Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Brainstorming Video Divina
Saturday, 21 December 2013
What We Are About (From Corpus Christi College)
"Our focus is films that tackle the big questions, particularly those of spiritual interest . . . [Y]ou can see we have a group here that takes film studies seriously! We also happen to have lots of fun while we are at it . . . [F]eel free to bring friends! It's open to all students" - Corpus Christi College Campus Minister on November 8, 2008
Sample Discussion Questions/"Springboard"
Post-Gladiator:
"What we do in life echoes in eternity."
"When a man sees his end... he wants to know there was some purpose to his life. How will the world speak my name in years to come? Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The tyrant...?"
How do you want to be remembered?
What would you fight for?
Who do you hope to meet in the Afterlife?
What vexes you?
From 05 March 2009
"What we do in life echoes in eternity."
"When a man sees his end... he wants to know there was some purpose to his life. How will the world speak my name in years to come? Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The tyrant...?"
How do you want to be remembered?
What would you fight for?
Who do you hope to meet in the Afterlife?
What vexes you?
From 05 March 2009
How It All Started (What Worked at Corpus Christi College)
We were blessed to have a campus minister who was the first person to graduate from Yale Divinity with a Master's in Theology and Film. The idea to start a film club spread by word of mouth. She had a sign-up sheet for those of us interested in joining a Video Divina film club around November (If I remember correctly).
In December those who signed up and left contact information met at our student lounge to plan the creation of our film club. The meeting opened with us guessing which film's soundtrack we were listening to (It was The Mission). Our screenings were to take place in our cosy newly-painted student lounge. The lounge had couches, a holder for a projector (We had to take out, set up, and put away the projector each week), and a big white rectangle painted on the wall to serve as our movie screen.
After our planning meeting we voted via SurveyMonkey on which films we'd watch next semester. We voted "Survivor-style" to eliminate films we would rather not see. This guaranteed the most satisfactory results for the group. We had a theme each month (For example: Based on a True Story month). Our campus minister announced the winning films and schedule for the semester (I think via Facebook).
The first-ever film we screened was Serenity. We had a Browncoat speak to us before the film (to give a little background info). We also watched Joss Whedon's intro for the film.
We were told to put write our names on a paper plate for a game we were about to play.
Before each film we were also given a handout telling us particular things to pay attention to as we were watching. We went over this handout before our screenings. Certain moments or lines recited in the film corresponded to a points value. We had a soon-to-be-famous bell (The kind usually at offices or libraries to summon someone's assistance) on the floor in front of the couches where we sat. When we saw the particular scene or heard the line with a points value we leapt off our couches and raced to ring the bell with the paper plate we had marked with our name. The rule was: No "camping" or "floating" was allowed. We always had to come from a sitting position on the couch. We had felt pens to tally our points on our plates. These plates eventually were quite torn and worn out - battle damage from the (in)famous "Ring the Ding" game. ;) We needed new ones partway through the semester (I think some of us might have stapled our new plates to our plates that were destroyed). We left our plates in our multimedia cabinet each week. Familial bumps, bruises, and competition were a common result of this game. :P The "winner" at the end of the semester received a free DVD from our campus minister.
We had snacks provided by the college (Set up by our campus minister - I think we had an allotted budget from Campus Min) at each weekly meeting. The screenings initially began at various times between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. This allowed time for discussion after the film. During the second semester of the club's existence the films were eventually screened at 6:30 pm every Wednesday.
The club was open to everybody. The discussions really built community. The discussions in some way led us to reflect on where we saw God or God's message in the films, though no one felt excluded in the discussions. Our weekly film gatherings were a safe place for everybody from all different beliefs and backgrounds. No one was obligated to speak. You could just listen to the discussion and enjoy the movie. As I was recounting with another Video Divina alumnus: The club served as a venue for honest heartfelt intellectual discussion and for some it was a place where one could confide in trusted friends. It had "confessional" purposes.
A couple of times we went to dinner together.
Another couple of times we watched films at the movie theatre: Wall-E and Amen. (We watched Amen. as attendees of the Jewish Film Festival). We also watched The Dark Knight in IMAX during a special screening downtown.
The opening film for our second-ever semester of Video Divina, Chariots of Fire, was screened outside as part of Welcome Week (Or was it Catholic Students' week? I think not, but I can't remember...).
At first we only had a club president who worked with our campus minister. We eventually added more structure: The second semester of the club's existence entailed the creation of the Vice President and Secretary roles. By the third school year of the club's existence the ring-a-ding game was limited to once a month (So that people could really listen and pay attention to the films instead of competing to win the game). Of course we continued to have our essential post-film discussion. Our campus minister had questions that we could discuss after the film. Video Divina was truly a venue for bonding and became a second family to us (the participants).
In December those who signed up and left contact information met at our student lounge to plan the creation of our film club. The meeting opened with us guessing which film's soundtrack we were listening to (It was The Mission). Our screenings were to take place in our cosy newly-painted student lounge. The lounge had couches, a holder for a projector (We had to take out, set up, and put away the projector each week), and a big white rectangle painted on the wall to serve as our movie screen.
After our planning meeting we voted via SurveyMonkey on which films we'd watch next semester. We voted "Survivor-style" to eliminate films we would rather not see. This guaranteed the most satisfactory results for the group. We had a theme each month (For example: Based on a True Story month). Our campus minister announced the winning films and schedule for the semester (I think via Facebook).
The first-ever film we screened was Serenity. We had a Browncoat speak to us before the film (to give a little background info). We also watched Joss Whedon's intro for the film.
We were told to put write our names on a paper plate for a game we were about to play.
