May 7, 2025 • 24 mins
Episode 148 - Becoming Detective Travis
In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, your host, Matt Chastain interviews actor Todd Terry, renowned for his role as Detective Travis in the series 'Vindication'. Todd discusses his journey into acting, which began in high school. He shares his experiences in theater, film, and working with various directors, discussing the differences between stage and film acting. He reflects on his path to faith and its influence on his career choices. The conversation covers the evolution of his character in 'Vindication', the importance of subtlety in acting, and the challenges of balancing Christian values with the demands of the film industry.
Highlights Include:
- Welcome and Introduction
- Early Acting Journey
- Experiences with Theatre
- Acting for Theater vs. Film
- Subtlety in Acting
- Terry's Introduction to Vindication
- Challenges for Faith-Based Films
- Balancing Secular and Faith-Based Roles
- Navigating Content Boundaries
- Developing Detective Travis
- Working with Director Jarod O'Flaherty
- Conclusion and Farewell
Bio:
Todd Terry, a native Dallasite, began his career in television, film and theater over 38 years ago. He studied theater at The National Youth Theater of Great Britain, American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and Professional Actors Conservatory in Los Angeles. He has recently completed his fourth season as lead character, Gary Travis in the episodic series Vindication. Soon to be released film projects include The Senior, Hellcat and The Butcher. He will also be appearing in two comedic roles, the episodic series Fairwood and the film Empty Nets. He recently appeared in two of Taylor Sheridan’s episodic Lioness and 1923. Additional film credits include Unbreakable Boy, Disciples in the Moonlight, Jesus Revolution, Five Feet Apart, Unplanned, Beyond the Farthest Star, Because of Gracia, Arlington Road and Walking Tall II. Todd has co-starred in several network television movies of the week including: The Legend of Cadillac Jack, In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy and The Year Without Santa Claus. He has recurred on such shows as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Fear the Walking Dead, and American Crime. Additional co-star roles include Walker, The Winchesters, Mr. Mercedes, Drop Dead Diva, Dallas, My Generation, Chase, Walker-Texas Ranger and Friday Night Lights. He has appeared in commercials for Birdseye, JSX Airlines, Home Title Lock, Leaf Guard, Texas Oncology, American Airlines, Visionworks, Cabella’s, Cooper Tires, Showtime, Blockbuster, TXU, Service King, Brookshire’s, Pepsi and Braum’s. He served as the President of the Dallas/Ft Worth branch of the Screen Actors Guild in 2001.
Todd Terry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddterryactor/
Purpose Film and Media Festival: https://www.purposefest.net/
FAFF Association Online Meetups: https://faffassociation.com/#faff-meetings
Screenwriters Retreat - Mexico: https://www.faffassociation.com/writers-retreat
Jaclyn's Book - In the Beginning, Middle and End: A Screenwriter’s Observations of LIfe, Character, and God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9R7XS9V
VIP Producers Mentorship
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Matt (00:00):
Hey everybody.
I am really, really honored today toget the chance to chat with one of the more popular and busy actors in the world of faith and family films.
You guys know him as Detective Travison the mega popular series Vindication.
Uh, his film credits include butare absolutely not limited to.
Jesus Revolution, unplanned, unbreakableboy and disciples in the moonlight.
(00:23):
Uh, you may have seen him inpopular series on TV such as 1923, breaking Bad, better Call Saul and Fear The Walking Dead.
Uh, it's the one, it's the onlyMr. Todd Terry, Mr. Todd, Terry, I am so excited to have you.
So thanks for coming on the, uh,faith and Family Filmmakers podcast.
We appreciate it, brother.
Todd (00:42):
Appreciate you having me.
Matt (00:43):
big celebrity in our world.
So this was a big get, you know,Jeff reached out to me, and I'm like, well, I'm Facebook friends with him, so we'll see if it works.
I know his boss.
Okay.
Although Jared would probably have aproblem with me calling him your boss.
So Todd, I want to let, let's rewind back.
Talk about how did youfirst get into acting?
when was your, your first kind of, whendid the spark make you just decide?
(01:04):
I, I've gotta go pretendto be somebody else.
Todd (01:06):
You know it, it actually started in high school.
I took a drama class andI had to do a monologue.
It was the first time that I feltlike this, just this freedom to kind of exercise my emotions.
I was a pretty introverted kid,but there was also, I think some theatrical background in some of my family from my grandmother.
So I think that's probablywhere it came from.
(01:28):
And my sister was a singer when I wasgrowing up, and so I had that desire.
But when I did that class, Ifelt like it was a safe place to exercise my emotions, which I guess introducing to me a to a love for it.
Matt (01:41):
Where'd you grow up though, if I can...
Todd (01:43):
Oh yeah, in, in Texas.
I grew up in Dallas.
Matt (01:46):
Okay.
Todd (01:46):
Went to this high school here, all that kind of stuff.
But later in high school, I, I waspart of a teen improv group that did skits on, like drug abuse, teen pregnancy, all that stuff.
So at that time, it gave me a purpose.
I wasn't a believer.
I mean, I, I would say I grewup as a believer, but I was kind of all over the place.
I wasn't following Jesus at that time, butI still had a purpose and a want for it.
(02:10):
And then later on when I was probably 20,about 28 is when I really came to know the Lord in a way that I hadn't in the past.
So that's kind of how it started.
I got into.
Film and television or pursued itthrough an agent in my early twenties.
I mean, I can go on.
I've got a whole, a whole history.
Uh, did a lot of theater, uh,summer stock theater up and down.
(02:32):
Went to more of a classical theatertraining program, moved to Holland with a group of actors to start a theater company in my mid twenties.
Ran outta money, but we were able to,you know, at least produce one show, which was a blast and a lot of fun.
