“I wrote a story to try and show you the lengths a man would go to find the son that he lost.” – H.B. Meyers
Upon learning of a cancer diagnosis, a New York Times best-selling author pens his final novel in a last-ditch attempt to reconnect with his estranged son before it’s too late.
The Man from Nowhere is TMU’s first full-length feature film. Ever since Prof. Matt Green joined TMU in 2015 to help build our Cinema & Digital Arts program, his hope has been to see the department produce feature-length projects—both for the sake of creating something beautiful, and for the sake of giving students real-world industry experience and projects for their portfolios.
When the opportunity for this production finally opened up in late 2019, Prof. Green launched into a whirlwind preproduction process, writing the script in two weeks and making necessary plans in time to shoot the film during our Winterim classes in January 2020.
All told, 27 TMU students worked on the production, doing everything from writing articles and producing social media content to handling the lights on set. Some even stepped in front of the camera as actors. Prominent industry professionals like Nick Searcy (Justified, The Shape of Water), Anthony Tyler Quinn (Boy Meets World, No Greater Love), and Bradley Gregg (Stand by Me, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) also jumped in to play roles.
For photos, videos, and other updates about The Man from Nowhere, check out the film’s Facebook page.
Projects like these showcase what this institution is all about: subjecting every discipline and thought to the lordship of Christ . . . It is so encouraging to see people zealous to not only ensure that they are doing high quality work, but also producing that which deliberately is subjected to and honors the Master.
– Dr. Abner Chou
Our CDA program aims to equip students with the tools needed to compete in the evolving world of mass media. Our program is unique in that it teams students with industry professionals, allowing them to create productions on par with the entertainment industry.
Cinema and Digital Arts is distinctive because of its approach in training the next generation of artists in a Christ-focused environment. We recognize God as the ultimate creative force, and we endeavor to reflect and communicate this throughout the program.
The CDA program has created award-winning film productions that have received industry notoriety and have been distributed on platforms like UPtv. Our location in Southern California allows us access to industry professionals working in various areas of media, securing noted guest speakers, and prime internships.
Our course offerings provide a conceptual and practical experience as well as world-class professional training and equipment. Students graduate from the program possessing a combination of knowledge and real-world practical application concerning pursuing their vocation (including credited, quality productions that can be used on resumes and production reels).
Over 60% of our alumni work in the broad spectrum of media, including YouTube, film production, TV production, church media, and business marketing and media.
Click here to learn about the program’s previous productions.
