Award winning faith film maker Andy Erwin joins Paul Cardall to talk about producing and directing Christian-based films that compete with Hollywood studios who spend hundreds of millions of dollars to entertain audiences. From producing Jesus Revolution, I Can Only Imagine, American Underdog, I Still Believe, and other projects like the Steve McQueen documentary and Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Andy and his brother Jon have created a space for box office hit films with an underlying Christian message. They also talk about Andy's faith, gift, and purpose in life.
Award winning faith film maker Andy Erwin joins Paul Cardall to talk about producing and directing Christian-based films that compete with Hollywood studios who spend hundreds of millions of dollars to entertain audiences. From producing Jesus Revolution, I Can Only Imagine, American Underdog, I Still Believe, and other projects like the Steve McQueen documentary and Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Andy and his brother Jon have created a space for box office hit films with an underlying Christian message. They also talk about Andy's faith, gift, and purpose in life.
ANDREW ERWIN
Andrew Erwin, half of the filmmaking duo The Erwin Brothers, began his career as a teenager working for ESPN as a camera operator in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. As a sports cameraman, Erwin worked with ESPN College Football Primetime, FOX NFL, and the NBA covering events such as the X Games and the Super Bowl.
In 2002, Andrew founded a production company with his brother Jon. Their first ventures were commercials, documentaries and music videos. The brothers soon were directing videos and producing concerts and television programs for platinum recording artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, Switchfoot, Skillet and others and received eleven GMA Dove Awards nominations and 3 wins for Music Video of the Year.
In 2010, Andrew and Jon began exclusively developing dramatic feature films. Their features have all opened in the top ten box office on opening weekend and they have received the coveted A+ Cinema Score twice. Their features include OCTOBER BABY, MOMS’ NIGHT OUT, WOODLAWN and the 2018 smash hit I CAN ONLY IMAGINE.
In 2019, Andrew and Jon, with partners Kevin Downes and Tony Young, launched Kingdom Story Company along with a first-look deal with Lionsgate. The first film from that venture is I STILL BELIEVE, a biopic about CCM megastar Jeremy Camp slated for 3/20/20.
Andrew serves as Chief Creative Officer at Kingdom Story Company as well as produces and directs feature films with his brother Jon and Kevin Downes.
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Audio file
Transcript
Paul Cardall
I was on the phone with my wife. Who said she cried at least 10 times? She was very emotional. She was moved, inspired, encouraged by a film that she saw. We were both invited to the premiere. I was not able to go. I was at a leadership retreat. She went. She reported that it was just incredible that some Christian films you go to. A little cheesy, but not this one. She loved it and Andy Erwin, who is my guest today, was there. He is the producer of the film Good Friend. His brother directed this movie. It is called Jesus revolution. It comes out February 24th and if. You're in the future. Go back and find this film. It stars Jonathan Roumie He is known for his lead role in the chosen series. He plays Jesus. We had him on this podcast in a previous episode. Go to my website paulcardall.com. Click on the podcast link. You'll find his episode, or you can just Scroll down on the platform that you're listening to right now. And of course we're talking. About Jesus Revolution, the film that he's in, it also stars Kelsey Grammar. Remember him from Frasier? So we're going to have a conversation today with the producer, Andy Irwin, about the process of making these films that are competing with some of the biggest Hollywood companies and just where they get their ideas. These moving stories that are touching our lives. So before I do, let's. Watch the trailer. Our country is a dark and divided place.
FILM
But in that. Tent, there's hope and unity and miracles.
Speaker
I can't even explain.
FILM
I'd like you to be my new friend, Lonnie Frisbee, and some of his friends. Welcome. These kids are runaways, most of them.
Paul Cardall
They need our.
FILM
Chuck stops. They don't belong here. There's this church. It's called Calvary Chapel. And we say we're looking for truth. What if this is true? Because everything that we've been trying.
Speaker
I just can't be lying down again. But I have felt in there I haven't.
FILM
But it's good for a minute and then it's gone Monday.
Speaker
We can find out.
FILM
Together seems movements everywhere, Los Angeles.
Speaker
In the South, it's spreading like wildflowers. This is the beach where people get. Baptized drove all the way here. From Texas? I don't know if any of.
FILM
This is real kind of.
Speaker
Hope it is to be honest.
FILM
It's a family man. Don't give up on it.
Andy Erwin
You've got a. You've got a great NPR voice you're like. That's very, very, very, very smooth.
FILM
You need if you.
