Episode 208 - Faithful Filmmaking: Grit Without Compromise - With David Alford and Joseph Stam This interview is also published in video format. If you prefer to watch it, you can do so here: https://youtu.be/amC0ZMRjGD8In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Geoffrey Whitt interviews David Alford and Joseph Stam of Cross Purposes Productions about their backgrounds in theater and filmmaking, their mentorship and collaboration, and lessons learned transitioning from stage to screen. They emphasize telling authentic, personal, “small” stories based on accessible locations and community resources, sharing how they secured a real hospital and even a high-security prison for shoots. David outlines their stepwise funding model starting with a $9,000 project, reinvesting profits, and growing organically to make much larger features without breaking the bank. They share about their latest film, Due North (formerly Searching for the Elephant), explaining the film’s rebranding due to distributor changes, and encourage filmmakers to serve audiences with honest, purposeful storytelling.Highlights Include:Welcome and IntroductionsMentorship and Acting ShiftWriting Cross PurposesDue North Casting and DirectingFinding the "Urgent" StoryHard Faith And Realistic EndingsGrit Without CompromiseDistribution And Rebranding Due NorthFunding Films Step By StepDeciding What’s NextAdvice for FilmmakersBios:David Alford started Cross Purposes Productions in 2019 and has been a driving force behind the production of all five of their films. Married for 34 years to his incredible wife, Stephanie, he is the father of three adult children and five grandchildren. After graduating from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television and Film in the early nineties, David worked in Christian radio in both Austin and Dallas Texas in both the Christian music format (Program director/on-air talent) as well as the talk format (on-air talent). When kids came along, David became a public high school English teacher to be home more with his kids. While homeschooling his three children, he spent five years acting and directing in the San Antonio theatre scene and eventually became a professional actor at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia where he worked in the resident acting company for six years. Shortly before Covid hit, he took a hiatus from the stage and wrote his first screenplay for a short film. He produced it locally with some friends and submitted it to film festivals where it received numerous awards in the U.S. and internationally as well as a Global distribution deal. Since then, he has produced three more award-winning, feature length films that have gone on to be distributed worldwide and seen by millions of people on some of the largest streaming and satellite platforms in the world. His work has been voice dubbed into Portuguese and subtitled into many languages including Hindi to reach a larger global audience.Joseph Stam grew up, with a theatrical streak encouraged by hismother, and as a film enthusiast encouraged by his older brother (who is now a filmeditor.) He took the stage as Peter Pan when he was eight years old and neverstopped. All the while he made home movies with his siblings, roping them intotelling his stories. At sixteen years of age, Joseph was cast in his first short film,Cross Purposes. Working on a film set was a dream come true. Curious abouteverything involved in filmmaking, he started honing his writing and directing skillsand eventually joined Cross Purposes Production’s creative team behind thecamera for their next three full length films. Joseph has been recognized as anoutstanding youth act