Cameron Hanes - Keep Hammering Collective - KHC 084 - “DREAM” the Movie

Episode Date: July 2, 2024

Join us for a discussion with Cam, Ben Pauling, Sam Pauling and Steven Cox as they cover the movie Cam has been acting in and the process and message of producing the movie, “DREAM”.  ​​The movie “DREAM” covers the evil that’s pervaded our world which is at an all time high and our children are the ones that pay the most. Getting everyday people to do something about the reality that 2 Million children are trafficked every year is a daunting task, especially when our own media and entertainment industry wish to silence that truth. Follow along: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronrhanes Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camhanes/ Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com Follow DREAM the Movie & the Directors: https://www.instagram.com/dreammovieofficial/  Ben: https://www.instagram.com/benpauling/  Paul: https://www.instagram.com/samueljacobpauling/  Thank you to our sponsors: Black Rifle Coffee: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/ Use code KEEPHAMMERING for 20% your first order MTN OPS Supplements: https://mtnops.com/ Use code KEEPHAMMERING for 20% off and Free Shipping Sig Sauer: https://www.sigsauer.com/ use code CAM10 for 10% off optics Grizzly Coolers: https://www.grizzlycoolers.com/ use code KEEPHAMMERING for 20% off GoHunt: https://gohunt.com/ use code CAM when you sign up for $50 towards the gear shop + 10% off the GoHunt store MUD\WTR: https://mudwtr.com/cam use code CAM for 15% off  Timestamps: 0:00:00 Intro: How the Movie Came About 0:10:08 Raising Money to Produce the Movie 0:13:09 Sam’s Position in DREAM 0:16:46 Ben & Sam’s First Short Film 0:18:34 “From the Producer’s of Godzilla” & A-List Actors 0:21:43 The Art of Movie Making & Creating a Movement 0:27:13 The Impact DREAM Has Brought to Cam 0:29:25 Ad Break 0:31:12 How it Feels to Produce a Movie After 4 Years in the Making 0:32:57 Long Days & A Love for Filmmaking 0:39:01 Cam’s Humility in Acting - What the Directors Like About Cam 0:39:20 Creating Organic Moments in Acting 0:43:14 A Season of Growth for Cam 0:45:02 Having a Strong Connection to Faith & God 0:47:38 Unexpected Events During Filming 0:51:19 The People Supporting the Film Currently 0:53:13 Cam’s Auditions 0:54:05 What Surprised Sam the Most 01:00:07 What’s Surprised Cam the Most on Set 01:04:24 Connections from Filming 01:06:04 Gideon’s Thoughts on the Movie Process 01:09:28 Outro

Every step I take I move my truth. Every time they tell me stop I use. Every comment hate that makes my feel. Gather up my energy and boom. I hear them talking saying the way that I move it's so reckless. That is a part of my mind I've been blessed with. Giving my blood so I am relentless. All right.

Well, welcome to the Keep Hammering Collective. I'm here with the brain child behind Dream the movie. This is, so Polly Brothers, Ben and Sam, and Stephen Cox. Right? Yep. How did we get here? Oh, man. Wow. Yeah. This guy. Yeah, so in 2020, we were, you know, kind of all in the throes of COVID, you know, everything. The world kind of stopped, right? So I remember it was in August of 2020, I woke up from the stream that I had had where I was, you know, kind of kind of, you know, kind of, kind of. in front of this industrial fenced-in warehouse building place on this road near the train tracks. And I just felt like there was some nefarious activity going on behind these walls. And this guy comes up and he's like, you know, giving me a story of kind of like, you know, like, you know, what are you doing here? You know, this place is shut down.

It was a very, like, vivid, specific dream. Like, he's like, what he actually said was, you know, like, we just shut the place down. I just sent our 300 employees home, you know, what are you doing here? and then comes toward me like he's gonna kill me. I wake up and dream, I was just like, this is, I don't know what to think of it. At first, you know, I just felt like there was like something to it. And then I immediately texted my brother, I was like,

I think there's some sort of like trafficking. And it was right at that same time too, I was getting more aware of that subject and that, you know, there's these rescues going out with this like, you know, 100 kids rescued in a trail, or 50 kids rescued in this home or something like that. And no one was really like giving it like the kind of attention you'd think something like that would deserve, you know? So I just started thinking, man, like I think this could possibly be one of those scenarios.

So I went driving around looking for this place, listening to music as I do usually want to drive in. This whole download of this storyline just came to me. And I was just like, man, that would be totally insane. a dream and it led to like a rescue of some children or some sort of like really powerful rescue thing. Yeah. And then you know I immediately you know kind of came up this idea to make a short film. I told my buddy Steven here about it. We started developing the short film story and then you know soon you know pretty much you know I was convinced to turn it into a feature film and I was like I don't know I don't think it has the legs for a feature film but we did it anyways and then pretty soon out of just sheer

you just, whatever you want to call it, stupidity or just, you know, just blind confidence. We sent it to an A-Lest actor's agent. And, like, immediately he responded, and he was really interested in doing it except at Zoom. And we were thinking we were going to make this movie with this.

So this is a script. Yeah, you guys wrote the screenplay and the script. And so to get him on board, we really, like, we really wanted to, like, show what we were doing. capable. So we went out and we shot this trailer to kind of like put together the scenes of what we thought was going to be the storyline, which is essentially about this young man whose little sister goes missing at this fairgrounds event. Three years later, she's never

found. And he has this dream that leads him and his kind of rag-tag blue-collar friends into breaking into this warehouse and uncovering this underbelly in their small town. And so we did that and then we just sat on it for a while. We didn't just sit on it. We were pitching it around Hollywood for a while, and no one wanted to pick up a story about that. What were they saying? You know, it was actually interesting because Sound of Freedom hadn't been released at that point in time. And so the kind of consensus from everyone on was don't make a movie about that. Just try to focus more of the thriller elements because that's not marketable.

This other movie Sounded Freedom has been sitting on the shelf for four years, so that's not going to be good, you know, marketing-wise. Right. Yeah. not a demand if that one was out there, yeah. Yeah, and then, you know, the whole, for whatever reason, you know, the politics of Hollywood around that kind of stuff anyways, too. So, we just kept kind of bouncing around for like... We sent it to Jeremy.

