Divine Comedy with Torry Martin

Join Kosta and his guest: Torry Martin, award-winning actor, screenwriter, comedian, and author.

Torry is a two-time Gospel Music Association Grand Prize Winner for both his acting and writing abilities in addition to writing fifteen full feature-length scripts with co-writer Marshal Younger, including the comedies “Heaven Bound”, “The Matchbreaker” and "Christmas on the Range."

As an accomplished actor, he's had roles in numerous films including “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone”, “Heaven Bound”, “The Matchbreaker” and Hallmark’s “The Ultimate Legacy.”

Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is a product of Morgan Franklin Media and recorded in Cookeville, TN.

 Find out more about Torry Martin:
https://barefacedcreativemed.wixsite.com/torrymartincomedy
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1453161/
https://www.adventuresinodyssey.com/contributors/torry-martin/

Find out more about Kosta and all the ways we're better together:
http://kostayepifantsev.com/

Transcript

Torry Martin: 0:00

I went from Los Angeles to this. I hated it. Because it was so remote. There's no people was a homestead no physical address, no mail. No newspaper went into town once we, but it's sometimes when you take away all that stuff is when you really find yourself. And it was just me and God.

Morgan Franklin: 0:20

Morgan Franklin: 0:18 Welcome to Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev, a podcast on parenting business and living life intentionally. We're here every week to bring you thoughtful conversation, making your own path to success, challenging the status quo, and finding all the ways we're better together. Here's your host, Kosta Yepifantsev.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 0:39

Hey, y'all, this is Kosta. And today I'm here with my guest Torry Martin, award winning actor, screenwriter, comedian, and author. Torry, I'd say let's start from the beginning. But I don't think we have enough time left on this memory card. You're an actor, a writer, a comedian, a producer, and a whole bunch of other titles that most of us hear and think Is that a real life job? So my first question is how did you get to the upper Cumberland? Chevy Silverado?

Torry Martin: 1:10

I 40. And then I took the 111 exit it's a long it's a long story because I came from Alaska. That's a very long drive. Here. I'll

Kosta Yepifantsev: 1:20

tell you you drove here from Alaska. Yeah. Wow. Yeah.

Torry Martin: 1:23

Seven days, but you know, it's because I've stopped it every hot spring there was all the way down, you know? So it was it was fun. It really felt like it was God led. Okay, you know, I didn't really have much choice. Sometimes things just get landed land in your lap. And there you are, but I've written about it in my first book of Musa men. Okay, so that story is there, but it was a long, unexpected journey because I never really wanted to leave Alaska. I love Alaska.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 1:52

Did you grow up in LA? No. Okay, so where did you grow up? And how did you get to LA? Let's start with that. I

Torry Martin: 1:58

grew up in Washington State. Okay, well, part the Cascades Cascade Mountains. Yeah. Are you parts pass or Leavenworth?

Kosta Yepifantsev: 2:07

Yeah, I lived in Everett. Oh, okay. Yeah, my dad worked at Microsoft.

Torry Martin: 2:13

I did two parties for Bill Gates. Oh, wow. When he was first starting out there back in the

Kosta Yepifantsev: 2:18

80s. Well, probably I mean, he hit big and like 999. Yeah. So what was Can I ask you what Bill Gates was like in the 90s.

Torry Martin: 2:28

I can't afford that lawsuit.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 2:31

So NDA got it. Yeah. I'll tell you after. Okay. Deal with you. So, but yeah, now we live there. I went to middle school and lived in Washington. Beautiful state rains a lot. And but you could see like Mount Rainier pretty much anywhere in the state eautiful.

