Content Guidelines - joinruach/JoinRuach GitHub Wiki

Content Guidelines

Overview

Content at Ruach Studios isn't just entertainment β€” it's restoration work. Every story, every frame, every word should point toward truth, identity, and purpose.

We don't follow formulas. We don't chase trends. We create counterculture rooted in timeless truth.

Core Principles

1. Restoration, Not Deconstruction

We build up, not tear down. Our content restores:

  • Identity β€” Who people are in God's eyes
  • Purpose β€” Why they exist and what they're made for
  • Hope β€” Confidence in a redemptive narrative

Avoid:

  • Cynicism masked as sophistication
  • Nihilism dressed as realism
  • Despair presented as honesty

Embrace:

  • Truth that comforts and convicts
  • Stories that inspire without manipulating
  • Beauty that points beyond itself

2. Truth Over Comfort

We speak what's real, even when it's hard. But truth without grace is cruelty.

Balance:

  • Be direct, not harsh
  • Be clear, not condemning
  • Be bold, not abrasive

3. Excellence Without Pretension

We pursue craftsmanship, not clout. Our work should be:

  • Technically excellent β€” No amateur shortcuts
  • Visually beautiful β€” Aesthetics matter
  • Narratively compelling β€” Tell stories that stick

But never:

  • Elitist or inaccessible
  • Self-congratulatory
  • Artsy for the sake of artsy

4. Faith-Informed, Not Preachy

Our content is grounded in biblical truth, but we don't beat people over the head with it.

Show, don't tell:

  • Let themes emerge naturally
  • Trust the audience to connect dots
  • Let beauty and truth speak for themselves

Avoid:

  • Heavy-handed moralizing
  • Cartoonish characters representing "good" vs "evil"
  • Cheesy Christian clichΓ©s

Content Types

Films & Series

What We Make

  • Short films (5-30 minutes)
  • Documentary series (exploring faith, culture, and identity)
  • Narrative features (long-form storytelling)

Themes We Explore

  • Identity crisis and restoration
  • Purpose in suffering
  • Faith in modern culture
  • Redemption arcs
  • Family and legacy
  • Calling and vocation

What We Avoid

  • Cheesy "Christian movie" tropes
  • Preaching disguised as plot
  • Flat characters with no depth
  • Low production value

Articles & Essays

Topics We Cover

  • Faith and culture
  • Technology and ethics
  • Creativity and calling
  • Entrepreneurship with purpose
  • Stories of transformation

Tone

  • Conversational yet thoughtful
  • Direct but not harsh
  • Accessible without being shallow

Structure

  • Hook β€” Grab attention in the first 2 sentences
  • Thesis β€” State your point clearly
  • Body β€” Support with evidence, stories, examples
  • Conclusion β€” Leave readers with something to chew on

Podcasts

Format

  • Interviews β€” Conversations with builders, creators, and visionaries
  • Monologues β€” Thought pieces on culture, faith, and purpose
  • Panel discussions β€” Multiple perspectives on a topic

Quality Standards

  • Audio β€” Clean, professional sound (no echo, no background noise)
  • Editing β€” Remove filler words, long pauses, and tangents
  • Show notes β€” Include timestamps, links, and key takeaways

Social Media

Platforms

  • Instagram β€” Visual storytelling
  • YouTube β€” Long-form video
  • X (Twitter) β€” Thought leadership
  • TikTok β€” Short-form, engaging clips

Content Strategy

  • Educate β€” Share insights and wisdom
  • Inspire β€” Tell stories of transformation
  • Engage β€” Ask questions, start conversations
  • Amplify β€” Share others' work that aligns with our mission

What to Avoid

  • Clickbait headlines
  • Engagement bait ("comment 'amen' if you agree")
  • Controversy for controversy's sake
  • Over-posting (quality > quantity)

Narrative Philosophy

Story Structure

We follow classic storytelling principles:

  1. Inciting Incident β€” Something disrupts the status quo
  2. Rising Action β€” Stakes increase, tension builds
  3. Climax β€” The turning point
  4. Falling Action β€” Consequences unfold
  5. Resolution β€” A new equilibrium is reached

But we also embrace open-ended conclusions when appropriate. Not every story needs a neat bow.

Character Development

Great characters:

  • Have clear wants and needs (often in conflict)
  • Face internal and external obstacles
  • Experience transformation (or tragic failure to transform)
  • Feel real β€” flawed, complex, multi-dimensional

Avoid:

  • Flat, one-dimensional "good guys" and "bad guys"
  • Characters who exist only to deliver a message
  • Unrealistic perfection or melodrama

Theme vs. Message

Theme = The underlying idea explored (e.g., redemption, identity, sacrifice)
Message = A didactic statement you're trying to force (e.g., "Always forgive others")

βœ… Explore themes
❌ Preach messages

Let the audience wrestle with truth. Don't spoon-feed conclusions.

Submission Process

Step 1: Pitch Your Idea

Submit a pitch via GitHub Discussions or email: [email protected]

Include:

  • Title
  • Format (film, article, podcast, etc.)
  • Synopsis (2-3 sentences)
  • Why it matters (Why should we make this?)
  • Target audience
  • Timeline (When can you deliver?)

Step 2: Feedback & Approval

The team will review your pitch and provide feedback. If approved, you'll receive:

  • Project brief with guidelines
  • Deadlines and milestones
  • Support resources (design assets, templates, etc.)

Step 3: Create

Produce your content according to the brief. Stay in communication with the team throughout.

Step 4: Review & Revisions

Submit your draft for review. Be open to feedback and iterate as needed.

Step 5: Publish & Promote

Once finalized, we'll publish your work and promote it across channels. You'll be credited as the creator.

Quality Standards

Technical Requirements

Video

  • Resolution: 1080p minimum (4K preferred)
  • Frame rate: 24fps or 30fps
  • Format: MP4 (H.264)
  • Color grading: Consistent, professional look
  • Audio: -3dB to -6dB average, no clipping

Audio (Podcasts)

  • Format: WAV or FLAC (lossless)
  • Sample rate: 48kHz
  • Bit depth: 24-bit
  • Editing: Remove background noise, normalize levels

Images

  • Resolution: 300dpi for print, 72dpi for web
  • Format: PNG (with transparency) or JPG
  • Color space: sRGB for web, CMYK for print

Text

  • Grammar: Zero typos or errors
  • Readability: Hemingway Editor score of 8 or below
  • Formatting: Consistent headings, proper markdown

Editorial Standards

  • Fact-check β€” Verify all claims and statistics
  • Cite sources β€” Give credit where due
  • Avoid plagiarism β€” Use original words and ideas
  • Sensitivity β€” Be aware of cultural and theological nuances

Inspiration & Resources

Films That Inspire Us

  • The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)
  • Silence (Martin Scorsese)
  • Arrival (Denis Villeneuve)
  • A Hidden Life (Terrence Malick)
  • The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont)

Writers We Admire

  • C.S. Lewis
  • Frederick Buechner
  • Annie Dillard
  • Marilynne Robinson
  • Wendell Berry

Content Philosophy

Questions?

If you have questions about content creation:

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." β€” Philippians 4:8