From Childhood Dreams to Filmmaking Success

Matt: 00:00:00

All right, everybody.

Matt: 00:00:01

Welcome to another episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast.

Matt: 00:00:05

It is I Matt Chastain, but more importantly, I'm on the line with an old friend of mine, Mr. Zach Tonkins.

Matt: 00:00:11

Zach, thank you for joining us today on the podcast, man.

Zach: 00:00:14

Hey, what's up Matt?

Zach: 00:00:15

Yeah, I'm happy to be here.

Matt: 00:00:17

Look, dude, I'll tell you why I really wanted to talk to you and I think I, I think I've had wanted to have a conversation with you before I was even

Matt: 00:00:24

blessed to be asked to kind of host this podcast along with Geoff and Jaclyn.

Matt: 00:00:29

So years ago, I think I met you guys maybe back in 2019

Zach: 00:00:35

Yeah, I

Zach: 00:00:35

believe

Zach: 00:00:36

it was.

Matt: 00:00:36

ICFF.

Matt: 00:00:37

You did not have a beard and a mustache then.

Matt: 00:00:39

you were significantly younger.

Matt: 00:00:42

I was going to this to to ICFF and I think a buddy of mine.

Matt: 00:00:45

Philip Bloom had known your parents and said, yeah, you gotta make, make sure you, you meet the tonkins.

Matt: 00:00:50

There you were, man, this super excited, happy, enthusiastic little guy.

Matt: 00:00:55

And then I've run into you several times, but we became Facebook friends, just like you do on Facebook.

Matt: 00:00:59

I've gotten to kind of watch your career as you post things, and I'm just, man, I'm so impressed by the fact that you were a, a young guy, as a lot of people are,

Matt: 00:01:09

and you seem to have gotten into the industry and really done things the right way.

Matt: 00:01:13

And I'm so impressed by where you've come.

Matt: 00:01:15

So, let's start off.

Matt: 00:01:16

I wanna, I wanna go back.

Matt: 00:01:17

That's just my relation to you.

Matt: 00:01:18

When did you get kind of interested in your whole family?

Matt: 00:01:21

Really?

Matt: 00:01:22

'cause if you go to, to any conference, you're gonna see the tonkins.

Matt: 00:01:24

They're the people, you'll recognize them with red hair and giant smiles.

Matt: 00:01:28

That's, that's the Tonkin family.

Matt: 00:01:30

So, tell you, how did you and your family kind of really get, interested in and really passionate about filmmaking?

Zach: 00:01:35

Thank you, first of all, and I would say film has always been something ever since.

Zach: 00:01:40

Honestly, I think the first time I asked my parents to be in film.

Zach: 00:01:43

Was when I was like five years old watching movies and my mom had previous, uh, minor experience in Hollywood and she was like, uh, it's a phase.

Zach: 00:01:54

Let's let this thing pass.

Zach: 00:01:56

Let's, let's not entertain this.

Matt: 00:01:58

You're five.

Matt: 00:01:58

Here's some Legos kid.

Zach: 00:02:00

Yes, Legos were a great distraction when I was five, but yes.

Zach: 00:02:05

So then I. Remember, I would ask again.

Zach: 00:02:08

I think my mom said I was 12 again when I asked, and she was a little bit more like, okay, he's still asking maybe I should do some research.

Zach: 00:02:16

And by the time I was 15, which was 15, 16, when I was 2019, when I started attending these conferences, that's when my mom was looking on Facebook and the internet.

Zach: 00:02:26

She's like, okay, how can we break into the Christian film industry?

Zach: 00:02:29

Because that would be more of a safe space than Hollywood, that's for sure.

Zach: 00:02:33

Then we started attending, uh, ICFF Christian Worldview also that year, as well as, uh, I think content was the other one we tried that year.

Zach: 00:02:40

Those were, all great.

Zach: 00:02:41

And I would say, yeah, if you're wanting to get into the Christian film industry, go meet people at conferences, it's a great place to meet people.

Zach: 00:02:49

And then once you go to the conferences, friend, everybody on Facebook and Instagram, because as you said, it's, a great way to keep engaged and keep in contact with everybody.

Matt: 00:02:58

I mean, clearly it works.

Matt: 00:02:59

I get that question all the time.

Matt: 00:03:01

My kid wants to be involved in, uh, you know, in, film.

Matt: 00:03:04

How do I get 'em involved?