Too much fun, I'll say.
But, uh, came back and met my wife in,you know, my late twenties and that's when I started wrestling with God and, uh, came to know him in a, bigger way.
(03:00):
So, yeah, that's kind of the,the initial part of my story.
Matt (03:04):
The modern day Israel, right?
We who wrestle with Godthe modern day Israel.
So you bring up a very interesting point.
I like diving into the kind of thepsychology of acting and I've always, I. Thought that that stage actors can be very different to film actors.
'cause a lot of stage actors areactors who are just natural extroverts.
They just, they, theyneed a place to let it go.
(03:25):
I've got all this to show.
Whereas a lot of times you'll find filmactors, uh, or people who specialize more in, in film on screen actors.
It's more like they, they'reintroverted and they need a, a channel to express things they otherwise wouldn't feel comfortable expressing.
Todd (03:41):
Yeah, I mean, for me, I can only speak to my experience, but yeah, I mean, I met a lot of people in the theater that were definitely extroverted.
You know, they had an outgoingpersonality all the time.
There's so many different types ofactors as far as where you come from.
But yeah, sometimes more introvertedactors may end up leaning toward film things that are a little more, uh.
It can be subtle or you have to besubtle or the camera just exposes you in a huge way if you're not, and that's really what I've had to learn between those two worlds.
(04:11):
And I haven't done theater in along time, and I absolutely love it.
And I think it's, any actorthat pursues this should try it.
It's just a, it's adifferent, different world.
But same with the same tools thatI use in film or television are the same ones I would use in theater.
It's just.
Your medium is a lot bigger in theater,and you are, there's a continuity in theater that you don't have in film as far as the process of doing it.
(04:37):
You live or die on the stage whenin film it's, you know, action to cut and then you can do it again.
So, uh, different worlds, buta lot of the same process.
Matt (04:48):
I know a lot of editors who make actors look really good.
If you can't get it all inone take, a lot of us can't.
Todd (04:54):
Yeah.
And, and that's why I think I alwaysappreciate a director that can also edit and Jared's like that.
He, you know, he's adirector, he is an editor.
He, he's got his hand in about everything,but that really helps because their eye is looking for that thing that they say, okay, I can work around this.
Versus an editor who getsit has to piece it together.
Matt (05:14):
Yeah, that's gotta give you a lot of comfort knowing that if I know I nailed that first line and take one, and the second part of it I didn't, but I got it.
In Take three, you have as an.
Actor, probably comfortknowing that Jared caught that.
Jared is because he'sdirecting and he is cutting it.
He caught that and, and you could bemore free to, there's a freedom in not worrying about messing up a line, right.
Todd (05:36):
Yeah.
You know?
Absolutely.
And I, I tend to be alittle methodical, like.
I'm pretty good about matching,uh, physical movement, you know, in the projects I do.
I've always just kind of thought thatway, which is a good thing for an editor, but sometimes it'll inhibit you in trying to be more creative.
So it's finding that fine line whereyou're, you're hitting your movements, but at the same time you're allowing yourself to be free with everything else.
Matt (06:03):
and giving them some additional choices that don't screw up the cut or force a cut.
Right.
Todd (06:08):
Yeah, that's exactly right.
Matt (06:09):
A hundred percent.
You mentioned subtlety I'mglad you brought that up.
'cause I remember the firsttime Jared sent me the pilot, he wanted me to watch it.
This was years ago.
And I was like, who isthis Todd Terry Guy?
I was like, 'cause I think thatreally is, your strength is being so powerful in your subtlety.
Like that's just a, that's aGod-given gift that you have is being able to be so powerful while remaining so subtle on camera.
Todd (06:34):
I appreciate that.
I mean, I definitely try sometimesI'm really scared of overacting or pushing things too far, and I. Sometimes a director, Jared'll, say, no.
I, I, I'm not seeing it.
I'm not seeing it.
And so I'll, I'll find that space topush it, but I just tend to go smaller.
I just have always liked films wherepeople do less because it's so much about the audience watching a film.
(07:01):
And having your own experience as anaudience member, and it's not always about what the actor's doing, it's just living in that moment with them, and that's what I think makes it powerful.
Matt (07:13):
I mean, you're having to, to become the character and in most situations people are trying to hold back.
Their emotions.
They're trying to, to cover whatthey're really thinking in real life.
And so most people aren't as bigin real life as some over actors want to, to give the camera, right?
Todd (07:29):
And there's, there's definitely mediums that require.
A bigger style farce or a lot ofcomedy and then some comedy is just played straight and real and that's what makes it so funny.
it all depends on the medium, buta lot of the medium that I have done a bit of, which is dramatic.
Yeah, I think this subtly works often.
Matt (07:52):
A hundred percent.
Well, let's talk about your originstory, how you kind of came upon the original vindication script.
How did Jared find you?
I'm guessing you're both in Dallas,so maybe you're running the same circles, but it originally was just going to be a short film, right?
Todd (08:07):
Yeah, so initially I met Jared at a Christian, and I always mispronounced this.
It's Christian Media Artistor Media Association.
It's a group that, I think itwas nationwide, and one of the chapters was here in Dallas.
And I had done a film called Beyond theFarthest Star, this was 15 years ago, with a guy named Andy Librizzi, and I had spoke at that meeting and Jared came up afterwards and said, Hey, I'm doing this short film, would you be interested?
(08:33):
I. His memory of it isdifferent than mine.
I was probably feellike I said absolutely.
Because you know, as an actor wejust wanna work a lot of times and we didn't know each other.
So that was kind of the beginning.
And then it was a short filmwith Ben Davies and I thought it turned out really well.
And then a year later I saw himat a film festival, Jared, for Vindication that, short film.
