1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 2: Hey, Alex, I think you're joining me. Great to see you. 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 2: Michael how Aria, I'm doing well. 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: Filmmaker Alex Kendrick the executive producer and writer behind a 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: new movie, Flywheel Ignition of the Soul, which follows the 6 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: story of an un ethical used car salesman who grows 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: burdened by his own wise and manipulation and begins a 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: journey to win back his wife and son. It's in 9 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: theaters October the sixteenth, I believe here in America, Alex. 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: Of course, you and your brother Steven are known for 11 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: movies such as war Room, Overcomer, and The Forge. 12 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 2: I liked all those. 13 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: This one, though, is really different. You did something groundbreaking 14 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: with it. I'm gonna let you tell people about it. 15 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: Tell me about Flywheel Ignition of the Ignition of the Soul. 16 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: What makes it different than the other films you've done? 17 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 2: Pure well. 18 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 3: This new one is a remake of the very first 19 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 3: movie we ever made. It was the low budget, standard 20 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 3: deaf Flywheel we made for the community rather our church 21 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,959 Speaker 3: and already Georgia, and it exploded, ended up selling. 22 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: Over a million DVDs, and you know, being on a. 23 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 3: Number of Christian television networks, and we did almost everything 24 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 3: wrong production wise, but the story work to reached people, 25 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 3: and so we thought one day it'd be great to 26 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 3: reshoot this the right way. But we went on to 27 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 3: Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, war Room, these others, the 28 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 3: Forge being the most recent, and so grateful for what 29 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 3: we've learned to the process. So after The Forge came out, 30 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 3: it was released in Brazil in theaters and went to 31 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 3: number one in Brazil and stayed there for a while. 32 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 2: And they called us and said. 33 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 3: Hey, we have like sixty five young Christian filmmakers that 34 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 3: would lun love to learn how to make movies the 35 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 3: way you guys make movies. Would you come down and 36 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 3: train them? And so Steven and I prayed about it, 37 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 3: and we said, we got a piece to do this, 38 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 3: let's go. 39 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: So we go down. 40 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 3: We're training them, We're doing boot camps, you know, walking 41 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 3: them through what we've learned and things like that, and 42 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 3: he goes so, well, they're hungry to learn, and they said, 43 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 3: can we shoot a film? Well on short notice, you're 44 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 3: thinking feature films are hard to make, take tons of 45 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 3: planning about the only one we could do that's already 46 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,399 Speaker 3: written and never came out in high deaf in theaters 47 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 3: was Flywheel. 48 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: They said, let's do it. 49 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 3: So we called Sony and they said we'll fund it, 50 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 3: and I was like wow. 51 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 2: So when the Lord opened the door, we walked through it. 52 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 3: We had a Brazilian author to translate it into Portuguese 53 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 3: and we shot it and the Lord put the pieces 54 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 3: together so well, and we love the cast and crew. 55 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 3: We got their believers and they're talented, but they don't 56 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 3: normally have these types of avenues making feature films for 57 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 3: the faith audience. So we shot Flywheel and it turned 58 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 3: out well, I'm so grateful. But we shot it in Portuguese, Michael, 59 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 3: so it'sped with Kidito de Sarah thlt Do Robain, So 60 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 3: unless you speak Portuguese, you're gonna say, well, I either 61 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 3: need subtitles or dubbed, so we're doing both. For the 62 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 3: American audience. We have subtitles and we have an e 63 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 3: version that's being dubbed right now and it comes out 64 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 3: in theaters. This new Flywheel movie, it's called Flywheel Ignition 65 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 3: of the Soul. It is a much better shot, produced 66 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 3: version of the original Flywheel and it's updated to modern 67 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 3: day times and Rio de Janeiro so beautiful to shoot 68 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 3: a film in and with a talented casting crew that 69 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 3: people did so much better than Steven and I did 70 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 3: making our first version of flywell twenty five years ago. 71 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 3: So we're excited about flyweell a ignition of the Soul 72 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 3: coming out October sixteenth in theaters. 73 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: The lead actor is amazing, by the way. I don't 74 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: know his name, but he's really good. I enjoyed the 75 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: close captioning. I'm people are different. I was like engaged 76 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: in the culture and the language and everything. 77 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: I'm sure people are different. Some people are going to 78 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: want the dubbing. 79 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: And the dubbing, of course is when you have English 80 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: actors and actresses saying the words during the film. Is 81 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: that so people can go and watch it and not 82 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: have to read words? 