eight parables

25/07/2024

Meet The Crew behind our upcoming parable short film ‘Breath’ premiering this Fall 👉🏻

We gathered 10 filmmakers from across the country for a film production and retreat weekend in the Bay Area to create ‘Breath’ with us:

🚀 1AD (Nashville, TN) — In the wise words of Grayson, “Just a simple man trying to make my way in the film industry.”

🚀 Associate Producer .xiong (Columbus, OH) — Rosie is a Hmong-American, an enneagram 4, a creative through and through who loves Jesus. She currently lives in Ohio as a full-time video editor and videographer for a non-profit Christian organization.

🚀 Sound Mixer .wong (Los Angeles, CA) — Film graduate from BU who moved from MA to CA in pursuit of a career in film and runs — we are proud to have a female “sound gal” on set!

🚀 DP (Atlanta, GA) — David currently lives in South Korea, is a SCAD alum with a portfolio of high impact branded content client video work.

🚀 Assistant Camera (Los Angeles, CA) — Joseph is a director and video editor chasing authentic storytelling.

🚀 Gaffer .l.t.h (San Francisco, CA) — Hugo is a recent film grad of the Academy of Art in SF and a Hong Kong native with matching high taste in film.

🚀 Grip (Durham, NC) — John is known for his unique superpower to double major in Neuroscience and Cinematic Arts at Duke.

🚀 2AD (Seattle, WA) — Jerica is the wild combo of pageant queen, , figure skater and aspiring filmmaker.

🚀 PAs + (Orange County, CA) — Our pair of Production Assistants are dancers “in real life” and can choreograph on cue ✌🏻

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We’ll soon be crewing for our next parable short film, stay tuned! Learn more: eightparables.com/incubator

a friend who could be keen to join us!

Come gather. Come on mission.

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🎞️ Premiering this Fall, Breath (2024) is a bilingual English-Korean parable short film on a challenging father-son relationship set in America. This is a story about navigating both the pain and the love we don’t deserve.

18/08/2022

Grab some popcorn 🍿 and pull up a lawn chair… our short film ‘Dirty Laundry’ will be screening tomorrow 8pm at the outdoor plaza at Courthouse Square [2200 Broadway, Redwood City, CA 94063].

It’ll be shown as the opening film prior to the summer movie series. The main film they’ll be showing tomorrow is , which just happens to be one of the influences in our next short film!

Huge thanks to for championing local filmmakers, and helping them share their stories. If you’re in the area come out and support the film. We’d love to connect! ❤️

18/12/2021

A flashback to one of the most special days of my life, getting baptized in the Bay. A snapshot of pure joy, to honor the fresh prince of San Francisco. Happy 40 to my brother . Thankful for you and and the ways you’ve poured into the lives of others. You showed up when Jan and I needed it the most. When we had nothing, no money or community, you showed up with groceries and friendship.
The ways you’ve led a life of radical faith, taking steps that were unconventional to the world, but pleasing to the Lord. You were Noah, before the rain started. And you’ve faithfully built your arc when it seemed most absurd. You have taught and I what living a life of obedience looks like, even if it means breaking out of the norm of this world.
We believe in you and what God has anointed you for. We love you guys dearly. You’re just getting started brother.

09/11/2021

Celebrating our 7+ years of officially working together with a little video shoot with the family at the 🏀 home of the Warriors to celebrate their 7 years in the Bay Area. Check it out now on YouTube: ‘Warriors Kevon Looney’s Family | 7 Years in the Bay’ (link in bio)

How fitting, as we also celebrate our seven year journey. Seven years ago, and I packed our bags, left LA and drove one-way up to SF. In hindsight, that was really the stepped out of boat moment when became sealed in our hearts! And our first year of marriage was just two of us diving deep into the freelance creative world of film and video production together living off our savings literally — we were “broke” before we broke even and broke through to live sustainably by Him creating Kingdom art!

What is it like working with your spouse?

It came to me yesterday that it really, truly is living a dream 💭 it took our marriage to a depth that had kept us real, raw and ruthlessly authentic with each other as we learned to relentlessly work through our (creative) differences at 3am without our neighbors complaining… 😂 true story.

In true God fashion, it has all come full circle for us. Seven years later this week turns out to be our completely unplanned premiere week of our first scripted parable short film ‘Dirty Laundry’. In September, we even got to return to LA for a theatre premiere with our wonderful crew — who would have thought a little faith-inspired film by a group of 🔥 like-minded friends will just without hustle find its way to a Hollywood AMC theater?

Grace upon grace. Ah more to come for me as I step into a unique new season of my life next week. Here we are, here we are.

📸: many thanks and love to

05/11/2021

Our film retreat has officially begun! Meet the second cohort of the film retreat. Each of the scholars have joined us from different parts of the country: Nashville, Seattle, Orange County, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Boston, Durham, Atlanta.

