A siren wailed in the background, the sound of a fire truck racing to a house ablaze. But Erin Bethea’s voice was calm.
“All of this has been really challenging,” she said as sound technicians revved up the siren for another take on the movie set of “Fireproof.”
The 2004 University of Mobile (UM) graduate was in the midst of another 14-hour day in Albany, Ga., squeezing in a telephone interview between shooting scenes for the movie that will be released in theaters nationwide Sept. 26.
“Fireproof” is the third production of Sherwood Pictures and brothers Stephen and Alex Kendrick, creators of “Facing the Giants.”
The movie productions are part of the ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, where church members have roles both in front of and behind the camera.
In Sherwood Pictures’ second production, “Facing the Giants,” Bethea had a small part as a sportscaster, with four sentences to recite.
This time, her role is much larger. “I came to the audition having in mind a really small part,” Bethea recalled.
“I had already told the Lord, ‘Whatever you want me to do with this movie, I’ll do it.’ I was thinking if there were no speaking parts for me, I will work behind the scenes; I wouldn’t have to be in front of the camera.”
Instead the UM theatre major was tapped for the leading lady part of Catherine Holt, playing opposite veteran actor Kirk Cameron as her husband and firefighter Capt. Caleb Holt.
According to the movie’s Web site, http://fireproofthemovie.com, the story focuses on the Holts’ failing marriage and the challenge Caleb accepts from his father to make one last attempt to salvage it.
“Can he attempt to love his wife while avoiding God’s love for him?” the movie synopsis asks. “Will he be able to demonstrate love over and over again to a person that’s no longer receptive to his love? Or is this just another marriage destined to go up in smoke?”
While shooting the movie late last year, Bethea dropped from full-time to seasonal status at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., where she is an entertainer.
Bethea is back in Orlando once again, working full time as a contracted actress at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park.
Bethea isn’t the only UM connection to “Fireproof.” Her sister, Hayley Catt, a 2007 UM graduate with a major in communication, worked behind the scenes on the movie. Their father, Michael Catt, is senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist and a member of the university’s board of regents.
Bethea said her experiences in the theatre department at UM helped prepare her for this movie, such as learning to work with people in stressful situations, getting along with different personalities, mastering the many jobs required to put on a production and appreciating the role each person plays in creating the whole picture.
“Spending four years at a Christian school, the discipleship you get there, the Bible teaching you are under, just really prepares you to go into the world and say, ‘OK God, I’ve spent four years being challenged and taught, and I am ready for whatever you have for me,’” she said.
While acting for film is very different from acting in live productions at UM or Disney World, Bethea said the process feels very natural and normal.
“I’m surprised I wasn’t terrified of the whole thing,” she said. “I’ve had so much fun, and I just felt like this is definitely where I’m supposed to be.
“Sometimes it’s scary, too,” Bethea added. “From Albany, Ga., we are going to make this little movie, but we want it to change the world.” (UM)
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