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"Courageous Love" Film Director, Daniel Knudsen, to Release New Movie, "Dinosaur Cove"!
Interview by: Gina Sedman
Daniel Knudsen is a film producer and director who is renowned for his incredible family-friendly movies such as Creed of Gold, Skydog, Christmas Coupon, The King's Messengers, Courageous Love, Dinosaur Cove, and many others. He and his team at Crystal Creek Media, an independent film studio, are dedicated to providing high-quality, wholesome entertainment for families.
I had the privilege of speaking with Daniel, who was incredibly warm and friendly. During our conversation, he shared some insights about his filmmaking journey. It was a pleasure to interview him, and I learned a lot from him.
Tell me a little about your background. What do you do in the film industry? Where you are originally from and how did that journey lead you to where you are located today? I began working in the film industry when I was seventeen. My friend was part of a movie being filmed near Orlando and he got me on the project as a production assistant. I’m originally from Detroit, Michigan. After college, I started producing and directing my features.
What inspired you to be a filmmaker/ director? One of my dad’s coworkers had a friend in the film industry. I heard stories through them, it fascinated me that real people were involved in the movies you saw in the theaters and the shows you saw on TV.
What are some of the things you love about filmmaking/ directing? Working with people. I love getting to meet new people and share stories. Directing is the dream job if you love doing that.
What are some of the struggles and hurdles that you find in filmmaking directing? The most difficult thing about working in the arts is making money doing it. There are so many things competing for people’s time & attention, that it’s difficult to get them to engage in your artwork so you can earn a living doing what you love. As a filmmaker, this has forced me to think of my artwork in a marketing sense. How do we make films that people will want to watch? I’ve been learning and getting better at it. A recent film I directed (Courageous Love) got over a million views on YouTube.
Now that we have talked about struggles let’s talk about the opposite of that. What are some of the high points you have had in your film journey? Making some of my best friends as a result of working in this industry.
Do you see yourself being in the filmmaking industry for the rest of your life? This is my happily ever after, hope to stay here.
Do you come from a gifted family as well or are you the only one? I am the only one in the family working in the entertainment industry, though I feel the others are more gifted than I am.
What are your plans regarding your filmmaking career? Some of my filmmaking buddies and I are hoping to get a deal to do a series. We’ll see what happens.
If you could advise someone just starting in the movie industry, what would it be? Work hard, network, make connections, and have fun. Years ago, I was acting in a scene with John Rhys-Davies (he played the role of Gimli in The Lord of the Rings). In between takes, he told me this; “Treat every project as if it is your last. Do your best work and have fun! There are ten thousand people who want our jobs. Today the phone is ringing, but there is no guarantee of tomorrow.” I don’t think I could offer much better industry advice than that. As a bonus it sounds awesome when you hear it from his epic voice.
Plot Summary: Dubbed a family adventure film, it’s centered around a young boy, Riley Harrison (Brayden Eaton), who stumbles across a top-secret project in the small town of Dinosaur Cove. Reeling from the recent loss of his mother, Riley claims he has seen a real dinosaur, to which his dad Wyatt Harrison (Jared Withrow) and love interest Dr. Starr (Holly Houk) quickly write it off as a coping mechanism for his grief. Villians, Mr. Bigg (Mo El-Zaatari), and Dr. Vandersaurean (James Pilachowski) responsible for the creature and its accidental release, try in desperation to recover it and capture young Riley before the public finds out about their diabolical plans. With the help of Riley’s newfound friends Mark (Regan Miller) and Savannah (Addilyn Houk), he begins an adventure of prehistoric proportions.
Daniel Knudsen Imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2152398/
Watch out for Dinosaur Cove directed by Daniel Knudsen
END OF INTERVIEW
Disclaimer: The Bible scriptures posted below by The Indie Post, taken from The New American Standard Version Bible Verse, are not the words of the above interviewee.
"John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him."
"Romans 10:9-13 9 [f]that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10for with the heart a person believes, [g]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [h]resulting in salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE [i]PUT TO SHAME.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13for “EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
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