the spotlight: jordan aldrich

When Jordan Aldrich was around 10 years old, she was obsessed with magic. So much so that when the book “Making Movie Magic” by John Richardson caught her eye at the library, you might anticipate her utter disappointment by its lack of magicians and tricks. 

But, with each page turn, she found herself becoming increasingly fascinated with another kind of peculiar magic—one that Richardson referred to as “movie magic”.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Aldrich was used to being surrounded by artistry on the west coast. But this book unlocked a behind-the-scenes view of Hollywood that her young mind was boggled by. The contents of the book focused on the “magical” side of filmmaking that tricks the audience into believing things that aren’t actual reality. 

Since that day in the library, Aldrich’s love for filmmaking only grew. As a Christian, she had all the more drive to enter the industry as a light for Christ. Although Hollywood is not known for embracing conservative Christian ideals, it’s always been her hope that she would be recognized by her abilities. In turn, giving God glory for the work that He inspires through her. 

As a Christian college student, the heartbeat behind Liberty’s teachings is to train up young professionals to excel in their respective industries, no matter where they may land. In an industry where valuable work can be made with the purpose of edifying the Church through media, there is also great importance in sending Christians into the mission field in secular media.

Artistically speaking, Aldrich is most inspired by the bright stylistic choices of Wes Anderson. But when it comes to the heart of the films that touch and inspire her as a movie lover and as a creative, it’s films like “Hacksaw Ridge” or the most recent “Knives Out” installment that pique her interest to the limitless possibilities of storytelling.

“The main character (in Hacksaw Ridge), everything that drives him and everything that’s about him is his identity in Christ and what he does because of that,” Aldrich said.

To her, there is great value in creating characters and stories that directly relate to Christian themes, all the while appealing to a wider audience as well. 

“All people are made in the image of God, and I think that everyone has the capacity to create something good,” she said. “Even if they don’t really know what they’re pointing to or what they’re talking about,  I think many people can create things that are good, and I think that it’s valuable to watch that.”

At the core of her process is a deep appreciation for collaboration as well. Oftentimes, the Lord will speak to His people through others – and filmmaking is no different. When Aldrich and her peers had to push through multiple night shoots to complete a short film assignment for class, she found that part of the blessing of the project was encouraging one another to finish well.

Today, Aldrich reflects on that shoot as being their best project that semester. This revealed to her that a point of desperation is oftentimes on the other side of breakthrough. It’s through these opportunities that teach creatives to be fully reliant on the Lord and on the fellowship that He has placed along the way.

“What drives me in those moments is I can’t wait for the end product,” Aldrich said. “Because it’s such a collaborative team effort, it’s just like if we can all pull ourselves together and work together as a team, we’re going to get to an end product. Whether or not it’s a good product, we should be proud of it because of how much work we put into it.”

This type of respect and appreciation for the work that is produced with others is crucial to the filmmaking business due to its intrinsic collaborative environment. Being a cordial worker and humbly listening to different voices is key to maximizing one’s potential of seeing their ideas come to fruition.

Through making friends and embracing the creative community that God has placed before her, Aldrich has seen firsthand how fellowship edifies one another.

Not only does she find herself creatively energized by her collaborators, but Aldrich also finds that her inspiration comes from art of all kinds around her. It’s her motto that good art reflects God — and this belief is what opens her mind to see His beauty all around her.

“If I wasn’t doing this, I would be doing something else creative,” Aldrich said. “I just feel like I have to do something creative. It makes me happy. It makes life better I think, just creating something.”

When Aldrich thinks back to that little girl who became mystified by movie magic, she thinks about all the ways in which learning about the industry has surprised her. As much as the root of it is based in artistry and imagination, there is also a prominent business side. 

Between the mounds of paperwork and financial concerns that bring a vision to life, the film industry is not for the faint of heart. It’s critical that those who enter the field are not only passionate about it, but truly called by the Lord to pursue it. This unshakable calling is what will sustain creatives to continue telling God-honoring stories on the big screen.