(08:57):
And he said, I'm thinkingabout turning it into a series.
Who's gonna say no to that?
And so that's kind of how it began.
But that was 10 years ago.
And here we are, we'vecompleted four seasons.
We have a standalone special that we justfilmed and you know, it's audience is increasing because, you know, recently we were put on Angel Studios platform, which helped, you know, more eyes on the show.
(09:23):
'cause when you're dealing withfaith-based, film, you know, if you don't have a specific, I don't, I don't want to, maybe specific directors, people that have like i'll, the Irwin Brothers are a great example that they have kind of, they're moved into the secular arena, if you wanna call it that.
And they, they produce a great productand I've been fortunate to work with them on, stuff before, but it's harder to get eyes on some of these.
(09:48):
Christian films and TV things, although wehave there, there's a lot of Christians in the US so you know, watching 'em is great.
I think Christian film has had a badrap being too on the nose, uh, at times.
And so people probably just go, nah, it'sprobably not gonna be as good as something else I'm gonna see in the theater.
(10:11):
And I think if people would just go, giveus a shot and check it out, you might find that you like some of this stuff.
Matt (10:16):
I think maybe that reputation is old.
Don't you think that reputation mightbe just a little old, like we earned that reputation 15, 20 years ago when kind of the Christian media was.
Still in its infancy, but man,there's some good stuff out there.
Vindication and the Erwin Brothers,as you say, being some of that.
Todd (10:32):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And there's a lot, and I, I don'twanna single out anybody specifically, but that name comes to mind because they're producing big, bigger budget things with good quality stories, you know, and it's always the story.
I mean, you're, you're a writer,you know, the story is king.
and you gotta have a good story, Ithink, to make something successful.
Matt (10:53):
Yeah, it's about the story, not about the sermon, and that's what we kind of think a lot of times wrong as we have, as Christians.
We wanna preach a sermon andwe'll wrap it in a thinly veiled story and hope it, works.
But that's not even what really Jesus did.
Jesus told stories and they wereparallel to the logic that we needed to pull 'em over to the way.
So tell good stories and,and good things will happen.
Todd (11:12):
Yeah.
And it's like, it's giving also theaudience credit for figuring things out.
You know, when things are too on thenose, it's like, okay, I know the
message
I was supposed to receive, but when youtalk about Jesus spoken parables, you have to read that over and over again.
And you get new things every time becauseit's like, okay, what that really mean?
And you really have to let it marinate.
(11:33):
And, uh, I like that.
I don't want to be told, I wantto, you know, I want to be.
Shown and allow my...
Matt (11:39):
Provoked.
Todd (11:40):
Provoke.
That's a great word.
Yeah.
Matt (11:42):
Yeah, that's how the, Jewish people learned back then is that they were provoked to think.
Hmm.
that's, obviously as an actor,the stories you are, drawn to.
So maybe that's, you know, a, a lessonfor all the writers out there and the directors who are listening and how can I get an actor of Todd, Terry's quality?
Well give them a story thatprovokes people to think.
Todd (12:02):
You're being very nice.
I mean, I, I look at myself as anactor that just, who never gave up, and I've been doing this for almost 40 years, and it's just like my whole, if you wanna call it a mantra or whatever, it's just don't give up.
Keep doing it.
there's lean times, there's greattimes, but I'm grateful to have had this opportunity because I wouldn't have seen myself in the faith-based market, if you, for lack of a better word, in the Christian market specifically, because I just wanted to do good quality stuff and I wanted to work.
(12:33):
Here it is, and I'm very grateful.
Matt (12:36):
It's tough for a Christian who is also an actor as well.
'cause obviously you don't wannalimit yourself only to the quote unquote faith-based market.
But at the same time, going into thesecular world, I've talked to lots of actors who said that's always a fight not to compromise going into that world
.Todd: Yeah, and I've had, I've been fortunate to do a lot of, you know, secular television as well.
(12:58):
And some, you know, if you wanna callit secular film, yeah, and it's always a case by case scenario because a lot of times you may not see the full script, especially in television, and you're going off, okay, here's my dialogue, and I seem okay with that.
A lot of it is just, God, shut thatdoor if it's not where I need to be.
Sometimes that's the prayer andsometimes you just go in it.
(13:21):
And I've made mistakes.
I've done stuff that I'm like,I wish I hadn't have done.
But you kinda live and...you live and learn.
Now how do you feel about this?
'cause this, I don'tknow how I feel about it.
There are a lot of actors, and I respectit, who will say, there are lines that I don't, we all have lines we won't cross, but there, there are actors who will say, I won't curse in a project.
I get it.
(13:41):
I'm fine with that.
Personally, I cursed in a Christianmovie once because I, for me it's like.
If I'm playing a bad guy, if I'm playingan evil guy and he says, all shucks, just because I'm in a movie and don't wanna say a bad word now I'm lacking reality.
So if I'm playing a personwho would curse, I will curse.
But, but others have differentstandards and, for me, it's like you do what's best for you.
(14:03):
I don't think we should necessarilyhave one standard that Christian actors necessarily have to abide by other than our, our own, you know, biblical interpretation.
Todd (14:11):
Yeah, I mean, mean trust me, I've thought about this so much and I'm hesitant to even talk about it because, you know, it's like, ah, you're gonna talk something, you're gonna put something out there and somebody's gonna like, well, you said this and you said you would never do this.
Matt (14:23):
Cancel culture.
Christian, cancel culture.
Todd (14:25):
And, but I do, I weigh that in auditions where I have that kind of stuff.
And again, that's, that's sometimes I'llprobably shut that door if, if it's stuff I'm really, really on the edge about.
And then sometimes I'll be inauditions where I've got some very heavy language and I'll change it to something I'm more comfortable with, but still gets the point across.