Matt: 00:03:05

And it's not an an easy answer.

Matt: 00:03:07

They, I think a lot of 'em think that I know one person in film I'll call, I'll send them a Facebook message and next thing I know my kid's in involved.

Matt: 00:03:13

but you guys, your family really seems to have committed to this for you as a 15-year-old kid and after, right?

Matt: 00:03:21

Yeah,

Zach: 00:03:21

I've been super blessed to have my parents, uh, full support and they have.

Zach: 00:03:27

Have helped me.

Zach: 00:03:28

I mean, obviously I couldn't do this without them.

Zach: 00:03:31

They have pushed me and then when I have felt like, I feel like I can't do this anymore.

Zach: 00:03:35

They've, my mom and my dad have helped me, have pushed me to achieved the things that were possible.

Zach: 00:03:41

Yeah,

Matt: 00:03:41

they've definitely, I think it's definitely, as a parent, you don't wanna push your kid beyond their comfort level or, or into something they don't love.

Matt: 00:03:48

But if they love it and they just need that extra little boost, I guess that's probably what Jeff, Jeff and Christine are your

Zach: 00:03:53

Yes.

Matt: 00:03:54

Yeah.

Matt: 00:03:54

Yeah.

Matt: 00:03:54

Yeah.

Matt: 00:03:54

Jeff and Christine has done such a, a great job of that with you, but also, like you said, attending the conferences.

Matt: 00:04:00

Here's what I was blown away.

Matt: 00:04:01

How did you, as a 15-year-old kid, how were you able to go to ICFF and walk up to just anybody there?

Matt: 00:04:09

I. I was so impressed because you would shake my hand and smile and look me in the eye just better than half the adults there in the room.

Matt: 00:04:16

You were a better networker than half the So is that just from you, both of your parents are so dadgum enthusiastic.

Matt: 00:04:22

that, is that where you kinda learned it from?

Matt: 00:04:24

I.

Matt: 00:04:24

I would give credit to my parents 100% for that.

Matt: 00:04:27

They would definitely be like, especially when I was younger and going up to meet people, they would be like, okay, here's how this is gonna go.

Matt: 00:04:33

Here's what you're going to do to, not be the, the shy kid in the corner, which is what I was before I was 15.

Matt: 00:04:40

your whole family really isn't, is involved.

Matt: 00:04:43

Right.

Matt: 00:04:43

Because I see I think I'm Facebook friends with all four of you.

Matt: 00:04:45

but are you all on Treasure Coast roster?

Zach: 00:04:49

So, uh, me and Alexis are on Treasure Coast Roster.

Zach: 00:04:52

We're me and Alexis like the, the front side of the camera as well as I like the behind the scenes a

Matt: 00:04:59

Alexis, for those who don't know her, is your little sister.

Matt: 00:05:01

Right.

Zach: 00:05:01

Yes.

Zach: 00:05:02

She's my sister that's

Zach: 00:05:03

two years younger.

Zach: 00:05:04

Yeah.

Zach: 00:05:04

And she's an actress and Baker is what she does.

Zach: 00:05:07

And she is, uh, fantastic at both.

Zach: 00:05:09

My mom has done acting in the past, but she has found that she likes producing and directing more.

Zach: 00:05:16

So that's what she's pursuing is directing and produced.

Matt: 00:05:19

Yeah.

Matt: 00:05:20

Hey man.

Matt: 00:05:20

A mom is a producer.

Matt: 00:05:22

Anyway, that's what they do.

Matt: 00:05:24

They, they manage the unmanageable.

Matt: 00:05:26

So I'll

Zach: 00:05:27

Yeah.

Matt: 00:05:27

bet she's is great at that.

Matt: 00:05:28

yeah, so, your two kind of loves are, are as an actor in front of the camera, but where I've been as, as impressed as any is watching your work that you post as a dp.

Matt: 00:05:38

I mean, as a young, how old are you now?

Matt: 00:05:39

I.

Zach: 00:05:40

21.

Matt: 00:05:40

Oh my gosh.

Matt: 00:05:41

I got shoes older than you.

Matt: 00:05:43

But like your, uh, your work as a dp, I've watched it from the beginning.

Matt: 00:05:47

I've always been impressed by not only your, artistic ability, but the fact that you dove right in and, and you're working with high end video gear.

Matt: 00:05:55

how does that come about?

Matt: 00:05:56

How are you able to get such opportunities in production?