Paul Cardall
Need a little documentary work? Here you go. Man, what is historic with what you and your brother kind of known as the Erwin Brothers, kind of like the Coen brothers, but the Irwin brothers. What you guys have done is. Great films that have a Christian message, but they're for everybody. And their first class, you've done quite a few films, but American underdog, the Kurt Warner story. I still believe the Jeremy Camp story. I can only imagine the Bart Millard of MercyMe story and the one I just saw, dude, because it was so unique. Is the Johnny Cash the redemption of American icon documentary because we know. We've seen walk the line that won the Oscar. We've seen all these documentaries about Johnny Cash, but you got to his heart.
Speaker
Of who he truly is.
Paul Cardall
Was and those that are closest to him, for whatever reason, Hollywood and the media doesn't want to talk about his conversion to Jesus Christ.
Andy Erwin
There's no lonelier place on Earth for a man feet than separated from God.
Speaker 4
He faced himself. He faced his temptations. He faced his worldliness and came out wanting. To be right with God.
FILM
It's a biblical precedent that God uses complicated people.
Andy Erwin
It was a really fantastic story to kind of dig into and I I wish I could take more credit for it than I can. But one of the joys of doing this job is you get to a place in your career where you're able to turn and kind of produce for other film makers and let them tell their stories. And so with with Johnny Cash, with the redemption of American icon Ben Small Bone is a director that we've worked with a good bit and he had a passion for the story and they dug into it to tell it. And so we get to be producers on that one and let him kind of. Take the lead. But it was it was one that we had done a documentary a few years ago on Steve McQueen, about his conversion experience and had worked on that documentary. And Ben had been the one that. Had made that with us. And it was just such a fascinating. Thing to kind of see a side of somebody that you didn't really know existed that would trying to cash that was the next one on their radar and they were like. We want to tell Johnny story. So they began to dig into the rest of the story. And you know, for for me like like you. It's like I thought the story ended. You know, with walk the line, you know that, you know that was kind of the end of the story for him. But this conversion he experience that he had in a little cave just just over the Tennessee border as Rickshaw cave was just an amazing story of him crawling in this cave to die. And I think with any hero's journey counter redemption story you have this idea of death and rebirth and this idea that he literally went into this cave to die and had this kind of moment with God and where God kind of really offered him a second chance. And he kind of crawled. Out of that cave, a different person. And it was just something so beautiful and metaphorical about it, but it really happened. And then to see him kind of, you know, you always think of Johnny Cash as a legend and to see him struggle later in his life to figure out where he fits and losing his record contract and being kind of a man without a country. And like, this is Johnny Cash we're talking about, but nobody. He was a joke. For a period of time until Rick Rubin came along and said, Johnny, we just want you and your guitar and just figure out what stories you want to tell and we're gonna. Let you. Kind of design your own curtain call to say one last thing and for him to do a song like hurt and to kind of. Just really kind of put humanity to this redemption that he had experienced, and that's what cemented him as an icon was him kind of being able to tell his story his way. And it was just a beautiful story. When I saw the doc, it really moved me in a profound way. I thought Ben and the team did. A great job and those. Are the kind of stories. That we want to tell. It's like redemption. Stories of people's real life experience. Those are the ones that kind of break out beyond the church walls to that general audience that they're fascinated with that idea of second chances. And so that's the kind of stories that we tell.
Speaker 5
Where where was.
Paul Cardall
Your faith before you started making these films, and how has. Making these films. Challenged your faith or strengthened your faith? I mean, how how is your walk right now because you guys are passionately making Christian films? But I know. From passionately making Christian music, there's tough days, man. Where it's like. What am I doing? But you know these moments that seem to.
Andy Erwin
Always hear.
Paul Cardall
You can't escape God's love. So. So how are things going on there?