(14:48):
And I've had the opportunity to.
Be on a show.
And I said to the director,I said, there's certain words I really don't wanna say.
And at the time it was 'cause I hadyounger kids and he said, that's fine, know, and it, it was communicated.
But I agree with you in that all shucks,so to speak, is not gonna... is not gonna sell the A killer is not gonna say that
Matt (15:09):
right.
Todd (15:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
But yeah.
But I agree that's,that, that's a tough one.
It's a case by case basis.
And I don't wanna say I'll never do.
Something's, you know, I justdon't want to name certain words.
'cause I think a lot of the, thewhole thing about cursing has a lot more to do with how we speak about other people in general and our heart posture towards people and gossip.
(15:31):
And along those lines thatwe go, we immediately go to.
Certain four letter words and yetthere's a much bigger picture on how we talk daily about each other and you know, bless your enemy.
And granted, we're in a mediumthat we're showing something to people because we're trying to tell a story and get a message across.
(15:52):
And sometimes it's good and eviland you gotta have the evil guy, you know, and the good guy to kinda show where we're going in the big picture.
So that's my talk around that.
Matt (16:02):
Hey.
It's like we just said, well,no, that, but it's better to explore these topics than it is to have that hard and fast rule.
So just, just like, you know, we,we just talked about with story, this is, it's all an exploration.
To give you the other side of that,I kid you not, I was once, uh, I was directing a, very Christian movie and I had an actor audition and the dude knew what the movie was and he dropped, must have been 50 F-bombs, which weren't, obviously not in my sides.
(16:28):
Obviously he didn't get the part, but itwas interesting that somebody in the sides would start dropping dozens of f-bombs in an audition for a Christian movie.
Todd (16:35):
Yeah,
Matt (16:36):
I wanna know about your experience on vindication and, and more specifically, let's get into the, to the meat of acting here.
What is your relationship likewith Travis, with Detective Travis?
Todd (16:45):
You know what?
This is interesting because when youstart off a character, especially, I can use vindication as an example.
You don't know this guy's beginning andend story because it's always progressing.
You discover who he is.
Any actor discovers this character asyou go along because you're, there's so much limited information because the writer are creating this guy.
(17:09):
And I really trust in the writer.
I'm a big advocate of, writersand, look, I'm sometimes I'm horrible staying on the line, you know, I'll creatively mess with it.
And some writers are, no, I wantexactly the words and some aren't.
But I usually try to do it where I feellike this character's either coming from, and it may be small, but that's often another topic, but you learn the character just like you learn your own self in real life as go along.
(17:38):
I mean, we discover thingsabout our own selves.
As you know, I made in a year fromnow go, man, I was not a nice person.
All of a sudden, because I have someepiphany or some sort of Holy Spirit moment where I discover something.
It's the same thing with acting.
It's discovering it along the ways.
But I think I came into the characterwith, okay, this guy is a cop.
(18:01):
I. I know nothing about being a cop,so I would do stuff like, I did a ride along with a friend of mine that I know not well, but he was, he's a cop and I've known some others and a lot of it's an imagination.
What would I do in this situation?
kind of make things up as you go along.
But the funny thing is I canlook back and season one and go.
I had no idea what I was doing there.
(18:22):
You know, when you look at yourself,I don't love watching myself.
I can do it, but I kind of do it togo, okay, do I believe it or do I not?
And I, I found a lot of moments,especially really early on, not even the, the short film, but like the second episode where I went, I don't really have a good, strong opinion as a character, and that bugged me.
But you'll live and learn and youfigure it out as you go along.
(18:44):
That's my best answer forhow character develop.
Matt (18:48):
I hate to get too cliche here, but that term, what's my motivation really is everything.
That's what I always tell an actor, is itreally all it matters is what you want.
What does your character want right now.
And, and so when you approach Travisand you're going into season four and you've done so many stories, what is it the baseline that you kind of ride along as to what Travis wants?
Todd (19:12):
It's funny, I've always been an action oriented actor trying to find something that I, that I'm going for.
So in a sense, it's what you wantand I'm, I feel like I'm kind of trying to expand my mind on this, and this is not something.
I figured out myself.
It was just another teacher that I'm kindof watching a little bit of what he does, and some of it's about finding the problem and where you are within that problem and trying to figure your way out of it.
(19:35):
It's kind of a different way oflooking at it, and I think that allows the actor to be alive because you don't know where the scene's going because when you read a scene as an actor, you know where it's gonna end.
Trying not to stay in that.
Trying to stay in.
What's this obstacle against you andtrying to push your way out of it.
(19:56):
That's the best way.
I can look at it, and Jareddoes a good job of keeping that struggle alive in the words.
So that really helps.
That's where I, you always go backand rely on the words, and he's also really good at going, you know, I need to see more of this here, or something that's going to make this scene go where it needs to go.
(20:17):
Because it's really easy as the actor justto kind of be so enmeshed in the scene that you don't see the bigger picture of what he's trying to tell the audience.
And so that's where agood director comes in.
Matt (20:27):
Yeah.
Yet another good lesson for anaudience... 'cause both of us know and have worked with Jared and I think the lesson you can learn from Jared is a be decisive if you wanna direct but also.
Be a good guy to work with.
I think that's one of Jared'sbiggest superpowers is everybody loves working with that guy.
I would not say that if he werehere, I would say something much meaner about him behind his back.
(20:49):
I'll, I'll be truthful, but, uh,he's such an, just a gentle soul, yet decisive, which I think is tough to achieve that balance as a director.
Todd (20:58):
And you don't, see that in a lot, so, 'cause my experience, a lot of times you're gonna have a separate writer and you're gonna have a separate director.
