Austin Allen has been a cinematographer and director in the film and church media world for nine years, with experience from narrative shorts and live worship events, to Super Bowl commercials and international documentary work. He has a passion for storytelling and filmmaking in the local church, as well as for teaching church creatives. Allen teaches at the annual Capture Summit for church filmmaking and works full time as a filmmaker at Times Square Church in NYC where he lives with his wife, Brittany and dog, Tucker. We learn more about him in this Five Minutes.
CPM: Where did your love of film and photography begin?
Allen: For me, it began as a kid. Movies were always a big part of how we hung out as a family, so I got exposed to a lot of the greats. I always thought it would be cool to do that as a career, but never felt I was creative enough or even knew enough about the industry. My family is from a tiny town in rural Georgia, so it never seemed like a possibility for me.
CPM: How and when did your filmmaking collide with the Church?
Allen: During my college years at Southeastern University, I was studying for a degree in pastoral theology. There came a pivotal moment where I realized preaching wasn’t where I was supposed to go, but I had recently started as a production assistant for a local film company and loved it. It took me some time of prayer, but ultimately, I realized I’m doing exactly what God wants me to do just by being in right relationship with Him, regardless of what my career is. It may not be ministry the way I had pictured it for so many years, but I feel deeply grounded in my faith because of where God has placed me.
CPM: Tell us about some of the people who inspired you along the way.
Allen: I’ve always been inspired by those who told stories by whatever means they felt necessary. I think anyone who can try a fresh approach to something familiar is worth paying attention to. Roger Deakins filmed a western several years ago now, and it destroyed my beliefs of what “good” cinematography meant. He used multiple old lenses and even stacked a couple of them together to pull you into the story, later lovingly named the “Deakinizer” lenses. When a film uses vintage or rehoused lenses, especially anamorphic, I really get inspired by the imagery and how it makes me feel. There is an inherent quality that cannot be replicated any other way.
CPM: Congratulations on your new post at Time Square Church! Tell us a little about your decision to move to New York.
Allen: Thank you so much! My wife and I had known for over a year that God was leading us to NYC, but we had no idea what that meant. After months of praying, God opened the door for us. We feel so blessed to be part of the incredible community of Times Square Church, and we’ve felt so welcomed and loved. There is a rich history of production both on our stage and with video, as creativity has always been important to TSC. It’s almost impossible to not feel inspired when our offices and studio overlook Times Square!
It is such a great feeling having confidence in your teammates on your left and right, knowing they have that same drive and vision to do things with a spirit of excellence.
CPM: How does this job differ from your previous church work?
Allen: This current role is different primarily in regards to how we operate. The current creative team has a strong commercial and filmmaking background, so we all lean on each other’s strengths. I’m one of two filmmakers on staff, and depending on the project, we’ll switch up who directs, who is director of photography, editor, and colorist. It is such a great feeling having confidence in your teammates on your left and right, knowing they have that same drive and vision to do things with a spirit of excellence. Caleb Clarke is the other filmmaker on staff with me, and while he DP'd our Christmas project, he also wrote our Easter film for 2023. We just started pre-production for the Easter project and are excited for the vision. Regardless of what we need to create, we've got a solid team of humble people with great leadership and direction.
It doesn't matter if you have the budget for an ARRI camera or an iPhone, do the most with what God has given you access to.
CPM: Can you share some words of advice for aspiring church filmmakers?
Allen: Create what you feel the Holy Spirit is telling you to make, and don’t look back. As church filmmakers, we create things that we hope impact as many people as possible, but I think if just one person is impacted and changed then it's worth it. You may get a vision for a project that doesn’t quite make sense, but maybe you feel a tugging in your heart. Listen to that, and do it for that one person. It doesn't matter if you have the budget for an ARRI camera or an iPhone, do the most with what God has given you access to. You may never see the impact you’ve had on a person’s life, but knowing that you’ve given your all to the Holy Spirit is crucial, and we pray every project will be received on fertile ground. That is all we can really hope for, to deliver the message of the cross, and let those who have ears listen.
