S5 Ep82: VIE Speaks Episode 82: "The Spirit of Halloweentown" - A Conversation with Brett Whitcomb

In this episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, our host, VIE Editor-In-Chief Lisa Burwell, sits down with Stephanie Harlowe. Stephanie is a documentarian and a true crime YouTube creator who began her journey in 2017. Stephanie's goal from the very beginning was to give a voice to those who were silenced. Her passion first manifested in the interest of learning about history and storytelling. Her YouTube channel did not initially take off, but was a gradual process. When covering the Madeleine McCann story, thanks to the algorithm and luck, she saw her channel gaining traction. Stephanie was always focused on finding her audience, her voice and making sure every story, big or small was told. But what was evident from the start was her passion to help others. At the Redfish Film Festival, Stephanie featured Strange and Unusual: The Montauk Project. The story is based on rumors surrounding US Navy air base, Camp Hero. Allegedly, they conducted experiments and attempted to use supernatural or psychic means to make ships invisible to radar. Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. Follow @stephanieharlowe for more! Watch the Full Episode on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. Follow @stephanieharlowe for more! Watch the Full Episode on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

In this episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, our host, VIE editor Jordan Staggs, sits down with Brett Whitcomb. Brett is part of a documentary filmmaker team with Bradford Thomason. Brett's catalog oscillates between archive-rich nostalgic portraits of pop culture, compelling stories of female empowerment, and observational snapshots of under-explored cultures. Brett's film "The Spirit of Halloweentown" showed at the Redfish Film Festival. The Disney Channel Original Movie “Halloweentown” was filmed in St. Helens, Oregon, and Whitcomb's film is an observational portrait of St. Helens 25 years later focusing on its residents as they transform the town and navigate their inescapable identity. Brett also shares tips for aspiring documentarians, hoping to inspire the next generation of filmmakers. Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. Follow @whitcombbrett for more! Watch the Full Episode on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

In this episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, our host, VIE editor, Jordan Staggs, sits down with Dayna Reggero. Dayna is a listener and award-winning documentarian whose first film effort was a tour of California’s sustainable farms with Discovery Communications and Chevy Volt. Then, Dayna collaborated with the Sierra Club on the Emmy Award-winning series “Years of Living Dangerously” before founding the Climate Listening Project. Dayna premiered her new film “Apology to Earth” at Redfish Film Festival. The film follows big ships from coastal communities in Florida to Japan and Philippines, featuring conversations with locals fighting to protect their ecosystems and ways of life from industrial and environmental hazards. Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. Follow @daynareggero for more! Watch the Full Episode on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

In this episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, our host, VIE editor-in-chief/founder Lisa Marie Burwell, sits down with Rebecca Sirmons, General Manager & Head of NASA+, and Megan Cruz, Public Affairs Specialist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, at Redfish Film Festival. As part of Redfish Film Fest’s programming over the past two years, NASA+ has shared exciting docuseries and projects with festival guests. Part of NASA’s mission has always been to share its exploration and findings with the public, and NASA+, the organization’s online streaming service, makes content more accessible than ever. From Kennedy Space Center’s latest launches to how NASA is partnering with commercial space programs to explore further than ever, check out this conversation for all the news from Earth and beyond! Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. Follow @nasa and @nasaartemis for more! Watch the Full Episode on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

In this special Redfish Film Festival episode of VIE Speaks, host and VIE editor-in-chief Lisa Marie Burwell sits down with documentary filmmaker Carrie Lederer to discuss her recent film, Wild Horses at the Door. As part of the Redfish Film Fest 2025 lineup, this movie brought the heartfelt and harrowing story of John Wayne Smith to the screen. Thank you, Carrie, for sharing this story and being a guest on VIE Speaks! About Wild Horses at the Door Coloradoan John Wayne Smith was homeless for eight years, working through recovery, when he resettled himself off-grid on a high desert mesa where wild horses roamed. A wounded pregnant mare showed up at his door, and John nursed her back to health, later delivering her foal, which he affectionately named Blizzard. The profound bond set into motion an unexpected healing journey into the wonderful world of wild horses. Four years later, we meet John, who coexists with several bands of mustangs that he has come to know intimately in a way few people have experienced. Living with a hundred wild horses and a mule has given him an alternative path versus a system that he felt was not serving him; however, living the life of a rugged individualist alone on a mesa presents its own set of challenges, even for someone named after tough guy John Wayne. John also eventually realizes that the resource scarcity he was familiar with when he was homeless may threaten his beloved mustangs. Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. Follow @wildhorsesatthedoor on Instagram to keep up with Carrie Lederer and this project. Watch the Full Episode on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks)  Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

VIE Speaks was thrilled to host a special podcast pop-up studio at the Redfish Film Festival in Downtown Panama City, Florida, on April 26, 2025. In this special episode, VIE Speaks host/ VIE founder and editor-in-chief Lisa Marie Burwell sits down with Redfish Film Fest founder/director Kevin Elliott to discuss all things Redfish! This documentary film festival, celebrating its second year in 2025, was the culmination of many years of dreaming and envisioning a place and gathering of creatives from around the world, artists, chefs, craftspeople, and more. Kevin’s goal of bringing world-class art and culture to his hometown of Panama City has led him and his team to discover that there is already an incredible array of art in the area and people who want to be involved. Bringing those local creatives together with filmmakers and visitors from the US and beyond has been a challenging and rewarding journey—and it’s only the beginning! Learn more about Redfish Film Festival, see the complete list of featured documentaries and filmmakers, and stay up to date on future events at RedfishFilmFest.com and @redfishfilmfest. LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks)  Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

