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April 22, 2025 13 mins

Episode 143 - Bonus: Purpose Film and Media Festival

In this bonus episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, your host Geoffrey Whitt welcomes Tyler Sansom to discuss the Purpose Film and Media Festival. Tyler shares the unique mission of his church, their efforts in digital ministry, and their transition to making feature films. He highlights the impressive lineup of speakers at the festival, which includes notable figures like Cameron Arnett and Dan Roebuck, Justin Overlander, Laura Mae, and many more. The festival offers diverse workshops and some really cool and unique offsite networking opportunities. Registration details and submission guidelines for the festival are also provided. Listen to get all the details!

Highlights Include:

  • Introduction and Welcome
  • Tyler's Background and Church Mission
  • Feature Films and Ministry Impact
  • Purpose Film and Media Festival Overview
  • Speaker Lineup and Workshops
  • Unique Networking Opportunities
  • Event Details and Registration

Submit on FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/PurposeFilmandMediaFestival

DISCOUNT CODE FOR 20% OFF SUBMISSION: FaithFam25

Learn more and Register to attend: 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 Program https://www.faffassociation.com/vip-producers-mentorship



The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every week, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film scorers,  talent agents, and distributors. 

It is produced and hosted by Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt , and is brought to you by the Faith & Family Filmmakers Association

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Geoff (00:00):
Hey there.
Welcome to the Faith andFamily Filmmakers podcast.
My name is Geoff and I'm happyto have Tyler Sansom with me here.
Today we're talking aboutPurpose Film and Media Festival.
Welcome, Tyler.

Tyler (00:11):
Thanks for having me.

Geoff (00:12):
Well, this is a bonus episode.
We're fitting this in on top of ourregular episodes, because we're really wanting to focus on the festival, learn about it, tell everyone about it.
And, I wanna start, first ofall by mentioning that Tyler has been on, previous episodes.
So you're gonna hear more abouthim if you go back, hear about him personally, uh, his journey and what led up to all of what he does.

(00:34):
If you go back and listen to episode 83,pastoring a filmmaking church, episode 84, film Distribution Strategies, and then we had a testimony in December.
We had a testimonyseries in episode 1 0 6.
Was Tyler's testimony of how God didsomething awesome with I Can the movie.
And uh, that's very, veryinteresting testimony.

(00:56):
I encourage you to goback and listen to that.
So Tyler, um, tell us a little bitabout, first of all, your church has a very unique mission and I think the conference ties into that.
Very much so.
So, uh, let's start there.

Tyler (01:10):
Yeah, we were kind of.
Doing the whole online ministrything before it was cool.
Uh, so lots of people got to experiencedoing online ministry in 2020 when, uh, they couldn't meet in person.
But, uh, we had been doing itat that point for five years.
So that was my full-time jobfor, a long time before I became the lead minister of the church.

(01:30):
Um, and.
We had this desire to just reach as manypeople as we could using digital tools.
So we were doing online bible studies,we were creating content for all different age groups and gathering people in foreign countries and sending them digital, uh, tools to do ministry, all these different things.
Um, and then we startedmaking feature films.

(01:52):
'cause obviously the, yeah.
Then obvious next step isdo narrative feature films.
And, uh, this is now our fifth featurefilm that we've, we've made, um, we just wrapped our fifth feature.
and God's opened a bunch of doors forus to do ministry, um, with media.
And so for a while now we have beenwanting to help other churches and other filmmakers and other content creators, Kind of utilize what we've learned over the last, uh, decade plus of doing this, um, specifically for the ministry side.

(02:25):
so we can teach a little bit aboutfilmmaking and, and things like that.
Um, but fortunately, God has opened enoughdoors for us to be able to know how to take those films and actually use them for tangible ministry to see real life change.

Geoff (02:39):
Yeah, and I mentioned the episode, uh, the testimony in episode 1 0 6.
I really encourage you, if you wanna heara very, very good example of a film, not just reaching the audience that watches it, but going so much further and, uh, what they do kind of on a, a grassroots level To make a difference with that film.
Um, I encourage you to goback and listen to that one.

(03:01):
I know you've done similar things,different approach with different films, but, um, you do use them for outreach, on so many levels, and that's cool

Tyler (03:10):
Yeah, the actually the last time that you and I spoke, I was in Africa.
Uh, I was in Uganda because we, um,my team here teaches for a film school that, um, we're on the board of in Uganda and they actually showed I can while I was there in their language, um, 'cause we, are using it for ministry there and we baptized 44 people from that event.

