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Your Story Ep 46 : Doug. C.S.Lewis, Narnia, Film Making and Christianity.

Welcome To Episode 46 of Your Story.

As some of you may know I’ve recently been working for a short time on the latest in the The Chronicles of Narnia at the Warner Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast. This next, Episode Three, is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and as it was for the previous two episodes this one is being Executive Produced by Doug Gresham.

As I mention in the introduction, I meet Doug very briefly Dougwhile I was working on the film but didn’t have a chance to engage with him while working there. However my supervisor mentioned a few of the things that Doug had mentioned to him and I immediately thought, this sounds like an interesting fellow who wouldn’t mind a chat if he has the time.

Doug is the step son of C.S.Lewis and is now responsible for the continuation and is the head of the C.S. Lewis Company. From that wellhead these films have sprung. After a lifetime of wanting to have them produced he is now, for want of a better title the Executive Producer but as he says, he’s the one to blame. We chat about some aspects of the challenges and the joys of film-making and if you listen to Doug you can hear his passion for film-making and particularly the production of these The Chronicle of Narnia.

Quite a bit is published about Doug and his heritage with C.S. Lewis, including his autobiography Lenten Lands of his childhood with his mother Joy Davidman and Lewis which was made into the television film in ’85 Shadowlands and remade as a feature film in ’93. Doug also mentions writing a biography of Lewis Jacks Life: The Life Story of C.S. Lewis published in 2005.

Doug however is not just all about C.S. Lewis and the The Chronicles Narnia, he is also a committed Non-Denominational Christian with strong opinions on his practical views of Christianity that led him to live by his faith, running and caring for people from around the world in Ireland as a psychotherapist, but also to living an independent lifestyle as a Dairy Farmer in Tasmania and an ABC Radio announcer in Perth.

Now living in Malta, Doug has a world view and strong opinions on where our Western Society has gone wrong, even suggesting what, in his view, what we need to do to fix these issues.

Strong, forthright and thought through opinion is what I discovered in meeting Doug Gresham and a personality that is not easily forgotten.

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Sorry about the miss spelling of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as I spelt it Trader :/

Music is from iodaPROMONET

Pay Me No MindThe Homemade Jamz Blues Band
“Penny Waiting On Change” (mp3)
from “Pay Me No Mind”
(Northern Blues)

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{ 8 comments… add one }
  • fantasia_kitty Monday, 7 December, 2009, 1:06 am

    I just wanted to say that this is THE BEST interview I have ever heard with Douglas Gresham, so thank you very much for hosting it. And also thanks for the work you did on the set of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We Narnia fans and fanatics are greatly anticipating Dec. 10, 2010.
    fantasia_kitty
    NarniaWeb.com

  • Alyssa Monday, 7 December, 2009, 5:49 am

    This was a brilliant interview. Thank you for allowing Mr. Gresham to talk about his faith and his love for the Narnia books and movies. I particularly enjoyed his explanation of how the books and movies show us things we have lost and that we need to reclaim (duty, honor, personal responsibility, etc.) The discussion at the end about economics and education was very insightful.

  • Cameron Reilly Monday, 7 December, 2009, 12:16 pm

    Another great interview, mate! I found it alternatively fascinating and frustrating. Frustrating because I wanted to interject and challenge some of his statements about Christianity and skepticism. He made some outrageously nonsensical comments, such as “Either God exists or nothing exists” and “The search for truth will lead you to Christianity” that I wanted to engage him on. But, as always, your technique of letting the guest talk freely made it a fascinating show. I also agreed with many of his views on the financial markets and how greed is destroying the western world. Great listening!

  • Mark Sommer Wednesday, 9 December, 2009, 6:32 am

    Great interview. Thanks for letting Doug share his faith. Unfortunately, most Narnia fans are only listening to what he said about the upcoming movie being “different” than the book.

  • Anna Wednesday, 9 December, 2009, 12:20 pm

    What an excellent and interesting interview! I’ll try and think of some enemies I can invite to Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Very excited for it, although I’m glad I’ve been warned that it’s going to be a different story from the book. As others have already mentioned, thank you for tracking Douglas Gresham down and interviewing him.

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