God Moments - On and Off Set, with Stephanie Parker

In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Host’s Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt  talk with actress Stephanie Parker about how her faith has interwoven with her acting journey. She highlights 'God moments' in her career, and explains how she uses prayer to discern her purpose in each opportunity,  finding purpose beyond the roles themselves.  Stephanie recounts a life-altering conversation with a non-believer during the production of 'Disciples in the Moonlight’, and other God-appointed encounters. She also talks about:

• Prioritizing Family
• Turning Down a Role and Trusting God
• The Impact of a Dominican Republic Mission
• A Life-Changing Trip to the Dominican Republic
• The Healing Power of Art and Storytelling
• Supporting each other in the industry
• Breaking into the Industry: Getting an Agent
• The Importance of High-Quality Reels
• Investing in your Career

Stephanie Parker is a wife and mom of 2 kids. She has a passion for learning and teaching the Bible because the Word of God changed her life. Time and time again, God has used scripture in her life to carry her through some of her hardest moments, like losing a child and losing her father to Covid. God has taught her that He truly can work ALL things for good and for His glory, if we let Him. In addition to being passionate about the Word of God, Stephanie also has enjoyed acting in films, running a business based on a product she invented to help her daughter sleep (featured on Shark Tank), and writing children's books and screenplays. All of these endeavors have been part of the many adventures God has taken her on once she began seeking and obeying Him.

Stephanie's Facebook page

@stephparkeractress on Instagram

The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every week, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film scorers,  talent agents, and distributors. 

It is produced and hosted by Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt , and is brought to you by the Faith & Family Filmmakers Association

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Jaclyn: 00:00:00

Welcome to our members portion of Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.

Jaclyn: 00:00:05

We have Stephanie Parker with us and we are going to get into some more details.

Jaclyn: 00:00:10

Earlier in the interview she was talking about some God moments in her career, but she's got even more to say about that.

Jaclyn: 00:00:16

So Stephanie, take it away.

Stephanie: 00:00:18

Yeah.

Stephanie: 00:00:18

I've definitely come to learn that, oftentimes I am on a set or receive a role for something that has nothing to do with the role or the film that I'm a part of.

Stephanie: 00:00:28

It's often a, much bigger picture, um, that has to do with what God is doing in, in his kingdom and in light of eternity.

Stephanie: 00:00:36

And so just a few examples, I guess I would say of that:

Stephanie: 00:00:40

One of them that comes to mind immediately has to do with Disciples in the Moonlight, which should be coming out this year.

Stephanie: 00:00:47

But, I've learned to start praying to the Lord before I show up on set: Okay, show me who I'm here for and why I'm here.

Stephanie: 00:00:57

And I found out, by just riding in the car from the airport to where I was going to be staying, because the individual that was, in charge of, like, the transportation was a volunteer that was not a believer.

Stephanie: 00:01:12

And we were able to have this incredible, just God ordained conversation, just talking about kind of the struggles, that he's experienced with his faith, but he was there because he wanted to know more, you know?

Stephanie: 00:01:25

And I remember a lot of my story kind of coincided with his and I was able to share a little of my testimony.

Stephanie: 00:01:32

And I remember getting out of that car and just realizing I wasn't, I mean, I yes I was there for the film and the story of that film, but I was also there for that individual to have that conversation.

Stephanie: 00:01:44

And just thanking the Lord for that.

Stephanie: 00:01:46

And that's what fills you.

Stephanie: 00:01:48

That's what sustains you.

Stephanie: 00:01:49

Cause roles, movies, they come and go, but these hearts we're going to encounter, maybe, maybe not again in this life, but maybe in eternity.

Stephanie: 00:01:57

And that's what matters.

Stephanie: 00:01:59

And so those little conversations I've had so many opportunities where God has done that.

Stephanie: 00:02:04

Another situation that recently happened that I can't even begin to tell you the incredible God-experience this was.

