Cover art for podcast The Ministry of Motion Pictures Podcast

The Ministry of Motion Pictures Podcast

61 EpisodesProduced by Todd ShafferWebsite

In the 1930's Minister James K. Friedrich said, "The motion picture camera, like the printing press, is a gift from God. We can use it for God's purpose." The Ministry of Motion Pictures seeks to advance the Christian film movement by engaging with Christian filmmakers and examining the landscape of… read more

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12 Westerns in 12 Months with Travis Mills

July 18th, 2022

1:08:40

Making one or two movies per year is huge effort. In 2020, the year of COVID, indie filmmaker, Travis Mills, shot 12 westerns in 12 months, and in …

MMP 60: The Youngest Director on Netflix with Rob Smat

July 5th, 2022

34:04

He was at one time on of the youngest directors with a feature film on Netflix. Writer and director Rob Smat is with me to talk about his film The Last Whistle and a soon to be released documentary.

Rob made his feature …

MMP 59: Make Me Want to Turn the Page with Richard Walter part 2

June 21st, 2022

38:58

Legendary screenwriting professor, Richard Walter, is with us again in part two of my conversation with him.

Richard was professor of the UCLA …

MMP 58: Don't Be Boring | A Conversation with UCLA Screenwriting Professor Richard Walter

June 8th, 2022

1:02:07

My guest today is the legendary screenwriting instructor at the UCLA Screenwriting Program, Richard Walter. I’ve been reading books on screenwriting …

MMP 57: Faith Film Micro-budget Powerhouse with Jason Campbell

May 24th, 2022

40:30

Jason Campbell is with us today to talk about microbudget Christian filmmaking. His company is scheduled to release 20 films this year alone and will …

MMP 56: Story Well Told with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior

May 12th, 2022

46:33

Literature  professor, Dr. Karen Swallow Prior joins me to talk about novels,  story, and Christian film. Given that Christian films tend to be very  message driven, I was interested in learning at the feet of Dr. Prior …

MMP 55: Attack of the Tenacious Filmmaker with Nathanael Sims

April 26th, 2022

53:35

13 years in the making, and I don’t mean 11 years shopping the script around and 2 years of production. This no-budget film was 13 years in production. Writer and director Nathaniel Sims is with us to talk about his …

MMP 54: A Filmmaker in Nollywood with Obi Emelonye

April 11th, 2022

1:03:24

In this episode, my guest is a well-known Nigerian filmmaker named Obi Emelonye. Two of Obi’s films have been on the top ten list of the most watched Nigerian films of all time. Those films are Mirror Boy and Last …

MMP 53: Evangelical Nollywood with Dr. Elizabeth Olayiwola

March 29th, 2022

1:00:48

The Nigerian film industry is the second most prolific film industry in the world, and their faith-based films, that they label as evangelical themed …

MMP 52: Nollywood as a Filmmaking Model with Jamie Meltzer

March 14th, 2022

35:17

What is this country that has this titan film industry? If you haven’t guessed, I’ll give you another clue. It’s a country in Africa. It’s industry …

MMP 51: Building Community at the Content 2022 Film Festival with Tim Shields

February 16th, 2022

22:03

The Content 2022 Film Festival and Media Summit will be held at Capernaum Studios in Poolville TX next week – starting on Feb 28th and wrapping on …

MMP 50: Building the Family of Faith Filmmakers with Paul Long of Kappa Studios

January 24th, 2022

36:45

If you’ve been involved in the faith-based community you will be familiar with Kappa Studios in Burbank CA. Kappa began as a post-production house, …

The Power of Story & The Problem of Evil with Scott Christensen

December 1st, 2021

35:18

Pastor/theologian Scott Christensen talks about story from a very unusual vantage -- that of the problem of evil and the sovereignty of God. He wrote …

The Best of the Theologians on Christian Film

November 16th, 2021

42:31

As this podcast approaches the 50th episode, I thought it might be interesting to create an episode of highlights, some of the best moments. The guests who were the most surprising, most unexpected, and who had the …