But they are unified by their shared passion to use their God-given gifts to tell stories for the Kingdom of God.

As we’ve started to share our stories with one another in our weekly calls, it’s clear that God has a calling for each of their lives to shake up the media world, and be a light in the darkest places. He has called each of them to be His disciples, unyielding to the whims and follies of this world. Instead, listening to the voice of God. And creating beauty that is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

As we venture on this film retreat for the next two months, please join us in prayer over each scholar, for protection, wisdom, discernment and creativity. We pray for God’s hand on each of their lives, as we set out to tell God’s story. Watch out, for we are full of anticipation of all that God will through each of them!

24/10/2021

This week, we will be launching the second cohort of the film retreat. For the next two months, our next collaborative of creatives will be meeting virtually each week to build fellowship, hear the voice of God, and work on developing a film together. This journey will culminate in a 5-day in person film retreat in which we will produce our next Kingdom short film.

With each convening, we recognize that this is not just a film production, it’s spiritual warfare. When we seek the face of God, and step in faith take territory for the Kingdom, we step into realms of darkness, to shine His light. The enemy is prowling to steal, kill and destroy, but our God is mighty. We cannot do this by our own might or power, it requires a community of believers moving together in prayer. It requires the presence and power of God to give us creativity and wisdom.

And so we ask for your prayers of protection, provision, divine appointment and supernatural wisdom. We ask that you will pray with faith and fervor, for each of our scholars, our cast and our crew. By His grace alone, we can abide in His calling and will for this season to come. Many thanks and blessings! 🙏

21/10/2021

We put our HOPE in the name above all names, the name of Jesus. Our JOY is found in the things that are eternal, rather than the things of this world. We tell stories that reflect the KINGDOM of God. And we are a people that seek the PRESENCE of God. His presence is our reward. And nothing in this world on this side of eternity can even begin to compare.

14/10/2021

Sometimes we encounter those special moments where it seems like everything happens exactly the way it was supposed to. Sometimes those moments change the course of our lives.

A clip from our film eight parables short film 'Dirty Laundry', this is the story of unexpected encounters and the unfathomable ways God work through our circumstances. Even in the midst of the darkest seasons of our lives, there can be beauty and redemption.

This is just the beginning. Excited to share that we're gearing up for the second cohort of our Eight Parables film retreat. Follow eight parables for more updates.

08/10/2021

Throwback to our first video shoot, that sparked our vision for . At the core of this vision is the gathering of anointed creatives, actors and entrepreneurs who are destined to transform Hollywood. Our hope is to continue investing in, growing, and discipling a network of Kingdom filmmakers.

On that note, we are excited to share that we are now gearing up for the next film retreat in December. THANKS to the many who applied to be a film retreat scholar, you’ll hear more from us soon. The applications are now closed for this retreat, but for those who are still interested, you can still submit an application for future retreats at eightparables.com/retreat

06/10/2021

We received our award for BEST FAITH BASED SHORT at the . Many thanks to the wonderful crew, cast and supporters of this film.

Though we are honored to celebrate this, it’s the journey that brought us to this award that we will continually cherish. It’s the transformative work of , that worthy of true praise. It’s the boldness of our film scholars that we are most excited to witness. And it’s the viewers moved by this message that we consider to be true success of this creative process.

Thank you + we press on…

30/09/2021

In 2019, we gathered for our first film retreat to produce a story about the brokenness and redemption. God brought together this first cohort of film scholars, who traveled from around the country to make this film together. What bonded us was our common mission of using our creative gifts to tell stories for the Kingdom.

Now, we are excited to start preparing for our SECOND cohort, taking place later this year! We had an incredible time getting to meet our 2021 film retreat applicants, over many hours of zoom calls. And this much is clear: each of them brings to this group a unique set of talents and faith-led story. But each of them holds a similar passion, to grow in the calling that God has given them, and to be a light in the darkest places of media and Hollywood.

We’re excited to continue this journey together with our scholars both new and old, one body of believers seeking to prophetically and creatively declare the message He has woven into our hearts.

Videography:
Editing:
Many thanks to the rest of our film scholars: .wong

29/09/2021

Thank you for hosting an amazing film festival and congratulations to our fellow filmmakers. This festival will always be a special one for us as it gave us our first opportunity to see this sweet passion film shared on the big screen. And in many ways, this experience fans the flame in us to keep pressing forward, to tell the stories God has put on our hearts to steward. With excellence, obedience and divine creativity.

23/09/2021

More than winning awards, making films is about doing life together. It’s about spurring one another on, because being called to be a light in Hollywood does not come easy. In fact, it takes a community of believers. It takes putting on the armor of God. And it takes encouragement— and sometimes the best encouragement comes in the form of soul Convos that go into the wee hours of the night.

