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In this episode...

Mastering Meaningful Storytelling with David Alford and Joseph Stam

https://faithfulontheclock.captivate.fm/episode/mastering-meaningful-storytelling-with-david-alford-and-joseph-stam

Storytelling is central to success and connection, but how can you do it with heart, power, and influence? Episode 135 welcomes David Alford and Joseph Stam for insights.

Timestamps:

[00:04] - Intro

[00:44] - Guest introductions

[02:05] - Background and start of Cross Purposes Productions

[09:36] - Business lessons David and Joseph learned from the process of starting the studio

[11:11] - Thoughts on the surge of Christian films, genres, and the direction of the Christian of the film industry

[17:04] - What David and Joseph look for in stories they choose to pursue

[18:53] - Summary of Searching for the Elephant

[22:38] - Advice about taking time, being authentic, and embracing life’s messiness in storytelling in a rushed world

[25:19] - Balancing authenticity against formulas and patterns for marketing

[31:37] - Being authentic while producing from the subconscious; the subjectivity in art

[34:10] - The role of the audience in helping artists discover who they are and what their calling is

[36:30] - Being passionate about what you do and being fulfilled

[41:23] - David and Joseph’s biggest takeaways

[44:21] - Advice on asking for help against a culture of independence and grit

[47:39] - What’s ahead for Cross Purposes

[49:40] - Prayer

[50:30] - Outro/What’s coming up next

Key takeaways:

• Cross Purposes got its start with submissions to multiple film festivals, which led to the production of initial feature-length films and allowed David and Joseph to start collaborating professionally.
• Working in something like film means the work is speculative — you don’t know if a project is going to hit or not, but you hope it will.
• “Christian” film isn’t just inspirational stories. It can include all genres (e.g., mystery, thriller, comedy) and be challenging in many positive ways. This means there’s a huge spectrum of creative possibility in it, reflecting God, and that we should be careful not to allow “Christian” film not to become a caricature. 
• Cross Purposes Productions looks for stories that take people places they’ve never been with people they want to travel with.
• Searching for the Elephant, Cross Purposes Production’s latest release, is a neo-Western story about addiction. But it is also a messy story of familial estrangement and relationship repair. 
• Searching for the Elephant demonstrates that real life isn’t neat and perfect. In telling our own stories, honoring this imperfection and slowing down to be more authentic is beneficial. People can spot stories that manufactured or formulaic and respond better to stories that are jagged around the edges.
• Authenticity connects to the way you market your story. It’s okay to appeal to a niche rather than to everyone. If you listen to your audience’s initial feedback well, they can help you figure out what direction to take in your next marketing steps.
• People can integrate elements into stories subconsciously. Audience feedback can reveal where those integrations are and the influence they have.
• Feedback in film doesn’t come right away, which means you have to rely more on your experience and instinct. Many other businesses are the exact same way. But a good rule of thumb is to make something you’d want to have yourself.
• Passion plays a big role in being satisfied in work. Aim for something you love but would also suffer for.
• It’s never too late to pursue your passion — if you feel like God is calling you, go for it. Be brave and talk to people without allowing bias and superficialities to get in the way, because you never know what you can get if you just ask. It takes community and sharing your vision to make it reality.
• Cross Purposes Productions has multiple films in the works. You can learn more and stay updated on social media or crosspurposes.productions.

• Searching for the Elephant - Instagram
• Searching for the Elephant - Facebook
• Searching for the Elephant - Amazon Prime
• Searching for the Elephant - Tubi
• Cross Purposes Productions

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