Joe Gleason, Director of Films
Joe is a born filmmaker. As a film major at Notre Dame, he traveled to England where he begged and borrowed access to WWII military uniforms, a 1933 Lynx convertible, even the Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter films. His YouTube projects have been viewed more than 50,000 times, and his project, “What’s in Store” was seen more than 3,300 times in its first 24 hours. Joe has a gift for filming the beauty of God’s creation. He spends his spare time filming playful scenes and taking his camera up in the sky. He is well-versed in the language of film: color, composition and camerawork. He puts this knowledge on display in the short course on visual storytelling that he has developed for students young and old. Visual Storytelling gives viewers critical tools they can use to analyze the visual images that film directors create. His hobbies include singing and performing. His favorite movie is, without question . . . The Tree of Life by director Terrence Malick, but he can also wax poetic about Ordinary People and The Music Man.
Elizabeth Grams, Documentary Producer
Elizabeth is an actress, musician, reporter and documentary filmmaker. In college, she studied acting with Russian experts in the Stanislavski method, but she later gave up her pursuit of an acting career in order to follow God’s call. She first picked up a videocamera so she could begin documenting the work of People of Praise missionaries living in forgotten corners of the United States. She produced the Sent: Indianapolis series, a documentary film, “The Roots of the People of Praise” and dozens of short, interview-based films. Elizabeth conducts all the interviews for Greenlawn Films projects, and has a knack for filming scenes that never could have been scripted. Her hobbies include singing and playing a variety of musical instruments. When it comes to movies, she enjoys historical dramas like John Adams and Monsieur Vincent. Her favorite musical compositions include “Homily” from the Mass of Reconciliation written by her father, Louis Grams, and Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915.
Sean Connolly, Writer and Manager
Sean is a storyteller with a background in reporting, writing and editing. Since 2005, he has edited Vine & Branches, the quarterly magazine of the People of Praise, and his articles have appeared in various online and offline publications. When it comes to making films, he helps bring stories to life in the early stages and aids with finishing touches. Sean enjoys stopping home for lunch to see his wife, Gretchen, and their three young children–an easy thing since his house is across the street from the office. His favorite movies include Of Gods and Men, Malcolm X and The Deer Hunter, but he also glories in the human carnival, always on display on YouTube.