(This page is currently under construction.)
Ashley Arielle studied screenwriting at a college you’ve never heard of, has attended several writing programs of equally vague importance and has blithely put aside any attempt at snobbery, fully embracing her love of the summer tent pole action flick. Her short “Foolproof“ won the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 10-10-10 Competition. She’s taught workshops on story in the wilds of Kansas City and once, accidentally, ran into Colin Farrell while stocking shelves at Borders. She’s worked on lots, on sets and has read a slew of very bad scripts for several small production companies. She currently lives in LA where she is trying to concentrate less on what she can’t change and more on what she can. Ashley blogs at www.idovillainy.com.
Dean Batali is one of Hollywood’s most articulate voices for faithful engagement in culture, Dean Batali, is best known for his work on That ‘70s Show, where he served as a writer for seven years and as an executive producer for the show’s final season. Dean also wrote for the initial two seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as for a number of other successful shows (Duckman, Hope and Gloria, The Half-Hour News Hour, andThe Adventures of Pete and Pete) and has been key in the development of many young TV writers in Hollywood today.
Bryan Belknap his a screenwriter who written for Lionsgate, Sony and Fox Television Studios. Brian is a graduate of Baylor University as well as the Act One screenwriting program. Bryan has earned honors with both an Art Within screenwriting fellowship and an Act Two advanced writing workshop. An outstanding teacher/speaker as well as writer, Bryan has taught screenwriting in the Act One program, the Forerunner Institute in Kansas City and numerous other settings. He is currently the Creative Director for MORF magazine. Bryan’s first graphic novel Too Late to Die comes out this winter.
Brian Bird is a prolific writer-producer whose TV writing/producing credits include more than 250 episodes of Touched By an Angel, Evening Shade, Step by Step, and The Family Man, as well as numerous TV and feature films. Brian is co-founder of Believe Pictures (with Michael Landon, Jr.) Together, they have produced two novel inspired films for Fox and they are currently writing and/or producing four films: When Calls the Heart, Deep in the Heart, The Shunning, and Game Time; Tackling the Past. Brian is also writing Captives, Fox Searchlight, a film, he is producing with Ken Wales and Ralph Winter. Brian also wrote and co-produced Tri-Star’s 2009 film Not Easily Broken. His script Call Me Claus was the highest rated cable film of 2002.
Kathy Bruner is assistant professor of Media Communication and the co-chair of the Media Communication Department at Taylor University where she teaches courses in media, faith and culture, and documentary filmmaking. Before coming to Taylor, Kathy taught at Bethel University and Asbury College. Between the three schools, Kathy’s students have won, or been nominated for nearly every major Hollywood award. Kathy and her husband/colleague, John Bruner, host Taylor’s Envision Film Festival, which has helped launch the careers of many Taylor students, including, Michelle Steffes. Kathy is known for her energetic teaching style, holding class sessions in her home, and her decadent brownies.
Adam Caress is co-editor-in-chief of Mule Variations: Music, Culture, Ideas. Adam is a graduate of Gordon College and met his Co-editor-in-chief Philip Francis in school. It was the middle of the night. Philip had just awakened to find Adam (with help from Philip’s roommate Tom) scouring Philip’s record collection for a rumored copy of Bob Dylan’s Biograph box set. Adam and Philip have been discussing music ever since. Adam was the longtime singer and songwriter of the popular Boston-based rock band The Troubadours. In addition to his Mule-related activities, Adam also books bands and is working on his first book.
Kevin Chesley is a screen and television who has served for many years as the sole Writer’s Assistant for Oscar-nominated screenwriter, Robert Nelson Jacobs (Chocolat, The Water Horse, Extraordinary Measures). Kevin is an alumnus of both Emerson College and the Act One screenwriting program, and founding member of two sketch comedy groups TROOP! and The Riot Act. Kevin’s current assignment is writing for MTV’s hit series The Hard Times of RJ Berger, MTV.com. Before getting his staff writer post at MTV, Kevin sold short-form pieces to The Onion, Showtime, and National Lampoon and performed sketch comedy on stages like the UCB, Comedy Central Stage, and The Viper Room. He also directs The Apple Sisters - a live 1940′s radio show spoof currently in residency at Largo in Los Angeles. It is not your typical “calling,” but Kevin has worked hard to become a respected voice on the cutting edge of culture.