Andy Erwin
Yeah, well, I mean. You and I had the privilege. Of going to kind of a a getaway in Wyoming together this summer and place where you can get able to get gut level on West and. You know, kind of a place for artists to. Kind of recover and and have some downtime, which we all desperately need. And I think it was a really kind of interesting place to kind of see each other soul on that level. You know I. Think for me. I was raised, you know, in a Christian environment, Christian home. I didn't come to know God until I was in my. Early 20s. Personally, I was just kind of very religious growing up and I knew all the right things to say and do. But you know it was going through the motions for me and it wasn't till I was in my early 20s that God brought me. To a place where I. Was, you know, able to say, you know? Redemption is not something everybody needs. Something I personally need. You know I need help and I think be one that kind of perfected it on the outside. I had to kind of get a little messy in the midst of it, of figuring out what is real Christianity, and I think real Christianity is a lot messier than. Sometimes it's. And, you know, presented and you know, I think God loves messy people. He loves to redeem the broken. And I think some of us are good about pretty prettying it up and making it look like we're not as broken as we really are. But I think as human beings, we're all pretty screwed up. And, you know, for me. When I got into this, there's a lot of people that got in. State film space. That were pastures first. You know, whether that's the Kendricks or that did fireproof or Devon Franklin, that did, you know, miracles from heaven. You know that that they're pretty comfortable in that role first, that's not me and John. And we're film makers, we're storytellers. And I think in that, you know, I didn't really ever feel the need or the calling to have a platform to. Preach and just tell stories. But in the midst of that, people start. Looking to you a. Certain way and you have to figure. Out like what are who am I? What are really what am I really about? And then they're so easy in this industry for your identity. To become what you do. You know, and that you know, you kind of get lost in the fact that. Just being a figurehead. And then you throw any kind. Of success. On top of that, and I don't care who you are, success is a is a fickle girlfriend. Like for one thing. You have moments of success. But you can't hold on to it. You know, at some point everybody knew how to matter, how successful they are, they're old. You know, and it's like what have. You done lately? And you know, and then in the midst of. It when the height of success is going on. You kind of lose yourself, you know, in this idea of. I need to be a big deal and. I think it it it it kind of corrupts you from the inside. And I think the only place that I found. And I think I don't know, I. Think COVID was the great equalizer for all of us. Cause it kind. Of stripped that drug away from all of us for a period of time where it's like I can't really be what I do because I'm not able to do what I do, you know? And so. It forces you to get honest, like what really matters. I I think for me, what God? 's really been doing in my life. Is bringing me back to that place that. What I do is not who I am. And what I do is about stewardship. It's about God for whatever period of time that you give me. What do you want to do with this? You know what is it that you want to do rather than me trying to get out? And just be successful. Because it's like sand. Just sifting through your. Hands it's not. Something you can hold on to, it's. Something you lose and. You know, I think. In the midst of that, there's this piece. God, the things that I want to do that really matter is I want to do stories that I believe in that. Move my soul. And I want to work with people. That I love and admire. And I want to just leave them a little bit. Better than when I found them and that's it. That's really it and I don't want. To lose my family in the midst of all that. You know, I think that's for me, the things that have lasting impact this idea that we gotta go out and dent the. Universe to be a big deal. No matter how big a deal you are. In 100. Years. Nobody's gonna be there. But if you've impacted people along the way. That can have ripple effects and so I think that's where I'm at. Maybe what motivates me each day right now.
Paul Cardall
You got a. Beautiful heart man and yeah, we had such a. I want to say that time of fellowship among creatives and artists at refuge in Wyoming was sacred.
Andy Erwin
Experienced me with that.
Paul Cardall
Experience was I was honored to be invited.
Speaker
You know and.
Paul Cardall
There's an actor that people are falling in love with Jonathan Rooney. Yeah, I think. People are gravitating to the Jesus that he. He's doing the Dallas Jenkins has created and.
FILM
OK.
Paul Cardall
You know he'll be in one of the films that you guys are creating called Jesus Revolution, that kind of picks up on the Jesus story. Sorry, documentary. The early starts of Christian music that kind of happened around the 60s. By the time. This podcast comes comes out that I think. Is that film coming out? In March or February, February, February 24th. OK, so this is the film will be coming probably in about 3 weeks from the time. You do this. Tell tell us about. That film, because that seems more specific. To be Jesus, because it's about conversion of hippia.
