June 3, 2025 • 26 mins
Have you ever dealt with depression or an overall sense of meaninglessness? In this episode of K&C, short film Director, Keishi Ichikawa & actor, Simeon Campbell talk about their new short film, “Then I Heard“, which tackles these issues of identity directly with a clear sense of hope and redemption.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
In Acts 2:21, we are told that those who call
upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Our
next guests on Kingdom and Culture, Casey and Simeon, put
together a short film called Then I Heard. They're going
to help us understand what this is all about and
how maybe you can use this as a resource for
your friends and family to reach them for the glory
of God. So let's jump in for this episode of
(00:23):
Kingdom and Culture.
We have with us uh the director and the lead
actor in this short film, but I'm gonna start with you, Casey.
(00:43):
Why don't you introduce yourself and send me in here
and uh what this is all about and then I'll
get into some questions but glad to have you guys
are here. Welcome and uh yeah, let's let's just jump
right in.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah, good to hear, be here. Yeah, thank you so
much for having us. Um, I'm Casey Chikawa. I'm the
director of Dinner I heard um.
I came from Japan originally, born and raised there my
whole life and um I just moved to the states
88 months ago, I think in August. Yeah, and um
I met Simian at Calvay Bible Institute. That's where we
attend right now to school, you know, it's a ministry
(01:17):
kind of school, learning the Bible and everything,
Speaker 1 (01:20):
yeah,
Speaker 2 (01:20):
and um, yeah, I met Simian there um.
And we just I decided to make this, you know,
show film to just share the gospel and everything, you know.
So
Speaker 1 (01:28):
the short film was called Then I Heard, and it's
based on a true story. Now when you let me
watch a pre-release of it, I didn't know what to expect,
to be honest, which I'm thankful for. It's kind of
like you go to a movie theater and you you
got your popcorn. I didn't have popcorn, but you got,
you got everything ready to go. It, it honestly, it
floored me for the first bit of it. I don't
(01:49):
want to give any spoilers, but.
But it's, it's pretty raw and real and in your
face and as a disclaimer, it, it deals with real
life issues that many people are going through such as
addiction and, and depression and maybe even going into the
realm of suicidal thoughts, things that are dark for many
(02:10):
people who struggle with those things. So I just want
to give that disclaimer, but I don't know, Casey or Simeon,
if you want to answer this, but
Since this is based on a true story, whose story
are we talking about? Yeah, yeah, so this is my story.
My name's Same Campbell, and it's, it's a testimony of
how Jesus saved my life and what he did for
me and then the Lord just put it on my heart.
I didn't want to do it at first when Case
(02:31):
Casey reached out to me to do this, this movie.
I was like I was so ashamed of who I
was and what I, I was before coming to Jesus.
I didn't want people to know about it, but then
the Lord just put it on my heart that it
wasn't about me. It was about.
Jesus and what he had done for me and that
he can do this for, he can do this for anyone,
you know what I mean? Absolutely. And uh with your
(02:54):
story being so out there now, I mean, it's very
intimate in terms of what you struggled with. And again,
I didn't realize I was watching a true story.
It was so dark. I'm like this, this like this
is something you'd see um in a rated R movie.
Parents don't get scared of parents are watching this because
I know we're we're, you know, high school and college
(03:14):
students are checking this out, but, but in a way
that I I don't think most high school and college
students are, oh, I didn't know people struggle with drug
addiction and these depression and things like that. It's very
familiar to people. Can you explain a little bit about
what allowed you and not to mention.
I didn't know this was your story, so here you
are the lead actor in this thing. Oh wait, that
(03:38):
guy is that this is the same, they're the same guy.
I look a little different though, but yeah, yeah, but
I mean, even, you know, it's like on the sandlot
when uh Smalls figures out that the great Bambino and
Babe Ruth are this they're the same guy. Anyway, so
this is your personal story.
And you're an actor apparently. Yeah, not really. The Lord
(04:00):
kind of just blessed me with that and I just
kind of, I took on that role and then just
the Lord just worked through me, you know what I mean?
Like I was so nervous to do that. I never
stepped out in something like that before, but I just
totally trusted God, believing that this was his will for
my life, so, and he just totally took over and
it was just such a.
It was such a beautiful thing to just be a
(04:21):
part of, yeah. I'm gonna come back to that because
to see you relive that and ask you more about that,
so get your thoughts generated. But Casey, what motivated you
to say, hey, Simeon, let's make a movie about you.
Yeah, yeah, it was crazy I wish somebody would come
and ask me to make a movie about me. That
was so
awesome.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, it was um it was God, yeah. So yeah,
I was in school, you know, the first couple of
weeks of school, I think the first week or 201
of our teachers, our president was talking about how, you know,
our students being there, we have our own ministry that
we can only do, you know.
And I was thinking myself, you know, what is a
ministry that I could do that no one else could,
and filmmaking, making a movie was something that I was
(05:02):
passionate about, I had experience about, and I knew that
not everyone can, you know, make a movie, right? And yes,
I was like, OK, maybe this is what God wants
me to do at CBI Cavi Bible Institute, right? I
prayed about it for a couple of weeks and asked
around the school if they had like a cold testimony,
a cool story that I could make a movie about.
I asked around, you know, my friends heard their testimonies,
(05:23):
and I came up on Simeon's testimony, and the first
time I heard it, that was surprising you know, it's,
there's some things I was like, wait, wait, what, you know,
but like, it was so impactful and.
Yeah, I just connected with it and I knew that
like that this should, this is it, you know, we
need to make this movie, that this could be the storyline.
And I asked him like, hey, can we make this
(05:46):
into a movie? And he's like,
Speaker 1 (05:52):
like that's a lot because there's a lot of baggage
in there. So yeah, I don't know how much you
want to share about your family, your upbringing.