Phil Cooke, PhD is an internationally known writer and speaker, and author who leads two media companies (Cooke Pictures and TWC Films), has produced media programming in more than 40 countries, appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, and helped some of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world tell their story. His blog at philcooke.comis a highly respected resource on media, faith, and culture. Phil is author five books, including Branding Faith, The Last TV Evangelist, and Jolt!
Christy Krumm is a freelance writer by day, and a restaurant employee by night. When she’s not working in restaurants, she is often eating in them, or blogging about them on TheEdibleLife.net. Her other favorite subjects to write about are relationships and Christian faith. She covers both topics on a regular basis forYourTango.com. Her work has also appeared in GreaterLongBeach.com and Los Angeles Magazine. She has both a B.A. and M.A. in English from CSULB, and in her free time, you can find her riding a bike around the great city of Long Beach, California where she lives and plays and eats.
Chris Easterly is TV and screenwriter with a growing resume and graduate of the Act One screen and television writing program. Chris was selected for the prestigious Warner Brothers Writers Workshop, and has written for Cartoon Network’s first live-action mystery adventure series Unnatural History, as well the screenplays for a number of television movies. His latest project, The Shunning appeared this Spring on the The Hallmark Channel.
Randy Elrod is artist-in-residence at O’More College of Design in Franklin, TN. A self-taught artist, Randy’s lifelong love affair with graphite sketching birthed his new passion for water colors at the age of forty-two. An ordained minister with three decades of pastoral and counseling experience, Randy describes himself as a “dreamer, artist, speaker, author and mentor” whose blog reflects his philosophy that “we all should be creating culture and influencing influencers.” His books and art are available online.
Rachel Held Evans is a skeptic, a creative, and a follower of Jesus. An award-winning author and popular blogger from Dayton, Tennessee—home of the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, Rachel’s first book, Evolving in Monkey Town (Zondervan, 2010), explores the relationship between faith and doubt and recounts the challenges of asking tough questions about Christianity in the context of the Bible Belt. Rachel recently finished a yearlong experiment in “biblical womanhood” in which she attempted to follow all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible. (Look for book describing experience from Thomas Nelson.) Rachel speaks on conferences and campuses across the country and has also been featured in interviews on NPR, Slate, The BBC, The Washington Post, The Guardian (UK), The Times London, The Huffington Post, and Oprah.com. Follow Rachel’s blog.
Margaret Feinberg was recently named one of the ’30 Emerging Voices’ who will help lead the church in the next decade by Charisma magazine. Margaret has written more than two dozen books and Bible studies including the critically-acclaimed The Organic God, The Sacred Echo, and Scouting the Divine. Margaret is known for her relational teaching style and inviting people to discover the relevance of God and His Word in a modern world, and is a popular speaker at churches and leading conferences such as Catalyst, CreationFest, and YouthSpecialties. Margaret blogs at MargaretFeinberg.com.
Mike Friesen and his 30,000+ Twitter followers can be found at his blog Christianity for the Rest of Us where he “leads from behind” in a quiet (and not so quiet) attempt to subvert the established order of Christianity with, well, CHRIST! Mike describes himself: “I am 24. I am a student, a son, a brother. I write because I am a Christian and I feel like this gives me something to say. This is my bleak attempt to write about how to describe my life, how I see faith, and the world.” His “bleak” appraisal is bringing hope to a generation searching for a better way.
Jack Gilbert devoted his entire life to mentoring and teaching the next generation. He established and directed the Act One Television Track Writing Program that has placed many writers in network writing workshops and television shows. Jack served as the Director of the Warner Bros. Writers Workshop, the entertainment industries most prestigious writing program, and has consulted on films like Batman Forever and The Addams Family. In addition to his role at Act One, Jack taught screenwriting at colleges such as Regent University (VA), Azusa Pacific University (CA), Columbia College (IL), and the Los Angeles Film Study Center. Jack went into the presence of the Lord on March 26, 2012. See, Well Done, Jack Gilbert: Beloved Hollywood Mentor, Young Life Leader, and Friend (1950-2012)
Todd W. Hall, PhD is Professor of Psychology, Director of the Institute for Research on Psychology and Spirituality, and Editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology, at Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University, in the Los Angeles area. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Biola University, and a doctoral specialization in measurement and psychometrics from UCLA. Using his expertise in clinical psychology, spirituality, leadership, and organizational development, Dr. Hall helps leaders and organizations maximize their potential and effectiveness. Todd has published and presented extensively on the topic, and recently co-authored (with Dr. John Coe) Psychology in the Spirit: Contours of a Transformational Psychology (2010), part of IVP’s Christian Worldview Integration series. He also co-authored a chapter in Christianity and Psychology: Five Views (IVP, 2010). Dr. Hall developed the Spiritual Transformation Inventory (STI), which is the most widely used spiritual assessment tool among Christian secondary schools, Bible institutes, and Christian colleges and universities. Follow Todd’s blog.