(03:30):
so for me to be there in personand see that happen was just like truly incredible and a testament to how God can use these films to
reach people.

Geoff (03:37):
Wow.
Yeah, that was a cool experience.
That was a cool experience.
I think you married someonewhile you were there too, huh?

Tyler (03:43):
Yeah.
The, the guy that, the guy thatruns the school that I've been, uh, very close with for about five years, I officiated his wedding, so.

Geoff (03:52):
So let's talk about the festival.
I know of the things that anybodywho's seen a promotion for it uh, one of the things that stands out is you certainly have some high caliber speakers, um, people with, films that are making a difference.
So tell us about, uh, yourspeakers and what you've got planned for the conference.

Tyler (04:09):
Yeah.
Um, I would, confidently put our speakerlist up against, uh, any, any of the film festivals that I, I've, I've been to.
Um, we've got, uh, Ithink we counted each.
Person if you combinethem, has over 800 credits,
um, combined.
And that's, filmmakers all theway to actors to screenwriters.
But some of them havesubstantial, careers.

(04:31):
So, uh, of note, uh, Cameron Anettewill be there with his wife, bj.
Um, and many people in the Christianworld, definitely know who Cameron is.
Um, and then Dan and TammyRobuck will be there.
Uh, Dan has been in, um, now threenumber one, hits in the box office.
Uh, the first being one of myall time favorite movies called The Fugitive with Harrison Ford.

Geoff (04:54):
Right.
for years.
I called that my favorite

Tyler (04:56):
I love that movie and Dan, Dan plays a major, major role in it.
Um, but he is a strong Christian,and, is making a transition to doing mostly faith films.
I've worked with him twice, but he'llbe there teaching some acting, and, uh, working with directors courses.
His wife is a phenomenal editor.
Um, she's edited all a lotof projects he's been on.
Um.
Justin Overlander will be, there with us.

(05:18):
Uh, he is, most known for thechosen and, uh, the shift.
he was a producer on, onboth of those projects.
he's also produced, uh,the last two films with us.
I. yeah, and, uh, just some, somereally, really solid, uh, working actors and directors will be there as well.
So Brett Var will be there.
Um, John Wells will be there.

(05:38):
Laura May Poor from, ChristianCasting community, uh, gene Winger from Treasure Coast Talent.
Um, just a lot of people that are inthe industry doing it, on a daily basis.
Uh, great opportunity to learn.

Geoff (05:51):
Yeah.
It's a great lineup and it'sgonna be a great festival.
And it sounds like from looking atyour speakers that you really got, something for everyone, whatever aspect of filmmaking you're involved in.

Tyler (06:02):
We really tried to cultivate a lineup, um, that would be, diverse enough to, have something for every element of, of making films all the way from pre-production to post-production.
So if you're an actor,there's workshops for you.
If you're a director, there's workshopsfor you, producers, um, even composers.
We have a workshop about, workingwith directors and getting, the vision for, for sound within the film.

(06:24):
Um, we're gonna have amasterclass on editing.
it'll be a live demonstrationof editing a scene.
and then we're also gonnahave, a live, demonstration of shooting a scene at our studio.

Geoff (06:34):
That is cool.

Tyler (06:35):
as well as like, one thing that I'm really excited about, we've got a panel of, of youths from, uh, our area, um, that are Christ followers.
But it's a great opportunityto literally sit down in q and a with what's the next generation like, what are they searching for?
And instead of us like theorizingabout it, let's just ask them.
Um, so I'm really excited aboutsome, some things like that.

Geoff (06:56):
Very, very cool.
Uh, one of the other things that I think.
Maybe unique.
It certainly seems like it to me.
You've got some great networkingopportunities and, uh, most festivals and conferences do, but, um, you've got some that are offsite and no doubt, quite unique.
Tell us about those.

Tyler (07:12):
Yeah.
Um, I will stand bythis till the day I die.
The, the first place we're going,it's called Bill's on the Hill.
It's probably my favoriterestaurant in the entire world.
anytime somebody comes here from, fromLA, that's the place that I take them.
Um, but it'll be at a golf course andBill's on the hill is catering it.
And there's a big open area forjust a, a networking mixer event.

(07:33):
So that's, uh, that's the first nightand then the second night, um, you can't come to the Louisville, Kentucky area without seeing Louisville Slugger.
Um, I. And so they, the LouisvilleSlugger, baseball company, they have a, a baseball field for a AAA baseball team called the Louisville Bats.
And so we have booked a, um,private area in the stadium.
So we'll get to catch a baseballgame, but also they'll be catered food and, uh, plenty of of opportunities to meet the hopefully next, uh, producer of your project.