But based on what I saw in the movie, you
had some Christian foundation in your journey and you kind
of deviated off that and came back. So how was
it reliving that part of your life?
(06:15):
While acting it out, but not so long ago, this
being reality for you. Yeah, it was, it was honestly
only a couple of years ago that I was, I
was living in this dark place and going back to
it was a bit of a challenge, honestly, it was
because I really wanted to go back to that and
show people and um relive that in a sense that
people can connect with this, you know what I mean,
(06:36):
because
I see so many people in this place and it
was tough to get go back there, but the Lord
brought me back out of that super quickly. Like once,
once shooting was done, it was like the Lord pretty
much brought me right back out of it the next day.
So it was, it was.
I mean, I'm gonna say this like if you weren't
good at smoking before you're really good at like making
(06:57):
it look real, uh, you know, admittedly my friends wanted
me to try a stogie while golfing because I guess
that's what you do when you golf and I could not,
I'm like what get this out of here. I, I'm
not good at faking. I would not be a good
smoking actor, but that's real to you because you were
doing that for some time and and really engaging in
that lifestyle if you will.
(07:18):
Yeah, it all kind of just was natural to me,
the movements and all that kind of stuff just because
I'd lived that life for so long. I mean, I
almost felt a little convicted, you know, do that, but
it was like, no, this isn't this isn't for me,
you know what I mean? This is, yeah, which to you,
your credit, Casey to capture that.
Even again seeing the things around the bed and you
(07:40):
picking up a bottle of alcohol I assume was apple
juice but you picked up a bottle of something and
alcohol OK good um but you're there in that moment
um how did you what what were you thinking as
a director? OK, we gotta, we gotta set the scene here.
Can you tell a little bit about the nuts and
bolts and how, again, I love that you guys are
(08:01):
college age dudes and you're here making a movie of
real life stuff, bringing glory to God and and Casey to,
to honestly, a lot of Christian movies can be cheesy.
This isn't one by the way, in my humble opinion.
Because they're not willing to dig into the actual depth
(08:23):
of human depravity in a creative and careful way because
you can't go too dark because you don't want to
glorify the darkness, but you somehow were able to thread
that needle so finely.
I mean, tell us about that and what you were
thinking as the director.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, because I knew the story, you know, it was
a real story and I connected to the parts that
were real, right? I didn't connected to the parts that
were like fake and stuff. I knew that this addiction
and where he came from, that's the place I connected with,
and I knew that's the places that other people will
connect with. We wanted, we didn't want to shy out.
You know, in the part, right, don't want, didn't want
to hide the real stuff because I know, you know,
(09:00):
life could be kind of dark sometimes, it's hard and
not always, you know, like happy and fun and peaceful.
Obviously it is with Jesus, where he came from without
him is not, you know, a good place to be at.
And we needed to show that part of Rio, give
that good impact.
So now we could see him in real life and
how he changed and how God brought him out of it.
(09:23):
That contrast was a big part that we needed to show, right?
So like the scene of his room, you know, the
messy house, all his garbage with like empty bottles, cigarettes
on the ground, that scene was like a scene to
like just show how broken his life was, you know,
he doesn't care about anything, it's just a mess. And
I know how that's, you know, that's how it is
(09:44):
when you're like.
Depressed and when you have, when you live in fear
and just darkness, your life is a mess, you know,
just out of control. Yeah, and
Speaker 1 (09:55):
you captured it. There was one moment when the camera panned,
if you could hold up your hand, other one, your
left hand, you have ing on the knuckles. I don't
know if that has any meaning other than the camera
captured it. I noticed it. Can you tell us about that?
It does.
It's actually a crazy story. I had, you know, a
supernatural encounter with Jesus Christ. I saw the light and
(10:18):
I knew that that was the thing that I had
been searching for, right? And so I got this tattoo.
It was maybe a couple weeks after that encounter with Jesus,
knowing that he's my king and that.
That's where my life is now. So pretty much for,
for the lack of a better description, you get saved
fully and like I'm getting a tap for Jesus. By
(10:41):
the way, parents, we don't advocate for tattooing your children
unless they're a fully fledged adult and have their own.
agency to do so. I just want to make sure
we're clearing that don't want to be controversial, but here
it is. So that's not like King George from the
hit movie slash performance of Hamilton. This is King of Kings,
Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. Come on now, I don't
(11:04):
think a tattoo would ever look good on me, but dude,
I'm like, when I saw that, I'm like,
That's powerful.
Wow, so you give your life to Jesus. He's your king,
he's your lord. Here we are. You're, you're, you're making a, a,
a short film about this and I do encourage people
when you get the chance to watch it wherever you are,
(11:24):
sit through the, the lull, the the the depth of that.
How was it as you're filming getting that place from
that dark place of what you were going through to
bringing the rising action.
To that moment of
Well, conversion of absolute surrender to the king, bowing before
(11:48):
the king,
Speaker 2 (11:48):
if you will. Yeah, in the movie, you know, it
starts a little bit slow, showing his life and everything,
but
Speaker 1 (11:54):
that's life, right? Yeah, it is. People, one thing I
have 3 teenagers, one thing that I've heard them all
say at one time or another.
I'm bored, Dad. I want something to do. It's like, well,
that's life. Figure it out. Let's get on board, but
without smoking and drinking and so there's that. But anyway, yeah, yeah,
Speaker 2 (12:12):
you know, life is slow and like just dark and heavy, right.
Once he knew the answer, that's when it kicks in
the movie kind of gets fast and fast and just go, go, go, right?
And you feel that intenseness like he knows the answer
and he's searching for it, it kind of goes crazy
on it, right? I think if you saw.
