The Prodigal Trilogy
Encyclopedia
The Prodigal Trilogy is a 2008 independent
Christian
short film that tells the story of The Prodigal Son
from the Bible
, from a modern perspective. It was made in a combination of theatrical and cinematic styles, and was filmed in the Orillia Opera House in Orillia, Ontario, Canada.
Each act made use of a different cinematographic style, as well. Act I was shot in a hand-held style, Act II had smooth dolly
and tripod
styles, and Act III combined both styles in a smooth steadycam style. This was done in order to convey the personalities of the characters of the Younger Son, Elder Son, and Father, respectively.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Christian
Christian film
The Christian film industry is an umbrella term for films containing a Christian -themed message or moral, produced by openly Christian filmmakers to a Christian audience....
short film that tells the story of The Prodigal Son
Parable of the Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son, also known as the Lost Son and the Prodigal Father, is one of the parables of Jesus. It appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to the Gospel of Luke a father extravagantly gives his sons their inheritance before he dies...
from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, from a modern perspective. It was made in a combination of theatrical and cinematic styles, and was filmed in the Orillia Opera House in Orillia, Ontario, Canada.
Plot
The film is divided into three acts, each act containing the three character's monologues. Each character is played by Jason Hildebrand.Act I
Act I is the younger son's story. He tells of how he demanded that his father should give him his inheritance right away, and how he then ran away and spent himself on every pleasure he could think of. When his money was spent and his pleasure all gone, he tells of how he went back home to his father, and how his father accepted him back into the family.Act II
The second act contains the story of the older brother, who tells of his own righteousness and his disgust at what his younger brother did. When his brother returned home, he watched in horror at how his father welcomed back his son, going so far as to even throw a party for him, even though he had never given his elder (and more upright in standing) son a party.Act III
Act III gives us the father's perspective on the whole situation. He speaks of how, deeply saddened by his younger son's actions, he did the only thing a parent could do in a situation like this — he prayed, and continued loving. When his son finally came home, he joyfully accepted him back into the family with his complete heart. The only thing that saddens him still is that his older son, though doing all the right things outwardly, is more lost than the younger son ever was, because of his heart-attitude.Production Style
The production style of the film was as much a part of the story as the characters were. Key elements of the story were further communicated through the use of a few simple props, which each served their purposes during each act. For instance, an ornate scarlet cloth was used both as a robe and a table cloth at different times throughout the three acts.Each act made use of a different cinematographic style, as well. Act I was shot in a hand-held style, Act II had smooth dolly
Camera dolly
A camera dolly is a specialized piece of filmmaking and television production equipment designed to create smooth camera movements . The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller or camera assistant, usually ride on the dolly to operate the camera...
and tripod
Tripod
A tripod is a portable three-legged frame, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The word comes from the Greek tripous, meaning "three feet". A tripod provides stability against downward forces, horizontal forces and moments about the...
styles, and Act III combined both styles in a smooth steadycam style. This was done in order to convey the personalities of the characters of the Younger Son, Elder Son, and Father, respectively.
Awards
The Prodigal Trilogy has won several awards and honors, including:- Special Jury Award: Most Original Short - 2008 Faith and Film Festival
- Best of Show - 2009 Imago Film FestivalImago Film FestivalThe Imago Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in the state of Illinois, United States. It's usually presented in April on Judson University campus. The mission statement indicates: "The Imago Film Festival showcases faith-based indy film that emphasizes image and story...
- Best Dramatic Short - 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film FestivalSan Antonio Independent Christian Film FestivalSan Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival is a film festival located in San Antonio, Texas.- 2007 competition :The winner of the Best of Festival Award was The Monstrous Regiment of Women, a documentary on Feminism by the Gunn brothers who in 2005 won the best documentary for their film...
- Honorable Mention - The Accolade Competition
- Official Selection - Gold Lion Film Festival