Yeah, we sent it to Stephen's friend who's like... He's the lead in succession. Oh, yeah, yeah. Jeremy Strong. Yeah, yeah, and he was, you know, I'd known him from way back when, but we sent him the script, and he loved it. And so there was this A-list actor that responded super well to it, and then he responded super well to it,

and he had sent it to his agents and managers, so we knew we had something. Yeah. When he told us was that I can get you to, like, get a really big director on it, or get it to this production company, but you guys won't be in it, and you're not going to be directing. And he said that if they wanted to direct it

and us to star in it, we'd pretty much have to move heaven and nurse to make the movie. But he said we should. Yeah. He said that, yeah, pretty much we said was you guys need to go make the movie. Yeah.

Figure out how to do it. It's similar to Rocky, how Sylvester Stallone wrote it. They said he would be in it or whatever. And he said, no, I'm going to be in it. just took the chance. So it's similar to that. Right.

Yeah. And you know, those actors, they must get scripts to read all the time. Yeah. Yeah, that was one of the things, you know, the actor that originally was interesting when it says,

like, I read scripts all the time. Usually lose interest at like, you know, page five, you know, but he just hooked the whole time. And it was like, you know,

I've written like, probably like 10 scripts. And so it was like, the only script that was like, almost felt like it was, just like epic. It just felt like there was a message from God. It just felt like it was a good download. And every time we would work on the script together, it was just like so full of just like it felt like it was a movie that had already been made. Yeah. It felt like it was movie that

already been made, but it hadn't been made yet. So we're the ones that got to make it. You were like translators. Yeah. Yeah. For this message. Yeah. And so it ended up being like that there's a lot of like political stuff with the whole thing with the child trafficking and people are like you know on the you know one side of the aisle or yeah like that's not happening right and obviously anyone who's any knowledge at all knows how big of an issue this is and it's pretty blatantly clear you know where you know who's on the right side of that battle you know and so because of the fact that's the case um people in the industry aren't on the right side of that.

Yeah. For the most part, definitely not in a way where they'd be going to risk their career to do it. Yeah. For instance, the guy, Jimmy Caviesley, you know, his agency's dropped and his lawyer dropped him after he took on during that movie. Who? Which one? Signed free.

Oh, yeah. The main guy, after he decided to do that, like, they dropped him. Yeah. Actually, they dropped him before he even filmed that movie. Yeah, they dropped him. Just because they knew about it? Just because they knew that he was deciding to do that movie. it's a risk you know yeah well what's also interesting is not only is it a risky subject matter

but it's also a risk having first-time directors and no names leading the film yeah so there's kind of already like two strikes against us and you know getting this thing made yeah yeah so then what happened was we we pretty much just like we had this trailer and everyone in hollywood would pretty much you're like, this is the best sizzle trailer ever seen. This is the best concept trailer we ever seen? Yeah. When we watched it, we were like...

Is this the, where we watched the movie? Right? Yeah. And so we thought, oh, cool. Maybe, well, someone's going to have to... But it was just a difference of, like, values. Like, no one won't take that on. They didn't want to take it on with us

because everything in the industry is based off of this person's name is equal to this. Yeah. And we'll make that movie, whether the movie's good or not, as long as this person's in that role. And if I was willing to get my role up, then we probably could have made it already

for it for it. We were really going to give up our roles. We could have got Austin Butler or something. Yeah. But we weren't going to do that. So we ended up, I ended up at the beginning of 2020, just, just feeling like letting God take this seven day fast. And so I did that.

And I was just during that whole week that I just really felt like every single day was like some crazy like sign thing that was taking place. Like crazy. Like I was really like hearing clearly. And then after that, I just felt spurred like, no, like, we thought maybe we would do this thing with the Angel Studios thing. So you heard of that? That's the company that made the Sound of Freedom's distribution. Okay, yeah, yeah.

So we thought we would do that. We went through it. We got like the highest score on their barometer thing when it came to like those torches or whatever. And then, and then nothing ended up like, you're supposed to like go through that. and then like they immediately give you a distribution contract. Nothing came out of it, but I was like, okay, that makes sense because that's probably going to pitchers and holes anyways being just based.

Yeah. But I just ended up like feeling like he kept saying like, man, we just got to raise money on our own, create our own crowd planning thing. Yeah. And so like I was like, well, how do we do that? You know? They don't have like an Instagram following or influence. are falling I don't you know we don't have any idea about any that stuff so what we

thought we would do is we set up like an account or whatever but we were gonna get someone else that had a big following and have them posted so then maybe then that would help create yeah to where people would come and you know raising money so we go to do that and then the person that that you were posted said that they couldn't post it because of some sort of musical rights thing so so I was actually illegally texting and driving not texting and driving but like on the way to church yeah and I was like well let me just try posting it yeah on our account yeah and I do it like screen recording like I'm listening to my music in the video and then I press play of the video

and I post it and then like within an hour like 100,000 people have seen it and then 200,000 people saw it and then like a million people saw it yeah yeah yeah and too many people saw it and then like over 10 million people seen it. And like that opened a lot of connections with different people. And then yeah, God just like started this moving like in crazy ways just connecting people with us. We did we, we, we were flying all over the country, a bunch of different news networks. Just just meeting people on different podcasts and stuff. And then ended up just like having like these amazing people that just came came behind us like they're going to put like $300,000 and they're going to put you know a hundred thousand dollars and then we raised like over 200 grand

like just donations, just donations. Yeah. And we ended up like, you know, like pretty much like, like raising almost as much money as we would have got if we had the A-Less actor that they would give us to be able to make the movie. With like these connections now with these child rescue organizations that we've now now made that are just like our lifelong, like friends that are like doing this work every day. Like saying this videos with the kids are rescuing. and just like it's just been like

and then the donations ROI on those from the film we're going to be going towards you know supporting the work that they're doing and it's just been like it's been a crazy it's been totally insane last year

like and then now yeah so now we're halfway through making the movie and you're in it yeah it's amazing yeah the 1832 I think today was how was that for you today?

Yeah well you It was an easier day. Oh, it was easier. Yeah, for me. I don't remember what happened to it. Yeah, today was more fun. Yeah.

Finally, I had a fun day. Yeah, that's good. You didn't have to, like, worry about screwing. Oh, man. It's so stressful. But I didn't want to hear. So, Sam, how, like, tell how do you fit in the story? Where did you go?