(12:33):
And if you knew Jesus existed in the way he
experienced it, you'd be the same, you'd be like, I
got to go look for the answer. I got to,
you know, look more into this, do whatever I can
to just find the answer, right?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
I mean, there are multiple times where you literally cry
out like you're in the car like.
Ah, what do you want? I can relate to that. Uh,
you know, and, and you don't have to have been
on drugs or smoking or lost in that way. I
think most humans can relate, especially those who've gone on
in years that you go, some of us do end
up in dark places where we're trying to figure it out.
(13:10):
So tell us about that. You cry out to God
this moment of there's a breakthrough kind of before you
totally yield but just.
Even tell them about your journey and then also the
fact that you filmed that it was so real. I mean,
you were crying out to God. Oh yeah, just as
my life before coming to Jesus, you know, it was
just such a dark place and I was searching in
(13:31):
so many different places that the world offers, right? And
we see people nowadays searching in in drugs, sex, alcohol, money,
whatever it is, and I lived that and I was
there trying to find satisfaction in that.
And nothing satisfied me, right? And then Jesus, he revealed
himself to me and it was like it was so powerful.
It's like I'm overwhelmed. I, I, I don't know what
(13:53):
to do, so I have to seek help, you know,
like I have to know what this is because I
have a glimpse of it, you know what I mean?
And I need to find out.
What, what I just had, what I just saw, you
know what I mean? As, as we're talking through this, um,
I saw when you were with the counselor, like draw
out your emotions and then at a moment. OK, OK,
(14:14):
that's crazy. Yeah, they got to see it to see
what I'm talking about. But, but then you drew again
later on in the.
In the short film and I saw hands out stretched
like this. It looked like Jesus. Am I, was I
wrong in interpreting that? Oh good. I got, I got
it right. So was that real too for you where
you drew out like an encounter with Jesus like, so
I don't want to spoil too much, don't spoil. Sorry sorry,
(14:36):
internet people watching. But yeah, so I kind of.
I kind of draw out the scene of my encounter.
Let's leave it at that. We'll leave it at that.
You gotta go watch it. Yeah, you got to go
watch it. So again, just as a reminder for those
who maybe just joining us, uh, I am with Simeon
(14:56):
and Casey.
They produced or produced and directed and acted in as
lead actor in the short film Then I Heard, soon
to be released. um and uh so we're just grateful
for you both being here. What's your hope for this
in in this current generation? Yeah, so our hope for
this is to
(15:16):
To show people exactly what you can get from the world,
what the world offers, and show people our vulnerability and
wanting to share Jesus with them. We want to tell people,
come as you are to Jesus because he will clean you.
He'll wash you clean. You don't need to be this
perfect person. You don't need to have it all together.
You don't need this to come to Jesus. Come to Jesus.
(15:37):
Exactly who you are and find out who you were
truly designed to be by your creator. There there's a scene,
I'm not, I'm not going to give any more spoilers,
where it seems like you're trying to get cleaned and
what we try doesn't work.
And tell Jesus. OK, uh, Casey in, in, in directing this,
(15:59):
what's your hope for students, uh, people that may be
going through something as Simeon said, as a director like, OK,
I got to do this movie again getting kind of
back to the motivating factor of why you even pressed
to say, hey, we need to make this into a
film and to use your gifts and talents for this goal. What,
what led you to that?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
We knew that our generation, you know, late teens, younger 20s,
even like the 30s, we all all struggle with addiction, right?
I know how much churches like church congregation, even my
friends are just struggle with the same thing, Sim was
struggle in it and
By showing the real side of life and just showing
the out of it, how you could get out of it,
(16:42):
how could just to save you from it.
We knew that we could touch those people, right, just
connected with them and they will also maybe know they
maybe even think about considering Jesus as a hope and
just sharing the gospel and just sharing what Jesus could
do in your life through his love, that's, you know,
our goal, you know, to just be able to reach
people in those dark places and just say, Jesus could
(17:04):
help you, and just could snatch you out of that
and wherever you are, you don't need to be, you know,
in churches or anything, like Simeon was in the darkest
place of his life.
When Jesus met him, yeah, that's, I think that's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Well, and, and even to the courage it takes, and
I don't think people will do this much anymore, but
to call you a Jesus freak or to dismiss you
because Jesus. What I get from this film and from
how you guys are going bold with this and many
others in your generation.
You're just literally bringing them Jesus. Like here's reality. Here's Jesus,
(17:38):
kind of like Joshua, choose this day whom you will serve.
As for me in my house, I serve the king,
you know, and, and Jesus said, you know, he whom
the son is set free is free indeed getting back.
that even childlike faith to say you can come to Jesus.
Would you say that's an accurate assessment that you're in
this film inviting people come to Jesus, bring your mess,
(18:01):
bring your darkness and see what he can do.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Yeah, that's exactly what happens with Sim, right? He just
came as he was Jesus, not knowing.
and he knew the answer, but he didn't know how
to represent himself there, but he just came to Jesus
and Jesus met him there, right? And that's something that
could happen in everybody's life.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
And something that we also really want to get across
to people is that Jesus says, I have come to
give life and life more abundantly. So he doesn't just
offer us eternal life, he offers us this life to
live it more like a bountifully and just live life
with a purpose, not just go through life struggling, like
we struggle now.
(18:40):
For a reason because this is what produces strong faith. Absolutely. Well,
if I could pull a pastor move on you, just
before that, he says the thief comes to steal, kill
and destroy. But I have come to give you life
and life to the full. I don't want to slap
a scripture on your, your, your movie, but you show
(19:02):
what the thief does in your film. He steals, he kills,
and he destroys.
And then you show what Jesus does to give life
to the full as you're just bringing the gospel, it
sounds like to me. This is, this is through creative avenue.
