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The Story
2006
-2006-
The TreeHouse
Back in 2006 when I (Christopher D. Stewart) was 9 years old my Dad built a treehouse for my siblings and me. Most kids with a treehouse pretend that it is a space ship, helicopter, or simply the hideout for some club. However, our treehouse was not meant for such things as those. Our treehouse was a TV station. That's right. We did not pretend we were lost on a island like Robinson Crusoe or that we had flown to Neverland with Peter Pan. Our treehouse was “Christian Network”, an imaginary TV station. For those of you who are wondering, no, we were not obsessed with watching television. On the contrary we did not even have a TV in our home. Okay we did have a TV but all we could do was play VHS cassettes on it. We could not pick up any TV stations (after everything went digital) We did not even own a DVD player at that time.
So then what made us imagine our treehouse as a TV station? I have no clue why. The only thing I can think of (and believe me I have tried to figure it out) is that God put a desire in us to make films for His glory. He was using our treehouse to lead us in that direction.
-The Spy Film-
“Christian Network” was my first interest in films and it did not stop there. Later in the fall of 2006 my family and I made our first film with me as the writer, director, and editor of the "somewhat script". I know you are probably thinking that this was just some sort of "home movie" and to an extent it was. However at the same time it was not. Some of the ways we made this film were not the normal ways a home movie would be made. For instance, it took us over a week to film. Now I know that is no time in the real film industry but for a home movie that is quite a bit of time to spend on filming. My siblings and I also took our own money and bought props. That is correct. At ages 11, 9, 7, and 5 my siblings and I took our own money and bought props for our home movie. These props were not toys that we could keep and play with later. These props were things like glow sticks, you know, one time use stuff. We also attained some costumes and found locations around our 8 acre yard to use for sets. As little kids we took that home movie very seriously. We did retakes even though the camera work was just our dad following us around holding the camera. If we didn't like the shot we asked Dad to do something else and re-filmed it. In our minds that home movie was going to air on our TreeHouse TV station for all the world to see. Of course that never happened. However once we finished the film we showed it to our grandparents and a very good friend of the family but those were the only people to ever see it.
Now skip with me if you will to the end of 2006, Christmas to be precise. After the events of the last year and the experience of making that home movie my parents decided to get me a video camera. This was not one of those flip video cameras but was a full fledge Sony Handy Cam equipped with low light, night vision as well as outdoor and indoor settings to record both 8mm and super 8 tapes. Unfortunately, it was a used camera and only lasted for a short time before dying.
-The Spy Film-
“Christian Network” was my first interest in films and it did not stop there. Later in the fall of 2006 my family and I made our first film with me as the writer, director, and editor of the "somewhat script". I know you are probably thinking that this was just some sort of "home movie" and to an extent it was. However at the same time it was not. Some of the ways we made this film were not the normal ways a home movie would be made. For instance, it took us over a week to film. Now I know that is no time in the real film industry but for a home movie that is quite a bit of time to spend on filming. My siblings and I also took our own money and bought props. That is correct. At ages 11, 9, 7, and 5 my siblings and I took our own money and bought props for our home movie. These props were not toys that we could keep and play with later. These props were things like glow sticks, you know, one time use stuff. We also attained some costumes and found locations around our 8 acre yard to use for sets. As little kids we took that home movie very seriously. We did retakes even though the camera work was just our dad following us around holding the camera. If we didn't like the shot we asked Dad to do something else and re-filmed it. In our minds that home movie was going to air on our TreeHouse TV station for all the world to see. Of course that never happened. However once we finished the film we showed it to our grandparents and a very good friend of the family but those were the only people to ever see it.
Now skip with me if you will to the end of 2006, Christmas to be precise. After the events of the last year and the experience of making that home movie my parents decided to get me a video camera. This was not one of those flip video cameras but was a full fledge Sony Handy Cam equipped with low light, night vision as well as outdoor and indoor settings to record both 8mm and super 8 tapes. Unfortunately, it was a used camera and only lasted for a short time before dying.
So then what made us imagine our treehouse as a TV station? I have no clue why. The only thing I can think of (and believe me I have tried to figure it out) is that God put a desire in us to make films for His glory. He was using our treehouse to lead us in that direction.