Yeah. We'll get back to it, but you wrote 10, you've written 10 scripts. Yeah. So that's, so I want to hear. that because you're young you guys are all young and it's like just busting out movies just ideas or whatever but save that for a second sam tell me how you fit it yeah i mean well like okay so it started with stephen and i doing like acting together okay i think we were in an acting class together when i was la or where no up up in california so i'm in california so

And that's how we made. We're all from this town, Auburn. Yeah. Stephen was a senior when I was a freshman, but I didn't really know him. But I did know him from seeing him at a rally because he was doing the moonwalk. I remember seeing him. I know that guys weren't like some round one follow. Let's see like, okay, that guy got some style.

I don't have the socks, man. And then what happened was Sam was going to acting class. Yeah. So I was learning how to like. We were doing this thing in the acting class where we're going up there and supposedly we're supposed to tell each other like why we're here, like what we want to be doing this for. Stephen was like the only one that was like, oh yeah, okay, we're going to do this forever, this guy and I. So I remember I went up to you. I'm like, dude, we're going to like, we're going to do movies together.

Yeah, you want to know what's funny is I vividly remember this conversation. I didn't know Sam that well, but I had mentioned something like, I'm a believer and like I really want to make movies. And like I just, you know, I don't, I don't know what that looks like. I don't know what, like, you know, having a relationship with God

and making like really compelling narratives looks like. And he just kind of smiled. He's like, well, you're in good company. man because I'm a believer and he you know he didn't say this but I should have known he's like I'm a believer and I'm really talented you know and we're going to go really far and to answer your question Cameron on Sam's behalf everything this guy shoots and directs and you know you're experiencing this yourself is just it's just absolutely beautiful like cinematically beautiful it takes forever you know we all we all experience that but um thanks man but yeah just like it's it is a gift

it is a very exclusive gift that sam has and just how he shoots how he works with actors and and all that stuff and obviously dream will will uh will reveal that too yeah well well we all did a i because i'm an actor before directing ben and i were going to do a short film together when we're pretty young, like in 2013. And so I'm like, I don't think I can do all this stuff. I think I just want to direct this. And I was like, oh, I can get Stephen. So they became brothers.

Well, what happened was? Actually, he was like you were going to the acting class. And I think maybe my mom was like that. I remember my mom was like, yeah, Sam's going to this guy from your school. he looks like you be your brother yeah so then we ended up playing brothers in a short film

it wasn't really even a short film it was like kind of long short yeah it's like 45 minutes well we shot it too within like five years well it took a long time it wasn't five years it was like a year and a half two years

he got pickup shots like three years after it was like a long short film. How did it turn out? Well, it had some of the ball watched it, and we thought it was confusing. The funny

the very lead-up, though, was heller. So jumping, kind of jumping stories here. After we finished the short film, I worked at this previous place that this one guy, Brian Rogers, worked out with me as a producer. He's like, I promise you

go do your first short film. film and then I'll produce your first feature. He got the rights to Godzilla in 2010-ish, and I didn't know what that meant, but then he brought that to legendary pictures and blah, they're doing all their franchise stuff for Godzilla. So he's like one of the main producers because he brought it to them. And then he kind of held onto his promise with us, and he wanted to do the film that Ben and I wanted to do before COVID happened, which was this movie about the California fires and the 100,000 people went homeless overnight. And all three of us were going to do that.

And I was directing that one, but Ben and I were writing that together. And then COVID happened, we're going to do that. So then Ben and I were like, what do we do now? And so that's when Ben got the dream. it's kind of in that chronological order that all sort of took place and then you know Brian from Godzilla's like you know I called him up and said can we do this together that would really help if your name's on that I can say from the producers of Godzilla and all that you know and then you did yeah because I did see that yeah yeah

definitely adds credibility when you have you know no names in the industry and they're backing it or involved in it you're like oh okay so that Obviously, that is a big part. Yeah, you don't get the A-LIS actor, which would bring whatever, but that comes with, you know, a lot of stipulations. And then, as you said, you guys wouldn't be involved. Yeah. And, yeah, it definitely adds, you know,

elements when you're working with actors that are in a certain level, you know. Yeah, it sounds like there's, I mean, the name, yeah, the product sometimes turns out good, but there's a lot of baggage it comes with those big names too it sounds like. Yeah. You know, so. I mean, it's not all gravy. It is interesting, though, because not that I've, not that we've met a lot of A-lister's and stuff like that. But, you know, for example, Jeremy, Strong, you know, I know him relatively well.

And he's the nicest guy, super humble. Yeah. Hardest worker, you know. So I think it's interesting because like, you know, when you do meet the like, I don't know, the actors that are really good at their craft and, you know, they, you can tell they like give everything to their roles and stuff like that. There is a sense of humility. And it's like you want to work with them versus, you know, the people that are maybe just used to doing stuff for the paycheck or just used to. to just kind of like cranking out TV and stuff like that. That's typically when you're,

there's a certain attitude that's not conducive to like telling a good story, you know. I don't know if you guys would agree with that. Yeah. Yeah, and I noticed that kind of trawling into another thing as well, but I really like it when you guys are asking questions as actors. I'm like, that's really amazing because you're, interested in the why you're doing something and then that opens up the door to the how you get there and you do that a lot and then Stephen does that with Ben and I but I feel like you're

pretty I mean you know what the story's been for like the last four years so all your questions are kind of questioned out you know yeah exit all the boxes but I feel like that connects that connects there and I was just reading a portion of the script and the dialogue I'm so like going on a different track but the dialogue's really good then like the stuff with Sloan that we haven't shot yet with some of the the off-screen dialogues just really fun to read you know what for me what it's been is you guys are so so married to the script just because all this time and being so involved. We kind of jump around sometimes on scenes. Yeah. So I need to say, okay, where are we coming from on this? Because like, for example, yesterday, I totally was off on what I thought when I was

telling Sloan, hey, it's 3 a.m., let's get out of here. Yeah. I thought, God, this should be great. He's going to be an easy scene. It's just late. Let's go home. I was totally off on what that scene was about and what it meant and then what she was looking at then what i was going to see because i was over her shoulder looking at what she was had been working on and how that was affecting me so i didn't i didn't get it i missed it but so i have to ask and that was just one example there's been a a million examples just in the days that i've been involved in the shooting but it's uh it's just for me it's been fascinating learning i mean i never really thought about how a movie was made, really.