This is God's ministry and we're just along for the
ride
Speaker 2 (19:22):
it. And you know, we could use this as a tool,
Speaker 1 (19:24):
right?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
because this generation is just so media driven. It's me
and I feel everybody's, you know, on their phone, just
like short film content and everything.
And from like coming from filmmaking background, I know the
impact that media could do to you, a good way
and a bad way too, and using a short film
or using any film or any content to just.
(19:47):
Share the gospel and just tell Jesus if I think
this generation kind of needed and I feel like.
This movie could represent Jesus in a good way through
media content because people could just watch it in their
homes eventually, you know, 30 minutes, watch this film, hopefully
get saved through that or even just go to church
and just, you know, something ignites something in their heart
(20:08):
that you just want to get out of their sin
and their, you know, place just yeah meet
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Jesus, and a lot of people nowadays, you know, aren't
going to be in that position.
Um, to hear about Jesus, but through, through social media,
through movies, people are definitely more open to, to watching
something like that, yeah, absolutely.
So what's your hope with this? How, how do you
want to see your hope to see where this launches
(20:33):
as far as platforms? How can people support you? Where
should they go to follow you to find out more information?
You said you're the actor, creative gospel giver preacher guy.
He's the nuts and bolts. So I guess this is
for you.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah,
Speaker 1 (20:48):
there you go, behind the scenes guy. But how can
people get involved and what should they do to
To start saying, OK, this sounds familiar and or just
to say I just wanna now that you know I
think I've given them enough uh stuff
Speaker 2 (21:00):
to people should be excited
Speaker 1 (21:02):
people should
look into this like this is and you know I've
seen a lot of Christian movies and or short films
even through the years, but this, this gets woo, it's powerful.
I'll just say it's powerful, but how can people get
involved in
that?
Speaker 2 (21:15):
We wanna take.
This movie, you know, the churches, the schools, colleges, just
be able to show this film, and then Simeon telling
his story and, you know, in person, like a sharing
the gospel right after this movie, people will be vulnerable,
people want to already connected with Simin, right, because they
already saw his life seeing coming after that would be
a huge impact. Eventually we want to post it on.
(21:38):
Some sort of content online so people could just be
free to watch, you know, in their homes and just
reach a bigger audience. Um, we're very active on Instagram, YouTube,
we post, you know, a lot, and that's one of
our outreach is we do on Instagram, you know, feed just.
Posting behind the scene content.
College students making a movie and something that's very cool,
(22:01):
you know, and yeah, that's one way to follow us,
you know, our social media contents, but we already have
a clothing brand.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
I don't know if the cameras can get it, but
then I heard say by grace. This
Speaker 2 (22:14):
is
a new drop that's it like
Speaker 1 (22:15):
this week, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
It's super cool and um.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Yeah, well, you got a t-shirt, so you are on
the grid. You are, you are happening. Um but so cool.
So they can do they go to Then I heard
at Instagram at then I heard or
Speaker 2 (22:32):
I heard for Instagram, YouTube, then I heard you have
then I heard.com for our merge our information and everything
and we just
Speaker 1 (22:39):
and they can look to book through there as well
when the film is fully ready to go because it's
still in the editing stage right now
Speaker 2 (22:45):
we're almost done should be done in a week or two.
and be able to get this film out within the month,
you know, and just be able to go to places,
go overseas, we even planning um premieres out of the
country right now, just be able to reach this younger generation.
So yeah, like anyone interested, we could just book us,
Speaker 1 (23:05):
with us. Well, we're going to go wherever the Lord
takes us. So that's that's prisons, churches, colleges, like whatever
that looks like, we're there. My hope because you, you did.
Such a good job going into that steal, kill and
destroy category of the thief. I was like, I hope
they can pull us out of this because I'm feeling
pretty low right now and you guys, I'm just gonna
(23:27):
say it like Elon Musk, you launched that thing up
to outer space and you just, you, you did it, um,
it's powerful and again I just want to encourage our
our listeners, those who are joining us on the podcast,
go to then I Heard.com, Instagram, then I heard.
Uh, even get some of the merch because it's actually
pretty cool looking, um, and book these guys, uh, it's powerful. I,
(23:51):
I was literally like crying out like God reignite my
heart for the lost. That's, that was my prayer as
a pastor. God reignite my heart for the lost. I,
I tearing up as I'm walking my dog.
Because I was watching it on I admit while I
was walking on my phone watching it and and I
was tearing up and I'm I'm just like this is
powerful and then to have you given a given an
(24:12):
invitation to come to Jesus, yeah, that'll be awesome. That's
it's all about right? Absolutely. Well, as a pastor, um,
I don't yet have a church, but if I did,
I'd have you guys in in a heartbeat. So pastors,
if you're out there or students get your pastors and
get this thing, not joking, um.
Simeon, I'm gonna ask you, uh, to pray over us,
(24:34):
to pray over people's minds and hearts and our family
members that may be watching and listening who may have
family members and friends in a similar place for them
to have encounters with God as you did and to
bow before the king of kings and give their lives
fully to Jesus. Would you pray us out that way
and then I'll close this out here. Yeah, Lord Jesus,
we just come before you humbly God.
(24:54):
We just pray for this generation, these people that watch
this movie, everyone, Lord, that is struggling right now, we
pray that you will reveal yourself to them in a
divine way, Lord, and that they would come to know
that you are the light of this world, God, and
that you are the only way to heaven, God. Jesus Christ,
we just, we just pray that you would just come down, Lord,
fill us with your spirit, God. Lord.
(25:16):
I pray that you would take this ministry, God, and
everything would glorify and edify you, Jesus. So I just
pray that this would touch the hearts, Lord, you pull
on the hearts, God, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
That is both a heavy and encouraging message from Casey
and Simeon regarding than I Heard. If you want to
(25:37):
learn more about this short film, go to YouTube and
look up Then I Heard. You can use it as
a resource to send to your friends and your family.
