Jesus and hope

Directors commentary

 One

I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and give you hope. Jeremiah 29.
Read in context.

This first animation plays as the rest of the content loads in the background. Using the word ‘plans’ as inspiration, it took me a long time to find the right way to get the feel of blueprint text animating on to the page. Flash now has layer blending modes which solved half the problem.

I created 60 frame animations of each of the letters used in the hand-drawn alphabet. And the soundtrack introduces sounds used in the rest of the piece.

This verse can be comforting when it seems that life is all over the place; that somewhere there is a plan that promises that it will all work out okay in the end.

 Two

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow faint. Isaiah 40.
Read in context.

I like the juxtoposition of the idea of waiting and renewing strength. Airports are an obviouls place to think about ‘soaring on eagles wings’ but they also jar as places we don’t really like waiting; places where we’re under authority and wait to be carried away. Perhaps this waiting space is a good place to contemplate being renewed spiritually.

The running cycle of frames was carefully put together from different sourced images of runners in the right positions to give the feeling of running – 8 in total. I took the image used to hold the running at Turin Airport on my camera phone – totally deserted and illuminated from the add boards. If I had more time I would have reflected the running in the floor.

 Three

If our hope in christ is only good for this life we are worse off than anyone else. But christ has been raised to life. 1 Corinthians 15.
Read in context.

With this piece we cut to the chase that hope in Jesus has eternal consequences – to think otherwise is missing the point.

The changing images of clocks tick over every second as the current date zooms into the future, beyond the time when you and I will no longer be here. Is there life after death?

Each of the ending menu’s features a cross or image of Jesus. I like this neon cross which gave the rest of the piece its visual feel.

 Four

This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. Hebrews 6.
Read in context.

The imagery here, of the sweet animating scene turning into a faded postcard was technically challenging but I like the underlying idea that is evoked: Soul hope seems like just the thing to have when you’re stuck in traffic in the rain. It is deliberately a beach scene to enhance the nautical metaphor in the text.

I imagine that this is a truck (and I put the soundtrack together to evoke a truck) and the driver has just dreamed a dream as he’s stared at the postcard and felt inside a more peaceful place and state of being.

 Five

If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food, you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead! James 2.
Read in Context.

Sometimes good ideas are hard to find but you know them when you get them because they’re really simple.

The text implies that a good deed for someone without food or clothes might be to buy them some food or clothes, so the shopping list has those as items (as well as a reasonable deal on donuts). The image behind is comped together in photoshop and I think comes from somewhere in Italy.

The soundtrack is just supposed to sound like a cosmopolitan street scene with a band practicing somewhere off in the distance. When you click to go to the menu it is as if you travel into the same space where the band is.

 Six

Creation itself hopes to be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Romans 8.
Read in context.

This explores the text evoking images of creation being under threat of decay from war, pollution and global warming – and – that being communicated by toys in a childlike way to link with the ‘children of God’ part of the text.

I’ve deliberately chosen images of toys that might surprise or amuse and the soundtrack is a bit earthy and organic to add to the mood.

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