I mean, I knew it was, you know, yeah, a lot of takes. There's no clue. Just, and just setting up the lighting that you guys have this vision of lighting, you guys know you're such movie fans or such, just love the art of movie making and acting to be, to be really, you guys as actors are incredible, but just the detail on, like, you showed me the, uh, a still from the movie. and you said, oh yeah, see how this, the light coming in from this way is blue, from this way it's warmer, and it, you know, then it makes the scene feel and look different. I was like, what?

And then watching, you know, you are looking at the camera, you're getting the lighting set up, you know, just how it, how it affects everything, I was like blown away. Yeah. It's so crazy. And you guys, you care so much about doing it right. Yeah, well, I think for me, and I, you know, for you guys too, and probably why you want to be involved in because the fact that it's not really about, like, making like, oh, my gosh, oh, look at this cool movie, you know. It's like we want to affect people in a way where you can actually help, like, introduce people to God,

really having an encounter having a transformative thing that can pierce maybe reveal something of some of people's own lives and have that kind of transformative yeah just like encounter with connection and love and especially in this circumstance to do it in a way that that gives honor and truth and hope and guidance to People that are in a situation and awareness and you know the ability to stand up fight for people that aren't aware of this horrific Tragedy that's taking place every single day and a million different ways you know in our in this country To a great degree with foster care system of the border or just

Just the appetite of just evil yeah taking place that's growing you know We learn there's slight thousands of a percent increase of an appetite for these child materials in our country. And so evil is just growing in, the appetite for it's growing, but also it's just like, you know, it's culture really that's kind of like fostering this idea that you do what you want. And with that, like people are taking that to the darkest level. they have the mentality or the ideology that allows for that, that there isn't a line.

Yeah. Right. You can create your own. It's your story. And I think that like with what we're trying to do with this story, right, is really kind of show what it's like to be going through a tragedy like that from a point of view of like everyday people. Yeah.

It's easy to dismiss it. It's someone else, some other countries, other little, but if it's like someone, like, every day, every, every, every man type people, person. Yeah. It could be like you. It could be like somebody, it could be, you know, your kid. It could be, it's not, it's not a CIA agent, you know, Lee Mason's kid from taking, you know, that has all, but it could be like a regular person.

Yeah. And like, from that perspective, how can you, you know, pull someone's heart strings or something. They realize, oh, this isn't just someone else. This could be, what if it was you? I was thinking about this last night because this is what this story's done to me. Just being involved in it is like life is hard anyway. Every family has challenges.

Raising kids is hard. It's hard being a good parent. It's hard giving guidance. It's hard you worry about so much. Let alone, I was thinking, is this going to be a thing where you have kids and now of a sudden you have to worry about somebody taking your kid, you know, like, because it's happening. Right.

And so this isn't like a thing that people used to have to worry about. Right. Well, and also I think, like, more than even that, it's just like, like, whether it's that version of it or someone just, or if it's this whole industry version where, like, people are, are groomed into it. The hope is that you pull the most heartstrings to where people are wanting to do something about it. Right.

So it's not to strike fear in people's hearts that like you can't take your kids out in public or something like that. Yeah, right. Because that's actually not the most likely scenario. But that's the most heart-wrenching scenario that would pull someone's heartstrings, you know, to where everyone would feel like that could possibly be a scenario that they would have, right? And then it just really kind of feels like the greatest equalizer of anyone's issues going on in our life. Like, like it can't, anything that you could, you know, probably is not nearly as, just horrific or bad as being one of those kids.

Oh, man. You know. Yeah, it's terrible to think about. Yeah. And I think it's important, and we were kind of talking about this, like each day on set, just remembering, like, why we're trying to bring that, and bring that reminder as we forget so easily. Yeah.

And there's a lot of people on our crew, and there's a lot of people that don't really understand, you know, even what's, you know, the story, in the story, you know. And so just being able to bring that and bring that is very difficult when you get so many different things going on. Yeah. But, you know, we're learning how we're praying and we're learning how to be, you know, salt and light. And yeah, I mean, it's not easy to walk. No. It's not easy to walk to do it.

But, you know, easy and great usually don't go hand in hand. No. It's been a fascinating experience. I'm so impressed with you guys. I can't help to think of myself. at your guys' age and I'd be like I would be barely capable of holding down a job. So the fact that you guys can, I don't know, make this movie happen on your own is unbelievable. But yeah, it's like, I mean, how does it feel to go from writing in it four years ago and this whole thing to actually now it feels a,

hard every day, but to be, you're actually close to the finish line almost. It's like, honestly, it's pretty dang close. Yeah. It sort of feels like, uh, I think we click. Yeah. Like we just fast forwarded because it just felt like it was never going to happen. Yeah, it's, I mean, so many hurdles. Yeah.

And they're like, one question you probably is. Yeah. I mean, it's very strange and interesting because like a lot of these people that we invited it, like you to be a part of it, have to, just joined in the last second. Yeah. And now you get to be a part of like, what we've been like literally like putting her life on hold for like half a decade.

I know. And like, oh yeah, we got that scene. I was like, no, like that scene has been like like like a long time coming. Yeah. And we're like, oh, no, this has been a long day. A long day? A long day. Yeah.

Like what you guys just jumped into that last scene. Yeah. Which I don't think we should say what this is like. But that last thing that we just shot, like I was just telling Stephen, like after. I'm like, dude, it's weird. We've been talking about that scene for years. Yeah.

And it was, while I was behind the camera, I was like thinking, I wonder if he's thinking about that same thing I'm thinking about right now. Like, yeah, we've been thinking about this for like years. We do that pretty much every day. We're like, the heck are we here right now? Yeah. And it's weird because production, as you can attest to, is crazy, right? But there's another part of me that doesn't want it to end, you know?

Yeah. Because it's like I'm literally regardless of what happens each and every day, all the fires that come, the obstacles that weren't foreseen, I still get done at the end of the day. And I literally feel like I won the lottery to be able to make this movie. Yeah. And there's nothing else I'd rather be doing. Yeah.

you know and that yeah it's a very it's just yeah it's well it's a gift yeah yeah again from my perspective it's too much though it's like it's like overwhelming no but here's a thing from my perspective it's too much of a gift take it back oh yeah well i'm what what impresses me is i it it is long days i know we can talk about like in the grants from things it's not but still you know, a 15 hour day is a 15 hour day. But you guys never lose enthusiasm or being positive or still being creative, still wanting to get the shot perfect. Right. No matter how late it is.