Andy Erwin
Yeah, it is. It's. It's powerful story. You know, the stories that we tell you, just try to figure out like, same with music. Like, what does each song wanna be? For us, like what? What does each? Story wanna be and. You know, and so sometimes that has that element of being able to be. Subversive and a little bit more. You know, strategic and then there's ones that it's just it's the, it's the center of the. Bullseye, it's it's over. And sometimes in a story like Jesus Revolution that overtness gives you a. Chance to be rebellious. And it's that idea of its counterculture is cool, and it's got a chip on his shoulder and. You know, so with. With this movie, it's one that my brother directed. And I think. It's my brother's best work. I think he and. Mccorkle made it. A specifically special film, I was a producer on it and privileged to produce it. But but they went out to tell their story, and they took a really rebellious take. It's a period of time and it's period of history. It's very similar to where we're at today, but in the late 60s and the height of kind of the hippie movement there. Was this idea? That there was people were really frustrated with society as a whole. They were frustrated with. The man they were frustrated with the idea of would have been sold to them by religion, by the government and, you know, by all of. And the the idea that John and the team took into this. Was not like that. These were hippie kids that were bad. Kids going to. Search for drugs. The idea was they were these kids were searching for the right thing. They wanted the right thing, they wanted truth and they wanted to know God. And they were. Sold the bill of goods by Timothy Leary and others that that idea that LSD was going to be the secret thing that unlocked their brain to understanding God. And so they bought into this free love drop out, you know, TuneIn and turn on kind of thing of this sex, drugs and sex rock'n'roll. Sex, drugs. Rock'n'roll idea. That that the bottom just dropped out. They're sold the wrong thing. And so when it dropped. Out at 8, Asbury. You're left with this. Idea of like whoa. What else is there to live? For and in the midst. Of that, they had this radical encounter with Jesus. And the hippies and hippies started getting saved. Nobody thought hippies could get so. And they understood this, this idea of true love, this free love came in a person, and they became they were already identified as freaks. So all of a sudden. They found Jesus and they became known as Jesus freaks and this movement just swept the West Coast. And so in our film. There was this hippie evangelist named Lonnie Frisbee that he was a piece of work man. He was crazy. And Jonathan Rooney from the chosen plays Lonnie, and it's a role that you're just you're gonna fall in love with this guy in this role. It's a special role and. I'm like, I'm a self professed. Huge fan for the shows and I was at the premiere for season three in Atlanta the other day I cried like a baby. It was amazing. I think what Dallas is created in that the emotional archaeology he's done portraying the Jesus's humanity is just beautiful. But I think Jonathan as an actor just has this ability. To tap into something. Very relatable and human. And the idea as he expresses the divine and, and I think that's the kind of character long he was. He was a mysterious guy and. So it's him. And his and Kelsey grammar. Plays this guy Chuck Smith. Who was this preacher? That was the. 1st to latch on to the hippies. And it's their story. And it's a love letter to these kind of rebels. It's very has very, very much a tone of kind of a movie, like almost famous. And I think it's a particularly special movie. So it comes out February 24th and everywhere and it it's I think it has the potential to be a a moment that bridges the gap between the mainstream church and the historical church and it's very relatable to people. It's a special story.
Speaker
I love it, I.
Paul Cardall
Love it. We've had Dallas and John. And on the podcast and their stories are remarkable, just like yours of knowing that you have gifts, using those gifts to shape a purpose for you, and how it's guided you. So I was fortunate to study film at the university, and that was my major. And we watched and dissected so many Oscar winning films and films that.
FILM
People have never heard.
Paul Cardall
Foreign films and so I can really appreciate the way these are made and particularly you talked about that cave story, the conversion where Johnny Cash you. He goes into basically died to kill himself.
FILM
But the way.
Paul Cardall
You guys did the cinematography. In the way you, you'd literally feel like that's you going into this cave. You go into The Cave, so you're not only telling this amazing story, you're there in the heart of Johnny and you want to get out of that cave so bad that that the work and the magic. That was created. There is Minutes award-winning. And so you guys have been. Yeah, it's just it's just a fantastic documentary, but I didn't know that about Steve McQueen. I didn't know he had converted.
Andy Erwin
Yeah, his story was, you know, and. And those are the stories that we love to tell, you know. Because there is this idea of. Somebody's real. Life experience and the idea of looking for. Those stories that have a. Redemption arc to it and then finding something that's universally relatable to people. And like what? You know, what is it about their story that you know is relatable, regardless of what you believe, but that's a an. Opportunity to window into somebody's faith. And when Steve McQueen it was brought to us that his his third wife, Barbie McQueen, had all these archived materials that nobody ever seen or heard. And she had to. Little recordings. Audio recording of Steve that he recorded about two weeks before he died, where he walked through his story and what he had gone through and nobody had ever heard it. And he said on this. Recording, he said. My body is broken and I'm dying. He's dying of cancer. But my spirit is strong and he said I wish that I could have more time. To tell my story, I think he could do a lot of good. So to go back and tell that story of this guy that had it all. You know he. Competed with Paul Newman his whole life to try to be the big movie star. Finally defeated Paul Newman by Co starring with him in Towering Inferno. But Steve McQueen and him got Co Co top billing and but McQueen got paid more money and he felt like he had finally defeated Paul. Newman and then he. Had, like he didn't really know what he had to live for and was living. It's kind of a hermit charging $50,000 just to read a script. And didn't really know what the point of all this was, and then found out that he had terminal cancer. And in the midst of that goes on, this existential kind. Of search for God. And that led him to go to Mexico to go for these experimental treatments, and he led him to reach out to Billy Graham. And Billy Graham ends up at the plane to see off Steve going down to. To Mexico and Steve said I don't have a Bible. And Billy said you could have mine. So he went with that Bible and he died with that Bible open to John 316. On his chest. And and had a legitimate kind of conversion experience. It was just beautiful. So this guy that is American cinema that you never knew, that there was a spiritual story there. And to tell those kind of stories is a privilege that we get to do. And so those are the kind of stories that move our soul as we look for stories that are that idea of redemption and second chances in action. And those are the ones that intrigued a A. World outside the church. And we're privileged to get to tell.