83 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 2: Is that right? Correct? 84 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 3: And then I did the other day is about a 85 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 3: week ago that I dubbed my own Portuguese lines, which 86 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 3: was the weirdest thing I've ever done, because I only 87 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 3: have three scenes in the movie. I played the banker, 88 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: and so I did all of my scenes in Portuguese, 89 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: and so filming the scene in Portuguese and having to 90 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 3: come back and dub my English voice over the Portuguese lines. 91 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 3: Was a weird thing because I had never done that before. 92 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 3: So yeah, so we're doing an English dub where everybody 93 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 3: that wants to hear it in English, but the actors 94 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 3: if you don't mind subtitles. The actors in Brazil were 95 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 3: so good and poured their heart and soul into it, 96 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 3: and I thought they did much better than I did 97 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 3: when we made the original version. 98 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: And I can't wait for people to see it. 99 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: So from beginning to end, I'm trying to picture the 100 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: timeline here. Alex three, you and your brother Steven. You 101 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: guys went to Brazil to kind of teach the filmmaking 102 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: craft and they wanted to make a movie. So did 103 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: you guys have to come back to America and then 104 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: kind of get everything going and then they go back 105 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: to Brazil. 106 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: Is that kind of how that worked? Or did you? 107 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 3: We took two trips down there, so we went down there, well, 108 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 3: a number of trips. We went down there to promote 109 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 3: the Forge, and the Forge went to number one down there, 110 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 3: which was great, and they started asking us, Hey, would 111 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 3: you come down here and would you ever want to 112 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 3: film a movie down here? And we said, at the 113 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 3: Lord's in it we would, and then when they got 114 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 3: these filmmakers together, we were like, yeah, we'll go down and 115 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 3: train them, do boot camps, and then the conversation started 116 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 3: about could we shoot a movie down there? So we 117 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 3: go down there, we do the boot camp, all that 118 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 3: kind of stuff, come back, solidify that Sony's going to 119 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 3: fund it and we can do it. We go back 120 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 3: down there to shoot it. So it was a number 121 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 3: of trips, but that process was extraordinary in that as 122 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 3: the requests came in and as we asked Sony about it, 123 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 3: the Lord started putting pieces in place. Because Steven and 124 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 3: I didn't have a lot of connections in Brazil and 125 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 3: we didn't speak Portuguese. We have learned some of it now, 126 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 3: but we went down there. We're like, okay, Lord, you 127 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 3: got to put the pieces together because we don't know 128 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 3: locations like we know of course in the States, or 129 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 3: have as many cast and crews. So we use the 130 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 3: sixty five people that came for training because they jumped 131 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 3: on board quickly, Yeah we want to shoot a movie. 132 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 3: And they did fantastic And yes, there were some bumps 133 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: in the road, as we all learned, but man, the 134 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 3: Lord came through in so many ways. It was extraordinary. 135 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 3: I mean, for example, when we went down there, this 136 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 3: is just crazy. We were like, we need an interpreter. 137 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 3: Someone just just stays with us and goes everywhere where. 138 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 3: U says, we're learning Portuguese, that he can go ahead 139 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 3: and do English and Spanish, but praying for an interpreter. 140 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 3: And we're in this group and this guy walks up 141 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 3: and says, do you need an interpreter? And we said, yes, 142 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 3: who are you? He says, my name is Enrique and 143 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 3: I live in Orlando, but I came down here. If 144 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 3: you need help, I'm your guy. He's twenty five years 145 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 3: old and he stayed with us the rest of the 146 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 3: time as our interpreter. And I was like, who sent you? 147 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 3: Like where did you even come from? He goes, well, 148 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 3: I came down interested in what you guys are doing. 149 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 3: If you need any help, I'm here. And so the 150 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 3: Lord bam. As soon as we needed somebody, they just 151 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 3: walked up and so and I was like, Lord, you're 152 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 3: putting the pieces together. We could not have orchestrated that. 153 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 3: That was incredible to me. 154 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: What is going on in Brazil with faith entertainment? Because 155 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: the Chosen is also big there I know the Showsen 156 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: folks say that that's their second biggest country. 157 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 2: The Forge was big. 158 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: There is there just an openness of the Gospel that 159 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: you guys maybe didn't recognize until you know. 160 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 3: The Forge did well well. So first, because Brazil has 161 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: gone through quite a bit of hardship in the recent decades, 162 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 3: there is a growing hunger for the Lord to come 163 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: in and work and bring revival, bring restoration. And so 164 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 3: the churches we saw down there were very much alive 165 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 3: and their worship was incredible. You know, the gaps between 166 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 3: classes there is way more drastic. You know, we talk 167 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 3: about upper class and middle class, lower class in America. 