Yeah. And that's so rare. You guys are hard, freaking workers, have this vision and won't settle for anything other than doing it to the best of your ability. Yeah. And that's meant you've lost actors, you've changed whatever. There's been a lot of things to, and it's like, oh, yeah, no, it's a lot of fun. When you get through it, we shifted. Readjust, shift, overcome.

Yeah. Yeah. And here's still the standard. Almost every day there's a change. Yeah. There's something to overcome, but the standard never, has never, I've never seen a change. Yeah. It's still excellence.

Yeah. And that's what is like, you know, I can't even say, I can't say I would do that. I'd be like, God, let's just, okay, good enough. Good enough. Good enough. Yeah, but you guys make me want to do better, want to care more, want to, it's just so inspired. It's super. I appreciate that.

I mean, it's, no. That is a lot, man. It's incredible. I don't even know if I believe what you're saying right now. I'm totally 100% blown away. And I say that, I know you guys have heard me say, I don't know what I'm doing, I suck, blah, blah, blah. But now that I'm done, too much with my lines,

I'm like, I wish I had some more. Oh, man. Can you read something? No, man. But I think we respect you a lot for not having any sort of experience or expertise in what we're trying to do. and you kind of having the humility to just be like, all right, I'm literally, you know, starting from nothing and willing to, you know, risk looking like a fool or failing or not being the best,

you know. But just throwing it all out there. Yeah. Like I have so much respect for that, you know, because it's very easy to kind of like stay in your lane and be the best in your lane, but to, you know. To go into a completely different world. Yeah. And to take something like that on.

Yeah, it's very like, it's very, it's easy to not do something like that. It's very easy to not do something like that. Yeah, I could have definitely made excuses. And I'm going to be honest, there was like a couple of days ago when I had actual more real actors around me. You know, we had Anthony and Jenna there, and I'm supposed to be walking down the hall. And I was like, getting ready to walk. And I'm like, I have no idea what I'm supposed to say. I'm just like, I cannot even think of what any of my life.

You want to know what's so funny is like, we just worked with this experience actor. He just got off of Killers the Flower Moon. Yeah. That Scorsese film. Yeah. And he still went off, went up on his lines, meaning he went blank. Yeah. You know, like he stopped halfway through.

He was great. But he was so good. Yeah. He was so good. Not really and count doesn't always go hand in hand. Yeah, well, maybe I don't have either, but that was, that was so intimidating. Because you're, you're on the big camera, everybody's weighing in, we're ready. It's set up, everything's set up.

Yeah. You got everybody, say, okay, all right, you know, boom. And I'm just like, I was like, so, I didn't even know what to do. I wanted to like run away. Yeah. But we got through it We got through it And it got

We got there Yeah Yeah there's moments Where there's moments Where it's like I'm trying to imagine What it feels like for you Because I'm on the other side

You know Yeah Like my perspective No I remember that I remember being like that It's like the first side It's sort of like Like jumping in the water

Like you're trying to swim Through this thing Well what I was going to say It's like It's like Like learning how to surf You know And then when you finally

catch that first wave. It's like, like, you kind of, you felt that yesterday probably like, oh, well, like this is, something's happening here. Yeah. I feel like you've unlocked something, you know, and you can see it on screen. It's amazing to watch that on screen when someone kind of gets to that place where they, like they're getting, they're getting the hang of it. They're right in the pocket. Yeah, right in the pocket and you're figuring out like, you know, how to use your, your vessel really, you know, kind of. Yeah. I mean, it is. It's powerful. Definitely.

Yeah. There's some times that you... Oh, sorry, go ahead. No, no, no, go for it. Well, there's some times that you did... You did... I can't say scenes right now. But there's some moments that after we tried a few things, you're like, oh, yeah, that feels real.

Yeah. You can see it. You can see, like, like, actively feeling something. And then you noticed it too. You're like, you came to me and you're like, yeah, Sam, that felt really right. Yeah. Yeah. Because you know it when you know it, right?

Sort of like you just know it when you know. It's like that. I do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's such a crazy thing as a, to be an actor and to like create that. Yeah.

Yeah. It's like trying to start a fire, right? People turn around, you know, being an artist or whatever, but you have to create that feeling. Yeah. motion yeah or that moment yeah and it's not nobody else you've created you have to yeah yeah that's what's and when you do it's like crazy but isn't it also interesting that like in order to kind of create that organic moment you kind of have to let go like you can't like white knuckle those moments into it's sort of like cutting down a deer right it's like you have to be yeah

you can't get close if you're no because like an animal can actually feel that If you're like so like this, they'll pick up on that. It's like this, that's how they're. That's kind of is with your emotions. Yeah. When you're, when you're going for it and you're too, coming in too hot. Yeah. It's not, you're not going to, you're not going to find it.

There was like, you know, because Anthony's like pretty like, I don't know what his personality is. I mean, he's East Coast. He's like. From Boston. Yeah. And just very, that scene he was mad, right? Yeah. So we were trying to, I was having the hardest time getting that right to combat that. It was just like that energy. Yeah, right, exactly.

So then Sam and I went out and talked. We didn't, nobody knew whatever. And then it was, I was going to try something different. And when I did it, in that little moment, I could see his eyes. And he was just like, he wasn't ready. Right. And it was, it did what it was supposed to do. Yeah.

And it made him instead of being aggressive, it made him like a connection. Yeah. And that changed everything. Yeah. But it was, it's so hard to make that happen. But when it does, it's beautiful. Yeah. Hopefully there's a camera rolling.

And it's your close up. Yeah. And it's on you. I mean, it's right. There's so many, so many things that go into. There's so many times where the camera was. rolling. Cash you're in it

perfect. I was like, frick, you didn't get that? No, we were shooting his angle. Yeah,

that's a whole another part that people don't realize is you do each of these takes so many times and different

than it's on you like you guys call it the single on Cam or on who at slump Amy or whatever it is.

And then that's when that, like even like we're sitting around the conference table on a couple days ago and we had been

doing it all. The mom, dad, and Ben was over here, and then Amy was here, and everybody got their singles, did the whys, did everything,

whatever, and then it's a single on me. And the camera's right here. You know, I was like, it was the hardest thing to not look at the camera. I know.