And when you have that.
A lot of times the directors are more,will sit back and go, okay, this is what we're looking for, but you just do your thing and you get used to that.
But Jared, since he's written the majorityof them, I know you've written, you've written one or two, I can't remember.
Matt (21:22):
A couple.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I worked on a bunch of 'em.
I think I got credit for one.
Yeah, I have written it.
Todd (21:27):
Well, so those are probably
Matt (21:28):
I made you flirt with your wife.
That's my most proud thing on the,the show is I made you flirt with your
Todd (21:32):
Oh my gosh.
that episode.
But yeah, maybe those were theepisodes, but, 'cause I can't remember exactly ones they were, that maybe he gave more leniency.
But when he writes the episodes, hehas a very specific thing he wants.
And, and so, you know, as an actor,I've gotta really be able to listen to that because he knows what he wants and that's what you're up against with any, you know, any director.
(21:58):
Sometimes there's more freedom.
I'm not saying he doesn't give freedom,he does, but he has a very specific thing he wants to see because he knows what he wants the audience to see.
Matt (22:07):
It's about achieving that balance a hundred percent.
Look, I could talk to you all day.
Each episode could be three hours,but they won't let me do that.
So here's what we're gonna do.
I wanna know more about now, where you'regoing, where Vindication is going, um, but we're gonna find that out next time.
So, uh, make sure everybodytune in to the next episode.
Uh, Todd, thank you so much forjoining us here on the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.
Todd (22:29):
Thank you.
Hey everybody.
I am really, really honored today toget the chance to chat with one of the more popular and busy actors in the world of faith and family films.
You guys know him as Detective Travison the mega popular series Vindication.
Uh, his film credits include butare absolutely not limited to.
Jesus Revolution, unplanned, unbreakableboy and disciples in the moonlight.
(00:23):
Uh, you may have seen him inpopular series on TV such as 1923, breaking Bad, better Call Saul and Fear The Walking Dead.
Uh, it's the one, it's the onlyMr. Todd Terry, Mr. Todd, Terry, I am so excited to have you.
So thanks for coming on the, uh,faith and Family Filmmakers podcast.
We appreciate it, brother.
Todd (00:42):
Appreciate you having me.
Matt (00:43):
big celebrity in our world.
So this was a big get, you know,Jeff reached out to me, and I'm like, well, I'm Facebook friends with him, so we'll see if it works.
I know his boss.
Okay.
Although Jared would probably have aproblem with me calling him your boss.
So Todd, I want to let, let's rewind back.
Talk about how did youfirst get into acting?
when was your, your first kind of, whendid the spark make you just decide?
(01:04):
I, I've gotta go pretendto be somebody else.
Todd (01:06):
You know it, it actually started in high school.
I took a drama class andI had to do a monologue.
It was the first time that I feltlike this, just this freedom to kind of exercise my emotions.
I was a pretty introverted kid,but there was also, I think some theatrical background in some of my family from my grandmother.
So I think that's probablywhere it came from.
(01:28):
And my sister was a singer when I wasgrowing up, and so I had that desire.
But when I did that class, Ifelt like it was a safe place to exercise my emotions, which I guess introducing to me a to a love for it.
Matt (01:41):
Where'd you grow up though, if I can...
Todd (01:43):
Oh yeah, in, in Texas.
I grew up in Dallas.
Matt (01:46):
Okay.
Todd (01:46):
Went to this high school here, all that kind of stuff.
But later in high school, I, I waspart of a teen improv group that did skits on, like drug abuse, teen pregnancy, all that stuff.
So at that time, it gave me a purpose.
I wasn't a believer.
I mean, I, I would say I grewup as a believer, but I was kind of all over the place.
I wasn't following Jesus at that time, butI still had a purpose and a want for it.
(02:10):
And then later on when I was probably 20,about 28 is when I really came to know the Lord in a way that I hadn't in the past.
So that's kind of how it started.
I got into.
Film and television or pursued itthrough an agent in my early twenties.
I mean, I can go on.
I've got a whole, a whole history.
Uh, did a lot of theater, uh,summer stock theater up and down.
(02:32):
Went to more of a classical theatertraining program, moved to Holland with a group of actors to start a theater company in my mid twenties.
Ran outta money, but we were able to,you know, at least produce one show, which was a blast and a lot of fun.
Too much fun, I'll say.
But, uh, came back and met my wife in,you know, my late twenties and that's when I started wrestling with God and, uh, came to know him in a, bigger way.
(03:00):
So, yeah, that's kind of the,the initial part of my story.
Matt (03:04):
The modern day Israel, right?
We who wrestle with Godthe modern day Israel.
So you bring up a very interesting point.
I like diving into the kind of thepsychology of acting and I've always, I. Thought that that stage actors can be very different to film actors.
'cause a lot of stage actors areactors who are just natural extroverts.
They just, they, theyneed a place to let it go.
(03:25):
I've got all this to show.
Whereas a lot of times you'll find filmactors, uh, or people who specialize more in, in film on screen actors.
It's more like they, they'reintroverted and they need a, a channel to express things they otherwise wouldn't feel comfortable expressing.
Todd (03:41):
Yeah, I mean, for me, I can only speak to my experience, but yeah, I mean, I met a lot of people in the theater that were definitely extroverted.
You know, they had an outgoingpersonality all the time.
There's so many different types ofactors as far as where you come from.
But yeah, sometimes more introvertedactors may end up leaning toward film things that are a little more, uh.
It can be subtle or you have to besubtle or the camera just exposes you in a huge way if you're not, and that's really what I've had to learn between those two worlds.
(04:11):
And I haven't done theater in along time, and I absolutely love it.
And I think it's, any actorthat pursues this should try it.
It's just a, it's adifferent, different world.