Torry Martin: 2:46

I remember working on the piers there in the waterfront in Seattle, the day that Mount St. Helens blew up and my family is from Silverdale. Okay, so I grew up in Washington State. My parents are gold miners. So they have a goldmine up in hearts pass, where that's where we spend the summer. Like, I know, it sounds really great, doesn't it? But it's deserted. You know, it's got the cabins and everything. On one time, it was the nation's largest operating Goldmine before World War Two. It's called The Mammoth and hearts pass is the highest point you can drive in Washington State. And right there at hearts pass. Are these private gates that go even further back to the private those? That was us? We were way down there.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 3:29

Can I ask like, do people actually find gold? Yes. Okay. So you're saying it's a

Torry Martin: 3:34

hard it's a hard rock mine. Nice still, and my dad is still mining brings the rock down and they crushed it during the summer. They're in Silverdale. And pan it, put it in a baked potato, but some mercury and Mercury makes the gold separate from every other metal and then you open the potato and there's your gold and take it down to the vendor and get cash. Did

Kosta Yepifantsev: 3:54

you do this as a kid? Yes. Okay, so you help them? Yeah. All right. So you're, you're mining for gold? How do you end up in LA?

Torry Martin: 4:01

I always seemed that I wanted to be an actor. And as much as I wanted Silverdale to become the entertainment Mecca, it's not going to happen. So I decided to go to college. And my mom was the first person in my family to become a Christian and she's like, Okay, well, we'll pay for you to go to college. But if you're gonna go to college, it's gonna be a Christian college. One, and I wasn't a Christian, but I'm like, Oh, that's a bummer. At the time. Sure. But then I decided I found this college in Costa Mesa, California. I thought, well, it has to be a Christian College. I'm gonna go to the one that's like seven miles from Newport Beach and three miles from Disneyworld because I'm gonna skip a lot. And I only went for two years I was a horrible student graduated with a D average from high school. And the one thing they didn't want any of the students to do was to audition in Los Angeles to go for any of those auditions because if you do, then you might drop out and then the tuition leaves and you're not a student anymore. So of course I broke that. pool and went for my first audition and it was for a national tour for Columbia artists that was written by Mark cherry was his very first production, who then went on to be the head writer of The Golden Girls and the creator of Desperate Housewives. Wow. And I started opposite a girl named Laurie Miller, who then changed her name to Laura Layton and was Sydney, the redheaded vixen stripper on Melrose Place. Which my hair was red at the time. And I'm like, I should have had that role. Why didn't my agent send me? But I ended up doing a national tour for Columbia artists and performing comedy places and doing commercials and all that all that stuff in California.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 5:40

So you've done stand up. So how do you get good at doing stand up?

Torry Martin: 5:46

Oh, I didn't know you're assuming I'm good. You didn't even know I did comedy? That's how bad I am.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 5:53

I could tell but I mean like what did you do? Do you do you have to constantly take down notes like every time something pops in your head you have to pull out your you know, your yellow notebook. Like you're on Blue's Clues and just write it down, you know or what some people do

Torry Martin: 6:07

you know what I really don't classify myself as a comedian because I don't do the joke setup. I tell stories about my life that just happened to be humorous. And those are pretty easy to remember. And I'm with ADHD. I found myself in embarrassing situations. I'm fascinated by people. I love a dare Chinese tell stories. And then they started calling me a comedian. I'm like, okay,

Kosta Yepifantsev: 6:29

but you have done stand up. The first. I don't know if you've ever seen the marvelous Mrs Maisel on it. Yeah. So you know how she goes out on her first stand up, and she's just like, tears it up. And then when she does it again, and she's like, lucid, she completely bombs. Have you ever bombed? Plenty?