It's like, that's the one thing you can't do. It's number one. You can't do it. And I'm just like, why am I feeling like I want to look at the camera?

Like the devil is like, look at the camera. Yeah, The job was like trying to make me do it. But even stuff like that. Yeah. Have you had any dreams? Yeah, I've had dreams.

Like lately about the movie or anything like that? I had just weird dreams about my dog. But I don't remember the dog broke his leg for some reason. I'm still trying to run around on it. I don't know what that made. But I don't know. I don't know. But this has been, you know, it's, it's, it's,

sound way too hippie-ish, but like a season of growth, this whole experience for me personally, and I'm old, you know, I'm 56, my growing days are probably over for the most part, and this has been like incredible. I can tell you guys how honored I am for the opportunity, how impressed I am with you guys, but also how much, you know, I'm old, you guys are as young as my kids, and I don't want to let you down. So it's so awesome. It's, uh, that's, uh, that's a, that's cool. And you probably didn't realize what you were getting into. Oh, I had no idea. Yes, and now it would be like, yeah, I don't want me.

I mean, look at the time. I got to go. But you probably didn't know that it was going to be any good either. I don't know. I mean, I didn't know it's going to be this. I didn't know this is incredible. It's going to be an amazing movie. I mean, I think it's going to do what I think you guys want. tell the story that it's important story that needs to be told and uh yeah god willing yeah so it's

yeah it's been just crazy and it's it's not over yet but for you guys yeah you're close to the finish line on this long half a half a decade journey and uh yeah so you know just you know i think the number one thing that we uh we credited to is you know just you know just you know just, you know, Jesus, God, and prayer. Yeah. And just having that, that strong connection to, you know, to, can you to guide us through the days ahead? I don't think it would have happened without that.

Oh, 100% not. Yeah. Prayer. Prayer. Yeah, I mean, no one would be here without prayer. Without that, that, because we prayed about every decision we made, every person that we've personally brought on, personally. chosen, we prayed about all those choices.

And we prayed about where we were going to shoot it. And how, and just how these things come together, even locations. You know, like, you know, a couple days ago, we finally got the location we needed this construction. Like right before we had to film there. And I've been looking for, like, years. Month.

Yeah, months. It's so hard because construction sites to change. And every week it's different, you know. But it ended up being the same. perfect, you know, location, perfect setting, perfect actors, perfect scene. God's just been like faithfully when we're going crazy and we're doubting, we're having anxiety, we're having, you know, fear. And he just shows up. He's just faithful. And he wants what's best for us more than, more than what we know we need, or more than what we think we want or what we think we need right

now. You know, it's like everything, you know, that we need, everything we want is, you know, He wants better for us. Right. And so it's just about just staying in that place of just trust and faith. And just knowing that like, you know, if things aren't the way, you know, that glorifies them or the way that that is like, you know, most optimum, it's not over yet, you know. It's not the end of the story. I think that the message that we want to spread people that have been through stuff like

this is that there's still hope, you know? And that where is God in the midst of this evil? this tragedy and he wants to move through us he wants to us you know to step up and be the rescue be the be the heroes you know be the heroes of our own life you know and a lot of times it's within arm's reach you know you don't need to go always to some other country to do that or you know there's ways and we hope to be able to give people ways at the end of this film to where they could actually give they could partner and they can they can make a difference for this issue as well so yeah

Yeah. I didn't say this at the beginning, but it's already like almost 2 a.m. Oh, my God. We've been shooties a lot. But I did, I want to, I for sure want to get to this one last thing. I'd like just to ask each of you, what has been surprising in this, I don't know, just maybe in the whole journey, you could say that, or maybe in just the process of the actual filmmaking right now. Has there been something that's been surprising, something that you didn't end. anticipate but something or yeah yeah yeah one thing plural it feels like your faith i mean

no matter what what has happened it feels like you were going to figure out how to get back we talked about that overcoming but anything else maybe maybe it's the support of the city of the uva of uba of uba county the sheriff department i don't know what it surprised me um go ahead yeah well honestly what and I don't want this to come across is arrogant but the first week was crazy there was a lot of stuff logistically that went wrong we thought we were going to have to reshoot a lot of stuff we thought we're going to have to go back and just kind of get get some sort of quality with the scenes and then we we looked at the dailies for the first time and daily for people that don't know are like basically the scenes that we shot and i was like oh my gosh

we have something like we have we have we have we have really good stuff and you know obviously i think we're we're our own worst critic so like when we think we have something special it's like wow yeah god really came through for us because we were not supposed to get that good of shots and those good of scenes under the circumstances that we were in um i think for me i agree 100% and it's been part of the reason why we're so boldly arrogant to continue on right and just continue like through whatever hurdles it's like we just know that they're getting good stuff so who cares what anyone else thinks but like that it hasn't been like you know it hasn't been like a day's fall it hasn't it has not been like it's grind it hasn't been what I thought it was going to be

like in my head like oh this is just going to be like some sort of like amazing like fulfillment of yeah it hasn't been fulfilling in that way but it has been fulfilling in a very just like visceral

just faith way that we know like and being put to the test though like it hasn't been like oh my gosh I'm so happy today like you know but it's like we know it's sort of like the work when it comes to just putting in work for life, right?

You put in the work and you know you're getting to where you need to get and you just need to press on and then you look back and you're like, oh, yeah, there it is. But it seems like it's almost what's even, you guys have incredible faith, but almost solidified that faith even to another level because of this. Because even though when you had doubts yourself, then you see it and you're like, God may must have had a hand in this because despite all these doubts, look how beautiful this is. So it doesn't mean that the water is going to be smooth all the time.

It's going to be rough waters for sure. But you're still going to get through. Yeah. I think also what's amazed me too is the community, but just like people that are like, like that I've known. You met Kyle. You met Seth. You met certain people that are part of our crew,

you know, Connor. Just the fact that like how much support we have just from just like there's like people just showing up more and be there every day to help. They believe. And it's not their dream. Yeah. It's not their, they're not like specifically going to get something out of it, you know,

but just it like they believe and they're willing to put the, you know, people build in our warehouse right now, you know, just they're not people that are just like behind it. That's what surprised me. Yeah. That's what surprised me is like, like, yeah, this is my dream. This could help.

career or whatever yeah but like really what like encourages me and affects me it's like oh wow like other people are like along for the ride like and it's not even just like for their own game no Kyle I looked at him down the hall yesterday before I went into the Ellis at the copy machine and like I had done a take and I look at Kyle and he just like how beautiful are these people telling me good job Well, that wasn't a good take. Yeah, that wasn't a good take. No, serious.