168 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 3: There really is no middle class in Brazil. It's you 169 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 3: either have money or you don't. And so there's a 170 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 3: big gap between those. And so people in churches coming 171 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 3: asking God please provide for us food this week, right, 172 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 3: and they're doing whatever they can to scrape by, and 173 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 3: so to go down there and some of them to 174 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 3: help us make this film and us to be able 175 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 3: to pour into them. It was a blessing for them, 176 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 3: a blessing for us. And so God is working overcomer 177 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 3: war Room worked down there. The Forge went to number one. 178 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 3: The Chosen's going crazy down there, and there's already a hunger. 179 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 3: The mayor got involved when he heard we were shooting 180 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 3: in a Rio editionary. He said, come to zee me. 181 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 3: You know these are American filmmakers. Come talk to us 182 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 3: about what's going on. So we went and met with 183 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 3: the mayor and said, this is what God has done, 184 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,319 Speaker 3: this is what he's doing right now, and we're saying, 185 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 3: please support and just help us do this, and he said, 186 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 3: you got it. And so they would send officers or 187 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 3: whatever was needed to protect us and help us to 188 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 3: shoot this film, and I was amazed. So they do 189 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 3: Christian soap operas down there, but not many feature films 190 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 3: at all, like maybe one or two a year, whereas 191 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 3: in America you have a dozen to twenty, and so 192 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 3: they are hungry for them. And so for us to 193 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 3: go down and pour to these young filmmakers as believers 194 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 3: to honor the Lord every step of the way, they 195 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 3: were hungry for it. And now they want to launch 196 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 3: more Christian platforms and films that honor the Lord. 197 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: And we're watching God at work down there as we're excited. 198 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: I was initially thinking of what you guys did in 199 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: this as a mission trip. But I think it's very 200 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: parallel to Bible translation, and that you're kind of giving 201 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,119 Speaker 1: people something in there, what they call their heart language. 202 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 2: Would you agree with that? 203 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: Because some people would say, why not simply film this 204 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: here in America and dub it in Portuguese, But you're 205 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: giving it an authentic flare that most films don't have. 206 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 2: What do you think about that? I totally agree. 207 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 3: And to shoot it in Brazil in their language and 208 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 3: their culture. We updated everything in the movie we could 209 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 3: to match their culture. I mean, for example, even twenty 210 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 3: five years ago and we shot the original version of Flywheel, 211 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 3: there's no social media, there's no Facebook. People aren't walking 212 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 3: around with the cell phones everywhere. They have pagers, if 213 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 3: you're remere of that. And so to do that, to 214 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 3: update everything for modern day, to shoot in Portuguese, in 215 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: their land, in their culture, and shape the story around that. 216 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 3: The elements of the story are the same as the original, 217 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,359 Speaker 3: but to do it in their culture, and it impacted 218 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 3: them so much. Even the main couple, the main husband 219 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 3: and wife in the movie are married in real life. 220 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 3: They're both actors, and they did such a good job, 221 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: and they were praying for a child they got pregnant 222 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 3: juring production. When we finished shooting the movie, they said, Alex, 223 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 3: we have news for you. We are expecting a child. 224 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 3: And we were just celebrating That child was just born 225 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 3: two weeks ago, and so just celebrating. 226 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: With the Lord's doing. 227 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 3: He answered so many prayers along the way, and so 228 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 3: we shot it stayed under budget, and Sony was impressed. 229 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 3: They were like, you guys did more of this young 230 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 3: team down there than we expected. And so again I'm 231 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 3: just so grateful. But they're hungry to watch the Lord work. 232 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 3: They're hungry to grow in skill in ministry and just 233 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 3: great ingredients. 234 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 2: To work with. 235 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: What are the film's themes you were just talking about that. 236 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: What are the themes of this film? 237 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 3: So its lordship is the primary theme, And basically we 238 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,199 Speaker 3: follow a used car salesman who goes to the largest 239 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 3: church in town to be seen to make connections. All 240 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 3: these people that go to this church, the largest church 241 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 3: in town. 242 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 2: I want connections. 