"Audience of One" director talks about his first time

By Lindsay Eanet

Published Feb. 29, 2008

When introducing Michael Jacobs's debut documentary, "Audience of One," True/False co-director David Wilson said the film had caused quite a stir at the festival's headquarters. The festival's organizers would frequently quote the film — the story of Richard Gazowsky, a Pentecostal minister who seeks to make a Hollywood-scale science fiction blockbuster — and discuss what sorts of sci-fi epics they would make.

"It took our imaginations," Wilson said.

Jacobs spent two years making the film and following Gazowsky and his San Francisco-based congregation as they sought their "'Star Wars' meets 'The Ten Commandments'" movie, tentatively titled "Gravity: the Shadow of Joseph." In the time Jacobs spent making his documentary, only two shots of Gazowsky's movie were actually filmed.

"These people were so beautiful, so passionate and bizarre," Jacobs says. "And then the pastor comes and gives an update on the trials and tribulations of making his biblical sci-fi epic. I asked myself, 'is anyone else paying attention?'"

Jacobs says he found the story at Gazowsky's congregation, the Voice of Pentecost church, which was located two blocks from his apartment.

"I was definitely looking for my first film to have a strong story and a strong narrative, something I could commit to," Jacobs says.

Jacobs says the film was intended to be an experiential and observational one and that he made a conscious effort to remove himself from the action of the film, giving the audience the same view of the process that he had.

"I wanted the audience to go on the journey that I went on with him and give him the benefit of the doubt," Jacobs says.

He developed a relationship with Gazowsky, saying there were times he thought the film would be a horrific flop — as well as times he was convinced Gazowsky could pull something off.

"To this day, I believe in him," Jacobs says. "I really admire the guy."

Many audience members asked Jacobs how he was able to "avoid the cheap shot" and not turn the film into a medium for exploitation. Jacobs says he had the footage and the means to do so, but the relationships he had developed with Gazowsky and the film's other subjects prevented him from directing the film in that manner.

"This could have easily been an hour and a half of crowd-pleasing, let's-laugh-at-the-Christian ridicule," Jacobs says. "But after you spend two years with someone...I couldn't make it that kind of film."

Gazowsky was the first to see the film, Jacobs says, and he watched it in his car on a DVD player with his family. He called Jacobs in a highly emotional state, saying he was embarrassed of how he appeared, but that he thought the film was accurate and fair and that he supported Jacobs's efforts.

A screening was also held at the congregation, who approached Jacobs afterwards, prayed over him and thanked him for spreading their message. Some even tossed him money in an effort to further fund the project.

During the question and answer session, comparisons were made between Gazowsky and Francis Ford Coppola directing "Apocalypse Now" while plagued by a number of technical, personnel and weather problems.

"There's a truth to that in any filmmaking experience," Jacobs says. "There's a resonance and kindred spirit between filmmakers."