I remember, like, at the monitor, I was like, oh, that was great. But, yeah, I was the man. But to your point, it's, like, support even for me, you know. Yeah. And he's just one example of. And then, I guess what just surprised me every day is just seeing the actors, and just seeing the actors that we've cobbled together and then just letting them, like, do their thing.

You know, like, you. You, you spread. Well, good, because the expectation was down here, so I didn't have to do much. Well, I'll be honest. First audition, we were like, I don't know. And then you send in, I think, was it like three or four more? Yeah. And then I was like, we had a kind of direction.

We gave you direction. Yeah, right. I was like, okay, he can take direction. Oh, wow. Okay. Dang. Dang, okay, there's something going on here. We could work with this.

Yeah, because a lot of people that just can't. Register your information you give them. Right. And understand what you're saying. And they just keep doing the same thing. And they don't understand how to take direction, you know. But for someone to be able to take direction and it translates to where they understand what they need to do now. Without, you know, taking four hours and the other day is gone, you know?

Yeah. That's, that is a talent, you know. So you have that. And it's raw talent. So, you know. Sam, what about you? What's, what's the best? you the most. I think when you're in the trenches with all these people, okay, it's really

interesting because you may know and may have had conversations with people or even friends of ours. We have friends that are working in a thumb. And you may know them in one context, but when you jump into the trenches and you're doing these, you know, scenes and they're all part of this whole thing under in mind extremely high intense like the speed so there's so much stress on the set you know there's such a high caliber like okay next thing now um being in the trenches with everyone i see everyone's in a different way and i now know who my like my like best friends are out of it. It's really interesting because you can see who who's going to be there to fight with you through it and then how they're going to respond through that.

It's kind of interesting because Stephen Ben and I have been through that before so we know what it's like here but expanding horizons and having all these people, actors and then crew and And, you know, there's moments where we'll just look at each other. There's just someone else that pops in their head and they pray for us. Off on the set or whatever. Or, you know, they just, you know, like Richie, puts his hand on my back and rubs my back. It's like, it's okay, man. We got this.

It's good. You got some really good stuff. And I think it's that thing that I did not expect at all to be there. Because for the most part, I feel a ton of weight on my shoulders every day. You know, and I got to show up for him and I got to show up for everybody, you know. Because if I don't, like, we don't have film. Yeah, because Sam's not only the co-director, but he's also the cinematographer and camera operator. That's a lot.

I've read an hour, oh, this is another thing. We have a camera operator, and for the most part, he sits on the same. side like am I going to be used which by the way he got his Jose Jose so we try to use him

he does a lot of the steady cam right yeah all of the steady cam he uses all the steady cam stuff but like you know I was telling him today

you're going to do some steady cam work and then I'm like and Dolly well I just want to say something to we ran out of time to anyone that's inspiring

you want to be you know doing that, you know, filmmaking, right? You know, like the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, journey it is it takes to get to where we're at, like, there was no formula at all. There was no, it was just, pretty much just pure faith and just like, like, like, just, perseverance. Mm-hmm.

And yeah, I'd take, like, you know, I'd look at other people's success stories and we'd cling to them, right? And we'd just, like, cling to, like, the idea of it being, like, good hunting or, like, or whatever. We cling to those stories and those ideas, but really at the end of the day, like, there's no formula and there's no guarantee, and really it has to be something that's bigger than you. What we feel we have that's kept us focused on it is because it's always just felt like this is bigger than us. And that it's not about us making a film. Really, at the heart of what we're trying to do is, like, it's a reminder of, like, the reason to keep going

it because if it can help you know those kids or other people right then we're not gonna give up right it's not just a movie you know yeah and so in the people you know know if they don't see it as just a movie they really see like this it could be a a low the trumpet you know a way to really affect because you know sound of freedom that movie did like 300 million dollars but it didn't really point people to how to direct the impact the issue it just pointed people to buy tickets for the movie and then kind of just went back to silence and what we're wanting to do is make actual real-life impact and have clear pathway people can

be giving and actually you know making effective change and becoming part of rescues right while they're sitting in the theater you know show them how to do that we went out to dinner the other night down here in Auburn and there's two cops they were they were off duty I mean they weren't in uniform but They recognized me and they said they're involved in this type of work. And they said specifically thank you for helping tell the story. Wow. Because they're dealing with it.

Yeah. Great, super good guys. One guy, he rides a horse on patrol. And the other guy, he's retired now, but he got shot. He lost, I think it was his ring finger in his right hand. Wow. Got shot in the back too. But they have dealt with this in this area.

So they, they're thankful. So that's just two examples of this area right here. Yeah, because, you know, like, you know, you just, you know, you can't stop speaking to the truth. Yeah. You know, just because someone else, like, you know, spoke or however longer, it doesn't mean that it's gotten old. Like, as long as this world is running, it's broken, it's going to need people telling your stories to help, you know, bring light to the darkness. Yeah. That's what we're here for.

Yeah. Is there been any day on set that surprised you the most? I mean, obviously, like, the whole filmmaking has surprised you, but is there any specific instance that surprised you? Just how good you guys are at acting is, like, amazing to me. I had never been around it. So, you get that. And then I just sometimes get, I get lost at,

in like, kind of like just being a spectator because I'm watching this and I'm just like kind of blown away. You know, Jenna had some great dialogue, long dialogue. I was saying, God, thank God I didn't have all those lines. But she was like delivered a, just the right pause and hesitation and emotion and being thoughtful during the delivery. And I just was like enjoyed watching it. So that was fun, but you guys have all had those moments.

Sam's had some great guidance. You guys being brothers are, to me, much different. You know, you have this very, you know, you had this dream. So it's like, it's, I don't want to say, I don't say it. I mean, it's like you don't really want to change the, like to alter maybe the intent of the scene because that's like questioning the dream almost or the message you got yeah so it's different sam is is uh just has a different demeanor and so i i get guidance from both of you just in different ways you know but i realize quickly that you have this very no this is how you want it because this is

your this is how what the dream said yeah and sam is like okay i i know let's try this you know it's like still going to give me to the place where you want me to but in a different way it's just a different management style sort of yeah and then you know you just look like a movie star so that but when you know when you do it you just know any anything yeah I know it elevates it but seeing the also the the pros coming in from the outside has been fun you know from UK in London you know we got shay and ain't me. It's great people. It's been awesome. All the guys for sure. You know, I don't know. I just enjoyed. Oh, and our new new guy, George King, playing George King. He's been great.