The Bible says, we are children of LIGHT, not children of darkness (1 Thessalonians 5). And that means learning to shine the light within each of us, especially in the places of darkness, which so pervades the film and media worlds.

And so its food for the soul to gather, and share our lives. To listen to our stories. And share the dreams that God has put on our hearts. Because there, we strengthen our resolve to put on our armor and return to spiritual battle. And there, in community, we find our true selves, and what God has called us to do with our lives.

In short, this is CHURCH. And out of this sharing of our lives, real ART and BEAUTY begin to form.

21/09/2021

🎉🔥EXCITING NEWS: happy to share that our short film DIRTY LAUNDRY has just won the award for BEST FAITH-BASED SHORT at the . 🎉

Our team produced this film knowing that this is first and foremost God’s film. That God cares for the heartbroken — especially those who find themselves struggling to find redemption and breakthrough in marriage. This award is a testament to the glory and creativity of God, and His healing power through film.

And it’s a testament to the incredible work, prayer, and vision of our wonderful cast and crew: Hannah Lee, .wong

16/09/2021

🔥🎉 EXCITING NEWS: ‘Dirty Laundry’ was awarded the WINNER of ’s Faith Based Feature/Short film category! A huge honor for our cast and crew, for whom this project was a labor of love and mission.

Also, we want to shout out another film in that category, Hit List by , which won the Jury Special Prize.

You can still watch our film in the virtual film festival platform, until Friday Sept 17. We hope you’ll check it out!

10/08/2021

Jesus came to reveal the hidden secrets of the world. They were not hidden FROM His people. They were hidden FOR the people of God. planted Truth within stories, as hidden treasures, for the people of God to seek and find. When we nurture the seeds of Truth in our hearts, we grow understanding of the of God. The hidden secrets are suddenly unveiled, like sprouts coming out of the soil.
And so, like Jesus, we were created to be who reveal these truths through the stories we tell. The Truth may seem hidden from plain sight at first, but when we wrestle with these stories, we come to understand profound secrets hidden since the creation of the world. So press on, and tell the that God has placed within you.

09/08/2021

“They say you always use cold water when dealing with delicates. But even the brightest colors seem to fade with every wash.” [Dirty Laundry 2021]
Everyone’s got dirty laundry. But what happens when we begin to air it out? This film is a story about a couple’s struggle with some of the dirty secrets of their marriage. When the bright hopes of their union begin to fade, and the foundations of their relationship begin to tear at the seams. This is a story about what we choose to do with the dirty laundry that we have to deal with.
The theater premiere is taking place on Sept 9-12 at . More details to come!

06/08/2021

Jesus spoke many things in parables, short stories that illustrate a deeper truth. In fact the Bible says, ‘Jesus did not say anything to the people without using a parable’ (Matthew 13). At , we model our ministry after the mission and work of Jesus. In the same way that Jesus used parables to reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, we feel the prompting of God to produce films that communicate the transforming message of the gospels. We make films, we tell simple , with beauty, creativity, and obedience, reflecting profound Truth. Because showed us the way.

03/08/2021

🚨UPDATE🚨: Our parable short film ‘Dirty Laundry’ was selected to theater premiere at the , where it is shortlisted as a semi-finalist. It’ll be screening in Burbank on September 11, as part of their short films collection.

Our amazing team produced this film with the belief that God can touch souls through this special story. We know that there is healing and redemption for those who encounter God’s love through every frame of this film. And we’re believing He will do incredible things as this story makes it’s way on the big screen.

13/07/2021

This full time SUPER GIRL does it all:
✅Full Time Wonder Mom
✅Full Time Dream Wife
✅Part Time MBA student at
✅Full Time Film Ministry Co-Founder
✅And now, Full Time Creative Director at one of the largest Christian orgs in the 🌎

Watch out, world.
For they just hired a spiritual giant
and relentless warrior with a divine touch,
who turns everything she touches into gold,
whose heavenly impact will reverberate
for all of eternity.

12/07/2021

🚨🚨UPDATE on our Parable Short Film ‘Dirty Laundry’. Thank you to all of you who have supported this film in so many ways. It’s your stewardship, obedience and trust that made this story possible. Follow us as we provide more details, updates and content in the months to come!
So much love and thanks to our team: , .wong

07/07/2021

Some shots of the scholars’ reunion last month! It’s been almost two years since we first met to prepare for our ‘Dirty Laundry’ film shoot. And we love that they are still running the race strong, in the mission of telling stories for the kingdom. Each creative in their own way. Each with a unique calling on their lives. Press on, fellow creatives. Press on!

