When the minister made movies: a questionable activity

A small-gauge film expert and technician since the 1970s, Bob Brodsky writes of his experiences as a church pastor who made films for and with his congregation and community in the late 1960s. Trying out the new Super 8 technology of the period, he worked with church children to make the short We Love You (1967). He then produced, directed and shot Present Tenses (1968), a feature-length 'parable' for his city (Fitchburg, Massachusetts) in troubled times. The film's production history is recounted, followed by a description of how a soundtrack was added using a projector that synchronized audio tape with film images. The former pastor reflects on the difficulties of making movies while serving in a ministry.