Dhaka Oasis Film Treatment
PROJECT RESCUE | 2022
Project/Story Notes
Sensitivity of faces, names, and locations
There is a lot of sensitive information in this story that creates a challenge, but most of all is not being able to show Brianna’s face or share her name.
We have an opportunity to use these limitations as an advantage to create high stakes in the story that will give it a sense of thrill and increased engagement.
God’s challenge to Brianna
Her main desire and love was with the girls at Deepika and she thought she’d be there forever. God says to her, “If I ask you to go somewhere else, are you willing to follow?” She said that was gut-wrenching.
Visual limitations
Having a lot of sensitive information means we’re limited on what visuals we can use or film. Some creative ideas are filming Brianna’s interview in a safe and interesting way, following a theme of “journal entries” to help the story along, using art or animations to help visualize the story, using real photos/videos but in a way that’s safe and stylized,…
Brianna Peterson
CHARACTER BRIEF
We will follow Brianna as the main character using an alias and without showing her face. She will narrate and drive the story as we follow her journey creating a new Project Rescue ministry in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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Brianna is young, loyal, committed, devoted to the Lord, loveable, well-spoken, relational and intelligent.
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To minister and love on the girls at Deepika forever. She thought she’d be in India forever, and she has a very special love for those girls.
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God challenged her to leave and follow Him somewhere else. It was the most painful thing she’s ever had to do and it took her a while to accept it.
Beth Grant & Jonathan Barratt
CHARACTER BRIEFS - HELPERS/EXPERTS
Beth can help tell the portion of the story where she met with Brianna and prompted her to think about Bangladesh for the first time. She can also speak to the safety risk and why we have to be so sensitive with information.
Jon can speak to Brianna’s character and add credibility and trust to her persona as well as speak to the safety risk of this new ministry and location.
KEYWORDS
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The most inspiring part of this story is how Brianna went through a process of letting go of her desire to stay with the girls at Deepika forever and following God in a new direction despite how painful that was for her.
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Brianna and her staff are putting their lives and everything at risk by pursuing this new ministry in Dhaka. The stakes are high and they can't share their faces or names or locations.... This gives the story a more intense level of engagement.
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People that are engaging with us in some capacity whether at their church, event, etc. or through online mediums.
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Two-part to this. One, I want the audience to feel challenged to join and make this new ministry happen. But also in their personal lives, I want their faith to be challenged to also follow God's leading in a sacrificial and devoted way like Brianna.
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We want the audience to partner with us in whatever way they can. For believers, to pray earnestly for this community. For donors, to donate so our ministry there can grow. For influencers, to share this story and encourage others to learn more and become partners as well.
STORYBOARD
HOOK
1. Establish risk and address the sensitivity
To hook the audience, we’ll start the film by addressing the safety issues/danger and why we can’t show faces or names, etc.
2. The girl’s home was everything for her
The love that Brianna has for the girls was incredibly deep and special, she’s never felt a love like that before. She was happy and thought she’d be there for good.
CONFLICT
3. God challenges her “If I ask you to go somewhere else, are you willing to follow?”
She describes this event as being gut-wrenching and one of the most painful things she’s had to do.
INITIATION
4. She wrestles with God’s challenge
The process of obedience and this sacrifice was hard but she had a defining moment on the farm where she finally came to a point of surrender.
JOURNEY
5. Meeting with Beth
After a lot of unknowns and closed doors, Brianna meets with Beth where she asks her if she’s ever thought about this other country. There’s a big need for rescue and restoration for the women in prostituion and little to no ministry. That gave her a flicker of hope, a stirring within her.
JOURNEY
6. But that is no small task
Beth/Jon talk about how this new country is not an easy task. There are risks, dangers, hardships with starting something new…
JOURNEY
7. Her personal hurdles
She ends up in Bangladesh ready to get to work, but she does have fears and doubts and other stressors. “Who am I to start something?” She felt pressure and overwhelmed with so much relying on her. But she submits to God “I’ll show up, but you do the rest.”
JOURNEY
8. God opens doors and things move fast
She connects with Ruth - she sees her as the native leader who can run things. They start outreaches and their meetings grow so fast. Despite hurdles with the government, they’re able to continue to grow and begin a program. They found a location, more staff…
RESOLUTION
9. God is blessing her obedience and growing a powerful new ministry
The ministry is growing in so many areas- the group of women and children they serve, the increased staff to help with all areas, the business, the vocational training… We are moving ahead with vision to see this grow, we foresee this expanding to other areas of this country. And we’re ready to step into wherever God leads.
PUNCH
10. Brianna reflecting back on her moment of obedience at the farm
To bring it back full circle, she can talk about how she sees it all as she looks back on the hardest thing God asked her to do. Look what happens when we sacrificially obey the Lord.
STYLE IDEAS
Stylized as journal entries to keep the story moving
Brianna’s interview: cam A on silhoette/shadow ; cam B a wide showing BTS gear but something is covering her face
Recreation scenes: her moment on the farm and her surrender, dream-like happy footage of the girls and her at Deepika home
Being intentional about Brianna’s voiceover and what she says to show her likeable personality just through her audio