In Spring 2011, the Rev. Dr. Robert Scudieri of Faith Lutheran Church, Naples, had an idea about Christian filmmaking. Over the Summer, his idea blossomed into a committee of individuals from various churches in the area that developed a plan to produce a Christian film festival named The Spirit of Naples and Southwest Florida.
Rebeca Seitz and then business partner, Steve Feldman, an Emmy-winning director, were the guiding lights for this project. The festival was held February 24, 2012, and Rebeca and Steve brought Micheal Flaherty, President of Walden Media, to be the keynote speaker at an opening dinner on Friday and a panelist for Saturday’s events. Other panelists included Howie Klausner, writer, director, and producer of “The Grace Card” and Michael Joiner, star of “The Grace Card”.
To introduce festival-goers to the wide conceptual range of Christian films and filmmakers, “The Grace Card” and “Of Gods and Men” were screened, with lively discussion following amongst the audience and panelists.
This event constituted a “toe in the water” to test the viability of growing a strong, supportive community in Naples and Southwest Florida to support Christians in filmmaking. Was there enough interest here? Did Neopolitans and other Floridians see a need to help Christian filmmakers and writers? Was there an audience for their stories?
The answer – every time – was yes. Multiple film screenings followed over the next two years in and around Naples, Florida. In Fall 2014, Rebeca Seitz joined with publishing industry veteran Dave Sheets to form TheBelieversGroup. All functions of SON other than the creation of its studio moved to the non-profit BelieversTrust.
SON Studios continues to grow through the on-location production of multiple projects and the creation of a 100,000 square foot, state of the art film and television studio in southwest Florida.