In this very special conclusion to Season 4 of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, we had the pleasure of hosting Pastor Jane Hamon, an international minister, pastor, apostle, author, and speaker. She and her husband, Tom, are the founders of Vision Church in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida—which also functions as the headquarters for Christian International, a network of over five thousand global churches united by the Gospel. Jane and Lisa reflect on 30+ years of friendship, leading the conversation with love, respect, and admiration for the Lord. Tune in to discover how Jane ministered in 80+ countries, how she overcame adversity as a female pastor, and her perspectives on how to come together as a united world in a time of polarization. She also shares more about spreading the transformative power of God’s word through her seven books—a 30-year process beginning with "Dreams & Visions" and most recently, "Confronting the Thief of Your Divine Purpose." We hope this conversation brings levity to your heart and reminds you of your divine potential. Enjoy! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com CONNECT WITH PASTOR JANE: Instagram: @janehamontv @visionchurchci Website: janehamon.com Purchase Pastor Jane's Books For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

In this inspiring episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, host Lisa Marie Burwell sits down with visionary Dave King, the Chief Vision Officer at SOWAL House. From the world of tech and finance to the vibrant arts scene, Dave’s journey is a masterclass in reinvention. He opens up about how he blended his love for art with his expertise in technology to create SOWAL House, a dynamic private social club, production company, and art house that’s fueling innovation and creativity. But it doesn’t stop there—Dave dives deep into the mission behind the SOWAL Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded to support artists across multiple disciplines, from filmmaking to fashion design. Hear how he's transforming Walton County by funding projects that aren’t just commercial—they’re soul-stirring and boundary-pushing. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to turn your creative dreams into reality, this episode is for you. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about art, purpose, and the power of supporting bold, game-changing projects. You’ll leave motivated to pursue your own creative path with passion and purpose. LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine YouTube: (@VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com CONNECT WITH DAVE KING: Instagram: @sowalhouse Website: sowalhouse.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected].

True creative spirits at heart, twin brothers Joshua and Jared Thompson belong to a musical family and began playing piano at a young age. Jared later picked up the saxophone as his chosen specialty, and both have become revered within their home city of Indianapolis and around the US. Known onstage as "Sock Joplin," Joshua Thompson is a pianist, music sociologist, and lecturer recognized nationally for his expertise in classical composers of African descent. A recipient of numerous awards and national fellowships, Thompson has completed residencies at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, University of Puget Sound, University of Louisville, Seaside, FL, University of Nebraska Omaha, and currently serves as the Creative Partner in Residence with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Saxophonist, composer, and arranger Jared Thompson is a Denison University alumnus who formed the jazz quintet Premium Blend in 2007. Premium Blend appears in two national award-winning documentaries, "Go Get Your Horn" and "Chatterbox: A Love Letter." In 2019, the band was awarded a commission by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and directed. Its members produced the mini-documentary "38th & Postmodernism," which addressed the myriad social tensions at the forefront of America’s mind throughout 2020. The Thompson brothers recently partnered with vocalist AshLee "PsyWrn Simone" Baskin (pronounced Sī-ren Si-mōn) to perform as The Sock Joplin Trio on a national tour. "A Journey Into Sound" welcomed guests to The REP Theatre in Seaside, Florida, on November 15 and 16, 2024, for a lively tribute and discovery of Black music through the ages, along with originals by the trio members, who were accompanied onstage by local musicians from the Seaside area. Join VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul host Lisa Marie Burwell for a special episode recorded at The REP as she goes more in-depth with Joshua and Jared about their love of music and performance, a mission to share and honor the work of Black composers throughout history, and how the arts can positively impact communities, even in dark times. A big shoutout to The REP for hosting us and bringing these incredible musicians to Northwest Florida! LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine YouTube: (@VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com CONNECT WITH JOSHUA AND JARED Instagram: @sockjoplin @jaredjohnsonpiano For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected]. 

Allan Branch, a third-generation entrepreneur from Bay County, Florida, has continued his family's legacy of business success initially built on restaurants and car washes in the 1940s. As a graduate and division one football player at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Allan excelled in athletics, academics, and many other hobbies before founding his online accounting platform, LessAccounting, which he later sold for seven figures. Additionally, he was able to create a successful video production company, while also investing in prime real estate. Branch and his wife have worked to revitalize downtown Panama City by purchasing and redeveloping blighted properties, including History Class Brewing Company and The Sapp House wedding venue, and plan to do even more. Did we mention he's also running for mayor? Inspired by the desire to positively impact his community, Branch hopes to fully revitalize the downtown area of Panama City, making it more enjoyable and lively for the community at large. Join us for an inspiring conversation between entrepreneur Allan Branch and host of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul, Lisa Marie Burwell, to hear all of the exciting plans in store for Downtown Panama City!  For more information, visit  www.historyclass.beer   and follow @historyclassdowntown on Instagram. LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine YouTube: (@VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com CONNECT WITH ALLAN: Instagram: @historyclassdowntown Website:  www.historyclass.beer  For sponsorship inquiries, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].