The Mysterious Islands Interview
With Filmmaker Jon Erwin

Dramatic TV series, documentaries, reality television, shorts, music videos and commercials. All of these are regulars for Jon Erwin of the Erwin brothers, a writer/director duo from Birmingham, Alabama.

These young and unorthodox artists are anything but traditional. They focus on new and innovative ways to produce a diverse portfolio of work – from their multi-award winning documentary The Cross and the Towers to the dramatic TV series Life After, to the international short film series God Provides.

Jon Erwin was writer, director, executive producer and director of photography for The Mysterious Islands, a documentary filmed in the Galapagos Islands, in partnership with Vision Forum.

Jon Erwin: That’s an amazing question. There are several discoveries I made while there. But the biggest was probably an exposure to a debate I barely knew existed. I grew up in a Christian home and have been a believer from a very early age. I knew I didn’t believe in evolution, but I had really never thought about it a lot. I had no exposure to the issue or debate. What I learned was that it’s one of the most important subjects a Christian can research.

"I knew I didn’t believe in evolution, but I had really never thought about it a lot. I had no exposure to the issue or debate. What I learned was that it’s one of the most important subjects a Christian can research."

Christian-Movie.com: You co-wrote this documentary with Doug Phillips of Vision Forum. What was your role in the writing process?

Jon Erwin: When we came home from the trip to the Galapagos, we had a mountain of footage to go through. Doug and Dr. John Morris had done a bunch of on-camera segments on the Islands, but there was no pre-written script. Andy (my brother) and I are big believers in the idea that great documentaries are not written beforehand. There should always be a process of discovery.

So when we came home, I realized that I knew nothing about this issue. So I set out to research it for myself and did so from both sides. I read a lot of Darwin and Dawkins. It felt like quite a mountain to climb. But it was a very fulfilling process – and I learned a ton!

Then the challenge was to find the narrative and write the outline. From the very beginning, we wanted the audience to be entertained and to feel like they were on the adventure with us. That’s why the film is narrated by characters on the expedition. I would write some segments and send them to Doug for a rewrite. He would also write some segments and send them to me for rewrites. After they had been bounced back and forth a few times, we were ready. But the film was being refined right up until the end.

Christian-Movie.com: Did the idea of taking a RED One and a lot of other film equipment to the "world’s end" make you nervous?

Jon Erwin: Very nervous. We’ve named our RED "Elley May" and there were a few times I thought she wasn’t gonna make it back home. But hey, that’s what insurance policies are for! I believe we were the first people to take the RED camera to the Galapagos. It’s very heavy – about 50 pounds. My poor 1st AC had to lug it everywhere. But the final images were stunning and made it completely worth it.

"In terms of wildlife cinematography…Patience. It’s all about patience. Waiting for
just the right moment."

Christian-Movie.com: The Mysterious Islands is noteworthy for its beautiful shots of wildlife in the Galapagos. Have you had past experience with capturing animal life on film? What advice can you give our readers, so that they can effectively do the same?

Jon Erwin: Andy and I have had some very diverse film experiences. A lot have included wildlife and animals. Having said that, I typically don’t like working with animals. They don’t ever leave their marks; they’re unpredictable – always on the phone with their agents. So I typically try to avoid animals.

In terms of wildlife cinematography...Patience. It’s all about patience. Waiting for just the right moment. Having said that, the Galapagos is totally different than other places. The animals, for some strange reason, aren’t afraid of you. They don’t run away and some are even as friendly as pets. So that made it a lot easier.

Christian-Movie.com: Your underwater shots required scuba diving to significant depths with your equipment. What challenges were involved in this process? Are you an experienced scuba diver?

Jon Erwin: Yes, I do scuba dive. My father-in-law owns a dive quarry and we dive there now and then. I also love to free dive. Having said that, diving in the Galapagos was extremely difficult. The currents are harsh and the water was pretty cold. But we used the Canon 5D Mark II, which is very small, and that made things a lot easier.

Life underwater in Galapagos is unbelievable. We dove with hundreds of black tip sharks and even a few hammerheads. It’s also incredible that we could swim with marine iguanas and penguins at the same time!

Christian-Movie.com: What is the most meaningful comment anyone has made to you about The Mysterious Islands?

Jon Erwin: I just love the idea that families can enjoy this film together. Kids, even really young kids, are mesmerized by the animals. Parents can learn about the issues covered in the film.

It was also great to go to the premiers, watch people and talk to them afterwards. The response was overwhelming. In Birmingham, we had 1,300 people show up on two days’ notice. In Florida, they had 3,000. Overall, we’ve just been blown away by the response.

"I just love the idea that families can
enjoy this film together."

Christian-Movie.com: What was the most satisfying moment you experienced during the creation of this documentary?

Jon Erwin: Seeing it finished!! Seriously, there were some moments I would sit back and think, "We’re never gonna get thing off the ground." Also, the subject matter is so intricate that Andy and I would finally leave the edit suites when our brains were no longer working.

Christian-Movie.com: What was the most significant lesson that God taught you, from a personal standpoint, during the making of The Mysterious Islands?

Jon Erwin: I just felt like my faith was strengthened through the process. Sometimes I think we’re afraid to learn about [evolution] because we’re scared of what we’ll find. But I’ve learned that there is an incredible case for those who believe in the Bible. It was also a great thing to collaborate with Vision Forum. They are great people and we had a lot of fun!

Christian-Movie.com: What was the biggest hurdle that you faced while creating this documentary, and how did you overcome it?

Jon Erwin:I think the most daunting task during production was to get an entire 90+ minute documentary in the can in a week. We had very limited time on the Islands and had to film very quickly. Typically, we were running two separate units simultaneously with two cameras in each. So there were four cameras rolling almost all the time. Special thanks to the Leclerc brothers, who operated a camera for us. They did a great job!

In post, the big challenge was to figure out how to tell the story is an understandable way and never go too far into the issue that the film ceased to be entertaining. So it was a tough edit, and took a very long time. But you climb a mountain one step at a time.

"Sometimes I think we’re afraid to learn about [evolution] because we’re scared of what we’ll find. But I’ve learned that there is an incredible case for those who believe in the Bible."

Christian-Movie.com: What are the top three things you wish you had known before you started?

Jon Erwin: That’s a tough question. Each project has its own challenges. Some are bigger than others. But you begin to learn to expect them and remind yourself to stay calm and know that every problem finds a solution. Plus, God’s hand was on this project and we all felt a supernatural blessing.

Christian-Movie.com: What’s next for you and Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures?

Jon Erwin: Hmm...We’re praying about that now. In terms of feature films, we’ve got a couple of projects coming together. As for Mysterious Islands, we’re contemplating a Creation Trilogy that will take us on some adventures even wilder and more spectacular than Galapagos! Stay tuned…

If you’re interested in purchasing The Mysterious Islands, visit this link!

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