Faith & Family Filmmakers

Episode 128 - From Your Brain to the Box Office In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Jaclyn and Geoff continue their discussion with filmmaker Ricky Borba. In this second part of the interview, Ricky shares his experiences and insights on how aspiring filmmakers can bring their ideas from conception to the box office. He emphasizes the importance of having a solid script, cr...

Episode 127 - Trusting God Through Cinematic Setbacks In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn and Geoff interview Ricky Borba, a film director from the San Francisco Bay Area. Ricky shares his journey in the film industry, starting with his childhood fascination with Star Wars and moving through various challenges and achievements. He recounts pivotal moments, including...

Episode 126 - Something New in the Vindication World In part 2 of their interview on the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, host Matt Chastain is joined by Jarod O'Flaherty to discuss what comes next for Vindication. Jarod shares details about an upcoming special project set in the Vindication universe, which will follow the events of Season 4, and is designed as a standalone story. The conversa...

Episode 125 - Vindication: News and Insights In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt Chastain reconnects with Jarod O'Flaherty, creator of the hit series Vindication. They reveal some major updates regarding Vindication including the release date for Season 4, and being added to the Angel Studios platform with plans for live streams and feedback sessions. Jarod shares insi...

Episode 124 - Mental Health Advocacy in Filmmaking In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn goes deeper in her interview with Ron and Debra Moore. Debra shares her harrowing childhood experience of surviving a triple homicide-suicide attempt orchestrated by her mother, her subsequent struggles, and how her faith in God shaped her resilience. Debra discusses the script for...

Episode 123 - Ron and Deb Unplugged In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn interviews Ron and Debra Moore. Ron is a pastor, evangelist, author, and media personality, while Debra is a mental health advocate, faith-based actress, screenwriter, and public speaker. They discuss their podcast 'Ron and Deb Unplugged,' their experiences in faith-based media, their ministry 'F...

Episode 122 - The Miraculous Birth of a Film Festival In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn continues her interview with Rob Ekno. Rob shares more of his personal journey of overcoming struggles with self-acceptance, including a transformative moment on national TV. He emphasizes the importance of inner work, realistic goal setting, and staying grounded in faith. He al...

Episode 121 - Addiction, Recovery, Faith, and Film In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn interviews Rob Ekno,the founder and director of the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival. Rob is also a multi-award-winning author, actor, screenwriter, broadcaster, and speaker. He shares his poignant life story, starting from building a radio station in high school, ac...

Episode 120 - State Tax Incentives and Streamlining Your Accounting In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Geoff welcomes back Margot Ransom, a seasoned production company accountant, to discuss her journey in the industry, the intricacies of tax incentives, particularly highlighting the Kentucky incentive, and the importance of proper accounting practices in film production....

Episode 119 - Successfully Managing Your Production Budget In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast,Geoff interviews Margot Ransom, CEO and founder of ProdCo Accountants. With over 25 years of experience in production finance, Margot provides insights into the critical role of accounting in filmmaking. She discusses common pitfalls in budgeting, the importance of cost control, an...

Episode 118 - Building Confidence on and Off Camera In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, host Matt Chastain continues his conversation with acting coach David Thompson. They discuss the essence of acting as an expression of truth and passion, drawing parallels with biblical teachings. The discussion highlights the importance of stepping out of comfort zones, the differences...

Episode 117 - Acting: The Roles of Ego, Truth, and Imagination In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, host Matt Chastain interviews actor David Thompson about his unique journey into acting, and his experiences in both mainstream and faith-based films. David shares the importance of consistency and discipline, and how his faith guides his acting career. The conversation touche...

Episode 116 - Balancing Business and Acting In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn interviews Ulises Larramendi about his life experiences and how they influence his acting and entrepreneurship. Ulises discusses his diverse background, growing up in Cuba and living in Europe, and his extensive travel, which has given him a unique perspective on culture and faith. Ulises...

Episode 115 - The Intersection of Film and Ministry In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Geoff interviews Ulises Larramendi, a Cuban-born restaurateur and faith-based actor. Ulises shares his journey, from moving to the U.S. in 1977 to opening Eden Cafe in Texas in 2006. They discuss his passion for acting, which started in childhood with church productions and continued thr...

Episode 114 - The Mission of 3 Days Studios and Guild In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Jaclyn and Geoff are joined by George Escobar and Dr. Joel Bunkowske from 3 Days Studios. They delve into the mission driving the studio, focusing on faith and family-centric storytelling. The conversation also covers the upcoming series 'Prairie Winds', aimed at filling the dema...

Episode 113 - The Birth of a New Studio In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Geoff and Jaclyn interview George Escobar, a filmmaker known for the Oscar-nominated 'Alone Yet Not Alone,'  and Dr. Joel Bunkowske, a Grammy-winning attorney with extensive experience in entertainment law. George and Joel recount their personal and professional journeys, highlighting humbling...

Episode 112 - Testimony Series - Collaboration and Divine Guidance This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Christopher Sean Shaw discusses the challenges and divine guidance encountered during the making of his short film 'Skip Listening' for the 168 Film Pr...

Episode 111 - Testimony Series - Light from Darkness This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Eon De Bruin, founder of Tween Xtream, shares his inspiring journey of launching a successful Christian streaming platform for kids in South Africa during the COVID-...

Episode 110 - Testimony Series - Spiritual Resilience in Hollywood This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Deborah Rutherford, an Emmy award-winning makeup artist, shares how she deals with colleagues taking the Lord's name in vain as she works in the film i...

Episode 109 - Testimony Series - Divine Moments and Conversations This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Tara Massey, producer and lead actress of 'Do Not Grow Weary,' shares her personal story of overcoming anxiety and depression during the pre-production...

Episode 108 - Testimony Series - Doors Only God Could Open This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Hannah Benson, a writer, actress, and content marketer, shares her journey. Raised in a creative, homeschooling family, Hannah recounts how her passion for fai...

Episode 107 - Testimony Series - Let Go and Let God This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Selah Avery shares about her divine guidance in the film industry. Feeling disheartened by the difficulty finding roles that didn’t require nudity and compromising he...

Episode 106 - Testimony Series - I Can This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Tyler Sansom, a film director, producer and pastor from southern Indiana, shares the profound impact of his film, 'I Can.' Released nationwide, the film inspired a Pay It Forward...

Episode 105 - Testimony Series - God Showed up in Guatemala This episode is a part of our December Testimony series. A series of short testimonies of times that God showed up upon set or in ways related to the film-industry. In this episode, Matt Chastain, writer, director, and podcast host, recounts a miraculous event that occurred during the filming of 'Small Group' in Guatemala City. He describ...

Episode 104 - The Story Behind the Red Letter Awards In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Geoff interviews Carla Jackson, founder of the Red Letter Awards. Carla shares her journey from overcoming personal life challenges, including severe burns, a near death experience,  and the loss of family.  The conversation touches on Karla's ministry and the impactful work o...