 So obviously anything that makes this big of an impact is going to draw some criticism. How do you deal with the criticism that comes against the show? So I think God has given Dallas a superpower and he's also given me a superpower that we believe in. Hello this is David Diga Hernandez and you're watching a very special edition of Encounter TV interviews. My guest is Daryl Eves who's the executive producer of The Chosen, my all-time favorite Bible production. Daryl's also been key in helping us to strategize to grow our ministry on YouTube. Daryl, it's an absolute joy to have you with me today. Excited to be here. So Daryl, when I was on set for the filming of The Chosen, I had an opportunity to interview Dallas Jenkins who obviously is the director of The Chosen. I'm curious, how did you get connected with Dallas? How did that connection transpire? Yeah, so I actually have an agency that we work with some of the top YouTube channels and brands around the world and we specialize in audience development and get people to see things and then convert that into money. I also hold a conference every year where these YouTubers get together and talk all things strategy, all things data, audience development, so on. And I basically had a friend of mine who we worked on a couple projects, one being the Squatty Potty Pooping Unicorn. Both of us were the executive producers of that ad. He came to the event and showed me a short film that Dallas made for his church and I was hit to the core. And I've seen a lot of content because I've been building a business around online video and I've seen a lot of content and I can tell, first off it was low budget, but the approach was so unique and also the dialogue and the tones it really just spoke to me. And Jeffrey Harmon was the individual that introduced me to the content and wanted me to meet Dallas because Dallas was wanting to do a TV show and I was all in and so I met him the next week and we hit it off and he and I started a company called The Chosen. We had zero social following, zero money in the bank, but we had his vision of where he wanted to take the show and we had a direction working with Angel and also looking to use social media to develop the audience, get them to actually do crowdfunding and fund the project but then also help us push the project out there. And so that's kind of how I got involved with it. So I was basically five years ago next month. It's been crazy, but what I love is really just seeing God's hand throughout the whole thing and really recognizing the impact that this can do when it gets out to the right people. And for us, that's kind of what it's all about, making really amazing content and then getting it out to the world. This is actually a pretty interesting way that you funded the production of The Chosen. What was it like when you first began to reach out for crowdfunding? How was the response from the public? Well, it's always hard to start new, right? It's always hard to start with zero and it's all about getting in front of the right people and the thing for us is Dallas and I are firm believers and we're like, we need a show for us. Like if there's ever a show out there, let's produce a show that we would actually love and get behind. And so we put things that we like, things that we didn't like and Dallas is a genius when it comes to his creativity around the content. And then for me, what God's given my talents is how to develop audiences and how to create these audiences. And so it went hand in hand and we decided instead of doing behind the scenes after the fact, we do behind the scenes before and get people to feel of our mission and our purpose and what we're trying to do as a goal. And that's what rallied the troops and those troops actually became our partners. We actually got approval with the Securities Exchange Commission to bring public money on and the people that actually invested in the show are our partners. And so we have over 16,000 partners that made The Chosen possible and it actually came through their foresight and vision of what they wanted to see. And then it was our job to really pull that off and really specifically this Dallas' job to make sure that the content's really good and ultimately fulfill on that promise of what the show could be. So you mentioned that you had joined your skill set with Dallas, his directing, his creativity. Do you feel that the Lord had prepared you with your skill set, your experiences for such a time as this? So I don't like to say what God does, you know, in the sense of speaking for God, I don't necessarily feel comfortable for that. But I believe the life experiences that I felt along the way and also just the way I look at the internet and audience development, he can leverage me all he wants. And if he wants me to further the work in this way, then he can. There was very specific moments that I had a lot of clarity around this. And I felt personally, this is just me personally speaking, I'm not speaking for God, but I felt like I was prepared to really shepherd this project. And so whether it's his will or not, I can't speak to that. But what I can speak to is my passion. Like I am so, I wake up in the morning and all I can think about, how do we get to a billion people? How do we get a billion people seeing the show? Because I see people watching this every day and getting the impact to these impact stories. In fact, I had one, when I woke up, someone just kind of left a really in depth note of how much trauma and issues that they had in their life. And when they saw the story of Mary and her redemption, what that actually meant to them, how it spoke to them. And I'm like, that's the gas that keeps me going and pushing forward. And ultimately, you know, it helps us to stay motivated to get that out to more people. We definitely want a billion people to see this, because as a billion people experience this, they're able to really see an authentic human Jesus. And I think we see in the deity side of Jesus, how it's all played out. But 2000 years ago, he had a mom, he had friends, he had disciples, they went into Samaria, they started teaching and there's a lot of interactions. And, you know, that's what the chosen, you know, the magic of it is, which is seeing authentic approaches to who Jesus Christ really is. And, you know, being part, God, part human, it's just like, you know, it's beautiful to see that played out, but more impactful of what it actually gets people to think. And this is what I love. I've worked my whole career around this upcoming generation. And I had a weird question come across. I'm like, what, what would, how would Gen Z react to the show? How would they react to the chosen? And we actually just did a documentary of nine individuals, you know, just basically pulled them in, didn't tell them that they're watching just watching a TV show, didn't tell them it was about Jesus. And watching the conversations in the transformation of what happened in their life, based on the teachings that Jesus taught. And it was just beautiful to watch. And it really opens up the idea that truth is truth and authenticity is authenticity. And that's what the world needs right now. It needs authenticity and truth, not the stuff that deceives people, but things that really speak to the soul. And getting that so that get on their knees, pull up in the Bible, get back to church, you know, developing a deeper relationship with God. That's what it's all about. So obviously anything that makes this big of an impact is going to draw some criticism. How do you deal with the criticism that comes against the show? So I think God has given Dallas a superpower and he's also given me a superpower that we really don't even care what people think we really don't. It's just like criticism will come and that's fine. And everyone has their opinion and we love it. But the reason why we're doing the show is we're trying to glorify God and we're doing it in the best way that we possibly can. And so having someone that we don't even know across the world or even in our same town being very critical about the show, we're not doing it for them. We're doing it for God. And if they, you know, they can be cynical or whatever and that's fine. But for us, it's about really showing authenticity and really getting this out to the world. And we know that not everyone's going to like it and that's okay. So Daryl, how do we get involved with this movement that is the chosen? How do we get behind this? Yeah, just go anywhere on socials that you feel comfortable and we actually have a community there. And I think the biggest thing for us is we are like an engine when it comes to social content. We put out a lot of content. And the reason why we do is it gives people out there the ability to share. And for us, it's about sharing, you know, sharing the things that connect with you and sharing it with people very specifically that, you know, they'll bless their life. That's what we're looking to do. And so I'd say do that. Also, you know, go to the chosen dot TV and you can download the app and also just kind of get a little bit deeper into the community that always helps out. But for me, that's fine. I know that some of you are not comfortable on social media. Just have a watch party at your house. Put the DVD in there or go just get it on your TV and watch the show together and have discussions and pull out your Bible. That's the biggest way. And truly, for us to get to a billion people, we need things like that happening all over the world. And, you know, every little bit counts. And I always say the easiest way for us to get to a billion is when we go one by one just like this Jesus at a time. If we can just take one other person to see it, make it one other person to see it, you know, one becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes eight until we have a billion people really see the show. Well, Daryl, thanks for joining me. That was Daryl Eves, the executive producer of The Chosen. Thank you for watching Encounter TV interviews. And until next time, remember nothing is impossible with God. Thank you for watching Encounter TV. Don't forget to subscribe and click the notification bell. Also, help us spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. 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