Leslie J. “Sam” Helgerson, PhD, seeks to equip, delight, and encourage leaders in their day-to-day life of faith. Sam serves as Assistant Dean of Business and Leadership and Assistant Professor of Organizational Leadership at Bethel University (MN) and as a writer, speaker, and consultant with Great Ridge Group. Great Ridge offers Mentoring, Leadership Development, Program Design and Evaluation, Coaching, and Consulting to equip leaders and organizations so they can learn, lead, grow, and succeed in the Knowledge Economy. Sam holds a PhD in Teaching Critical and Strategic Thinking to Adult Students of Leadership.
Brian Godawa is a professional filmmaker, writer, visual artist, speaker, and aspiring “Renaissance Man” (but without the art smock). His creative versatility was born of a passion for both intellect and imagination. As a screenwriter his award-winning feature film, To End All Wars, starring Kiefer Sutherland, and Alleged, starring Brian Dennehy and Fred Thompson. As an author, Brian’s book, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment is used as a textbook in schools around the country. His new novel, Noah Primeval is an imaginative retelling of the biblical story of Noah and the fallen angels of Genesis 6. For speaking engagements and other info visit Brian’s website Godawa.com.
Dale Keuhne, PhD is the Richard L. Bready Chair for Ethics, Economics and the Common Good at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH. He is also the pastor of Emmanuel Covenant Church, Nashua NH. He holds a PhD from Georgetown University. His research interests include all the things his parents warned him to avoid: Religion, Politics, and Sexuality in a Post-Modern World. His books include: Sex and the iWorld: Rethinking Relationship beyond an Age of Individualism and Massachusetts Congregationalist Political Thought, 1760-1790: The Design of Heaven. He blogs at Signpostings: Relationships in a World of Individualism.
David Kinnaman is the President of Barna Group and author of the best-selling books, You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith, and unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity (with Gabe Lyons). Since joining Barna in 1995, David has designed and analyzed nearly 500 research projects for clients including Sony, NBC-Universal, World Vision, and Compassion International. As a spokesperson for the firm’s research, he is often quoted in major media outlets such as USA Today, Fox News, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal).
Erik Lokkesmoe is the founder and principal of Different Drummer, a LA/NYC-based audience and fan mobilization agency for top entertainment brands. Before launching the company in 2008, Erik was a Vice President at AFG/Walden Media/Bristol Bay Productions, the creators of The Chronicles of Narnia, and other successful family entertainment properties. Erik is a graduate of Westmont College and the Act One Hollywood training program, with an MA from American University, with an emphasis in Social Marketing. Before coming to Hollywood, Erik also has served as a political and celebrity speechwriter, Capitol Hill press secretary, the director of communications for the National Endowment for the Humanities, the founder of the arts non-profit Brewing Culture, a co-author and speaker, and a media strategist for the National Association of Broadcasters. Erik is co-author of The Revolutionary Communicator: Seven Principles Jesus Lived To Impact, Connect And Lead.
Monica Macer is a prolific television writer with extensive network resume. A graduate of Vassar College, Monica started her career in theatre in New York City as a playwright and director. After moving to Los Angeles, Monica turned her focus to feature and television development both as an assistant at Nickelodeon Movies and as a Creative Executive with the Walt Disney Company. Shortly after leaving Disney to pursue her dream to write, Monica landed a writers assistantship on the Fox show 24. After two seasons at 24, Monica got her big break as a staff writer on the legendary first season of the ABC hit show LOST. Monica then spent two seasons on the Fox show Prison Break before moving on to NBC’s Knight Rider, MTV’s Teen Wolf and a new project for ABC premièring Fall 2011.