Torry Martin: 6:47

I think every day I started comedy shows that I did before Los Angeles was the Seattle improv. Okay, there's a big Comedy Festival, open mics, you compete against each other. And I was terrible. But you know, it's that's the only way you get

Kosta Yepifantsev: 7:06

better. Yeah. Listen to Joe Rogan explain his process, you know, in preparing for stand up. And he says that the most important thing that he could do is test it in smaller markets, and smaller comedy venues. And if he bombs, then you know, that's okay. It tells him that he needs to change directions, you know, or fine tune his jokes, I guess. Yeah,

Torry Martin: 7:28

I do not carry a notepad or anything with me. Because stuff always comes up in the middle of shows. I've got a comedy DVD that's just about to be released, also in May. And because ADHD stuff, just kind of sit in the middle of it. And I have to go to somebody in the audience, write that down, you and me after the show. Because I promise I'm gonna forget it. And I'm the only person I know it has to keep going. Where was I to the audience, and I'm counting on them to tell me which adds, you know, a lot of the fun to the show.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 7:56

So you're living and acting in LA, and you decided to take a hiatus and move to Alaska. And this decision changed your life. What happened?

Torry Martin: 8:07

Well, I started to do stuff to the comic store started having some success. And I developed a drug problem. My parents had, they've gone on mining trips to Australia and to Alaska. And they were like, We think you need to get away from Los Angeles and, and maybe go to Alaska, you'd really like it. My buddy Rob, who's my best friend in the whole world was living with my parents, was in the Navy live with my parents, and decided to go with me. And unbeknownst to me, I didn't know Rob told him, he'll be a Christian by the time I bring him home. So we went up there and bought a camper impulsively. One day was for sale right across the street from my friend's house. I'm like, let's go. And she'd be really honest. At the time. Marijuana was legal in Alaska. That's what I was thinking. Really? Oh, my God. I'll have to leave Los Angeles. But it's legal. So you can be a pot smoking Christian couldn't Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Always look for an excuse.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 9:03

When you say you had a drug problem is that what you were doing is marijuana was no.

Torry Martin: 9:07

Well, you know, marijuana, cocaine. Yeah. Occasional acid.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 9:12

I mean, a lot of people though, when you look back at the 80s and 90s, an outlay of cocaine was was everywhere, right? Yeah. And so like, can you give us a little bit of insight and what what LA was like before you left and move to Alaska? Why is it so prolific the drug culture there?

Torry Martin: 9:30

Because it's a it's a hard world. And competition is fierce and anything you think is going to give you an edge or an just an extra bit of creativity over everybody else, or to help you feel comfortable because the entertainment industry is full of insecure people. That's why they want to be successful and famous, you know, it's that approval thing, and that's the number one drug and then pretty soon you just have to keep up with it. back just a night team. Between 84 and 89 Robin Williams was at the Comedy Store at the time, Roseanne Barr was at the Comedy Store, Jonathan Winters was playing Robinson on market Monday, I was doing the greenroom. And comedians would go out afterwards and give each other jokes. Like, I had a really great cocaine joke for Robin and Robin had Bob, big boy joke for me. The fat hamburger guy. It was crazy. But it was really, it was sad. I mean, he would go to parties and bowls of cocaine is. It's a trap. Oh, well, it was for me.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 10:34

You know, what's interesting about that, is the fact that like, the most creative place in the world, Hollywood, right, the amount of content that comes out of that area. And when people describe their experiences, at least when I watch like documentaries and stuff about people like Robin Williams, for that matter, John Belushi, they always paint a parallel or aligned to the fact that it is a trap. But I don't understand why it has to be because it's not built to be a trap. It's built to be, it's almost built like to be a macro version of Disneyland, you know, because it's the it should be the greatest place on Earth, because it literally affects the entire world with its content. I watch a movie. And the first thing that I do is try to pick out what character I am. And there are so many people that are also like me, that watch a movie or listen to a song, find ways to connect. And so I don't understand why it has to have these dark undertones.

Torry Martin: 11:40

It is a dark industry. It really is. It is cutthroat. I don't know a comedian who does not struggle with depression. Comedy is just a cover up for pain. It's a coping way. That's how you deflect the bullies in high school. If I can make them laugh, then they're not going to punch me if I can make the joke of myself first, then they'll laugh and if I acknowledged my stupidity before they do that I'm no threat.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 12:02

So you're living in LA? You're going through all this you obviously successful. I mean, you're you're standing alongside of Legends.