-The Spy Film-
“Christian Network” was my first interest in films and it did not stop there. Later in the fall of 2006 my family and I made our first film with me as the writer, director, and editor of the "somewhat script". I know you are probably thinking that this was just some sort of "home movie" and to an extent it was. However at the same time it was not. Some of the ways we made this film were not the normal ways a home movie would be made. For instance, it took us over a week to film. Now I know that is no time in the real film industry but for a home movie that is quite a bit of time to spend on filming. My siblings and I also took our own money and bought props. That is correct. At ages 11, 9, 7, and 5 my siblings and I took our own money and bought props for our home movie. These props were not toys that we could keep and play with later. These props were things like glow sticks, you know, one time use stuff. We also attained some costumes and found locations around our 8 acre yard to use for sets. As little kids we took that home movie very seriously. We did retakes even though the camera work was just our dad following us around holding the camera. If we didn't like the shot we asked Dad to do something else and re-filmed it. In our minds that home movie was going to air on our TreeHouse TV station for all the world to see. Of course that never happened. However once we finished the film we showed it to our grandparents and a very good friend of the family but those were the only people to ever see it.
Now skip with me if you will to the end of 2006, Christmas to be precise. After the events of the last year and the experience of making that home movie my parents decided to get me a video camera. This was not one of those flip video cameras but was a full fledge Sony Handy Cam equipped with low light, night vision as well as outdoor and indoor settings to record both 8mm and super 8 tapes. Unfortunately, it was a used camera and only lasted for a short time before dying.
-The Spy Film-
“Christian Network” was my first interest in films and it did not stop there. Later in the fall of 2006 my family and I made our first film with me as the writer, director, and editor of the "somewhat script". I know you are probably thinking that this was just some sort of "home movie" and to an extent it was. However at the same time it was not. Some of the ways we made this film were not the normal ways a home movie would be made. For instance, it took us over a week to film. Now I know that is no time in the real film industry but for a home movie that is quite a bit of time to spend on filming. My siblings and I also took our own money and bought props. That is correct. At ages 11, 9, 7, and 5 my siblings and I took our own money and bought props for our home movie. These props were not toys that we could keep and play with later. These props were things like glow sticks, you know, one time use stuff. We also attained some costumes and found locations around our 8 acre yard to use for sets. As little kids we took that home movie very seriously. We did retakes even though the camera work was just our dad following us around holding the camera. If we didn't like the shot we asked Dad to do something else and re-filmed it. In our minds that home movie was going to air on our TreeHouse TV station for all the world to see. Of course that never happened. However once we finished the film we showed it to our grandparents and a very good friend of the family but those were the only people to ever see it.
Now skip with me if you will to the end of 2006, Christmas to be precise. After the events of the last year and the experience of making that home movie my parents decided to get me a video camera. This was not one of those flip video cameras but was a full fledge Sony Handy Cam equipped with low light, night vision as well as outdoor and indoor settings to record both 8mm and super 8 tapes. Unfortunately, it was a used camera and only lasted for a short time before dying.
2007 - 2008
-2007-2008-
The "Christian Network" Years
For the next 2 years my siblings and I made all kinds of videos and films for our TreeHouse TV station with a friend's camera. Between the years 2006 and 2009 we came up with many of the characters still used in our movies and short films today.
2009
-2009-
The Start of Something New
Okay so now it's early 2009 and my siblings and I are making yet another one of our home movies for our TreeHouse TV station. After a night of filming one of the scenes for it we set down and began talking about how the rest of the "Movie" as we called it would play out. As we talked the idea kind of hit me, "If we had a full fleged written script for this 'Movie' it would make things go a lot easier". At that moment my siblings and I graduated from "Home Movies" to "Ultra Low Budget" films. Shortly after that we formed S.C. TreeHouse Productions. For the rest of 2009 until the beginning 2010 I worked on writing and re-writing the script for what was believed to be a 45 minute film we entitled Beyond Under.
2010
-2010-
Beyond Under
In mid 2010 I finished the script. It had changed so much from the original idea that it was now a completely different film. We knew that there was no way we were going to be able to accomplish this on our own so we began to look for people to help us. When fall rolled around we had our main and supporting cast for the film and production began. From then until early Spring of 2011 we filmed almost every week with the exception of holidays including our friends open season hunting days.