243 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 3: I want to sell them cars. So he goes there. 244 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: His wife is a believer, he is not, and so 245 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 3: one day that the pastor of the church he attends 246 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 3: comes to buy a car from him, he deceives the pastor. 247 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 3: Before the pastor drives off, having paid way too much 248 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 3: for this huged car he bought, he turns to the 249 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 3: car salesman, whose name is Noah in this movie. He says, 250 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 3: no let me pray for you in your car lot. 251 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 3: No of course, says absolutely, pastor. Pastor prays, God, thank 252 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 3: you for this car, thank you for the great deal 253 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 3: I got. And God, I ask that you've blessed this 254 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 3: car for years, and that you treat Noah the way 255 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 3: he treated me. And so Noah goes inside his office thinking, 256 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 3: I don't know, one gotta do that, And so it 257 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 3: starts him going down a path of realizing his marriage, 258 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 3: his relationship with his son, the way he runs his business. 259 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 3: He doesn't truly even respect himself because he's a man 260 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 3: that lacks integrity, and so the Lord breaks him. And 261 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 3: of course his wife is watching this happen, saying, God, 262 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 3: please speak to him, please open his eyes. And then 263 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 3: when he turns and gives everything to the Lord, he's 264 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 3: broken and he gives his lot, everything gets worse before 265 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 3: it gets better, and he has to get rid of 266 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,839 Speaker 3: some things in his life that were not pleasing to 267 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 3: the Lord. And so his employees leave, they say, we're 268 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 3: out of here, and he goes to a lot of hardship. 269 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 3: But then the Lord starts to rebuild his marriage, his 270 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 3: relationship with his son, his character, and then some surprises 271 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 3: happened in the films and twists. 272 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 2: That we love about the movie that people are going 273 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 2: to enjoy. 274 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 3: But it's a reflection of the fact that following God 275 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 3: does take sacrifice if you do it sincerely. But He 276 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 3: is such a faithful, powerful God and does meet us 277 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 3: where we are. And so if you love the original Flywheel, 278 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 3: you're really gonna like this one. And if you didn't 279 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 3: see the original, we are excited that this is a 280 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 3: better version. And Michael, for what it's worth, we're doing 281 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 3: something right now that I'm so excited about. We have 282 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 3: used some of the latest software and we're upgrading the 283 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 3: original Flywheel to four K using this detailed software that 284 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 3: digitizes and upgrades and everything where it looks like it 285 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 3: was shot in four K. And it's an amazing process 286 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 3: that we've been working on it for months. So the 287 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 3: old Flywheel will look better, but the new Flywheel is fantastic. 288 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 3: So whichever one you want to see, both are going 289 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 3: to look better, let. 290 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: Me ask you an existential question. You've been doing this 291 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: for two decades now. Flywheel was your first facing the giants. 292 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: I believe it was your second, and it got really starting. 293 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 1: The ball really got going with fire Free Fablic. Why 294 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: are you still passionate about making films. 295 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 3: And especially these types of films? Well, my brother Stephen 296 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 3: and I have talked about this a number of times. 297 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,959 Speaker 3: We take the approach the movie screen is not our 298 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 3: primary canvas. The human heart is the primary canvas for 299 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 3: what we want to present. We want to paint and 300 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 3: tell stories that impact the human heart because when our 301 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 3: heart wants to turn and honor the Lord with our 302 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 3: lives and whether you can be inspired by the story 303 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 3: or taking steps of faith or being challenged with your 304 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 3: own walk with God, that's what we want to do. 305 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 3: So it's not just for entertainment. That's a secondary motive. 306 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 3: We do want our movies to be very engaging and relatable, 307 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 3: but we want to honor the Lord and tell stories 308 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 3: that draw people to deeper faith, the inspiration to courage 309 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: to making tough steps. You know and all of us. 310 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: When the Lord wants to grow you, he usually stretches 311 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 3: you and puts you in a situation where he says, 312 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 3: trust me and take a step, like, nah, I need 313 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 3: to know the outcome first. But the Lord says, we 314 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 3: trust when we will walk with me. Trust in the 315 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 3: Lord with all your heart. Do not lean on your 316 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 3: own understanding in all your ways. Acknowledge him, and he 317 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 3: will direct your path. So we believe in that, and 318 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 3: we see movies as an avenue to reach people because 319 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 3: everybody watches movies. We know that meet us comment every week, 320 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 3: my kids in college or whatever, we'll find a movie 321 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 3: to watch with their friends on a Friday night. And 322 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 3: so we're like, well, if that's where our culture is 323 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 3: and that's their appetite, let's tell stories that can both 324 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 3: engage them and minister to them at the same time. 325 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 3: So we've now made ten. We're going to keep going. 