Zach: 00:05:59

Yeah, I've been.

Zach: 00:06:00

Really bless again, with my parents.

Zach: 00:06:03

I have to give credit.

Zach: 00:06:03

So we were talking to people at these conferences, Joth Riggs being one of them, and we were really wanting to discuss is college for everyone when you're pursuing the

Zach: 00:06:13

film industry And uh, for some people it definitely is, and for others, sometimes.

Zach: 00:06:18

College isn't the correct route for you and for me it wasn't the correct route.

Zach: 00:06:22

As I spent my time on YouTube, as there's so much on YouTube and, networking at these conferences and uh, talking to people on conferences, getting a little bit on set.

Zach: 00:06:34

And honestly, through the first two years of going to the conferences, networking with people, I would come on the set as volunteers.

Zach: 00:06:41

So come on for free, just to get onset experience, meet more people on set.

Zach: 00:06:45

And since I wasn't going to college.

Zach: 00:06:48

I'm really kind of getting to go to college for free by, well, not completely for free, but by going onto these sets without pay and just being able to learn by observing,

Matt: 00:06:58

Networking.

Matt: 00:06:59

I mean, there's no better ways to network than onset, right?

Zach: 00:07:02

doing it with your hands instead of having

Zach: 00:07:04

to, be in a classroom.

Zach: 00:07:06

I would say I would definitely suggest that route.

Zach: 00:07:09

Uh, it's not for everybody, but I think would certainly be, uh, a great route for a lot of people.

Matt: 00:07:14

You have to be entrepreneurial.

Matt: 00:07:15

You have to be driven in order to go get your own education rather than paying someone to force it upon you, so to speak.

Zach: 00:07:23

Right, right.

Zach: 00:07:23

You have to.

Zach: 00:07:24

I was definitely pushed to get out of my comfort zone, uh, many times to go to people and be like, Hey, can I help you with this?

Zach: 00:07:32

I have no idea what I'm doing.

Zach: 00:07:33

Maybe you could show me if you have time, and I could be an extra set of hands.

Zach: 00:07:37

And then from one department to another, you just get to learn more and, uh, be a help at the same time.

Matt: 00:07:43

I really hope that that you guys listening to this will kind of maybe put a bookmark in this episode.

Matt: 00:07:49

'cause there's odds are people come to you and say, how do I get my.

Matt: 00:07:53

My kid involved.

Matt: 00:07:54

Right?

Matt: 00:07:54

And you could just copy this link and send the link to this episode to that person, because I think Zach is the exact example of how it is.

Matt: 00:08:02

'cause you started off with your parents teaching you how to behave at conferences and how to network.

Matt: 00:08:06

And then you did that.

Matt: 00:08:07

You did successfully.

Matt: 00:08:08

You got to know everybody.

Matt: 00:08:09

You could, you started volunteering on set.

Matt: 00:08:12

And this is the big thing if you want.

Matt: 00:08:14

To be a person who gets hired over and over again.

Matt: 00:08:17

Starting out by volunteering is great, but it's what Zach just alluded to.

Matt: 00:08:22

It's the attitude that you approach set life with.

Matt: 00:08:26

When you go to set life with that attitude of what can I do to help?

Matt: 00:08:31

Which seems to be the attitude that you approached it with.

Matt: 00:08:33

Did you feel that that attitude is kind of what helps springboard you on to kind of the next level?

Zach: 00:08:38

Oh, absolutely, and that is, I give credit to Joth Riggs for that.

Matt: 00:08:43

He's a legend, by the way.

Zach: 00:08:44

yeah.

Zach: 00:08:44

If you don't know who Joth Riggs is, he is a fantastic first

Zach: 00:08:47

AD and he's doing amazing things.

Zach: 00:08:51

And, uh, he told me, if you're going to go on set, you have to be ambitious enough and willing to help out on set and go up to people,

Zach: 00:08:59

introduce yourself and tell them who you are and how you can help.

Zach: 00:09:02

And even if you're working for free for the first two years, that has really what,

Matt: 00:09:06

Allows you to learn.

Matt: 00:09:07

Yeah.

Zach: 00:09:08

yeah.

Matt: 00:09:09

And, and, uh, are you doing a lot of DP work?

Zach: 00:09:11

I am, yeah.

Zach: 00:09:12

I would say I currently, within the past two years, have done more DP gaffer work than I have acting work, which I'm okay with because I have learned that I also love that side of the camera.

