Shiny Happy Flowers

Sunflowers are trickier than you might think.
A year ago, when we first started to film the aCross Creation series, we had the idea very early to use the setting of a sunflower field. Very Kansas of us, I realize. I wrote a meditation based on the story of Jesus Transfiguration. It was only the second script I had written. (What's the first you ask? You'll never know because it will not see the light of day). By late August of 2009 I had the script done, Greg and Janet had spent hours scouting out the perfect sunflower field in rural Sedgwick county, the weather was ideal and then...I took a few days vacation.

Silly me.

By the time I returned from a visit with friends the sunflowers were past their prime and we were out of luck.

Fast forward one year to August of 2010. We had in mind for weeks to film the sunflower episode, however, we began to notice a great absence of sunflower fields near Wichita. The perfect field from last year was planted with a different crop. Most of the fields we did find looked like this...

Janet, undaunted, got on the phone to the extension agents in a five county radius. We asked other church members and family to be on the lookout. All over south central Kansas a massive search was on for a field of bright, blooming sunflowers. And....the search paid off. A week ago we heard of a field that was in its prime just east of Udall and when we arrived on Monday morning it was indeed glorious.

We were afraid that it would be hard to film the size and scope of the sunflower field from the ground since the flowers were close to head high. To solve the problem we brought my dad's truck thinking we could film from the bed. This is a truck only a farmer could love: 1986 Chevy, mostly red (except where the paint has faded away), finicky to start, seat falling apart, no AC or power anything, you get the idea.

We make such careful and thought out plans. And then they change. Usually for the better, thankfully. Instead of an aid to filming, the truck turned out to be a prop in the shoot. We didn't need the truck bed because Steve-so-prepared-Martz also packed a ladder, one of those that can be folded into 200 configurations. I may be estimating there. The ladder and the bungee cords Steve packed provided the perfect platform to get camera and director up in the air so I could preach from the middle of the field. (you will notice the cord Janet is holding aloft, so we don't lose Anita who has the microphone, among the flowers)

On Labor Day morning the weather was ideal except for the wind...over 20mph gusting to 40mph. Kansas authenticity, I guess. And except for the large number of bees, who were all busy doing their bee-duty of pollinating the flowers, we had no insect trouble, which is a reason to praise God.

I was pleased to have in our company for the morning, film crew newbies, Julie and Kurt Baergen. Kurt was very good at carrying things, and holding up the diffuser high enough to block the sun. Julie proved adept at folding up both the reflector and the diffuser, matching only Mark Smith's skills in that area. Considering how much trouble I had in folding those things once, I hereby vow to never touch them again.

With a great crew, a sunny sky and a field of beautiful flowers, the shoot went very well. About three and a half hours after we started filming we were headed back to Wichita to return the red truck and get some lunch.

Though we had to wait a year to film this episode, I am aware that it will be much better than if we had filmed in August of 2009. I rewrote and rewrote and rewrote the script and we are better at capturing the beauty of a place than we were 12 months ago. Sometimes things just work out, don't they?

btw, THIS SUNDAY IS THE LAUNCH OF DAYBREAK!

Sorry to yell, but it's pretty exciting. If you are in Wichita, join me for worship at 9:30 at Woodland United Methodist Church. We will be using the "Daybreak on the Flint Hills" episode which I blogged about here. If you aren't in Wichita or have another church home, pray for us.

Next up for the aCross Creation Film Crew? A visit to Lake Cheney!
Peace,
rev Amy