How we got here is a long story. Suffice to say that Scott is a dreamer and Diane says “no” a lot. Scott had been writing screenplays as a hobby for years. After we were married, and after others who read Scott’s scripts seemed to like them as much as we did, we grew curious with the
idea of producing one titled The Current. We took a few steps to explore that direction: Scott reading books and articles on film production and looking for potential shooting locations to try to figure things out. He submitted the script for The Current for review by the local Boy Scout Camp
who was considering allowing us to film at their grounds, but we never heard back. When nothing fell into place, we abandoned the idea.
Fast-forward about a year: Our church was hosting a “vision dinner” to discuss a building project. Our pastor spoke one line that hit us right between the eyes: “When is the last time, for Christ, you stepped out to do something utterly and laughably impossible?” When we got to the car, Diane hit Scott on the arm and said, “You know he’s talking about your movie, right?” It wasn’t until then that Scott told Diane that – just 4 days earlier – he’d received an email from the Boy Scouts saying, “Hey, didn’t you want to use our camp?”
ii Films, L. L. C. is formed
Within months we were casting and starting production with an all-volunteer cast and crew. We formed ii Films, L. L. C., a production company. We ordered equipment and made props and other equipment in our garage and kitchen. We knocked on doors and complete strangers loaned us their houses, cars, and boats. We housed the out-of-town actors in our home. We kept the “wardrobe department” in the back of one of the mom’s vans. We lined our entry closet with sleeping bags and had an actor do a voice-over to place into the film.
Ever since then, we’ve been doing our best to work out God’s purpose with this in faith and obedience. In fact, when The Current was about to show in theaters in the Twin Cities, the Star Tribune ran an article. In connection with the interview for the article, the reporter asked what “success” would look like for The Current. We looked at each other and realized we had no idea. We just knew we were supposed to make the movie; it was up to
God what to do with it.
What did God do with The Current?
The Current was named the second-best film of 2014 by ChristianFilmDatabase.com, was given The Dove Foundation’s highest rating of “5 Doves” and won the prestigious ICVM Gold Crown Award for the Best Youth Film of 2014. It showed in 41 theaters in 15 states. More importantly, lives were changed:
“First thing [my son] said when we walked out to the parking lot was, ‘When is the next baptism, Mom?’”
“This movie REALLY impacted my granddaughter, who is about the age of the kids in the film. Thank you.”
"We discussed the messages and our own values ... on our way home that evening. It was great conversation."
(From a viewer to the pastor whose church promoted a showing in Minnesota) “Thank you very much; I am enjoying [YOUR CHURCH] a lot! After [NAME] brought us to that movie "The Current"... Made me do a 180 (not that I was doing anything wrong but I felt like I slipped away from living for God like I used to). Not going to lie I walked in the movie thinking 'great' and walked out bawling my eyes out wanting to be a 'better me with Gods
help', trying to go to as many church activities, praying like I used to, doing as much for others as I can do, reading the Bible like I used to do, etc... In the past 3 weeks or so I've just felt' better; I feel like a different person. It is amazing that something as simple as a 'small time' movie opened my eyes when all these other 'big movies' have never hit me in such a way; I am so grateful for the opportunity to see that movie. I owe the filmmaker a huge Thank you; I cannot express what it's done for my life, my family, etc."
"The Current is a gem of a film. I watched it at a time when I was at one of my deepest points of despair and had all but given up on God. It spoke deep into my pain in a way few things have. The honesty about how devastating a loss can be captivated me. However, it’s not the pain of loss that moved me but rather the kindness and heartfelt love that both transformed Jake and also healed the great loss. I love how the entire community offered support to all those struggling. Love conquers all. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has lost their faith in God because of tragedy and loss. May it inspire you as it did me." ~ Paul, Australia
Our next project was Miles Between Us – a powerful story of restoration between an estranged father and daughter who find themselves on a cross-country road trip together, twelve years after a divorce.
In Miles Between Us we were able to dramatically improve our production value over The Current but still kept our budget to about $80,000. Like The Current, Miles Between Us received The Dove Foundation’s highest rating of “5 Doves”; this time, it won two awards at the ICVM conference: (1) the Gold Crown for Best Drama under $250,000; and (2) the Bronze Crown for Best Picture.
It was also nominated for 5 awards at the International Christian Film Festival (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Screenplay), and named a finalist at the Christian Worldview Film Festival.
What have people said about it?
“Every family should see this movie.”
“If I didn't know that this was an independently produced film, I would not have known this was an independently produced film. This is the second project by the awesome team at ii Films. The visual storytelling was well done and first-rate, worthy of the big screen on which I saw this film.
The storyline is captivating, and all too realistic in our culture today. In a world of broken families and relationships, it is good to know that there is hope. This story of restoration and renewal is not a Pollyanna, "all they needed was to spend ten minutes in prayer and all will be well." This story is the real story of struggle and heartache and the scars that run deep in a child’s life.
The two main characters were portrayed by Dariush Moslemi and Anna Stranz, who I'll be honest, I never heard of but their portrayal was compelling. It did amazing justice to the story and I know I will see them again!
I so enjoyed this movie and I can't wait to take others to see it with me.”
“This movie was excellent, my daughter and I cried tears of joy. God has such a way of doing things, and this movie is an example. I enjoyed every moment that captured how God works in mysterious ways. If you know someone who is an unbeliever, this is an excellent movie to take them to see. This may be just the movie that leads them to Christ.”
“I LOVED ‘The Current.’ I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ‘Miles Between Us” all the more.”
SCOTT’S STORY
Since I went away to college over 35 years ago I had lived a life far from Christ. I was a horrible immoral womanizer and led a life that later in life led to a lot of guilt. Almost 15 years ago I moved to a new house, and every day on the way home from work I was stuck in traffic and had to stare at a church’s steeple and cross – straight ahead in the middle of the road. It was a constant reminder that I was not living my life the way God intended.
When I couldn’t take it any longer, I finally went there one Sunday to check it out. As it happened, I heard a sermon from the fill-in Associate Pastor who knocked it out of the park that morning. I started going to church sporadically (baby steps right?) and EVERY time that Associate Pastor was
preaching. I really connected with his preaching and as a result, I turned my life back over to Christ.
I started praying that God would help me find someone. I placed an ad online and along came Diane. To say she was Heaven sent is an
understatement. She is a committed Christ-follower and I could not ask for a better person to spend the rest of my life with. We married a year
later and I told her that I would draw a circle on a map around our house 10 miles across and go to every church in that circle until we both walked
out and said, “Wow, that’s the one.” But I asked her to just try this church with me first. She did and we both agreed, it was the one. We have been
actively involved ever since.
Today I am on fire for the Lord. I reaffirmed my baptism and it was one of the more moving experiences of my life. How powerful to have the symbolism of your sins being washed away and you being raised into a new life.
The ii in my logo is there because the white space forms a cross. As in my life the cross is hard to see sometimes but it is always there. Sometimes it even will taunt you in traffic and beg you to come back. The cool thing about my story is that it is The Story of the Prodigal Son and my favorite
part of that story is “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his
arms around him and kissed him.” Did you catch that? He ran to him. God ran to me! I love it.
Well, that’s my story. My pastor once said that every Christian has a story of how they came to Christ, or in my case came back, and that we are called to tell others about Christ. He said that the easiest way is to just tell your story. He said it’s simple – all we have to say is “Here is where I was, this is where I am now, and here is where I want to be.” You see – you don’t have to be perfect to have a story.
Good thing for me.
Scott
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”