Zach: 00:09:23

And when it comes to DPing and gaffing, that has, uh, now fallen pretty on even ground with my love for acting.

Zach: 00:09:29

So I, I love both of those sides and those, those departments would now be my favorite.

Matt: 00:09:35

Have you had any projects where you're kind of, you're in as an, say, you're in, in the gaffer side of things or DP side of things, and you're

Matt: 00:09:41

able to, to jump in as an actor on one day and then jump back into crew?

Zach: 00:09:45

Yes, I have done that on a few of them, and that's been fun.

Zach: 00:09:49

I do enjoy that as well.

Zach: 00:09:51

That's one thing to where my, brain's kind of traveling at a thousand miles per hour at that point.

Zach: 00:09:56

'cause I'm like in the character.

Zach: 00:09:57

And then also in between breaks of non rolling time, I'll be like, all right, could we move this light over here.

Zach: 00:10:04

I want to shape this light over around the face that way a little bit and let's make that more of a kicker than a side profile.

Zach: 00:10:10

and then the whole shebang of that.

Matt: 00:10:12

You're acting and you look at yourself on the monitor and you got really, could use a little more negative fill over here

Zach: 00:10:17

Yeah.

Zach: 00:10:17

Let's get a little more catch there.

Zach: 00:10:19

Let's, uh.

Matt: 00:10:20

Well that's, that's cool that you've gone that route and, and maybe it's just the pictures.

Matt: 00:10:23

I see.

Matt: 00:10:23

But you have actually gotten a chance to DP some, projects, right.

Zach: 00:10:27

It's been, great and I have enjoyed it quite a bit.

Zach: 00:10:30

Most recently I've been working as second unit director slash second unit DP for adventures in Iggy with Mr.

Zach: 00:10:37

Kirk.

Zach: 00:10:38

And that is, uh, Kirk Cameron's new kids show.

Matt: 00:10:41

Wow, that's cool.

Zach: 00:10:42

that has been a lot of fun.

Zach: 00:10:43

So I've been filming for, all of second unit on that, and actually this Thursday we will be wrapping the last scene of both season one and two.

Matt: 00:10:53

So you live in, Texas, right?

Matt: 00:10:54

Are are, is he shooting all that in Texas?

Zach: 00:10:56

yeah, so that the main portion of it all of first unit was shot last summer and they shot two seasons basically back to back, uh, this past summer.

Zach: 00:11:04

And so now we're just wrapping up on the second unit stuff.

Zach: 00:11:08

That'll be done this week.

Matt: 00:11:09

That's exciting, man.

Matt: 00:11:11

So I had a friend, and I'll tell you this story and, and tell me if you've seen it, the, kind of the same thing that some advice I've heard is if you

Matt: 00:11:17

want be a director, even if you're starting out low, I. a director, right?

Matt: 00:11:21

If you want to be a dp, be a dp.

Matt: 00:11:24

Take the the gaff jobs where you can, but be a DP every chance you get.

Matt: 00:11:28

And the, the story that kind of is behind.

Matt: 00:11:31

That is a DP I love working with, he was in his mid thirties and struggling to get DP work, not because he wasn't a great dp, but what?

Matt: 00:11:38

Because he was, it was because he was such a great key grip.

Matt: 00:11:42

So this guy was the key grip on the walking dead, and so he is making.

Matt: 00:11:46

Stupid money, great money and the biggest TV show in the country.

Matt: 00:11:51

And so it was really hard for him to turn down these big key grip jobs 'cause it's on the biggest show in the country to go, you know, work his way up in into the DP role.

Matt: 00:12:01

So the advice for young people that I've heard is make sure you become a DP as early as possible, or you can get stuck in a role that you,

Matt: 00:12:09

you like and you're great at, but maybe is not your ultimate goal.

Zach: 00:12:12

Yeah, definitely.

Zach: 00:12:13

Which is also one of those balances, because then you're at the point of like, okay, if I take that job, I can get some more money.

Zach: 00:12:20

I could invest that in more gear, and then maybe I can put that into my.

Zach: 00:12:25

Of DP work and bring that along with me.

Zach: 00:12:27

And then there's that balance of like, okay, where

Zach: 00:12:29

do I

Matt: 00:12:30

the fun balance, right?