Stephanie: 00:02:12

So I had gotten a call back and actually booked the role for another feature film recently that was going to be filming over Christmas, I was going to have to be away from my family for 21 days.

Stephanie: 00:02:23

And during this season, I just, I felt convicted that that wouldn't be honoring my first calling, which is my family at the, during this season in particular.

Stephanie: 00:02:33

And so, I really prayed about it cause I I loved those filmmakers.

Stephanie: 00:02:37

I loved that story.

Stephanie: 00:02:38

I loved that role.

Stephanie: 00:02:40

I was so excited about it.

Stephanie: 00:02:42

But very clearly, from the Lord, just felt a pause and ultimately ended up turning down the role, which was sad.

Stephanie: 00:02:51

But at the same time, I just said, Okay, Lord, I'm going to trust you.

Stephanie: 00:02:55

I'm I'm going to trust you because oftentimes, the no is the best yes that we can say.

Stephanie: 00:03:00

Because by saying no to one thing, we're really saying yes to another.

Stephanie: 00:03:04

And so I said no and was kind of bummed about it afterwards, but at the same time, knowing that I was being obedient to the Lord in it.

Stephanie: 00:03:13

And the next day I found out that I booked this role in a film based on a true story.

Stephanie: 00:03:19

It's based on the CUP's mission.

Stephanie: 00:03:21

I think it's the cups, mission.

Stephanie: 00:03:23

com or .org.

Stephanie: 00:03:24

You can find out about it there.

Stephanie: 00:03:27

And it was this, torch for angel studios.

Stephanie: 00:03:30

And I would be playing a Dominican doctor.

Stephanie: 00:03:33

I'd never used my Spanish in a role before.

Stephanie: 00:03:36

I speak Spanish, but, I've never done a role in a, Spanish accent.

Stephanie: 00:03:40

And I was kind of shocked that I got it because, you know, I'm definitely an American.

Stephanie: 00:03:45

And I was so thankful because in this particular role, I was only going to be gone for three days filming this one.

Jaclyn: 00:03:52

Oh, that's much better than 21.

Stephanie: 00:03:54

Yes.

Stephanie: 00:03:54

and I was so excited about it.

Stephanie: 00:03:57

And what was really neat...

Stephanie: 00:03:58

First of all, I discovered that this film was filming in Greenville, South Carolina...

Stephanie: 00:04:03

which happened to be...

Stephanie: 00:04:04

so my friend who I lived with from Ecuador to learn Spanish...

Stephanie: 00:04:09

I lived in Ecuador for about nine months and learned Spanish, and I lived with her family...

Stephanie: 00:04:13

she became a best friend of mine and, she married an American and recently moved from Ecuador to the States; to Greenville, South Carolina.

Stephanie: 00:04:22

And so first of all, it was a sweet gift from the Lord that I got to see her while I was there.

Stephanie: 00:04:26

She picked me up from the airport, dropped me off.

Stephanie: 00:04:28

But then when I was there filming this project, I fell in love with the people running this mission.

Stephanie: 00:04:34

So this mission caters really to children, that are really living in an impoverished situation.

Stephanie: 00:04:41

They go to the trash dump in the Dominican Republic and, uh, serve the people there.

Stephanie: 00:04:46

And there's a horrible issue of sex trafficking there, that's kind of fueled by the Russian mob.

Stephanie: 00:04:52

And they, the goal is to, get these kids before the narrative that's in their head that tells them they need to go and be part of the sex trade, really takes root, is to really love on these kids, to give them another option.

Stephanie: 00:05:07

And they gave them, they set up, Sewing centers so the girls can learn how to sew and start their own micro businesses and pay for their school.

Stephanie: 00:05:14

And then they also, yeah, it's amazing.

Stephanie: 00:05:17

And then they also teach the boys how to bake so they can build their own pizza businesses.

Stephanie: 00:05:21

So they deliver pizza to the island and, just was so impacted by this and impacted by the stories because the people that run the organization, also ran like, the craft services, the transportation for the film.