Let's continue advancing the kingdom boldly in this culture as
God enables us.
In Acts 2:21, we are told that those who call
upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Our
next guests on Kingdom and Culture, Casey and Simeon, put
together a short film called Then I Heard. They're going
to help us understand what this is all about and
how maybe you can use this as a resource for
your friends and family to reach them for the glory
of God. So let's jump in for this episode of
(00:23):
Kingdom and Culture.
We have with us uh the director and the lead
actor in this short film, but I'm gonna start with you, Casey.
(00:43):
Why don't you introduce yourself and send me in here
and uh what this is all about and then I'll
get into some questions but glad to have you guys
are here. Welcome and uh yeah, let's let's just jump
right in.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah, good to hear, be here. Yeah, thank you so
much for having us. Um, I'm Casey Chikawa. I'm the
director of Dinner I heard um.
I came from Japan originally, born and raised there my
whole life and um I just moved to the states
88 months ago, I think in August. Yeah, and um
I met Simian at Calvay Bible Institute. That's where we
attend right now to school, you know, it's a ministry
(01:17):
kind of school, learning the Bible and everything,
Speaker 1 (01:20):
yeah,
Speaker 2 (01:20):
and um, yeah, I met Simian there um.
And we just I decided to make this, you know,
show film to just share the gospel and everything, you know.
So
Speaker 1 (01:28):
the short film was called Then I Heard, and it's
based on a true story. Now when you let me
watch a pre-release of it, I didn't know what to expect,
to be honest, which I'm thankful for. It's kind of
like you go to a movie theater and you you
got your popcorn. I didn't have popcorn, but you got,
you got everything ready to go. It, it honestly, it
floored me for the first bit of it. I don't
(01:49):
want to give any spoilers, but.
But it's, it's pretty raw and real and in your
face and as a disclaimer, it, it deals with real
life issues that many people are going through such as
addiction and, and depression and maybe even going into the
realm of suicidal thoughts, things that are dark for many
(02:10):
people who struggle with those things. So I just want
to give that disclaimer, but I don't know, Casey or Simeon,
if you want to answer this, but
Since this is based on a true story, whose story
are we talking about? Yeah, yeah, so this is my story.
My name's Same Campbell, and it's, it's a testimony of
how Jesus saved my life and what he did for
me and then the Lord just put it on my heart.
I didn't want to do it at first when Case
(02:31):
Casey reached out to me to do this, this movie.
I was like I was so ashamed of who I
was and what I, I was before coming to Jesus.
I didn't want people to know about it, but then
the Lord just put it on my heart that it
wasn't about me. It was about.
Jesus and what he had done for me and that
he can do this for, he can do this for anyone,
you know what I mean? Absolutely. And uh with your
(02:54):
story being so out there now, I mean, it's very
intimate in terms of what you struggled with. And again,
I didn't realize I was watching a true story.
It was so dark. I'm like this, this like this
is something you'd see um in a rated R movie.
Parents don't get scared of parents are watching this because
I know we're we're, you know, high school and college
(03:14):
students are checking this out, but, but in a way
that I I don't think most high school and college
students are, oh, I didn't know people struggle with drug
addiction and these depression and things like that. It's very
familiar to people. Can you explain a little bit about
what allowed you and not to mention.
I didn't know this was your story, so here you
are the lead actor in this thing. Oh wait, that
(03:38):
guy is that this is the same, they're the same guy.
I look a little different though, but yeah, yeah, but
I mean, even, you know, it's like on the sandlot
when uh Smalls figures out that the great Bambino and
Babe Ruth are this they're the same guy. Anyway, so
this is your personal story.
And you're an actor apparently. Yeah, not really. The Lord
(04:00):
kind of just blessed me with that and I just
kind of, I took on that role and then just
the Lord just worked through me, you know what I mean?
Like I was so nervous to do that. I never
stepped out in something like that before, but I just
totally trusted God, believing that this was his will for
my life, so, and he just totally took over and
it was just such a.
It was such a beautiful thing to just be a
(04:21):
part of, yeah. I'm gonna come back to that because
to see you relive that and ask you more about that,
so get your thoughts generated. But Casey, what motivated you
to say, hey, Simeon, let's make a movie about you.
Yeah, yeah, it was crazy I wish somebody would come
and ask me to make a movie about me. That
was so
awesome.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, it was um it was God, yeah. So yeah,
I was in school, you know, the first couple of
weeks of school, I think the first week or 201
of our teachers, our president was talking about how, you know,
our students being there, we have our own ministry that
we can only do, you know.
And I was thinking myself, you know, what is a
ministry that I could do that no one else could,
and filmmaking, making a movie was something that I was
(05:02):
passionate about, I had experience about, and I knew that
not everyone can, you know, make a movie, right? And yes,
I was like, OK, maybe this is what God wants
me to do at CBI Cavi Bible Institute, right? I
prayed about it for a couple of weeks and asked
around the school if they had like a cold testimony,
a cool story that I could make a movie about.
I asked around, you know, my friends heard their testimonies,
(05:23):
and I came up on Simeon's testimony, and the first
time I heard it, that was surprising you know, it's,
there's some things I was like, wait, wait, what, you know,
but like, it was so impactful and.
Yeah, I just connected with it and I knew that
like that this should, this is it, you know, we
need to make this movie, that this could be the storyline.
And I asked him like, hey, can we make this
(05:46):
into a movie? And he's like,
Speaker 1 (05:52):
like that's a lot because there's a lot of baggage
in there. So yeah, I don't know how much you
want to share about your family, your upbringing.
But based on what I saw in the movie, you
had some Christian foundation in your journey and you kind
of deviated off that and came back. So how was
it reliving that part of your life?