Paul Cardall
Stories like that? Yeah, they're powerful from. I can only imagine you know the the change in the father that was abusive to. This yeah. Overweight kid that becomes this incredible. I'm sorry, Bart, but this overweight kid. That becomes this. You know, Grammy winning, you know, leading concert worship all over the world and you know, same with Jeremy Camp, his wife dying. I mean the challenge is and then this Kurt Warner story about being really a nobody who comes to walk on and become this great quarterback for Rams. Let's talk about kind of your beginnings, because I know that you started out by doing some work with ESPN and the sports world. Wild being, Mama, which led to doing music videos.
Speaker
Right.
Paul Cardall
You're obviously in the South, so you've got all these Christian artists that need, you know, LA type, top of the Notch music videos, which led to these take us through your journey of when you got into film. And just how you and another? We're able to pull this.
Andy Erwin
Yeah, I mean, we started outside the. Industry so like. Birmingham AL is about as far as Hollywood as you can get. But my dad? Was in news television growing up and so. When we were kids, we were studio rats. We just would always hang out around the station and and they agreed that if we worked for $10 a day helping out behind the scenes that we could use the equipment from midnight till 4. And so we would just go lock ourselves in the studio several nights a week just and play with the equipment and figure out how to do this stuff and. And so I went off to a. Small College in. Upstate New York. And we had a camp that we do short films for the kids during the summers and John. Will come work for. And then John started this company back in Birmingham. And and then start working on the weekends as a sports cameraman to pay the bill. Girls and I was like, that's way cooler than what I'm doing. So I dropped out of school and came home, and we were both working for ESPN on the weekends and that allowed us to have this. Having happy Monday through Friday where? We would, you know. Make make these films and and you know, do whatever to pay the bills and. And so that led to documentaries and music videos and eventually music videos. We it took us a while to kind of get our start, but Mike W Smith is a Christian artist and and Smitty had a video for this tiny little 2 minute song. And you know no song that's gonna be played on radio. It's two minutes and it's like he done. It as a. Little personal song to his daughter. It's 2. Minutes 13 seconds. So I'm called, how to say goodbye and and we they didn't have a budget for. It at the label because it really wasn't one. That was gonna. Get radio play and but it was something he. Wanted to do on a personal.
Speaker
Level for.
Andy Erwin
His daughter. And so they wanted to do this tiny little video and just do like home video. Type stuff and put it to the song. And we just said guys, it's worth it to us to come and get our start. If we can make this a big music. Video if you'll let us do it, we'll pay. For the rest. And they're like, sure, great. So we went out and got a loan for. $10,000. And we paid to make the music video on our own time. And in that little video we put together and it ended up being like the most popular music video for the the next six months in the space and all of a sudden we became this boutique that all these Christian arts would come down to Birmingham and us to their videos. So we we moved through the ranks and did everything. Everything from Amy Grant to to, you know, to Casting Crowns to all these kind of different, you know, Christian bands. We visually moved into rock and we got really good at blowing things up. So you know, we kind of got lazy later in our life of we did a Video Music video for one of our most watched videos was for a band called Skillet. And and so skillet. I think the the the treatment we wrote for our last video for them was the band comes out, things blow up, it starts to rain more things blow up. It stops raining. Everything blows up the. And so we did this video that was just a massive explosion fest. For song called Hero. And that video's got like, I don't know, half a billion views on YouTube and. And so we just got got good at stuff like that. And so you know that became our our thing for a while until finally. You're like you get to that. Place the hard thing about the industry. Anytime you have success in one lane, you always have to kind of start back over paying your dues when you switch lanes. So we were kind of the guys when it came to music videos, but the idea of starting over and doing films was scary and but we decided like the moment was going to pass us by about 15 years ago. We're going to like, let's give it a shot. Let's try it. Let's at least give. It one shot, John had a small. Film that he had written called October. Baby by this girl. That was adopted trying to find her birth mother. And we did this tiny. Movie for under $1,000,000 raised the money ourselves, went out and made. It and there was no way on paper, it should have worked. Nobody would touch it because it it it dealt with some topics that people were nervous about. And so we went out, raised the money to put it. In theaters ourselves and. Next, you know it's on the front page of the New York Times, and it did well enough to give us a shot to do. The next. One, and so you know, just like playing the piano. It's like early on a lot of. What you're doing is imitation. But then there. Comes a point where you know the instrument well enough and you have a lot enough life experience that you're able to sit down at the piano and just emote and create. And it was our third film, this movie called Woodlawn, where we found our voice. It wasn't financially successful, but it was our first true story that we. Did and it was one where we're like, This Is Us. We're sitting at the piano and. We're just creating. And that was the one where we were like, we found our. Calling, we found our audience and. That's what kind of busted the doors wide open.
