Inspire, Fall/Winter 2008

But Mike also takes time to work on his own creative projects. His most recent endeavor was Christmas Memories , a documentary- style film that takes a nostalgic look at Christmases past through the lens of amateur home movies. “I grew up watching old movies and silent films being projected on a sheet in the living room as part of our family movie night,” Mike explained. “Our family would spend hours laughing at the silly antics that were going on. Afterward, my siblings and I would bombard my parents with questions: Who was Uncle Cecil? What was he like? Did you go to that lake often?” The sense of community and heritage born from these special evenings motivated Mike to pursue the Christmas Memories project. After watching hours of vintage films collected from local stores and estate sales, he selected the silent footage for the movie. From there, a group of narrators — which included Jim Leightenheimer ’80, associate professor of communication arts at Cedarville — recorded original stories that corresponded with the film. In the end, Mike had produced a two-hour collection of heart-warming stories about the Christmas season. Christmas Memories first aired in December 2007 to a potential combined audience of 107 million households. It has been broadcast in Canada, Brazil, and Australia, with possible syndication in Kenya, Burundi, and Tanzania. For Mike, the best part of this project has been seeing people respond positively to his message. “The film transports people to an earlier time, place, or moment,” he said. “My hope is that Christmas Memories becomes a tradition for families today — to remember the good times and the blessings, to catch a glimpse of a bygone era, to see a simpler time. I want them to ask, ‘What do we miss today in the increased hype and busyness of the season?’” He also hopes his film inspires many “remember when” conversations like the ones he had growing up. As always, Mike wants to help his viewers think critically and to remind them of the reason they celebrate Christmas. Summarizing the purpose of this film and the goal of his career, Mike said, “ Christmas Memories should encourage us to celebrate the meaning of Christmas every day!” A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Michael Davis ’90 and his wife, Wendi, currently live in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with their children, Isabella and William. You may contact him at mike@uptonepictures.com. Mark Kakkuri ’93 is a freelance writer and editor in Oxford, Michigan. You may contact him at kakkuri@gmail.com. Julianne Sandberg ’08 works as a copy editor for the public relations department at Cedarville. You may contact her at sandbergj@cedarville.edu. With a cup of hot chocolate in hand, a fire glowing in the living room, and your loved ones gathered round, enjoy a night of laughing and reminiscing as you watch Christmas Memories with your family. You’ll experience the joy and sentiment of the Christmas season — and maybe even begin your own tradition of “remember when” conversations. Christmas Memories will air this holiday season on a variety of networks, including iLife-TV, SKY Angel, TLN, NRB Network, Faith TV, INI, CTS (Canada), and dozens of independent stations and network affiliates. You can purchase the film by visiting www.christmasmemories-themovie.com. Cedarville University 23 As co-director of a major music video, Michael Davis ‘90 takes some close-up shots of the actors while filming in São Paulo, Brazil. i