The Busiest Faith Writer-Director You've Never Heard Of with Chris Dowling

October 25th, 2021

51:03

You may not know his name, but this writer-director-producer has made more faith films than the Kendricks and Erwin Brothers. His name is Chris Dowling, and he's been at this for nearly two decades. As a screenwriter, …

The Satire of Church People with Christopher Shawn Shaw

October 11th, 2021

1:10:44

Christopher Shawn Shaw is the director of the movie Church People, which was written by the film's lead actor, Thor Ramsey. Church People is Shaw’s feature directorial debut. Christopher is no stranger to acting or …

Feature Filmmaking at The Master's University with Matt Green

August 2nd, 2021

43:45

Writer and director Matt Green began his career making music videos and produced the faith-based film No Greater Love for Lions Gate, directed by Brad Silverman. Matt is also a professor at The Master’s University where …

Breathing Life into Church History with Documentary Filmmaker Stephen McCaskell

July 12th, 2021

48:46

Documentary filmmaker Stephen McCaskell is best known for his work on the Media Gratiae films Puritan, Luther, The Church, and a series he made with Tim Challies called EPIC: An Around the World Journey through …

The Actor, The Director, and The Playwright; Life in the Theater with James Egan

June 28th, 2021

31:14

My guest in this episode is an old friend. Though he has worked in film and radio for over 30 years, his primary passion has been the theater. He’s a …

Cultivating a Better Media Landscape with Dr. Ted Baehr

December 8th, 2020

41:50

Dr. Ted Baehr has been an undying champion for the Christian faith and values in Hollywood for almost 5 decades. You may know Dr. Baehr for his …

Gear Up For Your Micro-budget Indie Film with Joseph Palma of B&H

September 7th, 2020

32:35

We are living in a very exciting time to be a filmmaker. An industrious filmmaker can build a powerful production package of equipment for very …

No Shame Filmmaking with John Grooters

July 30th, 2020

47:49

John Grooters is a Michigan-based filmmaker who has traveled the world making films and media content that promotes the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with …

Mutiny Pictures: A New Kid on the Block with Colleen Butler & Ben Yennie

July 13th, 2020

40:53

We have an exciting episode today, and one that may be marking a very interesting development in the film industry. Would you ever consider a faith …

Media On Mission with Stephanie Quick

June 29th, 2020

52:38

I love filmmakers who are bold and think outside of the box. My guest, Stephanie Quick is a producer who has done just that. In fact, in the past 7 …

Shepherding Ideas & Talent with Ben Howard

June 14th, 2020

43:43

Ben Howard was the driving force behind Sony Provident for a great many years, and has recently formed his own media company called Third Coast Content. Some little known facts about Ben, he began his career as an …

Dare to Critique with a Few Jokes Along the Way with Kevin McCreary

June 1st, 2020

1:16:23

We have a fun episode here with my guest, Kevin McCreary, the young man behind the YouTube Channel -- Say Goodnight Kevin. Kevin is, what I would …

Reaching the Rising Aspirational Audience with Andy Peterson

May 12th, 2020

1:06:37

Andy Peterson is Senior Creative Media Executive of Aspiration Entertainment where he has helped launch dozens of feature films and series projects. He is also leading Aspirations documentary initiative called …

The Collision of Content and Consumer for Impact with Bob Elder

May 4th, 2020

1:10:20

My guest is Bob Elder, the Chief Impact Officer of Collide Media Group which specializes in helping creatives bring their projects to market through …

An Insiders Guide to the New World of Indie Producing with Ben Yennie

April 27th, 2020

48:34

My guest in this episode is Ben Yennie, the founder and CEO of Guerrilla Rep. Media, which is a consulting firm for media producers, helping them …