14/06/2021

One of the greatest gifts of is the joys of seeing the world again with childlike wonder. To see the same things, but with a different perspective. This time, it’s coated with the belief that ANYTHING is possible. That feeling of excitement that comes with seeing the sun peak through the windows, the flowers flowing in the wind, the music that ignites the body to jiggle spontaneously. That anticipation for supernatural breakthroughs. And it reminds me: we were created to live in that perpetual state of wonder.

And yet, the strongholds of monotony, comfort, deceit and wounds have a way of stealing that wonder, with age. Somewhere along the way, we learn to build walls around our hearts to protect us from the threat of robbers stealing our wonder. But in reality these walls have done more to keep us imprisoned. A lifetime sentence, inflicted on ourselves.

Here’s what I’m declaring: Those walls were meant to be broken. The wounds meant to be healed. The deepest imaginations are meant to be reinvigorated. And our deepest wonder, meant to be restored. Believe with me. Wonder again.

Matthew 18:3: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

10/06/2021

Last week, we took cherry picking. It became clear early on that the the trees were bare, as the masses had already come through. What little remained were hardly ripe, and bitter to taste. It felt like a futile pursuit. But as we continued, God’s whispers came clearly to :
“The sweetest fruits are hardly ever the lowest hanging. The treasures you desire are those unseen. Hidden from sight, and out of reach for those not searching.” The sweetest fruits were present, but they were hidden from sight. It took some deeper discovery to truly find them hidden deep within the branches.

So often, it’s easy to settle for the lowest hanging fruits of life. To choose the path of least resistance, and follow the temptations all around us: to be crippled by fear by what the media spews out, to conform to societal definitions of success, to pursue the fleeting prizes, to bow to the pursuit of man’s approval rather than that of God. To put our hope in science rather than the God who created science.

We reach for the lowest hanging fruits, because often it’s the only option we perceive. But God’s whisper prompts us to press in a little deeper. To look beyond the veil. And beneath the surface. And only then will we find that there is spiritual Truth, hidden from sight. Only then will we realize that the hidden fruits are much sweeter than the greatest treasures of this world.

Be encouraged friends: What we perceive in the world is not the final answer. What glossy temptations that allure us is merely a facade. It’s time to start looking through a spiritual lens, to get a hold of the Kingdom of God at work within our midst.

07/06/2021

Vineyards basking in the beaming sun.
The warmth of the dry earth invited the treasure seekers.
Yellow baskets to fill with hopes, disguised as bright red orbs.
The trees were mostly barren, as the eager masses had left few for the rest.
What little remained were hardly ripe, or unfulfilling at best.

“Listen to the Lord’s whisper,” she cautioned.
“The sweetest fruits are hardly ever the lowest hanging.
The treasures you desire are those unseen.
Hidden from sight, and out of reach for those not searching.”

“It demands a deep pursuit,” He whispered.
“For the gifts are rewarded to those with childlike wonder.
With eyes that look beyond the veil.
Discovering secrets only few can find.”

And with that, they pressed in a little deeper.
And reached a little higher.

04/04/2021

Join us for an exclusive limited release of ‘Dirty Laundry’, tonight at 7:30pm PT. Be the first to watch this 15-minute short film, followed by a discussion with our scholars and crew about the heart behind the film. Hope to see you there!

04/04/2021

06/03/2021

We have begun our interview process for our summer film retreat this week and we are excited to share exciting updates!

1. We have a new SCRIPT in development officially and we will begin casting shortly!

2. NEW DATES: In view of the latest story development, the production and retreat will now be taking place from July 3-10 in Colorado. With pre-production taking place virtually from May. In our 8 days in-person together, we’ll also spend a couple days retreating amid the beautiful nature of Colorado refreshing our soul in Him!

3. BIG NEWS! We are excited to share that we are again able to provide partial and full scholarships — the priority will be to cover the fees/cost for applicants who are still in college or recent graduates (class of 2020) to extend encouragement to y’all in a time as this. These are on top of the travel/flight scholarships available!

Applications are still open and on a rolling basis! Tag someone in the comments who you think would be a great fit to join us :)

26/02/2021

• Behind The Scenes (Official)

Watch this Behind the Scenes of the 2019 Eight Parables Film Retreat— a gathering of Kingdom-minded creatives to produce short films. This video showcases their incredible work in producing our upcoming short film “Dirty Laundry”. Edited by .

To learn more about our retreats, and future opportunities: eightparables.com/retreat

21/01/2021

This week marks the 7-year anniversary of when first met ! And it's been seven years of heart to hearts, soul conversations that have helped shape our marriage, and our mission.

Here's a sneak peek at our upcoming conversation series, (or slogs 2.0). This clip shares a bit of insight as to why we believe the word of the year is important. If you'd like, we invite you to share below if you have a word of the year. If you don’t have one, we encourage you to spend some time this week to be still, go to the Word of God, and dig into what God may want to speak to you about 2021. We look forward to sharing ours in our first episode!