equipment (and the right equipment is important)—but one thing I’ve learned from a career in Hollywood is that the creative side of the business drives everything. If we’re not producing engaging programs, short videos, social media, and other content, then we won’t make much of an impact.
"The minute you think you have it figured out, you’ve started to fail. That’s why an event like the Capture Summit is so important." Phil Cooke, Filmmaker, Media Consultant, Founder, Cooke Media Group, Los Angeles, CA, on location in India
Q: Professionally, as owner of a seasoned media company that’s producing films on a regular basis, how important is training for anyone working in film ministry?
Cooke: Training is critical for every person on my team. I meet too many Christians who tell me they are “passionate” about writing, acting, shooting, directing, etc., except for the fact that they’re terrible at it. I wrote my book “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do” to help stop people from focusing just on passion and help them uncover what they’re actually wired to do. Training is a really big part of that. Creative, production, business, distribution—whatever you do in the media, without the right training you’ll most likely fail.
“Creative, production, business, distribution—whatever you do in the media, without the right training you’ll most likely fail.” Phil Cooke, Filmmaker, Media Consultant, Founder, Cooke Media Group, Los Angeles, CA
I saw a statistic recently that 15,000 film school graduates descend on Hollywood every year, which represents the kind of competition that’s out there today. Without proper training, it’s impossible to compete in that world.
Q: Something special about filmmaking is that we produce it, and then we can't really foresee its power for good. There's something very powerful in that--something that allows the Spirit to move. How does your media group harness this power of the medium, and what do you hope to emphasize along these lines with church filmmakers at Capture?
Cooke: That’s very true, but honestly, we should be looking at every media platform in the same way. We can look at all the analytics, audience reports, and box office results we can find, but we still can’t predict what can happen once a creative project is released into the world.
“We can look at all the analytics, audience reports, and box office results we can find, but we still can’t predict what can happen once a creative project is released into the world.” Phil Cooke, Filmmaker, Media Consultant, Founder, Cooke Media Group, Los Angeles, CA
I can tell you amazing stories of people discovering God, finding a church, restoring a marriage, discovering hope, and more all because they “stumbled” on a movie, short video, or even a social media post. That’s why the power of media is so amazing to me.
Filmmaker Phil Cooke with Director Brad Knull at the Western Wall, Jerusalem.
When I was in high school I made Super-8 films with some friends with my dad's home movie camera. It never occurred to me that was something I could do for a living, but I took the films to college thinking I might find friends there with the same desire to make these short movies. I met a film student who told me he would teach me how to edit my films, and one night while we were working, the college film professor saw my little movie and asked if he could show it in his film class. The next day I sat on the back row and after the screening the entire class started talking about the movie. At that moment I had one of the most crystal clear revelations I’ve ever had: If I can do something with a camera that makes people talk like this, then that’s what I’m supposed to do with my life.
I changed my college major that day to film and television and have never looked back.
“When you come together with other creative and media production people, you’ll be challenged and realize there are more and better ideas out there. I never walk away from an event like this without a new idea, or a change in the way I think.” Phil Cooke, Filmmaker, Media Consultant, Founder, Cooke Media Group, Los Angeles, CA
Q: What "tangible" would you hope that Capture attendees take away with them after hearing your keynote at Capture? And what "intangible" do you expect they will take away to sustain their film ministries?
Cooke: I want to give them some keys I’ve discovered that will not only help them have a successful career, but a long career. In the last few years I’ve been amazed at so many highly placed, experienced, and respected leaders in both ministry and media that have either struggled, failed, or left the business entirely. That set me off on a journey to interview ministry and media leaders who have had long careers and made a significant impact. What I discovered surprised me, and I want to share that with the attendees.
The minute you think you have it figured out, you’ve started to fail. That’s why an event like the Capture Summit is so important. When you come together with other creative and media production people, you’ll be challenged and realize there are more and better ideas out there. I never walk away from an event like this without a new idea, or a change in the way I think. That’s why I never miss the opportunity.