2011
-2011-
Premiere of Beyond Under
When post production on Beyond Under began in 2011 it became very clear that our film was going to be much longer than our original 45 minute idea. By the May 2011 premiere our "45 minute film" had become a "feature length 95 minute movie" with over 100 individuals involved in its making.
Do Something
In July of 2011, only two months after the premiere of Beyond Under I began to write another screen play for a short film we entitled BOO! Do Something. For the next 8 months I wrote on the script and my family and I gathered up supplies, costumes, and secured locations for filming. Our local Goodwill store benefited greatly from our weekly trips for costumes and supplies!
No More Job
At the end of the summer of 2011 my dad resigned and walked away from his 7 year position as camp director with no other job or any idea of how he would find one. I know what you are probably thinking. You're probably thinking, "Smart move there". You are right. It was a smart move. You see my dad had some theological differences and staying would have meant going against what he believed. My dad showed me the day he resigned that what you believe is far more important than any job. He showed me how to step out on faith even when you know if you do there is no turning back. My dad, to this day, is still doing odd jobs just to provide for us.
Do Something
In July of 2011, only two months after the premiere of Beyond Under I began to write another screen play for a short film we entitled BOO! Do Something. For the next 8 months I wrote on the script and my family and I gathered up supplies, costumes, and secured locations for filming. Our local Goodwill store benefited greatly from our weekly trips for costumes and supplies!
No More Job
At the end of the summer of 2011 my dad resigned and walked away from his 7 year position as camp director with no other job or any idea of how he would find one. I know what you are probably thinking. You're probably thinking, "Smart move there". You are right. It was a smart move. You see my dad had some theological differences and staying would have meant going against what he believed. My dad showed me the day he resigned that what you believe is far more important than any job. He showed me how to step out on faith even when you know if you do there is no turning back. My dad, to this day, is still doing odd jobs just to provide for us.
2012
-2012-
BOO!
On April 15, 2012 we held our first extras casting call for the film BOO! Do Something and in May we began filming. Three months later the film had won first place narrative at the 2012 "Film Fest 4H" in Branson, MO. On the 26th of August over 200 people saw BOO! premiere to the world from the small Tennessee town of Delano. BOO! went on to show at several churches and homeschool groups.
2013
-2013-
Taking A Breather
After bringing Beyond Under and BOO! Do Something to life back to back my family and I decided to take a break. You know, just to catch our breath. But of course I could not stop making movies all together so during this breather time I began to think and plan for S.C. TreeHouse Productions' next movie. That's when "The Knighthood" became a reality.
The Checklist
In September 2013 (after almost a year of no large scale film projects) a local church contacted my siblings and I about creating a children's stage play to tell the story of our Savior's birth. Since we had not done a creative endeavor like that in almost a year we jumped at the opportunity. After three weeks of writing S.C. TreeHouse Productions' first ever children's stage play was on paper. Three months later on December 15th, 2013 the new children's play The Checklist had its opening night. We had attempted to create a children's play telling the story of our Savior's birth as close to the original Biblical and Jewish heritage as we could accomplish.
What We Believe
In late 2013 as my siblings and I were working on some concepts for The Checklist we came up with the idea of a Pilgrim's Progress style court case. In this court case Christmas would sue the media and St. Church for stealing his identity. We realized this idea was not what we were suppose to do for the children's play so we set it aside saying, "Maybe we'll just make it into a short film someday". Little did we know what the idea would soon become..
The Checklist
In September 2013 (after almost a year of no large scale film projects) a local church contacted my siblings and I about creating a children's stage play to tell the story of our Savior's birth. Since we had not done a creative endeavor like that in almost a year we jumped at the opportunity. After three weeks of writing S.C. TreeHouse Productions' first ever children's stage play was on paper. Three months later on December 15th, 2013 the new children's play The Checklist had its opening night. We had attempted to create a children's play telling the story of our Savior's birth as close to the original Biblical and Jewish heritage as we could accomplish.
What We Believe
In late 2013 as my siblings and I were working on some concepts for The Checklist we came up with the idea of a Pilgrim's Progress style court case. In this court case Christmas would sue the media and St. Church for stealing his identity. We realized this idea was not what we were suppose to do for the children's play so we set it aside saying, "Maybe we'll just make it into a short film someday". Little did we know what the idea would soon become..
2014