Scot McKnight is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University (Chicago, Illinois) and a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham, and is the author of more than thirty books, including the award-winning The Jesus Creed,One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow, The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, Fasting: The Ancient Practices, The Real Mary: Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus. Scot’s award-winning blog, Jesus Creed, has become a highly influential interchange of ideas regarding the future of faith in America.
Jonathan Merritt is author of “A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars.” He has published more than 300 articles and columns in outlets such as USA Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and CNN.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jonathanmerritt.
Dr. J.R. Miller is a former pastor and now professor and church planting coach based in California. Joe has 15 years of pastoral experience and has authored multiple books on church history, biblical theology, and most recently a devotional for building teams entitled, “More Than Cake.” Dr. Miller has a B.A.E from the Pennsylvania State University, an M.Div from Oral Roberts University, and a D.Min from Biola University. Joe and his wife Suzanne enjoy the sun and surf with their 3 sons in San Diego, CA. He is an avid blogger at www.MoreThanCake.org and www.EmergingLife.org.
Kenneth P. Minkema, PhD, is the Executive Editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards and of the Jonathan Edwards Center & Online Archive at Yale University, with appointments as Research Faculty at Yale Divinity School and as Research Associate at the University of the Free State, South Africa. Ken has served as the Executive Secretary of the American Society of Church History has published numerous articles on Jonathan Edwards and topics in early American religious history in professional journals. Ken edited volume 14 in Edwards Works, Sermons and Discourses: 1723-1729, and co-edited books, including A Jonathan Edwards Reader; The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards: A Reader; and Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”: A Casebook. Ken is currently part of a team that is preparing Cotton Mather’s “Biblia Americana” for publication.
Joey O’Conner is a screenwriter, pastor, speaker, retreat leader, author, as well as founder of the CreativEdge Artists Network and The Grove Center for the Arts & Media. The Grove is dedicated to cultivating, connecting, and creating the Story of God in people’s lives. Through retreats, gatherings and ministry partnerships, the Grove focuses on developing the spiritual growth and creative work of artists in the Church. Joey is the author of 19 books, including The Longing: Embracing the Deepest Truth of Who You Are. He is a vibrant social media presence and a dynamic mentor of young artists in a variety of media. Joey blogs at Art, Faith & Life.
Christian Piatt is an author, editor, speaker, musician and spoken word artist. He co-founded Milagro Christian Church in Pueblo, Colorado with his wife, Rev. Amy Piatt. Christin. Christian is the creator and editor of BANNED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE and BANNED QUESTIONS ABOUT JESUS. He co-created and co-edits the “WTF: Where’s the Faith?” young adult series with Chalice Press, and he has a memoir on faith, family and parenting being published in early 2012 called PREGMANCY: A Dad, a Little Dude and a Due Date. Follow Christians blog.
Korey Scott Pollard is a DGA first assistant director on the TNT television series Rizzoli & Isles. Korey’s previous film and television credits include the critically acclaimed USA television series Monk, as well as Lie to Me (Fox), Life (NBC), House (Fox), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), and CSI (CBS), as well as films such Thirteen Days, as Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Clear & Present Danger, and That Thing You Do. He co-produced his first film in 2006, an independent adaptation of the Robert Whitlow novel, The List. Korey has been a guest lecturer at University of Texas, Austin, Biola University, the Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC). He serves on the Advisory boards of Compass College of Cinematic Arts, and Hollywood Connect.
Cheryl McKay Price is a screenwriter who has been professionally writing since 1997. Cheryl wrote the screenplay for The Ultimate Gift (2006), based on Jim Stovall’s novel. The Ultimate Gift won a Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival, received three Movieguide Nominations, winning one of the Ten Best Family Films of 2007, and won a CAMIE Award, for one of the Top Ten Films of the year. Cheryl has two current projects Never the Bride and a sequel to the Ultimate Gift entitled, The Ultimate Life . Her screenplay for Never the Bride was adapted into a novel for Random House Publishers/Waterbrook Press.
Jessica Rieder is one of the bright new stars in Hollywood’s TV writing rooms. For three years on the cable hit Leverage (TNT) and now with the network show Hawaii Five-O (CBS), Jessica and writing partner, Melissa Glenn, have emerged as a creative force to be reckoned with. Jessica was born and raised in small-town Wisconsin, where she learned to love God, cheese and football (not necessarily in that order).
