My friend,
screenwriter Todd Murphy, set out to write for me a
short Western about what happens when you rescue people
from their oppressors, yet they're ungrateful for the
new freedom. Do you inspire them to change? Do you
stand up for what you know is right, even if it they
threaten your life for it? Or do you leave them to
their ignorance and hardship if they're unwilling to
change.
As we developed the
script through several revisions, and especially after
I found the location where we'd shoot this film, new
layers of meaning came into play. What does it mean to
be saved from something? What, ultimately, is
salvation? Does the one saved have any responsibility
to change and pursue freedom.
We chose to make this a Western
because we love Westerns! It was fun to play around
with the genre's conventions, colorful characters,
gunplay and horses, and especially the frontier spirit!
"Providence"
When I set out to
make a Western in far eastern USA, in the Tidewater
region of Virginia, I knew it would be a challenge-but
I desired the challenge, to stretch myself, and my
student colleagues. I trusted God to deliver the skills
and elements we lacked. Wow! did He deliver on that
faith!
Professional actors sought
to audition for this film! Star DJ Perry sent me an e-mail out-of-the-blue, saying
"Have gun, and Will Travel!" Terry Jernigan and Kera O'Bryon went to great lengths to audition for me. And
Tim Smith graciously filled in for a late
cancellation-and they were all the perfect actors for
their roles!
Finding a Western-looking
town in Tidewater was most difficult of all. After many
false leads, with time ticking toward a
point-of-no-return, God led me to investigate Endview Plantation in Newport News. Here, Civil War
re-enactors have built a "winter encampment"
collection of huts and cabins. What an awesome
location! It's authentic but ramshackle look, beautiful
tree-filtered light, good access for cast & crew,
and so many other elements made it the perfect location
for Justice for All. In fact, it even added new layers
of meaning to the story. The Mansion on the hill and
the springwater were scenes we added because the Lord
showed them to me at the location!
The Lord provided
more elements: a professional SPFX and weapon wrangler,
a live horse, a professional hair & makeup artist,
eager and talented crew from Regent University.
---Roger Spendlove, June 2005