Matt: 00:12:31

Is going,

Matt: 00:12:31

I don't wanna get too stuck in that, but boy, I could make some money and like you say, get myself a new rig or whatever.

Matt: 00:12:36

And

Matt: 00:12:36

I was talking to Jared o Flaherty here, I'm sure you know, um,

Zach: 00:12:39

Oh yeah, he's great.

Zach: 00:12:40

Yes.

Matt: 00:12:40

Uh, that's my, boy.

Matt: 00:12:41

And he was saying, you know how look on vindication as beautifully cinematically shot as that is, they're shooting it on black magic pocket cinemas.

Matt: 00:12:50

So, which is accessible to, to most all of us, it's really about how you use the gear as much as,

Zach: 00:12:56

Uh, black.

Matt: 00:12:57

did you see the trailer?

Zach: 00:12:58

Wow.

Zach: 00:12:58

Yes.

Matt: 00:12:59

I, I, that's what I asked him, man.

Matt: 00:13:00

I was like,

Matt: 00:13:01

you guys have stepped it up, have you?

Matt: 00:13:03

He goes, Nope.

Matt: 00:13:04

Season four was shot on black magic, just like the rest of him.

Matt: 00:13:06

And I'm like, well, your, your DP is, he was always good, but he's, he's leveled up.

Zach: 00:13:11

That's very cool.

Zach: 00:13:11

Did he say whether they're still using anamorphic?

Zach: 00:13:14

'cause I believe, I don't know if it was season two or three, but they switched to anamorphic and that was a nice,

Matt: 00:13:18

That's a big part of it.

Matt: 00:13:19

Yeah.

Matt: 00:13:19

The anamorphic lenses.

Matt: 00:13:20

And I know you dps, you guys love the anamorphic and they are beautiful.

Matt: 00:13:25

They are definitely beautiful.

Zach: 00:13:26

When it fits the project, I am very happy to use anamorphic lenses.

Zach: 00:13:30

You

Matt: 00:13:30

got a whole kit that's you're own, you don't have to rent.

Matt: 00:13:32

Right?

Zach: 00:13:32

Not yet, not

Matt: 00:13:34

It's coming.

Zach: 00:13:35

anamorphics, but yes.

Matt: 00:13:36

Well, sorry for those listening for us, nerding out too much into the gear talk, but that's how you know you've got a, DP who's born to be a DP is

Matt: 00:13:44

he gets really excited when you start talking about the word anamorphic lens.

Matt: 00:13:48

That's a.

Zach: 00:13:49

Yeah, I could talk gear for hours, so just cut me off now.

Zach: 00:13:53

Otherwise, the floodgates will open.

Matt: 00:13:54

Let's go, let's go.

Matt: 00:13:56

So what, what's your favorite type of stuff to shoot?

Matt: 00:13:58

I mean, obviously narrative is always more fun, but I'm guessing you also have to like the rest of us get out into the, to the commercial

Matt: 00:14:04

world and be more expositional with our storytelling at times.

Zach: 00:14:08

Right.

Zach: 00:14:08

Yeah.

Zach: 00:14:09

I would say my favorite thing to shoot would definitely be the, the moody dramatic action style narrative.

Zach: 00:14:16

But I've also been blessed to work with, uh, Sparrow Pictures the past few years and film a couple of.

Zach: 00:14:22

Documentaries with them, and I've really enjoyed filming documentaries as well.

Zach: 00:14:27

And there's not pros and cons to each, but there's, there's nice things about film, which is being able to be very artistic and tell a story in a scene, but it's also

Zach: 00:14:38

really nice and laid back on a documentary shoot, being able to set up your angles.

Zach: 00:14:44

You can still have fun with the lighting, making it look moody and stuff.

Zach: 00:14:47

I got to work on, uh, one called State of Denial with Sparrow Pictures and Matt Thayer and Joy Thayer.

Zach: 00:14:53

They, are fantastic with their work and they make amazing documentaries, so I definitely checked those out on, uh, Bumble or X yeah, and those,

Zach: 00:15:01

those are great and I've really enjoyed working on documentaries with them.

Zach: 00:15:05

And it's really fun to work on documentaries because you don't have as much of the hustle and Bussle as you do with.

Zach: 00:15:11

Narrative films.

Zach: 00:15:12

Sometimes it can get a little bit tense on narrative projects, just with how much you're trying to cram in, because there's a lot

Matt: 00:15:18

Yeah, with narrative, you gotta make your day.

