Episode Transcript
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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.