(06:15):
While acting it out, but not so long ago, this
being reality for you. Yeah, it was, it was honestly
only a couple of years ago that I was, I
was living in this dark place and going back to
it was a bit of a challenge, honestly, it was
because I really wanted to go back to that and
show people and um relive that in a sense that
people can connect with this, you know what I mean,
(06:36):
because
I see so many people in this place and it
was tough to get go back there, but the Lord
brought me back out of that super quickly. Like once,
once shooting was done, it was like the Lord pretty
much brought me right back out of it the next day.
So it was, it was.
I mean, I'm gonna say this like if you weren't
good at smoking before you're really good at like making
(06:57):
it look real, uh, you know, admittedly my friends wanted
me to try a stogie while golfing because I guess
that's what you do when you golf and I could not,
I'm like what get this out of here. I, I'm
not good at faking. I would not be a good
smoking actor, but that's real to you because you were
doing that for some time and and really engaging in
that lifestyle if you will.
(07:18):
Yeah, it all kind of just was natural to me,
the movements and all that kind of stuff just because
I'd lived that life for so long. I mean, I
almost felt a little convicted, you know, do that, but
it was like, no, this isn't this isn't for me,
you know what I mean? This is, yeah, which to you,
your credit, Casey to capture that.
Even again seeing the things around the bed and you
(07:40):
picking up a bottle of alcohol I assume was apple
juice but you picked up a bottle of something and
alcohol OK good um but you're there in that moment
um how did you what what were you thinking as
a director? OK, we gotta, we gotta set the scene here.
Can you tell a little bit about the nuts and
bolts and how, again, I love that you guys are
(08:01):
college age dudes and you're here making a movie of
real life stuff, bringing glory to God and and Casey to,
to honestly, a lot of Christian movies can be cheesy.
This isn't one by the way, in my humble opinion.
Because they're not willing to dig into the actual depth
(08:23):
of human depravity in a creative and careful way because
you can't go too dark because you don't want to
glorify the darkness, but you somehow were able to thread
that needle so finely.
I mean, tell us about that and what you were
thinking as the director.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, because I knew the story, you know, it was
a real story and I connected to the parts that
were real, right? I didn't connected to the parts that
were like fake and stuff. I knew that this addiction
and where he came from, that's the place I connected with,
and I knew that's the places that other people will
connect with. We wanted, we didn't want to shy out.
You know, in the part, right, don't want, didn't want
to hide the real stuff because I know, you know,
(09:00):
life could be kind of dark sometimes, it's hard and
not always, you know, like happy and fun and peaceful.
Obviously it is with Jesus, where he came from without
him is not, you know, a good place to be at.
And we needed to show that part of Rio, give
that good impact.
So now we could see him in real life and
how he changed and how God brought him out of it.
(09:23):
That contrast was a big part that we needed to show, right?
So like the scene of his room, you know, the
messy house, all his garbage with like empty bottles, cigarettes
on the ground, that scene was like a scene to
like just show how broken his life was, you know,
he doesn't care about anything, it's just a mess. And
I know how that's, you know, that's how it is
(09:44):
when you're like.
Depressed and when you have, when you live in fear
and just darkness, your life is a mess, you know,
just out of control. Yeah, and
Speaker 1 (09:55):
you captured it. There was one moment when the camera panned,
if you could hold up your hand, other one, your
left hand, you have ing on the knuckles. I don't
know if that has any meaning other than the camera
captured it. I noticed it. Can you tell us about that?
It does.
It's actually a crazy story. I had, you know, a
supernatural encounter with Jesus Christ. I saw the light and
(10:18):
I knew that that was the thing that I had
been searching for, right? And so I got this tattoo.
It was maybe a couple weeks after that encounter with Jesus,
knowing that he's my king and that.
That's where my life is now. So pretty much for,
for the lack of a better description, you get saved
fully and like I'm getting a tap for Jesus. By
(10:41):
the way, parents, we don't advocate for tattooing your children
unless they're a fully fledged adult and have their own.
agency to do so. I just want to make sure
we're clearing that don't want to be controversial, but here
it is. So that's not like King George from the
hit movie slash performance of Hamilton. This is King of Kings,
Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. Come on now, I don't
(11:04):
think a tattoo would ever look good on me, but dude,
I'm like, when I saw that, I'm like,
That's powerful.
Wow, so you give your life to Jesus. He's your king,
he's your lord. Here we are. You're, you're, you're making a, a,
a short film about this and I do encourage people
when you get the chance to watch it wherever you are,
(11:24):
sit through the, the lull, the the the depth of that.
How was it as you're filming getting that place from
that dark place of what you were going through to
bringing the rising action.
To that moment of
Well, conversion of absolute surrender to the king, bowing before
(11:48):
the king,
Speaker 2 (11:48):
if you will. Yeah, in the movie, you know, it
starts a little bit slow, showing his life and everything,
but
Speaker 1 (11:54):
that's life, right? Yeah, it is. People, one thing I
have 3 teenagers, one thing that I've heard them all
say at one time or another.
I'm bored, Dad. I want something to do. It's like, well,
that's life. Figure it out. Let's get on board, but
without smoking and drinking and so there's that. But anyway, yeah, yeah,
Speaker 2 (12:12):
you know, life is slow and like just dark and heavy, right.
Once he knew the answer, that's when it kicks in
the movie kind of gets fast and fast and just go, go, go, right?
And you feel that intenseness like he knows the answer
and he's searching for it, it kind of goes crazy
on it, right? I think if you saw.
(12:33):
And if you knew Jesus existed in the way he
experienced it, you'd be the same, you'd be like, I
got to go look for the answer. I got to,
you know, look more into this, do whatever I can
to just find the answer, right?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
I mean, there are multiple times where you literally cry
out like you're in the car like.