Stephanie: 00:05:38

Trey Reynolds directed it, and he's phenomenal.

Stephanie: 00:05:41

He produced Family Camp and some of the Kendrick Brothers stuff.

Stephanie: 00:05:43

They had known about him and hired him.

Stephanie: 00:05:46

But the people are what I fell in love with and the impact that the mission had on their lives is what I fell in love with and in their kids lives as well.

Stephanie: 00:05:55

To the point where I went back to my hotel that night and I remember saying, Lord, I don't know why I'm here, but I feel like, called to go to the Dominican and, to help in a bigger way than just being part of this film.

Stephanie: 00:06:10

And I had spoken with the assistant, uh, her name is Kathleen, of the guy who runs it, Jack Eason.

Stephanie: 00:06:17

And, I just said, Are there ever any trips that are open?

Stephanie: 00:06:21

And she goes, well, they're kind of full for the rest of the year.

Stephanie: 00:06:25

The next one we're going on is in December, but just all the trips are pretty much...

Stephanie: 00:06:29

people are committed.

Stephanie: 00:06:30

I said, well, I would love to take my kids at one point, you know, that would be so cool.

Stephanie: 00:06:35

And ever since I left, I said, Lord, I just can't shake the feeling.

Stephanie: 00:06:40

I want to go.

Stephanie: 00:06:42

And I'd like to go in December and I'd like to go with both my kids.

Stephanie: 00:06:45

And I'm going to ask in faith, if you want us to go.

Stephanie: 00:06:48

I prayed such a specific prayer, I can't even tell you.

Stephanie: 00:06:51

So I said, Lord, if you would like us to go, will you lay it on Kathleen, the assistant's heart to tell Jack about this?

Stephanie: 00:06:58

And that three spots would open up in December for us to be able to go.

Stephanie: 00:07:02

I prayed that specifically.

Stephanie: 00:07:04

And I said, because I don't want it to be me manufacturing it.

Stephanie: 00:07:07

I want it to be you opening the door for it to happen.

Stephanie: 00:07:10

And sure enough, Kathleen, had told Jack at lunch, it came to mind, and she told him and he reached out and said, do you want to go?

Stephanie: 00:07:18

There's three spots available for December.

Jaclyn: 00:07:20

Wow!

Stephanie: 00:07:22

We just came back.

Stephanie: 00:07:22

I have a question.

Stephanie: 00:07:24

I just, I have to be able to picture this better.

Stephanie: 00:07:26

How old are your kids?

Stephanie: 00:07:27

Um, so Charlotte is 13 and Maverick is nine.

Jaclyn: 00:07:30

Okay.

Jaclyn: 00:07:31

Okay.

Geoff: 00:07:31

Great experience.

Geoff: 00:07:34

Wow.

Stephanie: 00:07:35

It was incredible.

Stephanie: 00:07:38

So we just got back from thethe Dominican Republic.

Stephanie: 00:07:41

And we got to like, love on those amazing people.

Stephanie: 00:07:41

Like, I cannot begin to put into words how incredible it is, what they're doing there and how, this is so much bigger than a movie or a show, but it is touching hearts and lives.

Stephanie: 00:07:51

And to see how God used my Spanish, and to book a role that ultimately would lead my kids to have, and myself, to have the most life changing experience.

Stephanie: 00:08:03

And for us to be able to connect with these beautiful people, to be able to share our testimonies with these beautiful people.

Stephanie: 00:08:09

To love on them, and to provide food for them, and, our kids are just like, we're ready to go...

Stephanie: 00:08:15

they, at first, they were like, I don't know.

Jaclyn: 00:08:18

Mm hmm.

Stephanie: 00:08:18

But at first, you know, it's a scary thing going to a totally new country.

Stephanie: 00:08:22

We've never done anything like that before.

Jaclyn: 00:08:24

Everything's different.

Stephanie: 00:08:25

It's totally different.

Stephanie: 00:08:27

But by the last day, both of them wanted to go back.

