Faith and Famous

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews Diego Calderon, founder of Anthem Collective Management, who represents a growing roster of Christian talent including actors, casting directors, producers and other creatives working across the entertainment industry. Diego shares how growing up in a small Spanish-speaking church in Miami shaped his understanding of serving others, and how his involvement in ministry eventually opened the door to entertainment. After connecting with actor Robert Amaya through Christian films, Diego was invited to become his manager despite having no experience in talent management. What started with simply building a relationship eventually led to the creation of his own management company. Diego talks about why he believes in "relationship before representation" and how he seeks to manage the whole person rather than simply their career. He also shares the importance of having a life outside the entertainment industry, staying connected to a local church, and keeping God, family and ministry ahead of your career. He encourages creatives not to approach relationships transactionally, but instead to ask how they can be a blessing to others and support people through prayer. Listen here as Diego encourages Christian creatives to embrace discomfort, remain obedient to God's calling, and remember that success is an overflow of their relationship with the Lord. He also shares why we should operate from victory rather than for victory, knowing that everything we have ultimately comes from God. To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews actress, director and producer Marianne Haaland, known for projects including Divine Influencer and Vindication! Marianne shares how growing up as a missionary kid in Madagascar led her to discover acting, and how she later built a career in Hollywood while seeking to be a "missionary in Hollywood." She talks about the importance of checking your reasons for pursuing a career in entertainment, listening to the Holy Spirit when deciding whether a project is right for you, and protecting your ability to be a light in an industry that can sometimes challenge your faith. Marianne also shares her experience working on Vindication and her desire to see Christian films continue to grow in quality and reach audiences beyond the Christian community. Listen here as Marianne encourages Christian creatives to pursue excellence, glorify God through their work, and remain faithful to the calling He has placed on their lives. To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews casting director Beverly Holloway, who has an incredible list of credits to her name, including The Chosen, Lifemark, The Fine Influencer, and Swift, with over 100 credits on IMDb alone! Beverly shares how she came to know Jesus when she was going into seventh grade, and how becoming involved in church opened the door to her creative gifts through singing, acting, directing and producing. Her involvement in church productions eventually led her into the film industry when a friend and early pioneer in Christian filmmaking, John Schmidt, invited her to intern on one of his projects. What began with wearing many different hats eventually became a career in casting, which has now spanned decades and hundreds of projects. Beverly talks about the importance of serving creatively wherever you are, and how using your gifts within the church can be an incredible way to glorify God, develop your skills and create opportunities for others. She also shares valuable advice for Christians working in entertainment about setting boundaries before the pressure of a job makes those decisions harder, understanding the difference between absolute lines and areas that require discernment, and having trusted people outside of the industry who can provide accountability and perspective. She explains how actors can approach difficult scripts and projects while remaining true to their convictions, and why being grounded, authentic and natural is so important when auditioning. Beverly gives practical advice on self-tapes, including the biggest mistake she repeatedly sees actors making, and discusses why Christian actors can sometimes become "too earnest" when performing faith-based material, and why even scripture needs to feel natural, conversational and human. Listen here as Beverly shares encouragement for Christian creatives about serving faithfully with whatever God has given them, trusting Him with their career, and understanding that obedience matters more than knowing exactly where the road will lead.  To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews Katherine Warnock, known as the vice president of the original content series The Chosen! She was also previously the head of Faith and Family content ay MGM studios and helps to steer growth through the innovative content creation. She has worked with elite brands such as Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers, Sony, and Ford to name a few! Katherine was a high school teacher and went on a mission trip to Mozambique. It was there that God placed on her heart that she'll be working in Hollywood, despite having absolutely no experience in Hollywood at all. In her words, she was simply a high school teacher who just said yes! Katherine talks about the good, the bad and the ugly of Hollywood, and realising that she really did not expect what she saw. But God taught her to love people better and not judge, and she strives to love people wherever she goes. She also shares the importance of understanding your 'why?' when it comes to being in the entertainment industry. She explains that she's not in Hollywood to conform, she's there to be the light and so, unlike most people who see the darkness of Hollywood, she sees the hope that God sees! She highlights the need to trust God, even if it means not moving up as fast as you want, but knowing that like God did with her, He takes you higher, even if it takes a little longer, than you would go if you conformed and joined in what Hollywood expects of you! Listen here as Katherine explains that it is important for actors or professionals in the entertainment industry to hear God's voice, to be in a community who is NOT in the industry who will be able to see from an outside perspective what is right or wrong so not to make you compromise, let God shape your character, and invest deeply and richly and lavishly in his presence. If you want impact and you want authority and people to trust you and testimonies and His favour to come forth, this will be an overflow of His presence in you!  To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; Patreon Instagram TikTok Facebook Twitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews LA talent agent Jean Selig Wenger at Treasure Coast Talent who represents a vast variety of people and projects including Guardians of the Galaxy, The Chosen and Vindication! Jean's career started by simply helping her son who was interested in film and entertainment. 7 years ago, at a conference, she felt God tug on her heart about being available to serve in the film industry, then no sooner heard Alex Kendrick talk about following your calling in film which further prompted her to pursue what God was trying to tell her.  She didn't know anything about the film industry other than what she had helped her son with but having relied heavily on God showing her where to be and opening doors and providing opportunities to learn, she started as a manager managing just 15 actors in Florida, to becoming the agent that she is today in LA! Jean shares how God helped her to be who He called her to be in a place that is intense, not having to conform to the culture of LA but instead be who she is in God, and talks about the need to trust God because he knows the beginning middle and end, even when all we see is what's directly in front of us.  