Ah, what do you want? I can relate to that. Uh,
you know, and, and you don't have to have been
on drugs or smoking or lost in that way. I
think most humans can relate, especially those who've gone on
in years that you go, some of us do end
up in dark places where we're trying to figure it out.
(13:10):
So tell us about that. You cry out to God
this moment of there's a breakthrough kind of before you
totally yield but just.
Even tell them about your journey and then also the
fact that you filmed that it was so real. I mean,
you were crying out to God. Oh yeah, just as
my life before coming to Jesus, you know, it was
just such a dark place and I was searching in
(13:31):
so many different places that the world offers, right? And
we see people nowadays searching in in drugs, sex, alcohol, money,
whatever it is, and I lived that and I was
there trying to find satisfaction in that.
And nothing satisfied me, right? And then Jesus, he revealed
himself to me and it was like it was so powerful.
It's like I'm overwhelmed. I, I, I don't know what
(13:53):
to do, so I have to seek help, you know,
like I have to know what this is because I
have a glimpse of it, you know what I mean?
And I need to find out.
What, what I just had, what I just saw, you
know what I mean? As, as we're talking through this, um,
I saw when you were with the counselor, like draw
out your emotions and then at a moment. OK, OK,
(14:14):
that's crazy. Yeah, they got to see it to see
what I'm talking about. But, but then you drew again
later on in the.
In the short film and I saw hands out stretched
like this. It looked like Jesus. Am I, was I
wrong in interpreting that? Oh good. I got, I got
it right. So was that real too for you where
you drew out like an encounter with Jesus like, so
I don't want to spoil too much, don't spoil. Sorry sorry,
(14:36):
internet people watching. But yeah, so I kind of.
I kind of draw out the scene of my encounter.
Let's leave it at that. We'll leave it at that.
You gotta go watch it. Yeah, you got to go
watch it. So again, just as a reminder for those
who maybe just joining us, uh, I am with Simeon
(14:56):
and Casey.
They produced or produced and directed and acted in as
lead actor in the short film Then I Heard, soon
to be released. um and uh so we're just grateful
for you both being here. What's your hope for this
in in this current generation? Yeah, so our hope for
this is to
(15:16):
To show people exactly what you can get from the world,
what the world offers, and show people our vulnerability and
wanting to share Jesus with them. We want to tell people,
come as you are to Jesus because he will clean you.
He'll wash you clean. You don't need to be this
perfect person. You don't need to have it all together.
You don't need this to come to Jesus. Come to Jesus.
(15:37):
Exactly who you are and find out who you were
truly designed to be by your creator. There there's a scene,
I'm not, I'm not going to give any more spoilers,
where it seems like you're trying to get cleaned and
what we try doesn't work.
And tell Jesus. OK, uh, Casey in, in, in directing this,
(15:59):
what's your hope for students, uh, people that may be
going through something as Simeon said, as a director like, OK,
I got to do this movie again getting kind of
back to the motivating factor of why you even pressed
to say, hey, we need to make this into a
film and to use your gifts and talents for this goal. What,
what led you to that?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
We knew that our generation, you know, late teens, younger 20s,
even like the 30s, we all all struggle with addiction, right?
I know how much churches like church congregation, even my
friends are just struggle with the same thing, Sim was
struggle in it and
By showing the real side of life and just showing
the out of it, how you could get out of it,
(16:42):
how could just to save you from it.
We knew that we could touch those people, right, just
connected with them and they will also maybe know they
maybe even think about considering Jesus as a hope and
just sharing the gospel and just sharing what Jesus could
do in your life through his love, that's, you know,
our goal, you know, to just be able to reach
people in those dark places and just say, Jesus could
(17:04):
help you, and just could snatch you out of that
and wherever you are, you don't need to be, you know,
in churches or anything, like Simeon was in the darkest
place of his life.
When Jesus met him, yeah, that's, I think that's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Well, and, and even to the courage it takes, and
I don't think people will do this much anymore, but
to call you a Jesus freak or to dismiss you
because Jesus. What I get from this film and from
how you guys are going bold with this and many
others in your generation.
You're just literally bringing them Jesus. Like here's reality. Here's Jesus,
(17:38):
kind of like Joshua, choose this day whom you will serve.
As for me in my house, I serve the king,
you know, and, and Jesus said, you know, he whom
the son is set free is free indeed getting back.
that even childlike faith to say you can come to Jesus.
Would you say that's an accurate assessment that you're in
this film inviting people come to Jesus, bring your mess,
(18:01):
bring your darkness and see what he can do.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Yeah, that's exactly what happens with Sim, right? He just
came as he was Jesus, not knowing.
and he knew the answer, but he didn't know how
to represent himself there, but he just came to Jesus
and Jesus met him there, right? And that's something that
could happen in everybody's life.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
And something that we also really want to get across
to people is that Jesus says, I have come to
give life and life more abundantly. So he doesn't just
offer us eternal life, he offers us this life to
live it more like a bountifully and just live life
with a purpose, not just go through life struggling, like
we struggle now.
(18:40):
For a reason because this is what produces strong faith. Absolutely. Well,
if I could pull a pastor move on you, just
before that, he says the thief comes to steal, kill
and destroy. But I have come to give you life
and life to the full. I don't want to slap
a scripture on your, your, your movie, but you show
(19:02):
what the thief does in your film. He steals, he kills,
and he destroys.
And then you show what Jesus does to give life
to the full as you're just bringing the gospel, it
sounds like to me. This is, this is through creative avenue.
This is God's ministry and we're just along for the
ride
Speaker 2 (19:22):
it. And you know, we could use this as a tool,
Speaker 1 (19:24):
right?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
because this generation is just so media driven. It's me
and I feel everybody's, you know, on their phone, just
like short film content and everything.