Stephanie: 00:08:30

Just fell in love with the kids there.

Stephanie: 00:08:33

And, like our son's big takeaway was he remembers playing with this little boy, you know, in this tiny village.

Stephanie: 00:08:39

I mean, poverty on a level that we don't see in the United States, because there's really no government assistance to speak of.

Stephanie: 00:08:46

And this little boy was playing with my son, Maverick, and he had one coin.

Stephanie: 00:08:51

And he took Maverick to go get a little pastry so he could buy one for his new American friend, for my son.

Stephanie: 00:08:59

And, and it just really struck my son, that this little boy only had one coin, but he wanted to share it with him.

Stephanie: 00:09:06

And, those are things you can't...

Stephanie: 00:09:10

that's so much more valuable than a film, you know?

Stephanie: 00:09:14

So,

Geoff: 00:09:15

That's a really formational experience for children of that age.

Stephanie: 00:09:19

Yes,

Geoff: 00:09:19

It's life changing.

Stephanie: 00:09:20

Yes, yeah, Oh, I was just so filled by the last, I just remember, waking up on the last day, just filled with so much gratitude, to see how God, had worked in their lives, in my life, and how God uses every last little thing when we surrender it to Him.

Stephanie: 00:09:37

So yeah, that's another experience, but there's so many, I can't even tell you.

Stephanie: 00:09:41

Every film set has had...

Stephanie: 00:09:43

there was another experience where, I remember feeling like I needed to say yes to this one film and I just didn't really, know why.

Stephanie: 00:09:51

You know, I, it was a, like a student film in our area.

Stephanie: 00:09:54

I mean, it was paid and everything, but I was like, normally kind of don't do a bunch of student films really anymore.

Stephanie: 00:10:01

Just cause I want to bring really good quality.

Stephanie: 00:10:03

But I felt like I was supposed to be part of this for some reason.

Stephanie: 00:10:06

I didn't know why until I got there and the girl playing my daughter, um, we were talking at lunch and I remember her sharing just really vulnerably and to the point of tears that she had really walked away from her faith upbringing and pursued lifestyle, that wasn't giving her what she was hoping for.

Stephanie: 00:10:26

And she was kind of wanting to walk away from that, and felt like she wasn't...

Stephanie: 00:10:33

it wasn't giving her the fruitfulness that she was hoping it would, right?

Stephanie: 00:10:37

The identity that she was hoping it would.

Stephanie: 00:10:39

And, um, she, she was brought to tears and I remember praying that morning, okay, God, like, why am I here?

Stephanie: 00:10:44

Who am I here for?

Stephanie: 00:10:46

And just, being able to say, Hey, I, prayed for God to show me.

Stephanie: 00:10:50

And I feel like, like I'm sitting and looking at the person as to why I'm here.

Stephanie: 00:10:54

And we've kept in touch.

Stephanie: 00:10:55

We did Bible studies together afterwards over zoom, and just seeing her now walking with the Lord and choosing to just surrender to him and, and seeing the change in her life.

Stephanie: 00:11:07

And like, I mean, it wasn't for the film, it wasn't for the film.

Stephanie: 00:11:12

And so it was just really beautiful.

Stephanie: 00:11:14

I just was so I think this is just a vehicle.

Stephanie: 00:11:18

I really believe this is all just a vehicle for God to do what he really wants to do.

Stephanie: 00:11:23

And it's his way of sending me out, to the places that he needs me to go, and sometimes it's me that needs to change.

Stephanie: 00:11:30

Sometimes it's, me that God puts on a set to, to really work on my heart.

Stephanie: 00:11:35

Also on Disciples in the Moonlight, I'll never forget.

Stephanie: 00:11:38

I was about to film this really hard scene where I had to weep and cry over this...

Stephanie: 00:11:44

um, I can't tell you what, but you'll find out later.

Stephanie: 00:11:48

But I, uh, I lost my dad to COVID a couple years ago.