Aaron D. Eisenberg. Oh, so, so, so nice. Great actor, too. Yeah. You know, just really whatever scene he's in you can just it's just yeah it's good you know you know it's just like it's just money so yeah he's so good so good wow so yeah just it's every day it's every day it's just for different little things i just trying to you know selfishly i'm like i feel like way out of my comfort zone so i'm like it's hard to enjoy it sometimes or i feel guilty for not enjoying it more or appreciating it more But when I think about every day, I'm like, God, today was so beautiful because of X, Y, and Z. I think what's beautiful about the process, though, too, is, like, really, like, we're swimming right now, right? So we're, you know, helping on a podcast and talk about it.

Usually, you don't do that, though. No. Yeah. Yeah. But I like this update kind of real life when you're tired, end of a day. Yeah, we get a journal. It's raw. You get a journal.

Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, at the end of it, being able to look back and see what we've created and then have that live on, you know, forever. Right. Yeah. That's where I feel like to be another interesting conversation. Oh, yeah. No.

That would be. Because I'm already thinking like... Is now we can really talk about, you know, what we're looking at it. I'm already thinking about that moment, like, when you're done filming and you're... editing and I'm like I wish I could go back and realize some times on set yeah and I'm I know I'm gonna wish that yeah I mean just so many great people you're like oh you weren't there when we did the the shotguns and the dirt bikes oh yeah but just some people willing to open up their properties to the sheriff station the jail wind of yeah their facilities those guys

have been so good love those guys and just like window was a sheriff yeah we're gonna figure out a way to just go back and just to hang out in these guys facilities? Yeah. Shout out to Wendell and Garza. I know. Both the best guys. Yeah. I mean,

I called Wendell tonight on the phone when we were getting ready to do that lap, or that scene outside with, yeah, with George and put him in the van. And just asking them how to, you know, perfect guidance on how to do it. It was picks right up. Yeah. Right. Yeah. I'm like, hey, sorry for bothering me. And he's like, oh, no, any time.

Those guys are big dudes Yeah, he's a bearer man Yeah, yeah Those are like Yeah They're large guys Yeah Yeah, but nicest guys

Yeah, I'm sure they're Super nice When they have to be I'm sure they can Yeah Yeah, and they're all just volunteering on their days off No

He's gonna be the SWAT Yeah Oh yeah Garza was SWAT originally So he's gonna be Yeah sweet Can't say Swat the flies

He's gonna spot Right SWAT the flies Of course But man he gave me a hug and I was like, damn this guy's like, he's got muscle all over this guy.

He's a bow on her. Yeah. Yeah. Is it right if we go off camera and ask James what his biggest surprise is been? No. James.

Oh, we can't. Oh, he's too cool for school. Camber guy doesn't talk. Oh. Cammer guy. Sorry. That's what the other.

He acts. I don't know what people lie because he's on my podcast. I know as we do like a weekly update. Yeah, okay. And his middle name is, it's James.

is G. Williams. His middle name is Gideon. Oh, Gideon. We just say we just call him Gideon. Oh, okay. It's from the Bible. But, uh, so we, that's it. I understand you better now, Gideon. I told him, he needs to change his Instagram name to just Gideon.

Yeah, that's your name. It is. And it's like, nobody would confuse it. Be like Madonna or France. Gideon. Gideon. Gideon, the Hobbit master. Well, that was also a story that, you know, kind of inspired me because he's like, man, well, hey,

Hey, you know, God likes to do more with less. Yeah. You know? Look at this. He can't get any less than that. Oh, man. That was a binger. That's not bad.

So, Gideon. Seriously. So on that note, let's say, go ahead and end it. Yeah. We'll just, we'll end it with Gideon's, like, tell us what. Does he really call you Gideon? You know, Gideon? I do.

Yeah. Give us your perspective, just overarching perspective, on the process. I think, obviously we watched the trailer to sizzle. Okay. And I remember the first thing I said to you was like, really well made. Like, a lot of the time you see a sizzle and, you know, if it's a smaller budget movie, it's like, I just don't know about that. But immediately it was like, okay, they're really serious about this.

So then coming to set and seeing all the moving pieces, all the people, and how it's come together. And even, you know, I think I've told all you guys this is like, you know, for him not being an actor, 90%. I'm like, yeah, it just wasn't quite there. But you guys always get him to go 100% and like get the take where it's perfect. And everyone else in their scenes has that take as well. And like when we go back and watch the babies, it's like it's a real moment. movie. It's like really doing it. So I think that's been just the most impressive part for me is like everything looks so good and the performance performances feel so authentic. That's awesome. Yeah. You know, like talking to Shea too is like I think we've all been super impressed how he looks on camera, but we watched, you know, a scene with him where there was no audio and you could you still got what was happening in the scene.

because he just was so good at conveying his feeling through his eyes. Yeah. So I think you guys have done an incredible job. And you alluded to this, but like assembling the perfect team to do it. It seems like everyone that's here is filling their purpose for what will you guys cast them in. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

That's awesome. Thanks for saying that, man. It's a miracle. Both on and off the screen, the team in its entirety. Yeah. Yeah, it's quite a Blessing. Yeah.

So was Sheriff Brown in filming tomorrow? Because, no. You guys are out of here on the... Yeah, we're out of the morning. Yeah, we're out of here. Yeah, so... We'll see in July, huh? I'll be back, yeah.

Yeah, but... So that's the more than halfway update. Yes. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. But, yeah, thanks, guys. I thought it'd be fun. I know the people who listen to my podcast,

though they've been following along we see the engagement on the post James has been taking great photos stills like little teasers like not really teaser but teaser images to see just follow us along on the journey yeah they've shown interest and been engaged and so I thought that it'd be nice to sit down with you know you guys are the reason why we're here doing this and yeah and I know people enjoy it so thank you yeah yeah yeah absolutely thank you guys for the other. Yeah. Thank you, man. Thank you for being part of that. Yeah. Process with us. All right. Well, so that's more. That's the update. Keep hammering.