A Reel History of Faith in Cinema with Tyler Smith

April 20th, 2020

53:30

I love film history. Last year I interviewed Dr Terry Lindvall who wrote two in depth books on the history of Christian film. Today's guest, professor, critic and podcaster, Tyler Smith, has also contributed to the …

Faith & Grit in Indie Production with Doug Vail and Reed Lackey

April 13th, 2020

43:30

How do you survive losing your lead actor half way through a production, in a difficult location, with half your production budget spent, and it's …

Making 40: The Temptation of Christ with Douglas James Vail & Reed Lackey

April 6th, 2020

24:30

My guests are the filmmakers behind 40: The Temptation of Christ, which will release tomorrow. Tuesday April 8th. This Douglas James Vail's directorial debut, and he joins me with the screenwriter, Reed Lackey.

Very …

A Primer on Hong Kong Cinema with Dr. Gary Bettinson

March 31st, 2020

53:53

It's back to film history class today as we travel east to look at the third largest movie industry in the world. It's a cinematic culture which …

The Filmtrepreneur Alex Ferrari

March 23rd, 2020

53:02

Indie Film Hustler Alex Ferrari is with me again in part 2 of my interview with him. In this episode we talk about his new bookThe Filmtrepreneur -- which you need to get into your hands. The Filmtrepreneur is a …

The Indie Film Hustler with Alex Ferrari

March 16th, 2020

35:31

My guest in this episode is not a faith-based filmmaker, but he is an independent filmmaking force -- a hustler (as he calls himself). He runs a highly respected indie film website called INDY FILM HUSTLE, which I have …

The Making of The Chosen with Dallas Jenkins

February 28th, 2020

36:10

Dallas Jenkins is the director behind The Chosen, an episodic series on the life of Christ as told through the eyes of others, namely, the "chosen." …

Travelogues to the World Church with Tim Keesee

February 2nd, 2020

32:28

Tim Keesee is the executive producer, and host, of the documentary series of videos Dispatches from the Front. In this ever growing series, Tim takes us on a tour to visit pastors and congregations of churches …

The New Hollywood Cinema of the 60's & 70's with Dr. Gary Bettinson

January 13th, 2020

45:52

Dr. Gary Bettinson, a lecturer in film studies from Lancaster University in the UK is with me to talk about an era of film history that is often overlooked, especially by someone like me because -- this the era of …

The Reel Deal Guys Indie Film Duo with Rafael Kalamat and Jason Barbeck

December 23rd, 2019

23:08

My guests in this episode are the filmmaking duo of Rafael Kalamat and Jason Barbeck. Both are actors, writers, directors and producers. Together they formed a production company called The Reel Deal Guys and produced …

The Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival with Rafael Kalamat & Jason Barbeck

December 4th, 2019

24:24

At only 4-years-old, The Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival is fast becoming a significant player among Christian film …

Reflections on Terrence Malicks The Tree of Life with Peter Leithart

November 13th, 2019

46:22

When I first saw Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life I knew I was watching the work of a brilliant filmmaker and storyteller. This film was a …

The Correlation Between Film History and Church History with Terry Lindvall

October 27th, 2019

18:04

Dr. Terry Lindvall is with me again to continue talking about Christian film history. In this episode we zero in on the subject of his latest book, God on the Big Screen which considers the correlation between cinematic …

A Christian Film History Primer with Terry Lindvall

October 14th, 2019

28:04

The Christian film movement has a historian -- and his name is Dr. Terry Lindvall. Dr. Lindvall has written two books on Christian film history. Sanctuary Cinema chronicles the history of Christain film in the silent …

A Sacred Aesthetic - An interview with Brett McCracken

September 22nd, 2019

20:01

Brett and I talk about our shared love for the films of Terrence Malick, and how his work demonstrates, what Brett calls, a sacred aesthetic. What is a sacred aesthetic and how can filmmakers reach for this. Brett also …

Engaging at the Intersection of the Arts and Theology with Brett McCracken

September 9th, 2019

23:25

Brett McCracken is a senior editor of The Gospel Coalition, overseeing content related to culture and the arts, and his favorite art form is film. …