Stephanie: 00:11:53

And right before I left, I had to, I just happened to notice in my guest bedroom closet, one of my dad's old jean jackets that I had totally forgotten about.

Stephanie: 00:12:02

And it was a jean jacket that he acid washed himself from the seventies.

Stephanie: 00:12:07

And, um, yeah, and I didn't.

Stephanie: 00:12:10

put two and two together.

Stephanie: 00:12:10

I was like, oh, it looks really ratty and my character's ratty, so I'm just going to grab it.

Stephanie: 00:12:14

It was like an afterthought.

Stephanie: 00:12:16

And I had the opportunity to wear that jacket in the film.

Stephanie: 00:12:20

And, and he had this radical conversion to the Lord and, really representative of the character I was playing at the time, and the grace that God needed to bestow on this particular character and how God had bestowed that on my father to change his life and like, it was healing.

Stephanie: 00:12:38

I can't tell you how healing it was to be on that set.

Stephanie: 00:12:43

And...

Jaclyn: 00:12:43

Yeah, I can imagine.

Stephanie: 00:12:44

Yeah, and I remember I was in a little room waiting for them to call action, because I had to walk through a door and, you know, and stuff like that.

Stephanie: 00:12:52

And, I remember just sitting there praying, like, God help me honor the life that you saved my dad from, and the miracle that you did in his life.

Stephanie: 00:13:01

Like, help me honor all of the people that represent my dad, you know?

Stephanie: 00:13:05

And I just, I cannot tell you how art heals.

Stephanie: 00:13:08

How this, what we do is healing.

Stephanie: 00:13:11

It is a way that God uses to, um, help process some of, of hard things in life.

Stephanie: 00:13:18

And so I love this, what we get to do every day because for so many reasons, it is immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine.

Stephanie: 00:13:27

And it's never for the reasons we think it is.

Stephanie: 00:13:30

And so, yeah, we serve a big God.

Stephanie: 00:13:32

We serve a God.

Jaclyn: 00:13:33

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:13:34

And it's so true.

Jaclyn: 00:13:35

Um, for my screenplay Flashback Jane, when I wrote it, it was for myself because I had a lot of regret and grief that I didn't know how to process and I, I found myself constantly like, just thinking I wish I would have done this differently, or I wish if I could go back, just constantly in that

Jaclyn: 00:13:56

thought.

Stephanie: 00:13:57

Mm.

Jaclyn: 00:13:57

But clearly we can't, right?

Jaclyn: 00:13:59

And so I had to trust that, God can make something out of my life, even though I've made mistakes in the past.

Jaclyn: 00:14:05

I still I still was not getting it, right?

Jaclyn: 00:14:07

And so I thought, okay, I need to follow this thought all the way through on a page, obviously not in real life, but you know, so I wrote the screenplay of a woman who ended up going back in time and reliving a portion of her life.

Jaclyn: 00:14:22

And, you know, in the process of writing that screenplay, I was able to get the healing that I needed, but it didn't occur to me that it could bring healing to other people involved in the process.

Jaclyn: 00:14:34

It's not even produced yet, and, I had, uh, two table reads.

Jaclyn: 00:14:37

One was with some, Aspiring actors, it was good practice for them.

Jaclyn: 00:14:41

And then we had like a table read that you were part of, with some more, uh, experienced actors.

Jaclyn: 00:14:46

And both times I had people telling me that there was a healing moment, that there was stuff in that script that actually touched their heart and help to give them perspective.

Jaclyn: 00:14:58

And it's not even produced yet and it's already bringing healing to more than just myself.

Jaclyn: 00:15:03

Like this is what is amazing about, when God gives us art and a calling and when we pursue it, all the things that can come from it, like sometimes it is for us, but sometimes it's for us and

Geoff: 00:15:15

Hm.

Stephanie: 00:15:16

Amen.

Stephanie: 00:15:17

And I, cannot wait to see how many lives that story is going to touch because I think there's not one person that hasn't experienced, that feeling of, you know, I wish I could change this or that, but like then embracing the fact that God has put us here.