Torry Martin: 12:11

No, the legends are in the main room. I'm way back in the green room where you were the comedians started out in small, right?

Kosta Yepifantsev: 12:18

I mean, you're just starting out. And it was fun, right? And so you're going through all this? What is the inflection point that says, Okay, I'm leaving LA, I'm going to Alaska,

Torry Martin: 12:27

realizing that, as much as I enjoyed entertainment and comedy, I did not want to end up like, some of those big name piano that I saw. I'm like, That is a sad existence.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 12:40

And you've been pushing religion and God kind of a way. Because like you mentioned, you know, you didn't really want to go to a Christian college, you weren't engaged, actively engaged in any type of organized religion throughout your life. So how do you end up finding religion finding God? Well,

Torry Martin: 12:58

first of all, I hate the word religion, because I don't even though I'd never use religion. You could be any religion. I don't. I don't consider myself religious. I'm just a Christian. And Christian means a follower of Christ. That's it. So it was Rob, my best friend told you about first got to Alaska, levy Los Angeles, take a job as camp post. And he was a real Christian. It was real for him. See, I rented church where it's almost like a, I don't know, an Elks Lodge. You know, it's a function place.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 13:31

Right? Networking. Yeah. It's like a networking environment. Yeah.

Torry Martin: 13:35

So you learn to fake things. You know, I learned to tilt my head to the right. Like I was seriously considering what the past were saying or tilted to the left. Like I was in agreement, when in reality, my inner dialogue was, you know, in the youth group, both sides at Denny's afterwards. Am I gonna have french fries or onion rings? Yeah, that's for me. Yeah. And for Rob, he would just appear with his Bible. just done some trail phones, checking in campers, he always had that I didn't understand. I thought he was just done out of work. And I remember being so mad one day, when I found it out of Industrail when we had a flood, it was Fourth of July. We can it was a flood of people. And I saw I'm like, you know, no one can see you right now. You're not getting any extra credit for this. Because I thought that's what you did when you wanted people to see you reading the Bible. Right? How good i I've never seen that before. I just saw I lived out in front of me. So fray. Green is FIFO. I saw the way he lived. He has more integrity and character than anybody. I know. I know. I'll never be as good as you Jesus. Never. But if I could be as good as Rob. I'd be happy.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 14:49

You find Christianity, and you embrace it. And you're living in Alaska. When did you decide You know, get a wild hair and say, I'm going to jump in my car and I'm going to Sparta.

Torry Martin: 15:05

Didn't really, you know, I was really happy I gave up Los Angeles, I once I accepted the Lord, and started to get to know him, first of all relationship, which is why he's religion because Jesus is my best friend. Los Angeles didn't become important to me anymore. I just didn't care. I was so happy mind you. The first year I was in this cabin, a remote cabin in the middle of 80 acres protected wetlands a 200 yard trail you had to hike just to reach the cabin, just sledding your groceries in and out through eight feet of snow. Literally, it was nine feet of snow is three quarters of an inch short of the all time snowfall record from Los Angeles to this. I hated it. Because it was so remote. There's no people was a homestead, no physical address, no mail, no newspaper went into town once we, but it's sometimes when you take away all that stuff, is when you really find yourself. And it was just me and God. And then my church I started because I'm I think differently. And my pastor at this church, we're going to pastor Jackie, and I just love him and his wife, and he gives us great sermon. And the way my brain works, it's always comedy wired. Now Psych. Now that sounds really smart. But I there's people who are like me that I'm going to take that point, make it funny and dumb it down. So the other people who are my level of intelligence can get it. So I would write comedy sketches. Just conversations. Yeah. And my church, secretary of the church to you know, there's this competition called Christian artists that happens in Estes Park, Colorado. And it's where, you know, pointed Grace got started there. Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith. I mean, they all got discovered there. And they have an acting competition, too. We think maybe these sketches that you're doing in church for us in bear valley, we think maybe you should use your talents now, for the Lord. Because I didn't want to go back to the entertainment industry. I didn't want to go back to Los Angeles period. And the church decided to take a collection and send me to Christian artists to compete in Estes Park, Colorado, and I flew by myself down there, which was stressful, because, you know, I'm incredibly insecure. So I'm thinking nobody's gonna like me. I'm the only fat guy everybody else is dressed like this southern gospel group and little suits and ties and stuff. Um, they're like, Oh, hey, I came out of my cabin with you. citylit. And people kept asking me where the bathrooms are, because I was the janitor. Always weird was my Carhartt overalls. And I wrote a monologue and performed it over I was a harissa hippie for the Holy One doll. And I didn't get along with the SAM the suit for the saver dollar, because he was way too uptight. But explain how you know, God gives us all different gifts and he uses us for different reasons and ended up winning the grand prize. It's amazing. That was unbelievable to me. But I didn't do anything with it. Part of winning the grand prize is at the last night where the main concert is where Michael W. Smith was performing Amy Grant's performing point of grace introduced me. It launches careers. But I was like This couldn't have venue God, this had to be a fluke. I knew at that point that God loved me. I just didn't think he could use me

