Sharon Wilharm always envisioned a
life of missionary service. Instead, God called her to writing and filmmaking,
allowing her films to minister to individuals around the world. She and
her husband, Fred, travel the southeast and midwest promoting their movies and
speaking at film and church events.
Sharon's passion is encouraging
individuals to listen to God and discover the unique path He has destined for
them.
Recently their film, Providence,
won ICVM’s Gold Award for Best Drama of 2016 (under $250,000), as well as ICVM's Bronze for Best Picture (overall); Silver for Best Evangelistic; and Bronze for Best Youth Picture.
On your Faith Flix
website, you wrote that “I never intended to be a filmmaker.” What got you started?
Fred always wanted to be a filmmaker and got his degree in
broadcast communication, but at the time we started dating, he was a
businessman with a chain of coin laundries and I was a school teacher. Then he
started working on a local history documentary and before I knew what was
happening, it transformed into a faith-based feature with me writing the
script, directing, and playing the lead role. I didn't have a clue what I was
doing so I hated it. I swore I'd never ever do another movie, but God had other
plans.
You began your career
as an educator (teaching elementary, middle and high schoolers). Did you teach
drama and film from the beginning?
I started off as a 5th grade school teacher then
when our daughter was born I homeschooled her from preschool through
graduation. When she was in middle school I started teaching drama and film at
her homeschool tutorial. I've always loved drama and directed my first
children's musical when I was a freshman in high school. Through the years my
primary ministry at church has been directing drama for children, youth, and
adults.
What is the appeal of
film? Why does this particular method of communication attract you?
Film didn't initially appeal to me. I much preferred live
theater. But as I found myself involved in Fred's projects, it grew on me. Now
I love it! I love the brevity and the simplicity of screenwriting. I love
visual storytelling, especially incorporating costume, color, and composition
to make for beautiful and powerful images.
Do you have any
favorite filmmakers or films?
I like character driven films like Driving Miss Daisy,
Because of Winn Dixie, and Legally Blonde that are distinctly feminine and
funny but also reveal much about human nature. My favorite tv show is Joan of
Arcadia. It is brilliantly written and shot and can have me pondering it for
weeks afterwards. It incorporates a Christian worldview in such an artsy way. I
hate that it only lasted 2 seasons. It has probably inspired me as a filmmaker
more than anything else.
Your most recent
film, Providence, has no dialogue. Why did you make this choice? Were any other
of your films made this way?
Providence is our second silent film. Our first was The Good
Book. We were trying to avoid the cheese factor and to literally show, not
tell. At first, no one had a clue how to respond to The Good Book. But then it
started doing well in film festivals and we discovered that we were better at
telling a story visually than with dialogue. We didn't think it would be
possible to do it again, but then when I started writing Providence, I quickly
discovered that it lent itself best to visual storytelling as well. If/when we
do another movie, though, it will be a talkie and I'll take all that we've
learned from The Good Book and Providence and apply it to a more traditional
script.
Looking back on your
life why did you choose an education major when you were in college? Do you
see any crossover into filmmaking?
I majored in education because I couldn't come up with
anything better. I always saw it as temporary and figured it would be good prep
for whatever more exciting work God had in store for me. And it has done just
that. Perhaps the best skills I learned from being a teacher that has helped in
filmmaking is the ability to organize and to quickly learn names.
Can you describe your
filmmaking process? (How long does it usually take to write the script? Decide
on location? Choose cast? Shoot? Edit?)
From initial idea to finished script generally takes between
4-8 months. Actually, the more experienced we get, the longer it takes because
I've gotten more meticulous. Locations are easy since we film the majority of
our movies in our house or locations in our small town. When I'm writing a
script, it's written with our available locations in mind. Casting takes
several months. Shooting several months. Editing, several months. Pretty much
once we have a finished script, it takes us about a year to cast, shoot, edit,
and get ready to release.
What’s your favorite
part about the filmmaking process itself? What’s the most challenging?
Writing and planning is what I enjoy most, imagining all the
possibilities and figuring out how to make it happen. Originally filming was my
most challenging, but as I've learned and grown, it comes a lot more naturally
now. Editing is frustrating for me because once I finish filming I'm ready to
just relax and not think about it for a while, but I can't because my input is
needed for the editing process. I tend to be pretty grumpy during the post
production time because I'm just so worn out by that point.
Your films have won
numerous awards, including ICVM's Gold Award for Best Picture 2016 (under $250,000). Do any of the awards stand out to you for their significance?
At last count we had accumulated 78 festival accolades, but
each one holds some significance. They
each represent a group of people who appreciated our movie enough to make it
available for others to enjoy. The true value of festivals is that they help
attract new audiences and provide validation that this is a movie that is
worthy of being watched. Now, getting back to your question, if I had to narrow
it down, I would say Pan Pacific Film Festival was really special because it
was in Los Angeles. So it was exciting to travel to L.A. and be a part of the
red carpet experience. The greatest honor, though, was having Providence
nominated for four Crown awards at the ICVM awards, including
being up for Best Picture alongside War Room, Beyond the Mask, and Until
Forever. That is just mind boggling to me that our little silent film could
even be considered in the same breath as such incredible films. Isn't God
amazing?
Can you describe how
you and your husband Fred work together on your films?
When we first starting filmmaking together we tended to get
on each other’s nerves a lot. We would each try to be in control and not listen
to the other one. Then we'd get frustrated when the other did something
different than what we wanted. But over time we've learned what our strengths
and weaknesses are and we use that to advantage. We communicate a lot initially,
planning the shots, and making sure we're each on the same page. Then we trust
each other to each do our job and to do it well. Now by the time everyone else
arrives on set, we know what we're doing and we work together to get it done.
Do you have any words
of wisdom to offer for new filmmakers? Or those thinking of getting into
filmmaking?
If you're thinking about making movies so you can get rich
and famous, find something else to do. Filmmaking is hard work and little
money. The only reason to do it is if this is what God has called you to do,
and even then, you need to be on your knees in prayer the whole time because
it's a tough business. If you go into it as a calling, as a way to minister
through film, God can use you. But if you come in with a giant ego, that ego
will quickly get deflated.
How can readers get a
copy of/view your films?
All our movies are available online at Christian Cinema.
Providence is also available at Faith Flix online and at LifeWay Christian
Stores. The Good Book is available at most Christian retailers. Flowers for
Fannie is available at some Family Christian Stores and online at iTunes and a
number of other online sites.
Is there anything
else you’d like to mention?
To learn more about our movies, visit our website at www.faithflix.com and follow us on
Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. In addition, each of our movies has a
Facebook page and a Twitter account.
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