Stephanie: 00:15:33

And you know that scripture that says, Our God will give us everything you need for life and godliness and that means even in the seasons that feel like you don't got everything you need, you know what I mean?

Stephanie: 00:15:45

He's saying, I'm not giving everything you think you need because I am what you need.

Stephanie: 00:15:51

You know, and discovering that, embracing that, and finding contentment in that; in him, and satisfaction in him.

Stephanie: 00:15:58

Like, I think that is, that is a message that everyone needs to hear.

Stephanie: 00:16:02

And I'm, I'm excited for you because it's so good!

Jaclyn: 00:16:06

Thank you.

Jaclyn: 00:16:07

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:16:07

Well, our obedience is always going to pay off, right?

Jaclyn: 00:16:10

Like, that's the thing, is it's not just...

Jaclyn: 00:16:12

it is fun, but we are also, we're responding to something in obedience.

Jaclyn: 00:16:19

And, you know, there's a reason that we're being asked to pursue what we're pursuing.

Jaclyn: 00:16:24

And in our obedience, we're going to honor God, and God is going to be glorified.

Jaclyn: 00:16:31

I kind of feel like we're going on an adventure with God.

Jaclyn: 00:16:35

You know, it's going to be fun.

Jaclyn: 00:16:36

There's going to be highs, there's going to be lows.

Jaclyn: 00:16:38

It is what it is.

Jaclyn: 00:16:40

You know, it's not always perfect.

Jaclyn: 00:16:42

Yes, uh, but we are in this with God and therefore we get to actually partner with him in something that is going to live outside of us.

Jaclyn: 00:16:52

Like, my stories, when I write them, as soon as I put them out there, it's like they take on a life of their own.

Jaclyn: 00:16:59

Even when I write a story about myself, in the script, it takes on a life of its own.

Jaclyn: 00:17:04

It's no longer mine.

Jaclyn: 00:17:05

God's story is now moving forward, you know, wherever he decides he wants to take it.

Stephanie: 00:17:11

No, it's so true.

Stephanie: 00:17:12

I know, I love that.

Stephanie: 00:17:13

And that's the creativity of our creator...

Stephanie: 00:17:16

of being able to reshape and, tailor the story so that it will reach the most people for his glory.

Stephanie: 00:17:24

That's so cool.

Jaclyn: 00:17:24

Absolutely.

Jaclyn: 00:17:26

So, okay, I gotta ask like a practical question.

Jaclyn: 00:17:29

I know Geoff was going to ask this, but I'm, I'm already, I'm on it.

Jaclyn: 00:17:32

I want to know, how did you get an agent?

Stephanie: 00:17:36

Oh, man.

Stephanie: 00:17:37

Well...

Jaclyn: 00:17:37

'Cause thats the part, like, how did you break into it?

Jaclyn: 00:17:39

Not just how did you decide you wanted to do it?

Jaclyn: 00:17:42

But that's a very practical part of the process of becoming a professional, right?

Jaclyn: 00:17:47

So how did that happen?

Stephanie: 00:17:48

Well, okay..

Stephanie: 00:17:50

So I can tell you exactly...

Stephanie: 00:17:52

what's crazy is the person that really, I think, opened the door for me to get my agent Jean, is Micah Hansen, who I met at one of the very first film festivals.

Stephanie: 00:18:01

She was the lead in Like Arrows.

Stephanie: 00:18:04

So again, it also Is a throwback to God using that.

Stephanie: 00:18:07

That was like the inception point and God's like, okay We're gonna do this, this and this.

Stephanie: 00:18:12

All of these things kind of grew from that point.

Stephanie: 00:18:16

So I knew Micah and she and I became really good friends, and we actually met a couple of different times at Content after we initially met at the International Christian Film Festival.

Stephanie: 00:18:27

And, so I did an audition for the movie Family Camp, ironically.

