By Joseph Ghiz
SALT LAKE CITY - With Mormon cinema in full swing in Utah, new director Nathan Smith Jones felt his story couldn''t have come at a better time.
His upcoming film, 'The Work and the Story,' is a mockumentary about Mormon filmmakers.
'The film has become a lot more prophetic than I ever imagined,' said Jones, who wrote and stars in the satire film.
The 36-year-old writer/director came up with the idea for his new film early in the year 2000, before the huge rush of movies in Utah began.
'I''ve always loved film,' Jones said. 'When I saw 'God''s Army' I decided to write a movie about Mormons and how so many of them want to be the next Spielberg.'
The film takes place in July 2000, four months after the movie 'God''s Army' stormed through Utah theaters. In the plot, the director of 'God''s Army,' Richard Dutcher, is missing. The story is about three eager filmmakers who are striving to take his place.
Since the release of 'God''s Army' several films about the lifestyles of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been made.
'In the story there are filmmakers who want to make a ''Book of Mormon'' movie,' Jones said. 'They also have ideas about a movie that takes place in a singles ward. It is so much more relevant now that movies have been made on this subject.'
'I think people will like it because it is coming at a perfect time,' said Kirby Heyborne, who plays a production assistant in the film.
A mockumentary is a film in the format of a documentary, but the story is fictitious. Common to these types of films, the actors improvise while on camera.
'The stars of this film are some of the best talent I''ve seen in the state of Utah,' Jones said.
While Jones is credited for writing most of the script, the actors in his movie created their own dialogue right on the spot.
'We improvised a lot,' Jones said. 'About 60 percent of the story was written, but that means the other 40 percent of the script came completely from the actors while on camera.'
Jones is now gearing up for the Oct. 3 release of 'The Work and the Story' at the Windsong 12 movie theater in Provo. In the mean time, his film can be seen at Johnny B''s in Provo.
With many films about the Church of Jesus Christ in circulation, audiences are prepared to appreciate the humor of 'The Work and the Story.'
'Now that Utah is saturated with Mormon movies, they will find how the making of these movies is pretty hilarious,' Heyborne said.