Blog

It seems a little strange at first, I realize, when you hear that Wanderlust Productions is working on a cartoon. After all, aren’t we just three guys with a studio at Judson University, who make documentaries about the wonders of God around the world? Where did a cartoon come from?

The truth is, I wanted to write a cartoon long before I wanted to do anything else.

In film school, my dream was to write for animation. 12 years later, my professor still remembers the animated script I wrote back then with fondness, and upon graduation I was set to begin a writing gig for VeggieTales. But then, everything fell through and I was now newly married with no job. I had to hustle. So I called up an old professor at Judson and asked if they had any openings for adjunct work. I got the gig 3 days before classes began. Fortunately for me, they couldn’t get rid of me!

While filming my film with UFC fighter Ken Shamrock, I came across the ministry of Danny White, called Anointed Fighter. While looking through his stuff, I saw an idea for an animated series of the same name, and I was intrigued. I asked about it, and he had been dreaming about this series for years, but didn’t have the money to finance or produce it. I asked if I could take a shot at a pilot script, and he said sure.

I have three children of my own, and in all honestly, I am making this for them. Eventually, Wanderlust will step into making narrative films, and this is like our first foray into that world–stepping out of simply making documentaries. I wrote the script, we did all the voices and pre-production, and will be handling all the post-production once the animators have finished. It will be a 30 minute cartoon, but we’re pouring everything we have into this thing, trying to make it feel as cinematic as possible. But the story is what we’re most excited about. It’s got plenty of action, spiritual questions, and of course, kung fu.

We wanted to make the absolute coolest, thought provoking cartoon we could, and we sure hope we succeed! Right now, we’re hoping to release Anointed Fighters sometime this summer. Keep an eye out for the teaser trailer over the next few months!

I was in the middle of putting together Furious Love, locked away in my studio, experiencing some of the most intense, emotional 3 months of my life on a daily basis, when I received a phone call out of the blue from someone saying he represented Ken Shamrock, and they were curious as to whether or not I was interested in filming his story. The way he said “Ken Shamrock”, I got the feeling this was someone I was supposed to have heard of, but in all honesty, I didn’t have a clue who this was. So I did what everyone who needs information does: I googled him.

That was my first tip that this guy was kind of a big deal.

But it most certainly was NOT a movie I wanted to make. For one, I was in the middle of Furious Love fever, and making a movie about a UFC fighter was the last thing on my list to do–especially since I don’t watch UFC fighting at all. But, I figured I should at least talk to the guy, so I told him to call me back in a few days when I had some time to talk.

Before our conversation, I did what I always do now when it’s time to make decisions: I prayed. Also as usual, I was blatantly honest with the Lord, this was not the time for pretense or posturing that I’m more spiritual than I really am. I told Him, quite frankly, that I had no interest in doing this movie, and I don’t even really like fighting, so if this actually IS something you want me to do, well, you better make it crystal clear. He was going to have to change my heart in a big way, because I was fully prepared to say no.

The phone rang, I answered, and we talked for about 20 minutes. When I hung up the phone, I prayed again. This time, it was a little different.

“Okay, you’ve got me. I have to make this movie. I’ll do it.”

I can’t really explain what happened during that phone call, but something in my spirit shifted, and I just knew that this was a film I had to make. After having spent the last year filming with Ken, hearing his story, hearing his heart, I think I’m beginning to see why the Lord wanted me to make this movie. For starters, it’s going to be nothing like my first two films, Finger of God and Furious Love. This is not a movie for the church or Christians. This is a movie for aggressive, violent youth, fans of the fight game, fans of Ken, and in general, for a mass of people who wouldn’t be caught dead stepping foot in a church. That in itself might be the most exciting aspect of all of this to me and my crew.

Ken has been approached by many different production companies to tell his story, but he’s turned them all down because he knew they would take the “God stuff” out. But Ken is a believer, through and through–he’s just taken a very long, very rough road to get there. He watched Finger of God and was blown away by it, and figured well, here’s a guy who obviously isn’t afraid of a little controversy, so I was the first person he reached out to tell his story. While it is certainly true that this film will be controversial (especially for my hard core fans–prepare yourselves, because we pull no punches in telling Ken’s story), it will also be an uplifting one, and above all, an honest one.

Ken and his wife Tonya have been wonderful to work with from a filmmaker’s perspective, simply because nothing was off limits. Ken’s past drug use, womanizing, and violence was told to us with no sugar coating. It will be a raw, exposing film, but will also point to a God who sticks with us even when we’re running from Him as fast as we can.

Right now, the film is called Fighting Shadows. We are beginning the post-production for this documentary, and are hoping for a late 2011 release.

In case you haven’t heard about it yet, we’re going to be having a big ole’ Holy Spirit Supernova in Monroe, Michigan on April 6-9 for the Furious Love Event. Not only will we have 9 incredible speakers pouring wisdom, revelation, and God’s healing power on those who are coming (hurry up and get your tickets–group rates are now available), but Wanderlust Productions will be making one of the most unique teaching DVD sets you’ve ever seen from the Event itself.

This is where you come in. I conceived this Event as a way to create a kind of teaching supplement to my films. The movies seem to do a good job inciting hearts to burn for God, but I find that many people get fired up for a new life of radical Christianity, but haven’t the faintest idea what to do next. This Event is designed to fill in those gaps.

So here’s what I need from you. Hit “comment” below and ask a question, any question about God, Christianity, healing, spiritual warfare, radical love, missions–literally any question you’d like to ask me or any of the wonderful, challenging people you’ve seen in my films. Ask us the hard questions. The questions that have been gnawing at you. Imagine Heidi Baker, or Philip Mantofa, or Robby Dawkins is on your couch next to you, and you can pick their brain with the kinds of questions they might be able to provide wisdom to given their extensive experiences and walk with the Lord.

