On this page I offer links to video resources connected to major festivals and other liturgical occasions.
I've come across a few good advent movies. Here is a selection to get you started:
Advent 1 (4'42). This, and the two following videos, are by Bob Carlton. This uses Paul Simon's Quiet.
Advent 2 (2'22) Based on Before This Time by Ollabelle.
Advent 3 (6'23) Focusing on Mary, cut to Patti Griffin's song Mary.
Advent Liturgy (4'47) by Christine Sine; music is O Come O Come Emmanuel from Jeff Johnson's Christmas CD.
Awaiting the Christ Child (3'16) also by Christine Sine. Some good still images. The music is Christ Child Lullaby played by Jeff Johnson.
Advent is Near (3'46) Poem by Ron Cole (thewearypilgrim.typepad.org). Music: All Saints by David Bowie. Video by Simon Rundell.
Advent Confession (3'32) Liturgy by Cheryl Lawrie of [hold::this space] (an Australian alternative worship group). Music by the Cocteau Twins. Video by Simon Rundell.
Be Silent (2'51) A film from Dyer Need, based on Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him."
Waiting (1'30) This is a John Lewis advertisement about waiting. Quite nice.
Want a Second Chance at Life? (4'00) From the Churches Advertising Network, a humorous cartoon account of the Christmas story. A better quality version can be found on the Churches Advertising Network site.
Jesus: Born in a barn, or something? (0'32) Cartoon with slightly poor joke. It might be a discussion starter with the unchurched.
Now (1'38) Video by Simon Rundell; poem U. A. Fanthorpe; music by Wim Martins: "Time Passes" from the Soundtrack to "The Belly of an Architect".
Silent Night? (3'42) A prayer/meditation I made for our carol service in the White Horse at Chedgrave. I wanted something which people could relate to without doing conventional 'prayers'.
30 Second Nativity (0'30) Humorous and somewhat frantic retelling of the Christmas story in 30 seconds. Again, a higher quality QuickTime version is available from the Churches Advertising Network.
Finger Nativity (4'59) An attempt to portray the nativity with finger puppets. I'm not sure it really works as it is but perhaps you could do it better.
Christmas Cutouts (3'21) Another take on the Christmas video. This one features a voice (American) over a pair of hands making cutouts of the stable, shepherds & wise men.
Lego Christmas (7'55) The full story, starting with the annunciation to Mary, journey to Bethlehem, shepherds, magi, flight into Egypt, massacre of innocents and return from Egypt. It is animated in Lego. The whole thing is quite long but you could break it into sections and use it very effectively.
The Nativity (2'58) Set to "Do you hear what I hear?" this a crude but rather charming cartoon version of the nativity story.
Christmas Story (4'06) Animated cartoon written and narrated by two children and animated by their father. Charming but a bit slow.
Epiphany Meditation (4'57) A reflection on Jesus from A Space Between, a multisensory contemplative worship community in Minneapolis, MN.
Second Epiphany Meditation (3'49) A second reflection from A Space Between, based on a prayer by the St Hilda community.
Wise Men (4'06) A 'cut-out' animated version of the Kate & Anna McGarrigle song, Wise Men.
Transfiguration (3'44) Starting with the disciples playing a game of volleyball (Thomas: "Well, I won't believe the ball was in until I see the mark in the sand!") this cartoon version of Matthew 17:1-13 is part of the Rediscovering God Bible Cartoon series.
Transfiguration Clip (2'42) Another animated version of the transfiguration. This has a more adult feel than the one above.
Ash Wednesday (6'49) by Bob Carlton features a track by Sigur Rós and images of crosses and imposed ashes on foreheads. It ends with a version of Si Smith's 40 (see below).
Dust (3'21) has music track with a repeated voice ("remember that you are dust...") and images of washing, anointing, and burning of paper with the seven deadly sins written on; finishing with anointing with ash.
Lent Meditation 2007 (5'08) Still and moving images set to Tim Hughes' Beauty of Your Peace.
40 is an excellent film which depicts Jesus' time in the wilderness. Based on a series of 40 drawings by Si Smith, it is available as a download from Proost. The individual drawings are available at the mayBe site. I used them to make my own version, set to some music by Arvo Part.
God's Way (2'01). A meditation on the entry into Jerusalem. It is copyright worship house media and costs $15.00 to download.
Red Carpet (1'11). A quirky and slightly banal retelling of the entry into Jerusalem.
Passion (4'32). Video for Catch the Flame, an emerging worship community in Boise, ID. Used on Palm Sunday 2007 as a precursor to Holy Week.
Easter Passion (8'26). A meditation on Matthew 27:27-54 and Hebrews 12:2-3. A DVD-quality version is available for download from Prayerscapes for £1.95.
An Easter Eve Meditation (2'36) "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies..."
Holy Saturday Meditation (4'23) There is no hope... Music: In the End, Linkin Park.
An Early Easter Meditation (3'36) Images by Rus Blassoples (South Africa), music by Libera, "Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep"
Easter Sunday Meditation (7'36) Using graphics from Proost, ys and other sources an attempt by Bob Carlton to give a new perspective on the resurrection.
Glory (5'12) A fascinating attempt to show what happens when glory comes. It's not specifically a resurrection movie but could be used as such easily.
Glósóli (6'12) was made by Sigur Rós, an Icelandic band, in 2005. The track, from their album Takk..., was released as a single. The video was shot in Iceland and features a cast of children. A drummer boy walks through the landscape, collecting more and more followers. Eventually they come to a hill and run up it. The hill turns out to be a sea cliff and when they get to the top they do not stop but continue on their journey. It is not a Christian film but for me it acts very well as an allegory of Jesus and the resurrection experience.
He is Risen (3'47). Good animation of the story from worship house media. Costs $15.00 to download.
Pentecost Reading (3'23). Dramatised video reading, English voice. From Simon Rundell.
Pentecost Reading (2'52). Dramatised video reading, good graphics, good images. uses The Message translation. From saintrockmedia.
It's Pentecost (3'46). A reflection on the implications of Pentecost for the church today. Just words and effects, no speech. Very effective.
Conversion of Saul (3'15). Reasonably good movie with pictures and graphics set to Conversion of Saul by Z Randall Stroope.
Conversion of Paul - Lego (3'16). This is my re-editing and re-voicing of a German version of the conversion of Saul in Lego - quite good fun in a silly way.
Harvest for the World (3'09). By Simon Rundell, cut to Paul Carrack's version of the Isley Brothers' Harvest for the World.