Keynotes

  • Phil Vischer

    Phil Vischer made his first animated film when he was nine years old; by the age of fourteen, he was convinced he would be a filmmaker when he grew up.

    Phil is actively developing new ways to integrate faith and storytelling through his new creative shop, Jellyfish Labs (JellyfishLabs.com). Phil captured the breathtaking rise—and heartbreaking fall—of Big Idea Productions in the book “Me, Myself & Bob.” He is also the author of the popular children’s books “Sidney and Norman” and “47 Beavers on the Big Blue Sea.”

    Phil’s latest Jellyfish Labs project is JellyTelly — an interactive, online “mini-network” for children that is scheduled to launch in fall 2008. This web-based platform is a natural starting point for a wide variety of original programming geared toward helping kids grow in their Christian faith.

    Phil lives with his wife Lisa (aka Junior Asparagus) and their three kids in
    Wheaton, Illinois. For more information, visit PhilVischer.com.

  • Mark Steele

    Mark Steele is the President and Executive Creative of Steelehouse Productions where he creates art for business and ministry through the mediums of film, stage and animation. He has received national acclaim as an actor, comedian, film and stage director, producer, and writer. Mark has produced, written, and directed award-winning commercials and film shorts for over 17 years. He has directed over 40 short films including several award winning short films for the North American Mission Board, Women of Faith, Sonic Drive-In’s, QuikTrip Corporation, Josh McDowell Ministries, and Honda. He has also written, produced, and directed national youth gatherings with over a million teenagers experiencing his work in video and live-dramatic presentations. Mark’s third book, “Christianish” is set to come out in the summer of 2009. He lives in Oklahoma with his wife, Kaysie, and their greatest productions: Morgan, Jackson and Charlie.

  • Phil Cooke

    Phil Cooke is the Founder and Creative Director of Cooke Pictures in Burbank, California. Many of the largest and most effective Christian organizations in the world ask for his advice, and his ideas are changing the way people of faith use media to communicate with the culture. Christianity Today magazine called him a “media guru” and you’ve seen him on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and numerous national magazines. His blog at philcooke.com is a highly respected resource on media, faith, and culture and Phil’s workshops are a rare glimpse into the future of media and entertainment. His new book is “The Last TV Evangelist: Why The Next Generation Couldn’t Care Less About Christian Media… and why it matters.” Phil is also a founding partner in TWC Films, an award winning TV commercial company in Los Angeles that produced two spots that appeared during the 2008 Super Bowl.

  • Ben Arment

    Ben Arment is the innovation and experience director for Catalyst in Atlanta and founder of The Whiteboard Sessions, a one-day exchange of ministry ideas. He blogs daily at BenArment.com and has written his first book, “Church in the Making”, which is due out this year. Ben and his wife Ainsley have two boys, Wyatt and Dylan, and another little one due this month.