And from like coming from filmmaking background, I know the
impact that media could do to you, a good way
and a bad way too, and using a short film
or using any film or any content to just.
(19:47):
Share the gospel and just tell Jesus if I think
this generation kind of needed and I feel like.
This movie could represent Jesus in a good way through
media content because people could just watch it in their
homes eventually, you know, 30 minutes, watch this film, hopefully
get saved through that or even just go to church
and just, you know, something ignites something in their heart
(20:08):
that you just want to get out of their sin
and their, you know, place just yeah meet
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Jesus, and a lot of people nowadays, you know, aren't
going to be in that position.
Um, to hear about Jesus, but through, through social media,
through movies, people are definitely more open to, to watching
something like that, yeah, absolutely.
So what's your hope with this? How, how do you
want to see your hope to see where this launches
(20:33):
as far as platforms? How can people support you? Where
should they go to follow you to find out more information?
You said you're the actor, creative gospel giver preacher guy.
He's the nuts and bolts. So I guess this is
for you.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah,
Speaker 1 (20:48):
there you go, behind the scenes guy. But how can
people get involved and what should they do to
To start saying, OK, this sounds familiar and or just
to say I just wanna now that you know I
think I've given them enough uh stuff
Speaker 2 (21:00):
to people should be excited
Speaker 1 (21:02):
people should
look into this like this is and you know I've
seen a lot of Christian movies and or short films
even through the years, but this, this gets woo, it's powerful.
I'll just say it's powerful, but how can people get
involved in
that?
Speaker 2 (21:15):
We wanna take.
This movie, you know, the churches, the schools, colleges, just
be able to show this film, and then Simeon telling
his story and, you know, in person, like a sharing
the gospel right after this movie, people will be vulnerable,
people want to already connected with Simin, right, because they
already saw his life seeing coming after that would be
a huge impact. Eventually we want to post it on.
(21:38):
Some sort of content online so people could just be
free to watch, you know, in their homes and just
reach a bigger audience. Um, we're very active on Instagram, YouTube,
we post, you know, a lot, and that's one of
our outreach is we do on Instagram, you know, feed just.
Posting behind the scene content.
College students making a movie and something that's very cool,
(22:01):
you know, and yeah, that's one way to follow us,
you know, our social media contents, but we already have
a clothing brand.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
I don't know if the cameras can get it, but
then I heard say by grace. This
Speaker 2 (22:14):
is
a new drop that's it like
Speaker 1 (22:15):
this week, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
It's super cool and um.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Yeah, well, you got a t-shirt, so you are on
the grid. You are, you are happening. Um but so cool.
So they can do they go to Then I heard
at Instagram at then I heard or
Speaker 2 (22:32):
I heard for Instagram, YouTube, then I heard you have
then I heard.com for our merge our information and everything
and we just
Speaker 1 (22:39):
and they can look to book through there as well
when the film is fully ready to go because it's
still in the editing stage right now
Speaker 2 (22:45):
we're almost done should be done in a week or two.
and be able to get this film out within the month,
you know, and just be able to go to places,
go overseas, we even planning um premieres out of the
country right now, just be able to reach this younger generation.
So yeah, like anyone interested, we could just book us,
Speaker 1 (23:05):
with us. Well, we're going to go wherever the Lord
takes us. So that's that's prisons, churches, colleges, like whatever
that looks like, we're there. My hope because you, you did.
Such a good job going into that steal, kill and
destroy category of the thief. I was like, I hope
they can pull us out of this because I'm feeling
pretty low right now and you guys, I'm just gonna
(23:27):
say it like Elon Musk, you launched that thing up
to outer space and you just, you, you did it, um,
it's powerful and again I just want to encourage our
our listeners, those who are joining us on the podcast,
go to then I Heard.com, Instagram, then I heard.
Uh, even get some of the merch because it's actually
pretty cool looking, um, and book these guys, uh, it's powerful. I,
(23:51):
I was literally like crying out like God reignite my
heart for the lost. That's, that was my prayer as
a pastor. God reignite my heart for the lost. I,
I tearing up as I'm walking my dog.
Because I was watching it on I admit while I
was walking on my phone watching it and and I
was tearing up and I'm I'm just like this is
powerful and then to have you given a given an
(24:12):
invitation to come to Jesus, yeah, that'll be awesome. That's
it's all about right? Absolutely. Well, as a pastor, um,
I don't yet have a church, but if I did,
I'd have you guys in in a heartbeat. So pastors,
if you're out there or students get your pastors and
get this thing, not joking, um.
Simeon, I'm gonna ask you, uh, to pray over us,
(24:34):
to pray over people's minds and hearts and our family
members that may be watching and listening who may have
family members and friends in a similar place for them
to have encounters with God as you did and to
bow before the king of kings and give their lives
fully to Jesus. Would you pray us out that way
and then I'll close this out here. Yeah, Lord Jesus,
we just come before you humbly God.
(24:54):
We just pray for this generation, these people that watch
this movie, everyone, Lord, that is struggling right now, we
pray that you will reveal yourself to them in a
divine way, Lord, and that they would come to know
that you are the light of this world, God, and
that you are the only way to heaven, God. Jesus Christ,
we just, we just pray that you would just come down, Lord,
fill us with your spirit, God. Lord.
(25:16):
I pray that you would take this ministry, God, and
everything would glorify and edify you, Jesus. So I just
pray that this would touch the hearts, Lord, you pull
on the hearts, God, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
That is both a heavy and encouraging message from Casey
and Simeon regarding than I Heard. If you want to
(25:37):
learn more about this short film, go to YouTube and
look up Then I Heard. You can use it as
a resource to send to your friends and your family.
Let's continue advancing the kingdom boldly in this culture as
God enables us.
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