In God's Image : Storytellers : Stew Redwine

In God’s Image: Subcreators in a Created World

An Ongoing Series from 3LCpublishing

Below are interview questions I sent to Stew Redwine, founder and head of StewRedwine.com, a firm that creates top-notch "web videos that increase clarity and conversion". 

Stew and I attended Biola University around the same era in the early 2000's, and he was always an encouragement to me despite our running in different circles (although I believe we once appeared in a classroom play together). Stew caught my attention over the last year with his impressive "Love Thy Audience" e-mails and blog series, a very grounded and useful run of weekly exhortations on the creative process and purpose. Additionally, he recently completed a short entitled, "The Joust", which I felt was enjoyable and worth viewing (so I embedded it below), and he also released a video regarding a failed project that I felt was one of the most sincere directorial apologies I've ever witnessed. He's a creative person who works with integrity and excellence, as well as a fellow believer; therefore, I felt he was an excellent fit for the "In God's Image" series.

Please join me in getting to know Stew Redwine a bit better. 

1.   Define yourself in one word (Disciple, Christian, American, Man, etc.)

Loved

2.   Why do you choose that term?

My wife, daughters, parents, siblings, extended family, friends, and Creator love me.

3.   In two sentences, tell us about your work at StewRedwine.com—what you do and for whom your work is intended.

Stew Redwine Productions exists to help businesses communicate with video online, with videos that increase clarity and conversions.

4.   What leads you to create film media? Was it due to a specific event or was it a more general decision about what you wanted to do in life?

More nurture than nature. I was lucky enough to be born in the era I was born, where the camera is readily available, in the country I was born in, where I have the freedom to pursue my dreams, and to the parents I was born to, who provided a lifestyle, education, and experience conducive to pursuing a career in communication.

5.   How has your work required you to sacrifice? 

In the spirit of the last question, living where I do, in the time I do, I have not had to sacrifice and I will never be grateful enough to those who sacrificed everything so that I could enjoy the opportunities I do. The only thing I would consider a sacrifice are my excuses, they must be sacrificed everyday.

6.   What is your primary goal in filmmaking and, more specifically, with your site, StewRedwine.com?

In filmmaking, to love my audience, putting their emotional experience first and sharing with them some aspect of what it means to be alive. AS Krystoff Kieslowski puts it, to describe the toothache.

With Stew Redwine Productions, to equip businesses with web videos that help increase clarity for visitors to their site and convert those visitors into customers.

7.   What is your largest hope for those toward whom your work is directed?

In my art, that they would feel something and share what they saw with someone else. In my business, more customers for my clients.

8.   What are two key ways in which your work affects others today?

First of all, I take people’s money to produce work for them. That is a huge responsibility. I make them poorer to produce a video that will make them richer. If it doesn’t, I’ve failed.

Secondly, the work I produce takes up people’s time, which is invaluable. I don’t want to waste the audience’s time.

9.   How have you seen God’s goodness and faithfulness in your work with StewRedwine.com?

I keep working, He keeps providing, and in the process I get to meet amazing people.

10. How can readers learn more about what you do?

Visit StewRedwine.com, I’d be delighted to help them communicate with video online!

Stew Redwine's recent short film, The Joust

The Joust from Stew Redwine on Vimeo.