Faith & Family Filmmakers

Episode 177 - Light of the World: Behind the Animation - with John Schafer In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt Chastain talks with John Schafer, director of the animated film "Light of the World." John shares the inspiration, creative process, and spiritual mission behind this groundbreaking 2D animated retelling of the life of Jesus. From his background in animation a...

Episode 178 - The Making and Mission of ‘Light of the World’ - with John Schafer In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt welcomes back director John Schafer for a deep dive into the making of "Light of the World." John shares the extraordinary journey behind this ambitious animated feature, from the unique challenges of faith-based filmmaking and the miracle of funding, to...

Episode 176 - The Legendary Music of Petra and the Movie “Beyond Belief” - with Joe Sanders In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt welcomes Joe Sanders, executive producer at Intrigue Films. Joe shares the remarkable journey behind "Beyond Belief," a faith-based film set in the 1980s that features the legendary music of Petra. From the film’s divine inspiration and the ch...

Episode 175 - The Role of Fantasy in Christian Filmmaking - with Wilson Hickman In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Your host Geoffrey Whitt welcomes Wilson Hickman, a passionate young Christian filmmaker. Wilson shares his journey from writing stories as a child to creating "The Lost Healer," an award-winning proof of concept for a Christian fantasy TV series. Inspired by...

Episode 174 - CAROL: Behind the Scenes with a First-Time Filmmaker In part 2 of their interview on the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Matt Chastain continues his conversation with James Tew, executive producer, writer, and investor behind the musical feature "Carol." James shares his journey from concept to release, discussing the challenges and triumphs of independent filmmaking. With insig...

Episode 173 - Adapting Dickens: The Story Behind "Carol" In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt Chastain welcomes James Tew, an award-winning journalist and executive producer of the new Christmas feature film "Carol." James shares his unique journey from public relations to filmmaking, detailing how a church Christmas play evolved into a full-length musical movie over an...

Episode 172 - Set Culture and Christian Sci-Fi In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, host Matt Chastain welcomes back Chris Kiefer, a talented video graphics supervisor with credits on major films and TV shows. Chris shares behind-the-scenes stories from his work on projects like the new Naked Gun movie and Interstellar, reflecting on the unique challenges and rewards of desi...

Episode 171 - From Godzilla to God In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt Chastain welcomes Chris Kieffer, a seasoned creative in the film industry. With over 20 years of experience, including 12 years at Warner Brothers, Chris has worked on high-profile projects such as The Mandalorian & Grogu, Westworld, Interstellar, Star Trek: Picard, Fallout, and Godzilla He shar...

Episode 170 - Meta Story: Story Structure and Divine Narrative In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, your host Geoffrey Whitt welcomes back Sean Gaffney, an accomplished writer and professor at Asbury University. They discuss Gaffney's new book 'Meta Story, What Marvel and the Messiah Can Teach Us About Great Storytelling,' which explores the theological underpinnings of stor...

Episode 169 - Mixing Marriage with Movie Making In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn welcomes Cole Dempsey and Hannah Dempsey, an award-winning husband and wife filmmaking team based in Dallas, Texas. They co-lead Rabbit Trail Productions, focusing on faith-driven films and documentaries. The episode delves into their filmmaking origins, and the partnership that has s...

Episode 168 - Keep Your Eye on Jesus In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, your host Matt Chastain continues his discussion with Kristen Collier, an english literature graduate, author, and animator, who  is described as a relentless go-getter. Kristen shares her experiences dealing with imposter syndrome, her interactions with Corbin Bernsen, and emphasizes the importan...

Episode 167 - Make it Yourself: Success as an Indie Creator In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt Chastain interviews Kristen Collier, an animator who transitioned from a career in literature to animation during the pandemic lockdown. Kristen shares her journey of self-learning animation to bring her husband's characters to life, discussing the challenges, successes, and...