Paul Cardall
It's an incredible risk. Anytime you want going. But I think. That's how you have to get started. You have to take the risk of getting some money, spending a little money, and then it starts to snowball. You're going to have those periods where you've made the money from the project where you can snowball that into another one, but then you're going to have the disappointments. It's a roller coaster. Of emotions, I'm sure, and it takes a toll on the personal. Because you're working with your brother and I, I have brothers and it's a bowling Dukes scenario where they're driving in their General Lee and they're having a good time. And then they're fighting so.
Andy Erwin
Who's gonna drive this time? Yeah, exactly. It's it's always. It's funny, I was doing a movie. We're doing a movie called. Moms and out as a comedy. We did with Sean Astin and and Sean and we all we affectionately calling the third one brothers. So Sean and I've done 2 movies together. Sean was, you know, in this. Van and he's driving and we're filming the scene while he's driving, and it was a thunderstorm coming up over the rising. So we had a limited amount of. Time we could film in it. And so we're. Trying to drive. Away from the thunderstorm. And I'm like. I want to. I want to get a tighter shot and John's like we want wider, tighter, wider. And finally, Sean just puts the car in park and he's like Kane and Abel are fighting in the back seat again. Let's wait till they work out their differences. It's like, you know, and and. And then also it starts raining and we. Lost our moment the but but but with it, you know, I think there's something in the friction. That I think there's a necessity at anytime when you do something creative for the necessary amount of friction. You know, I think that that's what creativity is a lot of times it's problem solving in the hard circumstances and that creates friction. And so you look at any band that's made it, you know, usually at their height of their success, there was a lot of friction. And so it's just how do you? Dial it in where there's friction with respect. How do you tell the stories you want to tell and figure out how to kind of have that ebb and flow of two people leading? So I think you know we. Worked really, really hard on kind of finding that kind of rhythm and that that style and you know, and then like? You said you know. A lot of times that that moments that have the most meaning significance come out of failure. And so when we did the movie Woodlawn it, it felt like it was, you know, the one that we really. Had emotionally invested the most in its story to this day is the story that we've told that I'm the most proud of. But it comes out and it didn't find its audience. The audience that did see it. Loved it. Got an A+ cinema score and those are really, really rare. And so that means that everybody that left the the theater rated it is excellent. And there's only a few of those a year. So it meant that we told the story well. The critics liked this first thing that we've. Done, the critics liked. The first thing that. Hadn't got shredded by the critics and. So we're like, OK. We found our. Story, but it didn't really work. But then it comes that point. We're like, OK, it's not we did. Something wrong? We need to go. Once more on the block. So we. Went and found this story. I can only imagine. That had the same DNA as an underdog story, so underdog redemption. Stories are what we tell. And and so Bart and I had met. I had invited Bart Miller, the the singer, for Mercy Me that wrote the song. I can only imagine I invited him to a screening of one of other films that came to watch it. And at the end of that, he's like, hey, I don't know if you know this, but they've been developing my life story as a movie for the past seven years. I would love for you guys to direct it. I was like. Well, I don't know if you know this, but. They sent us. The script this morning. And uh, and it was just kind of meant to be and. And so that night, I was like, what are you doing? He's like, well, what are you doing? I was like, I was gonna go to a midnight showing of Captain America. He's like, I was, too. So like. Did we just become best friends so? We went to, we went to go watch Captain America together. Just started. Kind of. Dreaming a little bit and as. We kind of got into that story we didn't like would have been developed. But asked Bart. You know, we were, like trying to figure out what the story was, and I was on the air doing a radio interview in Tampa and off air that the host asked, what are you looking at next and said we're looking at Bart Bart Miller's story, the story back. Imagine he's like, Oh my goodness, he's. Like I was at the Ryman at. Night when Amy. Grant pulled him up on stage and. Gave him his. Song back. It's the most magic thing. That I've ever seen in. Music, I'm like, wait. I don't know the story, so I called the Bart. I'm like, did this happen? He's like, oh, yeah, bro, I forgot to tell you. That smells magic, not. In my life, I'm like lead off with that story, bro. Like, that's the movie. So I called