Faith & Family Filmmakers

Episode 28 - Mastering Your Craft: Directing Tips with Brian Cates In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, host Jaclyn Whitt talks with Writer / Director / Producer Brian Cates about the importance of dedicated practice, accountability, and continuous learning in the journey of mastering filmmaking. They delve into Brian's personal experiences, highlighting the value of having...

Episode 27 - 500 Short Films in 20 Years, with Brian Cates In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, host Jaclyn Whitt interviews Emmy award-winning filmmaker Brian Cates. Brian shares his journey from being passionate about movies and competitive drama during his youth to becoming the director and co-writer of the Dove Award-nominated film Family Camp. Alongside the Skit Guys, B...

Episode 26 - Navigating the World of Professional Screenwriting: Insights and Advice from Cheryl McKay In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast with hosts Jaclyn and Geoffrey Whitt , Cheryl McKay shares her journey and experiences as a professional writer, offering valuable advice and insights for fellow writers. She discusses the emotional challenges of seeing one's work adapted...

Episode 25 - Crafting Stories with Faith and Impact, with Cheryl McKay In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt interview Cheryl McKay, an accomplished screenwriter and producer known for her inspirational films and TV series. Cheryl shares her journey from aspiring actress to a successful writer, touching on the pivotal moments that led her...

Episode 24 - Setting Boundaries and Empowering Actors with Venus Monique In this episode of Faith in Family Filmmakers, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with Venus Monique about her 'How to Get into Acting Guide', detailing her journey into acting, including unconventional means such as Craigslist, and the importance of setting boundaries within the acting industry. Venus highlights the...

Episode 23 - From Disdain to Destiny: Venus Monique’s Acting Journey In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt interview Venus Monique, an actor, producer, and leader of a faith-based actor's group for women, known for her role as Detective Chris Tanner in the hit crime drama Vindication. Venus shares her unexpected journey into acting after...

Regular episode In this episode of the Faith in Family Filmmakers podcast, Jaclyn interviews Jill Bugbee, a producer with 20 years of experience mainly in corporate and commercial productions, and now in feature films. Jill details the roles and responsibilities of producers, such as funding and vision-holding for executive producers, and creative, logistics, and finance management for producers....

Episode 21 - Why You Need a Line Producer, With Jill Bugbee In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, host Jaclyn Whitt interviews Jill Bugbee, co-founder of Blue Trail Productions. Jill shares her journey from having a background in biomedical engineering to embarking on a career in filmmaking with her husband, Eric. Despite initial job losses and financial hurdles in their earl...

Episode 20 - The Power of a Proof of Concept, with Mark Stewart Iverson In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with filmmaker Mark Stewart Iverson, diving deeper into his work and approach to filmmaking. Mark shares insights into his upcoming film 'Prodigal Sons,' a drama set during the Vietnam war era focusing on the divergent paths...

Episode 19 - Out of the Box, with Mark Stewart Iverson In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast Hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with Writer / Director / Producer Mark Stewart Iverson. Mark, a UCLA Film School graduate, shares his journey from making films in high school, to creating the hit comedy web series Dorm Life, to a spiritual transformation that led him to foun...

Episode 18 - CWVFF Bonus episode with Festival Director, Phillip Telfer Interview with Phillip Telfer, Founder and Director of the Christian Worldview Film Festival.  The final part of a series of short bonus episodes from the 2024 festival. Christian Worldview Film Festival https://cwvff.com/ CWVFF on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cwvff CWVFF on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cwvff/...

Episode 17 - CWVFF Bonus Episode with Manager, Diego Calderon Interview with Diego Calderon, on location at Christian Worldview Film Festival. What does a Manager do? Part of a series of short bonus episodes from the festival. Diego on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diegoalecalderon The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, a...

Episode 16 - CWVFF Bonus episode with Cameron and BJ Arnett Interview with Cameron and BJ Arnett, on location at Christian Worldview Film Festival. Navigating Partnership and Marriage in the Film Industry. Part of a series of short bonus episodes from the festival. BJ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bjatoday/ BJ on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/billi.arnett BJ's Website https://www.bjar...

Episode 15 - CWVFF Bonus episode with Laura Mae from Christian Casting Interview with Laura Mae Poore of Christian Casting, on location at Christian Worldview Film Festival. Part of a series of short bonus episodes from the festival. Christian Casting https://www.christiancasting.com/ Christian Casting Community Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1758573180908736 The Faith & Family Fil...

The Bittersweet Journey of Filmmaking, with Matt Chastain In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt have a conversation with Matt Chastain, focusing on the behind-the-scenes journey of creating 'Small Group,' a Christian film that balances comedy and drama. Chastain discusses the decision to shoot on location in Guatemala to capture the authe...

Episode 13 - Small Group Chronicles: From Script to Screen, With Matt Chastain In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt interview Matt Chastain, the writer, director (and actor) of 'Small Group the Movie', which clinched the Best Picture award at the International Christian Film Festival. Matt shares his journey into filmmaking, detailing th...

Beyond the Challenges: Melissa Sheridan's Triumph In this episode of Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with songwriter and Screenwriter Melissa Sheridan. In this Candid interview, Melissa shares her inspiring journey battling Lyme disease, dealing with personal trauma, and overcoming challenges. She discusses how these experiences influenced her work a...

Episode 11 - A Songwriter’s path to Filmmaking, with Melissa Sheridan In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast , Hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt have a discussion with Melissa Sheridan. They discuss her experience with songwriting and screenwriting, as well as collaborating in the film industry. Starting from a young age, Melissa always had a passion for music and storytell...

God Moments - On and Off Set, with Stephanie Parker In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Host’s Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt  talk with actress Stephanie Parker about how her faith has interwoven with her acting journey. She highlights 'God moments' in her career, and explains how she uses prayer to discern her purpose in each opportunity,  finding purpose beyon...

Episode 9 - Don’t Put God in a Box, with Stephanie Parker In this episode of Faith and Family Filmmakers, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with actress Stephanie Parker, a wife and mother of two, who shares her journeys in faith and acting. Stephanie credits her faith and reliance on God's word for helping her through tough times, such as losing a child and her father during COVID. She f...

Episode 8 - Avoiding Common Traps in Faith Based Storytelling, With Sean Gaffney In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with screenwriter Sean Gaffney. They explore the intricacies of screenwriting for faith-based themes. Gaffney discourages the tendency for story writers to pander to the audience or theme, leading to unauthentic stor...

Episode 7 - Writing, Networking, and the Power of Serving, with Sean Gaffney In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt welcome special guest, Sean Gaffney, a prolific writer with a wide range of work spanning plays, features, videos, and animation projects. Gaffney talks about his work for Big Idea, his time as a Story Administrator at Warner...

Episode 6 - Career Advice for Actors with Jean Wenger In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt  and Jaclyn Whitt go deeper in their discussion with Jean Wenger of Treasure Coast Talent. Jean talks  about the ins and outs of getting into acting, and what is involved in working with an agent. They discuss: The Value of Background Acting and Gaining E...

Episode 5 - Unveiling the Path of a Talent Agent: Jean Wenger's Story In this episode of Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast with hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt, Jean Selig Wenger, a licensed talent agent, shares her journey from helping her son in his acting career to establishing her own agency, Treasure Coast Talent. Jean delves into her unexpected entry into the film industry, and her t...

Episode 4 - Jared O'Flaherty: Philosophy, Production and Distribution Insights In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt talk with Jared O'Flaherty of the hit, faith based  show Vindication about his storytelling philosophy and the reputation of his productions. O'Flaherty talks about his approach, focusing on delivering thought-provokin...