Before each film we were also given a handout telling us particular things to pay attention to as we were watching. We went over this handout before our screenings. Certain moments or lines recited in the film corresponded to a points value. We had a soon-to-be-famous bell (The kind usually at offices or libraries to summon someone's assistance) on the floor in front of the couches where we sat. When we saw the particular scene or heard the line with a points value we leapt off our couches and raced to ring the bell with the paper plate we had marked with our name. The rule was: No "camping" or "floating" was allowed. We always had to come from a sitting position on the couch. We had felt pens to tally our points on our plates. These plates eventually were quite torn and worn out - battle damage from the (in)famous "Ring the Ding" game. ;) We needed new ones partway through the semester (I think some of us might have stapled our new plates to our plates that were destroyed). We left our plates in our multimedia cabinet each week. Familial bumps, bruises, and competition were a common result of this game. :P The "winner" at the end of the semester received a free DVD from our campus minister.
We had snacks provided by the college (Set up by our campus minister - I think we had an allotted budget from Campus Min) at each weekly meeting. The screenings initially began at various times between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. This allowed time for discussion after the film. During the second semester of the club's existence the films were eventually screened at 6:30 pm every Wednesday.
The club was open to everybody. The discussions really built community. The discussions in some way led us to reflect on where we saw God or God's message in the films, though no one felt excluded in the discussions. Our weekly film gatherings were a safe place for everybody from all different beliefs and backgrounds. No one was obligated to speak. You could just listen to the discussion and enjoy the movie. As I was recounting with another Video Divina alumnus: The club served as a venue for honest heartfelt intellectual discussion and for some it was a place where one could confide in trusted friends. It had "confessional" purposes.
A couple of times we went to dinner together.
Another couple of times we watched films at the movie theatre: Wall-E and Amen. (We watched Amen. as attendees of the Jewish Film Festival). We also watched The Dark Knight in IMAX during a special screening downtown.
The opening film for our second-ever semester of Video Divina, Chariots of Fire, was screened outside as part of Welcome Week (Or was it Catholic Students' week? I think not, but I can't remember...).
At first we only had a club president who worked with our campus minister. We eventually added more structure: The second semester of the club's existence entailed the creation of the Vice President and Secretary roles. By the third school year of the club's existence the ring-a-ding game was limited to once a month (So that people could really listen and pay attention to the films instead of competing to win the game). Of course we continued to have our essential post-film discussion. Our campus minister had questions that we could discuss after the film. Video Divina was truly a venue for bonding and became a second family to us (the participants).
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Film Suggestions for Campion College Video Divina (As Suggested by Students)
Serenity
Star Wars
The Lion King
Mulan
The Godfather
Star Wars
The Lion King
Mulan
The Godfather
Monday, 2 December 2013
Film Ideas Voted on by Video Divina Club at Corpus Christi College (Vancouver, BC) in January 2008
Sicko
The Game of Their Lives
Millions
“Decalogue” & Looney Tune Cartoons
The Game of Their Lives
Millions
“Decalogue” & Looney Tune Cartoons
Films Screened by the Video Divina Club at Corpus Christi College (Vancouver, BC) from January 2008 to April 2012
Lord of the Rings (All three films in one day - Extended versions!) ;)
Pan's Labyrinth
Serenity
E.T. (This was a pajama party. One of us wore a red hoodie like Elliott's instead.)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Paris, Je T'aime
Amelie
Dogma
Remember the Titans (Our snacks were gatorade and oranges)
My Left Foot
Children of Men
Freedom Writers
Million Dollar Baby (Followed by the "That's How You Know" scene from Enchanted to cheer us up) ;)
Dead Poets Society (Our snack was YOP!) :)
Babel
The Lion King
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Bella
Big Fish
The Godfather Trilogy (All three films in one day!)
Jesus Christ Superstar
Cinema Paradiso
The Princess Bride
Chariots of Fire
Groundhog Day
Pixar Shorts
About A Boy
Juno
The Truman Show
The Dark Knight
Seven Samurai
Magnolia
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Our snack was ice cream! The screening was followed by our own reinactments of scenes) :)
Forrest Gump
Gladiator
August Rush
Amen.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Mission
It's a Wonderful Life
Breakfast at Tiffany's
El Norte
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Twelve Angry Men
Psycho
9
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
The Iron Giant
Gran Torino
Wall-E
The Hurt Locker
El Espinazo del diablo (The Devil's Backbone)
Signs
Dial M For Murder
No Country For Old Men
The Others
Inception
Hotel Rwanda
Don Bosco (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416694/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
Pan's Labyrinth
Serenity
E.T. (This was a pajama party. One of us wore a red hoodie like Elliott's instead.)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Paris, Je T'aime
Amelie
Dogma
Remember the Titans (Our snacks were gatorade and oranges)
My Left Foot
Children of Men
Freedom Writers
Million Dollar Baby (Followed by the "That's How You Know" scene from Enchanted to cheer us up) ;)
Dead Poets Society (Our snack was YOP!) :)
Babel
The Lion King
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Bella
Big Fish
The Godfather Trilogy (All three films in one day!)
Jesus Christ Superstar
Cinema Paradiso
The Princess Bride
Chariots of Fire
Groundhog Day
Pixar Shorts
About A Boy
Juno
The Truman Show
The Dark Knight
Seven Samurai
Magnolia
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Our snack was ice cream! The screening was followed by our own reinactments of scenes) :)
Forrest Gump
Gladiator
August Rush
Amen.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Mission
It's a Wonderful Life
Breakfast at Tiffany's
El Norte
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Twelve Angry Men
Psycho
9
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
The Iron Giant
Gran Torino
Wall-E
The Hurt Locker
El Espinazo del diablo (The Devil's Backbone)
Signs
Dial M For Murder
No Country For Old Men
The Others
Inception
Hotel Rwanda
Don Bosco (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416694/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
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