Stephanie: 00:18:32

And I was so, like, I was so excited about this audition.

Stephanie: 00:18:35

I was so pumped about it.

Stephanie: 00:18:37

I made sure to go into my acting studio and, you know, if you use an acting studio, it costs money to submit an audition.

Jaclyn: 00:18:45

hmm.

Stephanie: 00:18:45

...every time, if you do it that way.

Stephanie: 00:18:48

And I, I went ahead and I did it.

Stephanie: 00:18:50

And, um, ultimately they did a offer only role.

Stephanie: 00:18:54

Which means, so they'll put the audition out there for other people to audition, but then they ultimately just gave an offer to someone that was a named talent, if that makes sense, which was Lee Allen Baker, who's amazing and hilarious.

Stephanie: 00:19:05

And she was on the Disney channel and stuff like that.

Stephanie: 00:19:08

So was no chance for me to get this particular role, and I remember being So bummed.

Stephanie: 00:19:13

And that's the other thing is learning to not just look at the roles and the films you do as a big picture, kingdom picture, but to also see even auditions as being that.

Stephanie: 00:19:24

And so I remember being like, all right, well, I guess I didn't get it.

Stephanie: 00:19:27

And being really kind of bummed about it because it was the beginning of me acting.

Stephanie: 00:19:31

And I was...

Stephanie: 00:19:32

like...

Stephanie: 00:19:32

you know, you feel things a lot deeper at the beginning.

Stephanie: 00:19:35

The rejection hurts a little bit more, and you're not like understanding God's big picture perspective yet at that point You're like, Oh, that's so sad.

Stephanie: 00:19:43

But, um, I remember Micah saw that audition and she's like...

Stephanie: 00:19:49

cause I didn't even have reel at the time.

Stephanie: 00:19:52

I mean, that's the catch 22 in acting.

Stephanie: 00:19:55

In order to get a role or even get an audition, you have to have a reel, but you can't get a reel without booking roles.

Stephanie: 00:20:04

And it's this...

Jaclyn: 00:20:04

Right, yes.

Jaclyn: 00:20:05

Catch 22.

Jaclyn: 00:20:07

And so, Micah was so sweet to send that audition to Jean.

Jaclyn: 00:20:13

And I got an agent through that audition, actually.

Jaclyn: 00:20:17

So, and jean's been amazing.

Stephanie: 00:20:19

Yeah, so you just never know...

Jaclyn: 00:20:21

Well, congratulations.

Jaclyn: 00:20:22

That's so exciting.

Jaclyn: 00:20:23

Like,

Stephanie: 00:20:23

just Thank you!

Jaclyn: 00:20:24

because she didn't have to do that, right?

Stephanie: 00:20:26

Yeah, and I that's why it's so important for us to like, champion our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ in industry too...

Jaclyn: 00:20:35

Mm hmm.

Stephanie: 00:20:35

...Because God's going to open the door.

Stephanie: 00:20:38

It's not about, Oh, this is a competition between this other person.

Stephanie: 00:20:42

She has really shown me that in not just that, but I've seen her do that in other areas and other ways too.

Stephanie: 00:20:48

So, yeah, we have to be able to champion people like that.

Stephanie: 00:20:53

And so, yeah, I ended up signing with Jean as a result of that audition for Family Camp.

Jaclyn: 00:20:58

That's exciting.

Jaclyn: 00:20:59

That's exciting.

Stephanie: 00:21:01

Yeah.

Stephanie: 00:21:01

Yeah,

Geoff: 00:21:01

Yeah that dilemma with actor's reels, uh, sometimes you have to just, find a producer and a script and get some short clips made that, uh, they're, they're not actually from movies you've done, but they're representative of what you can do.

Geoff: 00:21:16

I know Jaclyn's written some scripts for actors for that purpose.

Stephanie: 00:21:19

I love that.

Stephanie: 00:21:20

And I know it really, is so valuable to have that.

Stephanie: 00:21:23

That's why I would say probably the best tip for a beginning actor is find a way to get high quality footage.