She talks about the importance of not taking the glory for yourself but glorifying God and being confident in Him, and shares about the need to be prepared for self-tapes and taking seriously the first impression that you make. It is also important to create and know your boundaries as a Christian actor ready for when scripts come in, and being honest and real, and tactful in sharing where you feel uncomfortable with a project or script. Join us to hear more fantastic advice and encouragement for Christian actors who are pursuing a career in the entertainment industry! To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews Bill Curtis, the Executive Producer of Redeem TV! Bill's Dad started Gateway Films then in 1981 he started Vision Video and Christian History Institute. Bill from a young age helped his Dad and felt called to Christian media, having come to the Lord in 3rd grade and publicly declaring his faith in highschool.   In 2019 Bill donated Vision Video to Christian History which made way for the Lord to show him about using a donation basis which they used for Christian History to launch a streaming platform, something that he'd been thinking about doing, with one of the drivers for creating a platform was having the ability to be directly in contact with customers which was lost when working with other platforms. He shares his experience of the Lord showing him to persevere when externally, it didn't make sense, but God always pulls through, and his heart for reaching out to a mainstream audience as well as Christians, which was able to be done more by creating a streaming platform which brings Christian content directly to homes and is not limited to Christian bookstores. He also explains the focus of an eternal perspective, focusing not on the here and now, but on what matters eternally. To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews Director, Producer and Screenwriter Brannon Hollingsworth, who created Brainy Pixel and has created a range of animations including in Cubekins, Righteous Warriors and Molly's Memory Verse. He is also passionate about teaching, speaking and supporting the industry! Brannon never planned to be in entertainment but started off as a 'closet creative'; wanting to create stories and animation and was always doing as such. He then started a Youtube Channel with his business partner Michael, where they taught children how to draw and paint, which later then formed Brainy Pixel. About 5 years ago, they were ready to pack up as they found the business to be unfulfilling and while it was going well, they found it to be lacking purpose. But then after an Abraham-Isaac moment, they made the decision to put the business on the alter, gave it to God,, sought, prayed and continiously give it to God as an offering, and had a new found love for it which has catapulted Brainy Pixel to what it is today as they continue to be humbled and obedient to Christ. Brannon didn't begin following Christ until 33 years of age, but here he shares his testimony and also shares the casting process of finding the right artists for their content, and shares advice on how to deal with not booking work in an industry that is super competitive! As also promised in this episode, here is the link to the Brainy Pixel mailing list! Subscribe and be the first to find out what they're up to, and what's to come! To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; Patreon Instagram TikTok Facebook Twitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews Actress Emma Elle Roberts, whose credits include I am Not Ashamed, Unplanned, Jesus Revolution and Vindication Emma was brought up in a Christian home and having found a passion in acting and dancing in highschool, she instead was homeschooled so to pursue her passion. After an injury at 16 stopping her being able to dance, she instead pursued acting. She went into the industry knowing the difficulties she may face being a follower of Christ in entertainment, but she recalls how she had prayed for God to give her a testimony after hearing a service about gifts and made the decision to keep on following God no matter what comes her way, and her love for acting grew. Emma shares her desire to not act just in faith-based entertainment, but to follow her calling to be the light in secular entertainment. She shares how it breaks her heart that the common consensus is that 'God is not in Hollywood', and she wants to show otherwise! She shares the joy of working alongside other people, even those who do not know Christ, who may come to know and love Christ through her example and her connection with them. Listen here as Emma shares the importance of having faith help you in moving forward during tough times, of reflecting on who God has made you, and of giving your career to Christ who works all things for good! To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews Producer and Public Speaker Joshua Walsh, with credits including I Can Only Imagine, I Still Believe and Jesus Revolution. Josh shares what he has learnt in his experience of bringing together a love for film and passion for Christ. He met the Lord at the young age of 13 where he felt God's conviction of having to make decisions now to ensure he begins and continues on a good path into adulthood. In his 20's he solidified his faith and made the decision to wholly commit to Christ. He went to the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival where he continued to go annually, and having heard the Irwin Brothers speaking about creating Christian content, he became an intern for them which led to him being invited to be a PA on their first film October Baby.  He shared how it is important to look for problems, then look for how to bring value, which is where his career really took off. He saw there was a problem finding extras, and he had the skills of bringing in extras and marketing. This was his way of breaking into the Christian entertainment industry by understanding that he could give what he had in terms of his skills, and his responsbilities grew to what they are today. Josh gives some great advice to Christians in terms of being content in all things in Christ in an industry that brings many high's, but also so many lows where you can learn some hard lessons if your heart is not in the right place. To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; PatreonInstagramTikTok FacebookTwitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures

Hello and welcome to Faith and Famous the Podcast! Join us as your host Alan Shires interviews actor, director and writer Sarah LeJeune whose credits include Amazing Grace, Lifemark and Deadly Sins to name a few. Sarah grew up in a Christian household, and she knew from a very young age about the significance of a relationship with Christ. It was in her early 20's that after a wrestle with God about her career that she layed down her talents and gifts and projects to Him, and let Him take over. Today she is an actor, director and writer who is passionate about glorifying God in all that she does! Sarah shares the importance of having faith and surrounding yourself with people of faith, a tribe, who pray for you, who you can pray for, and who you can stand together with particularly during times where God appears to be silent and is working in the background! Sarah also talks about the importance of knowing your talents and gifts, emphasising that we are all different! So we can bring them together to do God's work and glorify all that God can do together! From this, Sarah has created resources to help others in her non-profit Project Brickworks with her mom who help to connect people with those different gifts and talents to the Lord and to one another, understanding that connection is everything! To join our community and see what we're up to, or simply to learn more about us, join us on; Patreon Instagram TikTok Facebook Twitter This episode is sponsored by Bright Horizon Pictures