But same with the same tools thatI use in film or television are the same ones I would use in theater.
It's just.
Your medium is a lot bigger in theater,and you are, there's a continuity in theater that you don't have in film as far as the process of doing it.
(04:37):
You live or die on the stage whenin film it's, you know, action to cut and then you can do it again.
So, uh, different worlds, buta lot of the same process.
Matt (04:48):
I know a lot of editors who make actors look really good.
If you can't get it all inone take, a lot of us can't.
Todd (04:54):
Yeah.
And, and that's why I think I alwaysappreciate a director that can also edit and Jared's like that.
He, you know, he's adirector, he is an editor.
He, he's got his hand in about everything,but that really helps because their eye is looking for that thing that they say, okay, I can work around this.
Versus an editor who getsit has to piece it together.
Matt (05:14):
Yeah, that's gotta give you a lot of comfort knowing that if I know I nailed that first line and take one, and the second part of it I didn't, but I got it.
In Take three, you have as an.
Actor, probably comfortknowing that Jared caught that.
Jared is because he'sdirecting and he is cutting it.
He caught that and, and you could bemore free to, there's a freedom in not worrying about messing up a line, right.
Todd (05:36):
Yeah.
You know?
Absolutely.
And I, I tend to be alittle methodical, like.
I'm pretty good about matching,uh, physical movement, you know, in the projects I do.
I've always just kind of thought thatway, which is a good thing for an editor, but sometimes it'll inhibit you in trying to be more creative.
So it's finding that fine line whereyou're, you're hitting your movements, but at the same time you're allowing yourself to be free with everything else.
Matt (06:03):
and giving them some additional choices that don't screw up the cut or force a cut.
Right.
Todd (06:08):
Yeah, that's exactly right.
Matt (06:09):
A hundred percent.
You mentioned subtlety I'mglad you brought that up.
'cause I remember the firsttime Jared sent me the pilot, he wanted me to watch it.
This was years ago.
And I was like, who isthis Todd Terry Guy?
I was like, 'cause I think thatreally is, your strength is being so powerful in your subtlety.
Like that's just a, that's aGod-given gift that you have is being able to be so powerful while remaining so subtle on camera.
Todd (06:34):
I appreciate that.
I mean, I definitely try sometimesI'm really scared of overacting or pushing things too far, and I. Sometimes a director, Jared'll, say, no.
I, I, I'm not seeing it.
I'm not seeing it.
And so I'll, I'll find that space topush it, but I just tend to go smaller.
I just have always liked films wherepeople do less because it's so much about the audience watching a film.
(07:01):
And having your own experience as anaudience member, and it's not always about what the actor's doing, it's just living in that moment with them, and that's what I think makes it powerful.
Matt (07:13):
I mean, you're having to, to become the character and in most situations people are trying to hold back.
Their emotions.
They're trying to, to cover whatthey're really thinking in real life.
And so most people aren't as bigin real life as some over actors want to, to give the camera, right?
Todd (07:29):
And there's, there's definitely mediums that require.
A bigger style farce or a lot ofcomedy and then some comedy is just played straight and real and that's what makes it so funny.
it all depends on the medium, buta lot of the medium that I have done a bit of, which is dramatic.
Yeah, I think this subtly works often.
Matt (07:52):
A hundred percent.
Well, let's talk about your originstory, how you kind of came upon the original vindication script.
How did Jared find you?
I'm guessing you're both in Dallas,so maybe you're running the same circles, but it originally was just going to be a short film, right?
Todd (08:07):
Yeah, so initially I met Jared at a Christian, and I always mispronounced this.
It's Christian Media Artistor Media Association.
It's a group that, I think itwas nationwide, and one of the chapters was here in Dallas.
And I had done a film called Beyond theFarthest Star, this was 15 years ago, with a guy named Andy Librizzi, and I had spoke at that meeting and Jared came up afterwards and said, Hey, I'm doing this short film, would you be interested?
(08:33):
I. His memory of it isdifferent than mine.
I was probably feellike I said absolutely.
Because you know, as an actor wejust wanna work a lot of times and we didn't know each other.
So that was kind of the beginning.
And then it was a short filmwith Ben Davies and I thought it turned out really well.
And then a year later I saw himat a film festival, Jared, for Vindication that, short film.
(08:57):
And he said, I'm thinkingabout turning it into a series.
Who's gonna say no to that?
And so that's kind of how it began.
But that was 10 years ago.
And here we are, we'vecompleted four seasons.
We have a standalone special that we justfilmed and you know, it's audience is increasing because, you know, recently we were put on Angel Studios platform, which helped, you know, more eyes on the show.
(09:23):
'cause when you're dealing withfaith-based, film, you know, if you don't have a specific, I don't, I don't want to, maybe specific directors, people that have like i'll, the Irwin Brothers are a great example that they have kind of, they're moved into the secular arena, if you wanna call it that.
And they, they produce a great productand I've been fortunate to work with them on, stuff before, but it's harder to get eyes on some of these.
(09:48):
Christian films and TV things, although wehave there, there's a lot of Christians in the US so you know, watching 'em is great.
I think Christian film has had a badrap being too on the nose, uh, at times.
And so people probably just go, nah, it'sprobably not gonna be as good as something else I'm gonna see in the theater.
(10:11):
And I think if people would just go, giveus a shot and check it out, you might find that you like some of this stuff.
Matt (10:16):
I think maybe that reputation is old.
Don't you think that reputation mightbe just a little old, like we earned that reputation 15, 20 years ago when kind of the Christian media was.
Still in its infancy, but man,there's some good stuff out there.
Vindication and the Erwin Brothers,as you say, being some of that.