Stephanie: 00:21:30

Cinematic level footage.

Stephanie: 00:21:33

Sometimes you can do that through a real class.

Stephanie: 00:21:35

Like, there are acting studios that will have real classes...

Stephanie: 00:21:38

Real as in R E E L.

Stephanie: 00:21:40

Or there's people...

Stephanie: 00:21:41

I know, Zach Tonkin, who is, he's a young filmmaker...

Stephanie: 00:21:45

phenomenally talented.

Stephanie: 00:21:47

And he'll write, with you or he can write it too, you and then produce it.

Stephanie: 00:21:51

I mean, it costs money, but you have to understand that's an investment in the ability to then book later.

Stephanie: 00:21:59

And I honestly would say, Yes, you can, get footage from lower quality stuff, but I don't think that's a good use of your...

Stephanie: 00:22:06

it's good practice, but sometimes you can't use that in a reel because you want your footage in your reel to be high quality.

Stephanie: 00:22:13

It reflects on your acting ability too.

Stephanie: 00:22:16

It's kind of like the package that it comes in, says a lot about the calaber of talent that you bring too.

Stephanie: 00:22:23

So...

Stephanie: 00:22:24

So I almost would say I'd rather someone who's beginning in acting put up a great monologue that's well produced, well lit, well edited, maybe with a little music underneath, then put up a subpar chunk of film that you've done, maybe in like a student film or something.

Stephanie: 00:22:44

Still do those student films.

Stephanie: 00:22:45

still do those, projects where, you're working for free, because it's good practice.

Stephanie: 00:22:50

It's like, it's like, um, you know, working your muscles and things of that sort, but I wouldn't use that level of footage for your reel, if that makes sense.

Jaclyn: 00:22:59

Mm hmm.

Jaclyn: 00:23:00

Oh, yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:23:00

Definitely.

Jaclyn: 00:23:01

Definitely.

Geoff: 00:23:02

Yeah, and an important point that your career does take investment.

Stephanie: 00:23:06

Yes.

Geoff: 00:23:07

It's fact of life.

Geoff: 00:23:08

Regardless of what career, if you're going to go down any avenue, and you want to invest your life into it, it also means investing money.

Geoff: 00:23:17

It doesn't matter what it is, even if it's screenwriting.

Geoff: 00:23:19

You can learn a lot on your own, but you also need to invest.

Geoff: 00:23:23

uh, whether that's in coaching, and it probably is coaching, or classes, and eventually, coverage and getting feedback.

Geoff: 00:23:30

You cannot reach, the level that you need to reach to make it in any industry, but in this industry, without, accessing people who know more than you do.

Stephanie: 00:23:40

Mm

Stephanie: 00:23:40

100%.

Stephanie: 00:23:41

Yeah.

Stephanie: 00:23:42

That's why I always, like, firmly believe if you're not acting in a film, be acting in a class.

Stephanie: 00:23:49

know?

Stephanie: 00:23:50

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:23:50

Yes.

Jaclyn: 00:23:51

Yes.

Jaclyn: 00:23:51

Very good.

Jaclyn: 00:23:52

Stephanie, thank you so much for joining us.

Jaclyn: 00:23:54

Thank you for sharing your story and your insight.

Jaclyn: 00:23:57

It's been wonderful and I can't wait to see you again at another film festival in the future.

Stephanie: 00:24:01

Yay!

Geoff: 00:24:02

I'm sure it'll happen,

Stephanie: 00:24:03

I

Geoff: 00:24:03

hope Hopefully in this coming year.

Stephanie: 00:24:04

Thank you so much..

Stephanie: 00:24:05

This was so great.

Stephanie: 00:24:06

You guys have an amazing day.

Jaclyn: 00:24:08

You too.

Geoff: 00:24:09

And you.

Stephanie: 00:24:09

Bye

Geoff: 00:24:09

bye.

Jaclyn: 00:24:10

God bless.