Geoff (08:01):
Well, that sounds like a lot of fun.
And I have been to, um, not necessarilyfilm festivals, but I have been to other, um, large events where they did offsite.
Networking.
And it is really cool because it's moresocial than just, you know, standing in a room after, uh, a keynote presentation, for example, and talking to people.
and that social aspect adds alot, I believe, to networking and it makes it more personal.

Tyler (08:27):
Yeah, for me, I've, I've met multiple people that I've worked with, um, after film festivals, but I rarely made the connections that would lead to that next step of actually working with them.
At the actual film festival, it wasalways, Hey, let's, let's grab dinner afterwards, or, Hey, let's go to top golf, or something like that.
And so we wanted to implement that.

(08:47):
Idea into the actual festival,um, as an add-on so that people could have that same experience.

Geoff (08:53):
Cool.
Tell us about the location.
I know you're in Southern Indiana.
Tell us where it is.

Tyler (08:58):
It is the vacation capital of the world.
I'm just kidding.
It's a, it's a very small town.
So that's, that's one thing that's uniqueabout our church and we wanted to host it here where we, uh, we do all these, uh, these things where our studio is and things like that, uh, but we are about.
25 minutes outside ofLouisville, Kentucky.
So if you're flying in, you would flyinto the Louisville airport, um, and then you'd drive across the bridge, uh, to a small town called Cordyen, Indiana.

(09:21):
there's multiple hotel options here inour town, things to eat, stuff like that.
Um, but we are, fiveminutes or so from the exit.
So if, you decide to, come to the eventand you stay in Cordon, you're well within, a quick drive to the venue.

Geoff (09:35):
cool.
and tell us about registration.
and at this point it's still possible tosubmit, to the festival, I'm assuming,

Tyler (09:42):
Yeah, I think the deadline, um, is the end of May for the film festival.
Um, there's a lot of submissions so far.
Um, so we're, we're, we're very,um, excited about the ones coming in

Geoff (09:52):
and that's through Film Freeway.

Tyler (09:53):
yep.
Through Film Freeway.
Um, you can search Purpose Filmand Media Festival, or if you just go to our website, purpose fest.net, um, and click submit.
Then it'll take you to filmFreeway for registration.
It's all through our website.
Um, we, uh, use, this same software thatwe register events for our church, um, because that's what we had available.
So you, uh, you just go onthere and type your information in and you're all good to go.

(10:17):
It's a pretty easy process.
Um, and it's all through purpose fest.net.

Geoff (10:22):
purpose fest.net.
Great.
Well, what else would you like toshare before we finish up today?

Tyler (10:28):
for me, if I was deciding on coming to a film festival, um, just with the lineup of speakers that we have and the networking opportunities that they will be attending, um, for me that would be enough to want to go, uh, even though I'm friends with most of these people already.
To be able to sit in a room with peoplethat have had multimillion dollar box office hits, um, to people that are executives for places like up Faith and Family and Pinnacle Peak and like just the, um, the international well-known.

(11:00):
People that are at this event thatare committed to being there already without having any registrations, it would be worth it to come.
Uh, that's one man's opinion, but, uh,if you're looking for opportunities to actually grow and find the people that can help you make your films, this is a, a pretty good opportunity.

Geoff (11:18):
Mm-hmm.
take a look at, Purpose fest.net.
Uh, and also your Facebook, page,
Film and Media

Tyler (11:24):
Yep.

Geoff (11:25):
a lot of stuff posted there.
take a look at the, the workshopsthat are available in the speakers.
Uh, you will be impressed, Iguarantee you, and, um, We're, really looking forward to it ourselves.
We'll be, uh, helping with somepromotion over the next few weeks.
and, excited to, be there in August.

Tyler (11:42):
Well, I'm excited that you guys are gonna be a part of it.
I've been listening to your podcastfor a while and I'm part of your, um.
Your weekly events, it seems like, um,

Geoff (11:50):
Yeah, our

Tyler (11:50):
so, Yeah, And so, uh, to have you guys, uh, jump on board to sponsor this event was, uh, just such a blessing.

Geoff (11:57):
well, it's a pleasure so I just wanna encourage everybody Uh, if you have something to submit, it's a good time to do that on Film Freeway, and to register for the conference.
Purpose fest.net.
thanks so much Tyler, forsharing with us today.
We look forward to seeing you in August.

Tyler (12:13):
Thank you guys for having me.

Geoff (12:14):
God bless.
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