Bringing the Vision of Creatives to Market with Brian Mitchell of WTA Group

August 22nd, 2019

31:04

Brian Mitchell is the Chief Operating Officer of The WTA Group, formerly known as Working Title Agency, which helps creatives develop, finance, produce and market films, books and other products to the faith market, and …

The Faithful Filmmaker with Brad Silverman Part 2

August 14th, 2019

26:55

After Grace Unplugged was released Brad chronicles his experience through a long dry period and recounts God's faithfulness during that time as he …

Grace Unplugged in Christian Film - A Conversation with Director Brad Silverman

July 28th, 2019

26:12

Brad Silverman is the writer/director of No Greater Love, Grace Unplugged, and the soon-to-be-released film, Selfie Dad. Brad is a filmmaker who has …

A Right Moral Ecology - The Instinctive Nature of Christian Films with Jonathan Leeman

July 12th, 2019

28:09

If you've been around some of the more reformed circles of Christian ministries you will be very familiar with the ministry of 9 Marks. 9 Marks is devoted to equipping local churches to be healthy churches. I've …

Rich Peluso's Ten Success Factors for Faith-based Films

June 6th, 2019

20:32

Rich Peluso of Affirm Films talks about the exciting developments for faith-based productions in a streaming environment, what he hopes to see happen in the next five years, and he gives us ten success factors that he …

The House of Faith-based Cinema with Rich Peluso

May 28th, 2019

25:32

Affirm Films has been one of the most significant players in the modern faith-based movement since the rise of the Kendrick Brother's films. At the helm of Sony's faith-based imprint is Executive Vice President Rich …

Cinematic Revolution of the French New Wave with Richard Neupert

May 12th, 2019

36:00

We're going to do something a little different in this episode. We're going to get a practical crash course on The French New Wave. I know some of you are asking why. But the reason is simple. The French New Wave, in my …

The Drama of Doctrine with Kevin Vanhoozer

May 6th, 2019

25:14

Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer discusses how the dramatic nature of doctrine can be a helpful framework in the creation of Christian films. This metaphorical …

The Theological Potential of Cinema with Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer

April 26th, 2019

23:13

A few years ago I got on an airplane with a book called Pictures at a Theological Exhibition. I thought I'd be able to get through 5 or 6 chapters. I …

The Need for Truth-likeness & Cinematic Craftsmanship with Dr. Mark Coppenger

April 22nd, 2019

34:41

What are some core values that Christian filmmakers should strive for in their work? According to Dr. Mark Coppenger, who supervises the doctoral …

Why Is Christian Film Conflicted? Dr. Mark Coppenger

April 9th, 2019

36:03

What place should Christians have in the cinematic art form? It seems in the not-so-distant-past, Christians and their institutions considered going …

Aesthetics & Theology with Dr. Mark Coppenger

April 1st, 2019

15:27

Have you ever wondered why the church, particularly in Protestantism, has historically had a hands off position when it comes to the arts and …

Surviving the Christian Film Industry Sean Paul Murphy

March 21st, 2019

17:05

Screenwriter Sean Paul Murphy has more than a decade of experience in the Christian film industry. In this episode he gives us his hard-hitting, …

A Screenwriter's Career in Christian Film: Sean Paul Murphy Part 2

March 16th, 2019

24:42

Screenwriter Sean Paul Murphy continues to chronicle his decade-long career in the Christian film industry. With 12 produced films under his belt, …

A Decade in Christian Film - Screenwriter Sean Paul Murphy

March 5th, 2019

32:44

With 12 Christian films under his belt, and more than 10 years working in the Christian film industry, Sean Paul Murphy has a valuable perspective on …

The Mission of the Ministry of Motion Pictures

February 10th, 2019

6:26

We embark upon a journey to engage with Christian filmmakers and the landscape of the Christian film genre, to understand what has shaped Christian …

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