Christopher Riley is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. Chris wrote the German-language courtroom thriller After the Truth with his wife and writing partner Kathleen Riley, and executive produced the provocative web series Bump+. Chris and Kathy also wrote 25 to Life, (Junction Entertainment/Touchstone Pictures), The Other White House, (Fountainbridge Films/Intermedia) and Aces (Paramount Pictures). They also adapted the non-fiction book Actual Innocence by Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld and Jim Dwyer (Mandalay Television Pictures/Fox television network).
Mike Rinaldi is a moderator and blogger for the popular Save the Cat! screenwriting forum at www.blakesnyder.com. Mike studied theology at Fresno Pacific University before completing the Act One screenwriting program in 2009 and has been mentored by some of Hollywood’s top professionals. His production work includes five feature films as well as commercials and a music video and he’s written across various media platforms from Relevant Magazine to Gotee Records to the stand-up comedy circuit. Mike is currently a script doctor and screenwriter developing feature films and web series as well as several original projects.
David Ruis is an internationally respected worship leader, songwriter and communicator. David has several worship songs published that are standards in Church worship, most notably Every Move I Make and You’re Worthy Of My Praise. His most recent album, When Justice Shines, was released through ION Records. He has also authored 2 books: The Worship God is Seeking and The Justice God is Seeking. David exudes a burning passion for community and the practical and theological integration of creative worship expression that interfaces with the issues of poverty and social injustice. David and his wife Anita have planted churches in both Canada and the US, including Basileia Hollywood, where they co-labor with Don Williams, Gary & Sue Stratton, and a swarm of Millennial leaders seeking to plant a next-generation-focused church in the heart of Hollywood. David and Anita currently serve as pastors-at-large, ministering in Hollywood while traveling internationally to speak, lead worship, and foster justice-seeking churches.
David Schmelzer has a background both in theology (Fuller Seminary, ’87) and the arts (Stanford University, ’84, and a decade as a working playwright). He leads a two-site church in the Boston area (Vineyard Christian Fellowship–Greater Boston,www.bostonvineyard.org), keeps his hand in some fiction writing, and lives just outside Boston with his wife, Grace and their five children. Dave is the author of Not the Religious Type, and blogs at Not the Religious Type: A Different Conversation About Faith.
Nathan Scoggins is an award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles. He’s written projects for Lionsgate, Jenkins Entertainment, Sodium Entertainment, and Five Stone Media. Several of his award-winning short films are available on DVD. His latest film, THE LEAST OF THESE has just been released by Vivendi Universal through Code Black Entertainment. For more information on the film, please check out the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/
Brennan Mark Smith is a Hollywood-based screenwriter and story analyst. Bren began his screenwriting journey in 2001 after showing his prequel to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Wittenberg, to a script consultant. They collaborated on two projects, including the award-winning comic adventure The Dueling Accountant. Bren has since written the medieval adventure, Templar, the Ugandan thriller, Rock Star Rescue, and the upcoming teen dramedy for the Christian market, Send. A graduate of Act One Program’s advanced screenwriting course, Act Two, he has taught at the Haven, Damah Film Festival and 168 Film Festival. He currently helps various writers develop screenplays as a story analyst for Act One Program and Keys2scriptsuccess.com.
Dr. Catherine Hart Weber, PhD is Christian therapist, life coach and spiritual director. In her writing, blogging, and speaking, Catherine seeks to integrate the best of Christian Spiritual formation, neuroscience and Faith Based Positive Psychology (the science human flourishing) providing ways to build healthy coping skills, healthier relationships and enhanced well-being. Her goal is to provide reflective, relevant resources that will inspire and strengthen you on your journey. Catherine was born and raised in South Africa and still maintains a ‘slight’ accent. She holds a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary School of Psychology, and is a licensed marriage and family therapist, as well as an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and Denver Seminary.
Lisa Whittle is an author, blogger, speaker, and leader with great insights into male-female issues in leadership and personal wholeness. Lisa’s latest book, Whole: An Honest Look at the Holes in Your Life and How to Let God Fill Them was recently released by Barna Books. Her first solo book Behind Those Eyes: What’s Really Going on Inside the Souls of Women (Thomas Nelson) is available on Amazon. Lisa is a wife and mother of three, and, like Sue and I, a passionate advocate for Compassion International. You can follow Lisa on her Blog, Twitter, and/or Facebook.
more to come