Todd (10:32):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And there's a lot, and I, I don'twanna single out anybody specifically, but that name comes to mind because they're producing big, bigger budget things with good quality stories, you know, and it's always the story.
I mean, you're, you're a writer,you know, the story is king.
and you gotta have a good story, Ithink, to make something successful.
Matt (10:53):
Yeah, it's about the story, not about the sermon, and that's what we kind of think a lot of times wrong as we have, as Christians.
We wanna preach a sermon andwe'll wrap it in a thinly veiled story and hope it, works.
But that's not even what really Jesus did.
Jesus told stories and they wereparallel to the logic that we needed to pull 'em over to the way.
So tell good stories and,and good things will happen.
Todd (11:12):
Yeah.
And it's like, it's giving also theaudience credit for figuring things out.
You know, when things are too on thenose, it's like, okay, I know the
message
I was supposed to receive, but when youtalk about Jesus spoken parables, you have to read that over and over again.
And you get new things every time becauseit's like, okay, what that really mean?
And you really have to let it marinate.
(11:33):
And, uh, I like that.
I don't want to be told, I wantto, you know, I want to be.
Shown and allow my...
Matt (11:39):
Provoked.
Todd (11:40):
Provoke.
That's a great word.
Yeah.
Matt (11:42):
Yeah, that's how the, Jewish people learned back then is that they were provoked to think.
Hmm.
that's, obviously as an actor,the stories you are, drawn to.
So maybe that's, you know, a, a lessonfor all the writers out there and the directors who are listening and how can I get an actor of Todd, Terry's quality?
Well give them a story thatprovokes people to think.
Todd (12:02):
You're being very nice.
I mean, I, I look at myself as anactor that just, who never gave up, and I've been doing this for almost 40 years, and it's just like my whole, if you wanna call it a mantra or whatever, it's just don't give up.
Keep doing it.
there's lean times, there's greattimes, but I'm grateful to have had this opportunity because I wouldn't have seen myself in the faith-based market, if you, for lack of a better word, in the Christian market specifically, because I just wanted to do good quality stuff and I wanted to work.
(12:33):
Here it is, and I'm very grateful.
Matt (12:36):
It's tough for a Christian who is also an actor as well.
'cause obviously you don't wannalimit yourself only to the quote unquote faith-based market.
But at the same time, going into thesecular world, I've talked to lots of actors who said that's always a fight not to compromise going into that world
.Todd: Yeah, and I've had, I've been fortunate to do a lot of, you know, secular television as well.
(12:58):
And some, you know, if you wanna callit secular film, yeah, and it's always a case by case scenario because a lot of times you may not see the full script, especially in television, and you're going off, okay, here's my dialogue, and I seem okay with that.
A lot of it is just, God, shut thatdoor if it's not where I need to be.
Sometimes that's the prayer andsometimes you just go in it.
(13:21):
And I've made mistakes.
I've done stuff that I'm like,I wish I hadn't have done.
But you kinda live and...you live and learn.
Now how do you feel about this?
'cause this, I don'tknow how I feel about it.
There are a lot of actors, and I respectit, who will say, there are lines that I don't, we all have lines we won't cross, but there, there are actors who will say, I won't curse in a project.
I get it.
(13:41):
I'm fine with that.
Personally, I cursed in a Christianmovie once because I, for me it's like.
If I'm playing a bad guy, if I'm playingan evil guy and he says, all shucks, just because I'm in a movie and don't wanna say a bad word now I'm lacking reality.
So if I'm playing a personwho would curse, I will curse.
But, but others have differentstandards and, for me, it's like you do what's best for you.
(14:03):
I don't think we should necessarilyhave one standard that Christian actors necessarily have to abide by other than our, our own, you know, biblical interpretation.
Todd (14:11):
Yeah, I mean, mean trust me, I've thought about this so much and I'm hesitant to even talk about it because, you know, it's like, ah, you're gonna talk something, you're gonna put something out there and somebody's gonna like, well, you said this and you said you would never do this.
Matt (14:23):
Cancel culture.
Christian, cancel culture.
Todd (14:25):
And, but I do, I weigh that in auditions where I have that kind of stuff.
And again, that's, that's sometimes I'llprobably shut that door if, if it's stuff I'm really, really on the edge about.
And then sometimes I'll be inauditions where I've got some very heavy language and I'll change it to something I'm more comfortable with, but still gets the point across.
(14:48):
And I've had the opportunity to.
Be on a show.
And I said to the director,I said, there's certain words I really don't wanna say.
And at the time it was 'cause I hadyounger kids and he said, that's fine, know, and it, it was communicated.
But I agree with you in that all shucks,so to speak, is not gonna... is not gonna sell the A killer is not gonna say that
Matt (15:09):
right.
Todd (15:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
But yeah.
But I agree that's,that, that's a tough one.
It's a case by case basis.
And I don't wanna say I'll never do.
Something's, you know, I justdon't want to name certain words.
'cause I think a lot of the, thewhole thing about cursing has a lot more to do with how we speak about other people in general and our heart posture towards people and gossip.
(15:31):
And along those lines thatwe go, we immediately go to.
Certain four letter words and yetthere's a much bigger picture on how we talk daily about each other and you know, bless your enemy.
And granted, we're in a mediumthat we're showing something to people because we're trying to tell a story and get a message across.
(15:52):
And sometimes it's good and eviland you gotta have the evil guy, you know, and the good guy to kinda show where we're going in the big picture.
So that's my talk around that.
Matt (16:02):
Hey.
It's like we just said, well,no, that, but it's better to explore these topics than it is to have that hard and fast rule.
So just, just like, you know, we,we just talked about with story, this is, it's all an exploration.