326 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 3: We've got some exciting ones coming down the path that 327 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 3: we're looking forward to, but excited to see what the 328 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 3: Lord does with Flywheel Ignition of the Soul, and it's 329 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 3: going to open in Brazil a week before Her Sun. 330 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 3: It actually opens in Brazil on November the fifth, oh 331 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 3: their October month is when they do all of their elections, 332 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 3: and so they said, let's get US past the heavy 333 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 3: election season, and so it comes out in theaters in 334 00:15:57,640 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 3: Brazil and they're so excited about already. Churches are just 335 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 3: but on board. So that's going November fifth in Brazil. 336 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 3: So America gets to see it first October sixteenth, and 337 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 3: we just can't wait. You can go to Flywheel movie 338 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 3: dot com to find out more information. 339 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: Let me ask you one more question. I always wanted 340 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: to talk about this with you. Briefly, Facing the Giants 341 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: was your first big hit. As I said, it's rating 342 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: at the time I was covering this when I was 343 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: writing back then, it was rated PG, which is no 344 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: big deal right now, but back then it sparked a 345 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: lot of controversy because the PG rating, I believe it 346 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: said thematic elements right for BG, and those thematic elements, 347 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: of course, were to talk about God in faith, and 348 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: so everybody was kind of up in arms looking back, 349 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: and I remember you guys went on I believe a 350 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: national television to talk about the controversy over Hollywood or 351 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: the industry rating your I guess, warning people about the 352 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: movie because you know. 353 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 2: The faith elements that's right. 354 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: Well, was looking back, was that a moment where God 355 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: kind of used something that perhaps was frustrating to jumpstart 356 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: your career. 357 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,199 Speaker 3: That's exactly right. When we made Facing the Giants, we 358 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 3: knew it should be rated G. I mean, there is 359 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 3: no cursing, no sexuality, and anything in it that would 360 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,199 Speaker 3: give it a PG or worse rating, and so we 361 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 3: expected a G rating when they came back and they said, no, 362 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 3: you talk about your faith and people need to know 363 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 3: this and be warrened. So it's it's PG. Now that's 364 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 3: not the end of the world. But we were like 365 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 3: struck by that, and oh wow, So it's not the 366 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 3: normal things that make a movie PG. It's it's our 367 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 3: faith that made a PG. And so that that made 368 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 3: a stir in news media and they were reaching out 369 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 3: to us, you know, CNN and Fox News and NBC 370 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 3: World News Tonight and even Good Morning America. So we 371 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 3: did all these interviews and it helped promote and explode 372 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 3: the movie. So at first it was an irritation, and 373 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 3: then it was like, oh lord, you're doing something beyond 374 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 3: what we initially expected, and you gave us eight million 375 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 3: dollars worth of free publicity, and so we're grateful. But again, 376 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 3: when you're praying and walking in step with the Lord 377 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 3: and he's guiding the ship. He does things that don't 378 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 3: initially make sense, but it was incredible to see the 379 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 3: result of all that. So even when Courageous was PG. 380 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 3: Thirteen was we were like, oh, they're dang for a 381 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 3: Christian philms. But it turned out to work as it 382 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 3: reached men and the men of the target for the 383 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 3: movie Courageous and it inspired so many men. And it 384 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 3: is a little bit gritty, and so today we're saying, Lord, 385 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 3: what do you want to do and help us to 386 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 3: follow suit tracking whatever you're doing. 387 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: I believe the rookie was rated G and had a 388 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: curse word if I've ever correctly. So those are those 389 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: rating Those ratings are I think they're obviously needed and 390 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: that they'd be up some benefit, but sometimes they're just puzzling. Anyway, 391 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: Alex say so much, brother, good to talk to you, 392 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: Michael Man. If you like today's episode, please subscribe and 393 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 1: leave a five star review. 394 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 4: That's how we help more people just like you find 395 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 4: the show. A big thanks to the team at life 396 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 4: Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. If 397 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 4: you go to lifeaudio dot com, you will find dozens 398 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 4: of other faith centered podcasts in their network. 399 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 2: See you next time.