Why THE SHIFT Director Combined Faith and Science Fiction
By Movieguide® Contributor
Brock Heasley, director of Angel Studios’ latest faith-based movie, THE SHIFT, shared with Movieguide® why he combined his love of science fiction and his love for God into one film.
“Yeah, so, it is definitely a different way in talking about faith,” Heasley began. “But I always kind of wondered why we hadn’t done this before. You know, I love science fiction, and my faith is so important to me. Science fiction is such a great vehicle for literally talking about anything. You think about STAR TREK and the way that those social issues of the day are well addressed in so many episodes. The genre of fiction is always a great vehicle for the exploration of ideas and truths and principles. So, why not faith? Why not? So, this all started with that and just wondering what would happen if I explored my faith through this other thing that I love, science fiction. And we get THE SHIFT.”
Heasley added that he based the movie on the book of Job.
“It’s very much inspired by the book of Job. Job has always been a fascinating book of the Bible to me,” he expressed. “It’s a somewhat controversial book. People often wonder that the lesson of Job is that God is a jerk. That is not the lesson of Job, I would contend. But I think it has so much to offer us. I think the story of Job is really our story. Particularly those of us who have a faith and are believers, we understand it doesn’t mean that life is perfect. We still have our challenges.”
“Also, that beautiful thing where you say, ‘In all of these trials, I’ve seen God more clearly,’ Polaha added. “And I think in my own life, I know when times get tough and when I am tested, whether that’s financially or through emotional complications, or whatever it is. That is when you find yourself tethered more closely to God. And you see His work in your life more clearly. Sadly, often when we are successful, there’s this separation that happens, so the story is a sweet reminder of where we should be living.”
THE SHIFT stars Polaha, Neal McDonough, Elizabeth Tabish and Sean Astin.
“In THE SHIFT, a dystopian drama and sci-fi thriller, one man is faced with infinite worlds and impossible choices. When Kevin Garner meets a nefarious adversary known as The Benefactor and refuses his offer of wealth and power, he must escape an alternate totalitarian reality. With survival on the line, Kevin fights to make it back to the world he knows and the woman he loves,” a description reads.
THE SHIFT is one of the most moving, inventive, compelling, and powerful faith-based movies ever made. The writing, acting and directing are superb. THE SHIFT has a strong Christian, moral worldview. It contains strong allegorical, overt and beautiful references to God, Scripture, the Resurrection, and the Empty Tomb. The hero prays and rebuffs the Devil. However, THE SHIFT has some action violence where people are shot and alcohol use. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for pre-teenage children.
Check out the rest of Movieguide®’s interview below:
Movieguide® recently reported on THE SHIFT:
“Working on THE SHIFT has been different than anything else I’ve ever worked on because I’ve never worked on a crowdsourced picture before,” Polaha said in a video posted on Angel Studios’ Instagram.
“Angel Studios is breaking the mold and charging into new territory in a pretty winning way,” he continued. “It’s kind of impressive to be on a set that has already been financed by the fan base that wants to see it be made. And so you know who your audience is. You know who you’re telling the story for.”
“And then, even crazier is that people were flying in from all over the world who had supported the movie to be extras and to be background players,” he concluded. “And it was kind of awesome to meet the financiers and to see how enthusiastic they were for the project. It was awesome.”
