Summer camps can be a great way to augment our children’s educations. Getting outdoors and hands-on brings learning to life. We have some wonderful opportunities for summer camps here in Colorado including the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers’ Camp and the Alpha Omega camps and day excursions.
The Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers’ Camp is held annually on the Western Slope at Ministry Haven in Norwood, Colorado. The camp was started by Ken Lawrence in 2007 after attending the San Antonio Christian Film Festival. He felt Christian filmmakers needed more hands-on training and instruction than could be gained through a filmmaker’s conference or through workshops at a film festival. As a result, he began inviting people experienced in filmmaking to come as mentors to a weeklong camp. Now in its 12th year [2020 will mark its 13th year], the camp has helped train scores of artists in the craft of filmmaking. To avoid spending time in a classroom, campers complete intense online training before attending camp. The camp itself is a weeklong immersion into either filmmaking or acting as the campers film a short, original script. Ken states that the goal of the camp is to, “equip the next generation of Christian filmmakers with the training and skills necessary to effectively use the visual media for the glory of God. We believe the best way to do this is with the small group, hands-on method we use.”
Rich Swingle is the acting coach for the acting portion of the camp. Rich has an impressive resume of acting credits in film, stage and audio drama. He teaches the acting campers how to get into a character and how to get out of a character. At the 2018 camp, Rich arranged a video conference with the Kendrick Brothers' acting coach [Beth Becka] who was working on the set of Overcomer at that time. She taught the campers the same acting tips she was teaching the Kendrick Brothers' actors. The acting tract campers become the stars of the short film being created at the camp.
The film makers tract has the campers working as the film crew. They rotate through the positions and work on everything from directing and sound recording to camera work and lighting. The campers gain an impressive amount of experience in the fine arts of camera angles, white noise, and the protocol used on a set.
In 2018, the camp made a short film called "Return on Investment" based on the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant and the Parable of the Talents. The campers commented that attending the camp was one of the best experiences of their lives. “We were not just told what to do. We were shown what to do and then we had a chance to actually do it,” one camper commented. The campers were impressed that there was a strong focus at the camp on how to glorify God through film while making a quality film. There was also a great camaraderie among the campers as they did goofy things like deciding to speak with fake foreign accents as the filming went into the late hours of the night. Alumni from previous camps have gone on to begin their own production company and work on multiple projects including documentaries and independent feature length films.
This year [revised for 2020 dates], the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp will be held June 7-13. To find out more information and to register, visit their website at www.ChristianFilmmakersCamp.com.
Alpha Omega Institute (www.DiscoverCreation.org) is a ministry located in Grand Junction, Colorado. They are dedicated to equipping Christians to answer questions about evolution, creation, and the Bible and help them understand the foundational importance of Genesis to Christian doctrine. One way they do this is by hosting creation vacation adventures during which the participants experience the wonders of God’s creation while receiving in-depth teaching about the scientific basis of creationism.
This year [2019] the Alpha Omega Institute is taking a group to Yellowstone during Labor Day weekend (August 30 – September 3). Experienced teachers and frequent CHEC speakers Dave and Mary Jo Nutting will lead a bus tour through Yellowstone National Park. While visiting all the famous sites within the park, the teachers work to equip families to survive “the evolutionary, naturalistic worldview philosophies that are so prevalent in our society today.” The accommodations are rustic bunkhouses with nearby bath houses, but this helps keep this all-inclusive learning adventure very reasonably priced.
Upon request, Alpha Omega will also take groups on weeklong River and Rock Adventures held in Colorado near the Royal Gorge. Groups can also arrange for guided day trips to Colorado National Monument or to the Dinosaur Museum.
If you have actors, actresses, and filmmakers in need of hands-on movie making experience in your house or if you would like to spend your vacation being equipped to combat false philosophies, we have wonderful resources right here in Colorado. Consider spending a week in June at the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers’ Camp making a short film and discover the power of this media for telling God’s story. Or spend some time in Yellowstone with the Alpha Omega Institute uncovering the lies of evolution and the beauty of God’s truth.
There are three openings for the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp for next summer. 
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| For the 25th Anniversary chapel at Africa Nazrene Universtiy we portrayed Harmon and Lula Schmelzenbach, the first missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene. |
Registration is now open for the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp, where I'll be teaching acting for film.  |
| At least a dozen of these monkeys live on the ANU campus. |
Pastor Joyce Swingle continues our series on "A Prophet’s Life: Lessons Learned From Those Called to Communicate God’s Truth” with a me...