Matt: 00:15:20

Right.

Matt: 00:15:20

You got that Jo Riggs type yelling at you to get this stuff done and get it done.

Matt: 00:15:23

'cause we gotta make our day.

Matt: 00:15:24

But with documentary, the narrative, you're telling a story with documentary, you are finding that story.

Matt: 00:15:30

Right?

Matt: 00:15:31

That's the key is what the story is.

Matt: 00:15:32

Here somewhere I'm gonna find it.

Matt: 00:15:34

And that's kind of the exciting part, right?

Matt: 00:15:35

You don't really know what you're gonna get in the documentary until your subject starts talking and then it gets really excited.

Matt: 00:15:41

'cause you know that story's there.

Zach: 00:15:43

there's more surprises with documentaries.

Zach: 00:15:45

It's not all scripted,

Matt: 00:15:46

cause you're

Zach: 00:15:47

it's entertaining to be, be in that seat, even though it can be for a long time in a day listening to one person talk.

Zach: 00:15:54

It's like every now and then you'll get a little bit of a, whoa, that happened and this is real.

Zach: 00:15:59

That's crazy.

Matt: 00:16:00

That is awesome.

Matt: 00:16:01

I saw you were in a shot with Riley Gaines, so you're like talking to the biggest influencer right.

Zach: 00:16:06

that was a fun one.

Zach: 00:16:07

That one was, uh, filmed up at the Bible Museum in DC.

Zach: 00:16:10

That was nice.

Zach: 00:16:11

That was a fun one.

Zach: 00:16:12

That was also with Sparrow Pictures.

Matt: 00:16:13

you guys have not been to the Bible Museum, that is one of the coolest experiences in dc.

Matt: 00:16:18

My kids even like that better than anything else in dc so to get to go shoot something up there is pretty amazing.

Zach: 00:16:24

It is so cool.

Zach: 00:16:25

Such a cool place there.

Zach: 00:16:26

I got a day when I was up in DC filming that, that I got to just go explore.

Zach: 00:16:31

I got a pass into the Bible museum after filming there, and it was, it was great just getting to go, go around and, uh, look at everything for hours.

Matt: 00:16:38

Did you do the, uh, old Testament experience?

Matt: 00:16:41

That's so cool, isn't it?

Zach: 00:16:43

That was pretty cool.

Matt: 00:16:44

you feel like you're in the, the mind of God telling you the story.

Matt: 00:16:48

It's so amazing.

Matt: 00:16:49

So

Zach: 00:16:49

And all the the lighting and visuals they

Zach: 00:16:51

built into that, I guess it would be a hall, a walkthrough experience.

Zach: 00:16:55

It's very

Matt: 00:16:55

It is hard to describe.

Matt: 00:16:56

In fact, when I was in there I was thinking, I wonder if this is kind of the future of cinema,

Matt: 00:17:01

right?

Matt: 00:17:01

Instead of always just looking on something on a flat screen, literally walking through it.

Matt: 00:17:06

Immersively

Zach: 00:17:07

would be, that would be pretty

Matt: 00:17:08

pretty amazing.

Matt: 00:17:09

I.

Zach: 00:17:10

That's like you got 3D, you got 40, and now, now we need five D.

Matt: 00:17:14

Five D Yeah, we're we're going on all the dimensions.

Matt: 00:17:17

Exactly.

Matt: 00:17:18

We'll watch movies on a tesseract.

Matt: 00:17:20

I don't even know what that is.

Matt: 00:17:21

Well, let me, let me ask you this.

Matt: 00:17:23

You have actually a better perspective on this than I would, 'cause I'm just an old guy.

Matt: 00:17:27

But for your generation, I worry sometimes that the long form narrative film, feature film is in some jeopardy because things like TikTok and reels and things have, I see it in my own kids.

Matt: 00:17:39

They have a harder time being patient for a 90 minute to 120 minute story to be told.

Matt: 00:17:45

We all want it to be told so quickly and so kind of, I hate to say it, but cheaply.

Matt: 00:17:50

So do you think there is, moving forward to your generation, is there space out there for, uh, for narrative to still succeed?

Zach: 00:17:57

I mean, it'll

Zach: 00:17:57

always be around.

Zach: 00:17:59

There's, there's always a, place for movies.

Zach: 00:18:01

But it is weird though 'cause it's, almost the mentality of marketing because it's a funny thing.