To give you the other side of that,I kid you not, I was once, uh, I was directing a, very Christian movie and I had an actor audition and the dude knew what the movie was and he dropped, must have been 50 F-bombs, which weren't, obviously not in my sides.
(16:28):
Obviously he didn't get the part, but itwas interesting that somebody in the sides would start dropping dozens of f-bombs in an audition for a Christian movie.
Todd (16:35):
Yeah,
Matt (16:36):
I wanna know about your experience on vindication and, and more specifically, let's get into the, to the meat of acting here.
What is your relationship likewith Travis, with Detective Travis?
Todd (16:45):
You know what?
This is interesting because when youstart off a character, especially, I can use vindication as an example.
You don't know this guy's beginning andend story because it's always progressing.
You discover who he is.
Any actor discovers this character asyou go along because you're, there's so much limited information because the writer are creating this guy.
(17:09):
And I really trust in the writer.
I'm a big advocate of, writersand, look, I'm sometimes I'm horrible staying on the line, you know, I'll creatively mess with it.
And some writers are, no, I wantexactly the words and some aren't.
But I usually try to do it where I feellike this character's either coming from, and it may be small, but that's often another topic, but you learn the character just like you learn your own self in real life as go along.
(17:38):
I mean, we discover thingsabout our own selves.
As you know, I made in a year fromnow go, man, I was not a nice person.
All of a sudden, because I have someepiphany or some sort of Holy Spirit moment where I discover something.
It's the same thing with acting.
It's discovering it along the ways.
But I think I came into the characterwith, okay, this guy is a cop.
(18:01):
I. I know nothing about being a cop,so I would do stuff like, I did a ride along with a friend of mine that I know not well, but he was, he's a cop and I've known some others and a lot of it's an imagination.
What would I do in this situation?
kind of make things up as you go along.
But the funny thing is I canlook back and season one and go.
I had no idea what I was doing there.
(18:22):
You know, when you look at yourself,I don't love watching myself.
I can do it, but I kind of do it togo, okay, do I believe it or do I not?
And I, I found a lot of moments,especially really early on, not even the, the short film, but like the second episode where I went, I don't really have a good, strong opinion as a character, and that bugged me.
But you'll live and learn and youfigure it out as you go along.
(18:44):
That's my best answer forhow character develop.
Matt (18:48):
I hate to get too cliche here, but that term, what's my motivation really is everything.
That's what I always tell an actor, is itreally all it matters is what you want.
What does your character want right now.
And, and so when you approach Travisand you're going into season four and you've done so many stories, what is it the baseline that you kind of ride along as to what Travis wants?
Todd (19:12):
It's funny, I've always been an action oriented actor trying to find something that I, that I'm going for.
So in a sense, it's what you wantand I'm, I feel like I'm kind of trying to expand my mind on this, and this is not something.
I figured out myself.
It was just another teacher that I'm kindof watching a little bit of what he does, and some of it's about finding the problem and where you are within that problem and trying to figure your way out of it.
(19:35):
It's kind of a different way oflooking at it, and I think that allows the actor to be alive because you don't know where the scene's going because when you read a scene as an actor, you know where it's gonna end.
Trying not to stay in that.
Trying to stay in.
What's this obstacle against you andtrying to push your way out of it.
(19:56):
That's the best way.
I can look at it, and Jareddoes a good job of keeping that struggle alive in the words.
So that really helps.
That's where I, you always go backand rely on the words, and he's also really good at going, you know, I need to see more of this here, or something that's going to make this scene go where it needs to go.
(20:17):
Because it's really easy as the actor justto kind of be so enmeshed in the scene that you don't see the bigger picture of what he's trying to tell the audience.
And so that's where agood director comes in.
Matt (20:27):
Yeah.
Yet another good lesson for anaudience... 'cause both of us know and have worked with Jared and I think the lesson you can learn from Jared is a be decisive if you wanna direct but also.
Be a good guy to work with.
I think that's one of Jared'sbiggest superpowers is everybody loves working with that guy.
I would not say that if he werehere, I would say something much meaner about him behind his back.
(20:49):
I'll, I'll be truthful, but, uh,he's such an, just a gentle soul, yet decisive, which I think is tough to achieve that balance as a director.
Todd (20:58):
And you don't, see that in a lot, so, 'cause my experience, a lot of times you're gonna have a separate writer and you're gonna have a separate director.
And when you have that.
A lot of times the directors are more,will sit back and go, okay, this is what we're looking for, but you just do your thing and you get used to that.
But Jared, since he's written the majorityof them, I know you've written, you've written one or two, I can't remember.
Matt (21:22):
A couple.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I worked on a bunch of 'em.
I think I got credit for one.
Yeah, I have written it.
Todd (21:27):
Well, so those are probably
Matt (21:28):
I made you flirt with your wife.
That's my most proud thing on the,the show is I made you flirt with your
Todd (21:32):
Oh my gosh.
that episode.
But yeah, maybe those were theepisodes, but, 'cause I can't remember exactly ones they were, that maybe he gave more leniency.
But when he writes the episodes, hehas a very specific thing he wants.
And, and so, you know, as an actor,I've gotta really be able to listen to that because he knows what he wants and that's what you're up against with any, you know, any director.
(21:58):
Sometimes there's more freedom.
I'm not saying he doesn't give freedom,he does, but he has a very specific thing he wants to see because he knows what he wants the audience to see.
Matt (22:07):
It's about achieving that balance a hundred percent.
Look, I could talk to you all day.
Each episode could be three hours,but they won't let me do that.
So here's what we're gonna do.
I wanna know more about now, where you'regoing, where Vindication is going, um, but we're gonna find that out next time.
So, uh, make sure everybodytune in to the next episode.
Uh, Todd, thank you so much forjoining us here on the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.
Todd (22:29):
Thank you.
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