So ask away, and there is no limit to how much you can ask. Like I said, this teaching DVD will be quite unique, and it starts with your questions.

And once you’ve asked your question, sign up for the Event. This is not something you’re going to want to miss!

I had a dream last night that shook me up pretty good. I was in a something like a warehouse, and a man walked in bound by chains and was led to a big pile of wood. I realized that this was some sort of “criminal” and he was going to be executed. When he got to the wood pyre, he brazenly grabbed a big bowl of oil and dumped it over his head, as if to say, “bring it on.” He was laughing and joking as his executioner approached him and lit the fire beneath him. At first, he kept it together, and even as the fire began to get to him, he shouted out jokes–things like, “I’m melting! What a world, what a world!” ala Wizard of Oz. But then, suddenly, what was happening to him became real, and that’s when the screaming started.

The last thing I remember this person screaming will haunt me for months to come. He burned for what seemed an eternity, and all the while, he just kept shrieking at the top of his lungs, “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”

Then I woke up.

I knew this was a “God dream”, where the Lord is trying to communicate something specific to me. I have these occasionally, and they all feel the same, and I can always remember every detail for quite some time. So I laid in bed, asking Him what it meant. Slowly, as if He was peeling back the cloud cover of my brain, He showed me.

I’ve never been one to contemplate or even really talk about hell. It’s not really on the top of my short list of things to think about. Growing up in the church, I knew the basics–if you don’t believe in Jesus, you go to hell. Heck, that’s a major reason I BECAME a Christian when I was a kid. I was just scared to death. But over the years, you tend to lose sight of the “end game” so to speak, and you certainly grow callous to it. Just as Furious Love was born out of my own need to really see and understand what the love of God looked like and was made of, here, in my dream, God was reminding me of the urgency of His message.

The world (another cliche-addled word for the lifelong Christian) has not only rejected Him, but has become brazen and cavalier in their rejection. It’s not enough to just not believe anymore, “evangelical atheists” are becoming more and more vocal in their disdain and vitriol against Christ and his followers.

What the Lord was showing me in this dream was simply a glimpse of His heart for all men. Even as they pour their own flammable liquid over their heads and dare Him to do something, He is still their Daddy. He sees them as a Daddy sees His kids. And He loves them to the very end. But a choice is a choice, and choices have consequences. In the end, He is not choosing to reject us, we are choosing to reject Him. I have heard many arguments from non-believers asking how a loving God could damn so many people to hell. I would simply ask the same question. How could a rational human being choose to damn themselves from a generous, loving God? Is retaining control of your own life that important? Is remaining in sin patterns that important? Have you been hurt by the church so badly that you can no longer see your Daddy through all of His stupid kids who make mistakes?

I will never again forget the screams I heard in my head last night. As we at Wanderlust move forward in the various projects that are in front of us in 2011 (two films, a cartoon, a book, the Furious Love Event, and a possible TV show), I am reminded of the urgency of the Message.

It’s just too bad I needed to fall asleep to see it.

Ah yes, the sweet smell of upcoming travel lingers in the air as we are less than two weeks away from heading out on our next crazy adventure to continue filming for Father of Lights, the sequel to Furious Love. In this installment of “what crazy things will Darren and his crew be experiencing this time for the betterment of the worldwide church”, we will be traveling to India to do some filming with “Shanti” once again, as well as introduce a new character in our story. His name is Ravi, and I’m not going to reveal much, other than this guy has the unique gift of hearing the audible voice of God and seeing into the spiritual realm 24/7. You heard me right. None of us know what’s going to happen when we go out there (even he doesn’t know), but he’s going to ask the Lord what we should do, and God will tell us where to go and what to do. At this point, I’ve seen a lot of wild stuff, but even me and my crew are more than a little intrigued about how this shoot is going to turn out.

So please pray for us, especially from Dec. 3-13.

On other fronts, we at Wanderlust Productions continue to be stretched to the max to simply keep up with the various irons we have in the fire. Our cartoon continues to progress, and we are hoping for an early 2011 release for that. Our film with Ken Shamrock is nearing the end of production (we should complete principle photography by March, 2011), and I have already put together the first 5 minutes of that film. Father of Lights is getting ready to move front and center for us on the production side of things, and most of our 2011 travel will be dedicated to that film.

And of course, we have our Furious Love Event coming up April 6-9, 2011. In case you haven’t heard, we are running a contest in association with this, and from now through December 31, all you need to do is write an email about your experience with Finger of God and/or Furious Love to furiouslovecontest@gmail.com. It’s that simple. You’ll be in the running to win two free tickets (and prime seating) to the Furious Love Event in Monroe, Michigan, both Deluxe editions of our films, and my new book, Filming God, which will be coming out at the event. For more info, check out our website HERE.

Finally, I ask that you please pray for us now more than ever. I received prayer yesterday, and the person praying for me saw “a bunch of little storms all around me”. This pretty much perfectly describes my life at the moment, and it is a constant struggle to stay in the presence of Christ, and to make films and media that live only to further the kingdom of God and bring freedom and revelation to the body of Christ. To do that, we obviously need to be in a place of freedom and revelation ourselves, and I humbly ask that if you enjoy what we do, and if our films have in any way touched you or helped you along, that you might endeavor to lift us up in prayer over the next few weeks. Cover us with protection, ask for wisdom, and above all else, entreat the Father to cover us with His presence and grace.

Thanks everyone, for your prayers and your continued support!

Darren