Zach: 00:18:06

I don't remember who I heard it from, but it's that concept of would you watch a nine hour movie?

Zach: 00:18:12

Uh, heck no.

Zach: 00:18:13

I would not watch a nine hour movie.

Zach: 00:18:14

That's ridiculous.

Zach: 00:18:16

Oh, well, would you watch nine one hour episodes straight on this new TV show and just binge it through the whole day?

Zach: 00:18:21

Oh, yeah.

Zach: 00:18:22

Let's, this, it's based off of how you market it and.

Matt: 00:18:25

It's the plate you put it on.

Matt: 00:18:27

Yeah, you're right about that.

Matt: 00:18:28

That's funny.

Matt: 00:18:28

'cause on one hand we feel like we're competing with 92nd tiktoks, but on the other hand, like you said, a whole season of a show is much more popular now than a feature film.

Matt: 00:18:37

Right.

Zach: 00:18:38

Yeah, there's definitely a rise of television that we're in the next stuff,

Matt: 00:18:43

I think because I. Cinematically, it's so hard to get a successful theatrical launch unless you are a Marvel movie.

Matt: 00:18:50

And so cinema, especially independent cinema, is moving to the small screen, which is, which is fun as long as the format of storytelling can survive.

Matt: 00:18:59

Right?

Zach: 00:18:59

Yeah.

Zach: 00:18:59

And it's one of those things to where putting a movie in a movie theater costs a lot of money,

Zach: 00:19:04

and that takes an additional budget on top of the budget of the film.

Zach: 00:19:08

And with a TV show to where you aren't putting it in a movie theater, there's not that obstacle there.

Zach: 00:19:14

especially with indie film,

Matt: 00:19:15

And if you can monetize the small screen, you're exactly right.

Matt: 00:19:18

Yep.

Matt: 00:19:19

I mean, I had a quarter million bucks stolen from me one time trying to put a movie on the big screen.

Matt: 00:19:24

So it's, sharks are everywhere, brother.

Matt: 00:19:26

Sharks are everywhere.

Matt: 00:19:28

So what do you see?

Matt: 00:19:28

What, what's your future?

Matt: 00:19:29

in the perfect world, what are you make in five years from now?

Zach: 00:19:32

I would say I would love to just be doing the same thing, making more money at this 'cause I love what I do.

Zach: 00:19:39

I would just, uh,

Matt: 00:19:40

I just wanted to allow to eat.

Zach: 00:19:43

I would like to buy, buy a house within five to 10 years

Zach: 00:19:46

and be able to pay for that off of the the life that I am loving living.

Matt: 00:19:51

Well, I think you're on the way right now.

Matt: 00:19:53

I mean, you're at 21 being where you are.

Matt: 00:19:56

I would, like I said, I hope parents who want their kids to get involved in this are bookmarking this episode because you're not gonna find many 21 year olds who

Matt: 00:20:04

have done as much, who have the right attitude, who've done all the right things.

Matt: 00:20:08

Credit to God, credit to Jeff and Christine, Kristen, and in a credit to you For doing all the right things to get to where you are today.

Zach: 00:20:16

Yeah.

Zach: 00:20:16

Well, thank you so much.

Zach: 00:20:18

Yeah.

Zach: 00:20:18

I can't give credit at all to me because it's definitely my parents God and a lot of other great influences in the industry that have helped me be where I am today.

Matt: 00:20:27

Lot of toil on a sweat.

Matt: 00:20:28

Okay, so here's what, we should do.

Matt: 00:20:29

We should plan on, uh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna write and direct a film.

Matt: 00:20:32

I want you to DP and you gotta bring Jo Riggs out and bring your little sister.

Matt: 00:20:36

It's an actor, and we'll make us a pretty fantastic film.

Matt: 00:20:39

How about that?

Zach: 00:20:40

I am 100% in.

Zach: 00:20:41

Let's do it,

Matt: 00:20:42

Let's go once again, Zach.

Matt: 00:20:44

We appreciate you joining us on the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, and, uh, we want to, we'll, we'll have you back eventually.

Matt: 00:20:51

I want you to get a couple years behind you and let's, let's recap the last couple years and see what you've done and see where you've grown from here.

Zach: 00:20:57

Alright, man, we'll circle back.

Zach: 00:20:59

This will be fun.

Matt: 00:21:00

Appreciate you, brother.

Matt: 00:21:01

I.