Episode 166 - Writing Episodic TV: Strategies for Success In Part 2 of their interview on the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Jaclyn continues her conversation with Leilani Downer, exploring contemporary and historical approaches to writing episodic television. They discuss the evolution from the limited network-centric model of the 80s and 90s to today's diverse streaming platforms. Leilani...

Episode 165 - Writing for Television in Sitcom’s Golden Era In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Jaclyn interviews Leilani Downer, a seasoned television writer with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Leilani shares her personal journey starting from her early interest in entertainment, through her serendipitous break into television, and her subsequent successes wi...

Episode 164 - The Multifaceted World of Nathan D. Myers In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt interviews successful Production Designer Nathan D. Myers about his journey in the filmmaking industry. Nathan shares his experience as an actor in theatre and independent films, set design and art direction, and his work on numerous projects, including the design and constructi...

Episode 163 - Engaging Children in a Digital Age In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Matt welcomes Nathan D. Myers and D'Lytha Myers, accomplished filmmakers committed to producing faith-based content for children. D'Lytha, an actress, producer, and homeschool mom, and Nathan, a filmmaker and production designer, discuss their award-winning musical feature 'Aria Appleton Sh...

Episode 162 - Bonus: Content 2025 with Tim Shields In this special bonus episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, your host, Geoffrey Whitt engages in a compelling conversation with Tim Shields, co-founder of Content Media Conferences and staff member at Capernaum Studios, about the upcoming Content 2025 event. Tim provides a brief history of the conference, underscored by a foundation...

Episode 161 - A Filmmakers Campaign to Save Lives This special episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast is the fourth and final episode in a short series on Impact and Awareness films. Your host, Geoffrey Whitt interviews Aaron Schwartzbart, a rocket scientist, race car driver, and ordained minister, Aaron shares his transformation from a reckless street racer to a dedicated Christian us...

Episode 160 - Filmmaking for Awareness: Service, Therapy, and Working Dogs This special episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast is episode three of four in a short series on Impact and Awareness films. Your host, Geoffrey Whitt welcomes Rahn Springer, a former real estate professional turned executive producer. Rahn shares his journey from real estate to filmmaking and discusses his lat...

Episode 159 - Filmmaking for Impact: Autism Awareness This special episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast is part two in a short series on Impact and Awareness films. Matt interviews Tyler Sansom, a recurring guest, pastor, and filmmaker, about his latest project called ‘Learning you,’ focused on autism awareness. The film portrays the honest challenges of raising an autistic child and...

Episode 158 - Forgiveness, Foster Care, and Purposeful Filmmaking This is the first in a four-part series about impact films, with filmmakers creating projects to bring awareness to a cause or need. In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, your host Geoffrey Whitt interviews Erin Dooley, a writer and director known for her work on themes of forgiveness, family, and faith. Erin d...

Episode 157 - Perseverance and Strategy in an Ever Changing Industry In part 2 of their interview on the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Jaclyn continues her conversation with  actor and filmmaker Jesse Hutch. Jesse shares personal stories about his family's support in his film career, the challenges of balancing family life with his demanding profession, and how his faith plays a crucia...

Episode 156 - From White Water to The Silver Screen In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn interviews actor, writer, director, and stuntman Jesse Hutch. Highlighting his 24+ year career in network television, action-packed films, and heartfelt family stories, the discussion delves into Jesse's unexpected entry into the entertainment industry and his personal growth jour...

Episode 155 - Young Filmmakers and the Art of Storytelling This is the fourth and final episode in our Young Filmmakers Series. In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Geoffrey Whitt interviews Daniel Morrison, a composer, actor, and producer passionate about storytelling and his faith. Daniel shares his journey in the film industry with his brothers, from winning awards with t...

Episode 154 - From the Ranch to the Red Carpet  This is the third episode in our Young Filmmakers Series. In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Geoffrey Whitt  interviews Haley Knudsen, a versatile performer involved in acting, modeling, singing, dancing, and public speaking. Haley shares her experiences growing up as a sixth generation cowgirl and how it has influenced...