up Amy and I was like Amy. Did this happen? She said yes and I said can we use it in? The movie, and she's like, does it help Bart? I was. Like it makes a better movie. She's like then you can use it and at that point we took a Page 1 rewrite of the story. Showed it to the. They hated it. They couldn't stand it. So we kind of came to an impasse with them, and like every once in a while in this industry. You get dealt a hand where? I'm going to bet on myself. And so that was the hand. We're like, this is a winning hand. So we we went out and raised the money for. It and bought it out from underneath the. Studio and made it independently. And first day on set, there's that panic attack. And I was like, God, I'm either making the best movie ever or the worst and I. Don't know which one it is right now. But it's like that moment of instead of self protection as an artist. And being worried about if I let go of. The boat I drowned. There's that moment where you're like.
FILM
This is it.
Andy Erwin
So it's either we're going to swim and if we drown, we drown. We're gonna let go of the boat. It's no more about self protection or what people think of me. We're just going to swim for sure and see if we make it. And that movie came out should not. Have worked. The way it did with this little sub million dollar film came out in 1700. Things and it ended up doing $86 million in the book box office is the number one independent film of 2018 was our second A+ Cinema score and all of a sudden it just launched us into a stratosphere we didn't think we could compete in and it worked outside the church. It was universally, you know, relatable. Of his father son story show. It was a it was a it was a moment in time that a rare that you know so much of. It's about timing, but we just hit it at the right time.
Paul Cardall
It's interesting that that film, the same story of you struggling to make that film the idea. That, you know, is this going to be successful? Is the same thing with the way they started that band? It's the underdog story of. Kind of what you guys have accomplished the same thing with the. Band so it's. You know, it's it's amazing how the. Stars align when when God has something planned much bigger than ourselves. That's that's incredible. And then you guys. Like you know, you doing these films, you grow as a company. You've got to figure out how to expand, how to bring more people in because you're now being called to do projects. We want to do this. You're probably hounded with scripts, ideas and so you partner. With uh, Kevin Downes and Tony Young and you guys launch Kingdom Story, which is actually part of Lionsgate is that?
FILM
Correct. Yeah.
Andy Erwin
Yeah, it's, it's it's kind. Of a it's. An imprint at Lionsgate, similar to how Pixar was at Disney, you know that we're, you know, this kind of. The faith leaning brands. Within the Lionsgate kind of empire, you know Lionsgate. Became a strategic partner. You know, when we were looking for who to distribute. Imagine we wanted to know this blue collar that was willing to work hard for it and. You know, we got approached by several different distributors. But Lionsgate just had this mentality that we liked. They were scrappy. And and, you know, imagine ended up being the most profitable film for them in 2018. And and so they were really, really excited about our brand. So they sat down, wanted to do a long term deal with us and we had heard that Tyler Perry was leaving the studio to go to Paramount. And so we're like, well, who's Tyler's attorney? And so we we pitched it to this guy named Matt Johnson was. And the. Matt was like this power lawyer that I I didn't know how big a. Deal. He was but. He was a big deal. And you know, his other clients were like, you know, I think, you know, he he had some pretty significant other clients. And so. But he believed in our vision, what we wanted to do. And so we sat down with Lionsgate and he negotiated a deal with Lionsgate that we didn't think. That we could get. But where they, you know, fueled, you know, the kind of stories we were wanting to tell. And we had creative control. And so which was rare to be able to get. And so we got to tell this kind of stories. We're going to tell our way. And so at that point, we started Kingdom Story Company as this idea of looking for things that, you know, have a double bottom line that they're mainstream and attractive to just moviegoers in general, people that want to be. Inspired, but they they intrinsically tell stories of redemption and faith, both overtly and subversively. And so we kind of set out to tell these stories and recruited other film makers, and it's been a a home and a destination that has been allowed, allowed us to. To tell stories on the scale that that stories have been able to be told before, and so, you know, we started with Jeremy Camp story, did the music story. We didn't think that. I didn't think they want to go right into another music story, but just was a beautiful, tragic love story and just really moved me and KJ Appa from Riverdale and Britt Robertson are in it, and then my hero, Gary