YouTube Roundup: Catholic Creators, In Their Own Words

YouTube Roundup: Catholic Creators, In Their Own Words December 23, 2024

Papal Ninja, Jennifer Dornbush, Bill Abbott, Candy Cain, Daniel Knauf, Joe Menendez

Let’s talk to some Catholics who’ve found success in the mainstream media — and hear the rest of their stories.

Usually, when I do a video interview, it’s a quick Zoom to promote a project. But now that I have a YouTube channel, I’ve decided to chat with folks that I either know or who are doing really interesting stuff.

And some of these chats are long, and only bits of them make it into the blog posts.

Getting to Hear What You Normally Don’t

I’ve been doing interviews with people in entertainment since college, and professionally since the mid-’90s. Of all those uncounted thousands of hours over literally thousands of interviews, most of it was never heard, other than by me and the person I was talking to (and maybe the odd publicist).

So, I think it’s nice, once in a while, to settle in for a comprehensive chat, and then be able to share the whole thing. These conversations deserve to be heard in their entirety.

The interviews I’ve embedded below are all with Catholic creators, and if you have time, I recommend giving a listen … and I hope to do more in the future (forgive my unfortunate early attempts at editing … I’m getting better!).

Sean Bryan

From August 2023, here’s the “Papal Ninja” from NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, who’s used his platform as an obstacle-course racer to spread the Good News about the Church …

Daniel Knauf

From Dec. 2023, here’s the creator of HBO’s Carnivale and the delightful illustrated Christmas story Gingerland, released originally on his own Substack. Knauf has a unique Hollywood story and plenty of wisdom to share …

And, as a bonus, Knauf on Carnivale

Here’s a video interview I did for Catholic production company Family Theater Productions (where I manage social media and am Blog Editor), when Knauf came by to talk at one of FTP’s regular monthly events (for which I’m often the interviewer) … you don’t see me in this one, though.

Candice Cain

Yes, it’s Candy Cain … from Jan. 2024. She’s a remarkable indie producer of many films (including Christmas flicks, and an upcoming show about baseball), through her Gemelli Films.

I became aware of her on Facebook and wanted to know how she manages to write, direct, produce (and finance) her films. It’s a little masterclass …

Bill Abbott

The former head of Hallmark Chanel, now in charge of Great American Family and its related channels, Abbott is offering a real alternative to Hallmark’s dominance of the holiday-film market.

He’s also a savvy businessman. In the two interviews below — the first, from March 2024, and the second, from June 2024 — we discuss GAF and larger issues about launching a TV channel and the future of faith/family-friendly entertainment.

And yes, though it’s not widely discussed, he’s a Catholic. The HC in his X handle, billabbottHC, doesn’t stand for Hallmark Channel but for College of the Holy Cross, his alma mater.

Bonus content, with Father Randy Mattox:

Click here for the blog post based on an interview I did with Father Randy Mattox, an Atlanta Catholic priest who is involved with Great American and Abbott.

Jennifer Dornbush

She’s the writer of The Coroner’s Daughter crime/mystery book series (she’s also a coroner’s daughter in real life), a screenwriter … and a thoughtful and articulate interview. This is from October 2024 …

Joe Menendez

Most recently, from Nov. 2024, a director/producer who has a lot of knowledge to share about building a career in mainstream entertainment, the future of the business, and what it means to balance your Catholic ethics and your work …

Enjoy!

Image: Courtesy of Joe Menendez, Jennifer Dornbush, Great American Family Channel, Sean Bryan, Daniel Knauf and Candice Cain.

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About Kate O'Hare
Based in Los Angeles, Kate O'Hare is a veteran entertainment journalist, Social Media Manager for Family Theater Productions and a rookie screenwriter. You can read more about the author here.
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