Sinise. And Shania Twain it. Was a great cast. We had a lot of. Funny story was. When she. She got there on her first day. I got a call at midnight from my assistant and like Shania wants to talk about wigs. I'm like, OK, well, I'll talk to her tomorrow. She's like, no, she wants to talk to you tonight. I was like, ohh. OK, so I. That turned to Kevin, and John was like, I think we just got summoned by Shania Twain. And I was like really nervous cause like she is. Like you know, Shy Twain and Dolly Parton. Are the two biggest. You know, women in in the history of country. Music. So it's like. You know, if Shania summons you, you show up. Yeah. And so I'm. Like, is she gonna be a diva or whatever? And so I show up. We show up at her place and walk in. And she's like. She's like, Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I my system wasn't supposed to get you here tonight. I feel so bad. I just said I'd like to do this at some point. She's over. She's like, can I fix you? Guys, some dinner or something to eat and like. And so we're sitting down and like Shania, it's like serving us dinner at midnight like this. Is a surreal moment, but. She's had so much fun just telling these stories. And the people that assemble. And then you know, and then we did American underdog with football movie and and coming back to our football roots and got a chance to do that with our friend Zachary Levi and and Dennis Quaid again and. And then you know and then. You know the stories that came along. We were just able to do things on a scale that we didn't think were possible. So which has led to a slate of films. Coming up that we're really excited about and so you know, just the fact that the, the, the rare privilege to get to tell stories for a living is already one of those things that is is, is something super privileged to be a part of. But to be able to do it on a scale. Like that is something we didn't think this specially, guys from Birmingham, AL, we didn't think that was possible, but we're just one of the ones that is privileged enough for those opportunities to align at the right time and we're going to tell stories that we really believe in.
Paul Cardall
Thank you for. Talking with me and talking with all of us and. Sharing your journey, it's remarkable. Anything else that you're working on that you're super proud of, that we haven't talked about.
Andy Erwin
Yeah, it's, it's, it's the other thing is is just the the fun new, the new thing that. We can to do is. Just to empower other film makers. And so. You know another room we're cutting in the film, this film Unsung hero, that Joel small bone for for king and country. He is telling his family story. He directed it. Fantastic. Fantastic story. So that one's gonna be special. I've got a. Movie that I'm developing right now, my favorite book called Fearless. It's a Navy SEAL story about this guy that overcame drug addiction. So to die a hero is still. Team six and. It's my favorite book. I chased it. For five years and we're. In the process of writing the script right now with Jason Hall that wrote American sniper. And then and then we we just got the the go ahead, the green light on on another big music biopic that my buddy is bringing to us that. He is a guy that's an icon that I I'm stoked to tell his story, that we're going to be announcing. Soon. So it's it. I mean, it's just, it's that rare privilege of being able. To tell stories. For a living man, I pinch myself every. OK, that we get to do this and you know, and there's a small brotherhood and of film makers like Dallas and Devon Franklin and you. Know there's there's. A small group of us that we all like to see each other win. That's why I was on the red carpet for the shows the other day, just praising what Dallas has created. You know, I was late to the party. And I've watched it and I've. Watched the series three times through since January and and I just. I love what he's creating. So you know, I I think we we continue to. Lift each other up of. Defying the expectation of what does it mean? To be a faith filmmaker. That it's. Not what you. Think and as excited to be a. Part of it. So love, love telling stories with you. And love what you do, buddy.
Paul Cardall
Thank you, man. Well, Jesus told stories. What he did? At his very. So man, thanks keep keep going. We'll pray for you. Love you very much and look forward to many more adventures with you.
Andy Erwin
Thanks, Paul. Appreciate you.
Paul Cardall
Alright buddy, we'll talk. To you later. Love you. Both see you. Please subscribe by subscribing, which please go subscribe and it basically enables this podcast to be in other locations so people can discover it. So again, thank you for listening, please subscribe. To all our. With Paul Cardall, God bless you, cause.
Singer
Show me how to.
Speaker 5
#1 billboard pianist Paul Cardall.
FILM
Do you believe?
Paul Cardall
In miracles and second chances over a decade ago, I. Was raised from the dead.
Speaker 5
Read Paul's story, the broken miracle by JD Neto.
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Visit www.thebrokenmiracle.com.