Kosta Yepifantsev: 18:19

or maybe bless you know, he

Torry Martin: 18:22

blessed me with the cabinet, everything, and all my needs were taken care of. But I didn't think he could use me because I have a highly questionable past. I was a professional sinner. I've got references people. So I went back to my cabin. But my judges, the people who judge me who, like Martha bolt was one of my judges. She was Bob Hope's only female staff writer Mark Lowery's head writer. Paul McCusker is one of the creators of adventures and Archie Jeanette Cliff George who played Corrie 10. boom in the movie, the heightened place. They saw something in me and they wrote me letters. And I would write letters back you know, this is what happened I brought it reindeer into the cabin or Muscato Sadler stuck because I fed my carrot to the window and then he worked out my window frame and the various those stories and they would write and say, you know, we think you might be a writer. I've never taken a writing class. I have no idea about grammar. I couldn't tell you the difference between an adverb and a fraction or whatever. I don't know. I don't care matter. All I have to do is tell funny stories that they said. So you've won a trip back to three a trip? Or winning? No, no, no, I wouldn't. Oh, wow. By winning the acting category in your power, you wouldn't free tuition, everything to come back and compete again next year. Okay, but you can't compete in the acting category again, because you've won that. And I did nothing with it. I was like back to the cabinet. And that's whatever. And they're writing newsletters and they said, you know, there's a sketch writing category, comedy sketches, where we think that you could be a sketch writer, and every person can enter a loop. People who were looking to get discovered could write three comedy sketches. Then they took the names off the sketches changed the font. So none of the judges knew which three comedy sketches belong to which person until the awards. And I went back, I wrote three comedy sketches, like what I was doing in church based on my pastor's sermons, and went back to Alaska. And I was like, Father, if you really want to use me, these are professional writers who are in this category, you'll let me win. Third place, I guess, these professional writers, and if I win third place, because I know that I'll know that as you. And as the award ceremony, I went into the awards that I sat at the top row on the way back, so I was like 395 pounds at the time, all the way in the back row, because I didn't want to make any of the skinny people uncomfortable by my overlap on their side of the armchair. And I didn't think I was gonna win. So I never thought I'd have to walk down the stairs, much less walk back up. And cam Floria, who is the president of I call out the winner for third place, comedy sketch writing and he said my name and because I thought there was incredible chance of that happening. I was not prepared. sighs I start crying because I it was my prayer. How could God ask for that? I'm crying because I'm going down the stairs and everybody else is like, wow, fat guys real happy about third place. And then I said, Thank you, I started walking back up the stairs. I was halfway up the stairs in California opening up for second place. And he called my name again. I didn't ask for that. If I went down, said thank you the pictures. And then I started to leave the staging said you might as well stay here. You won first place to for those three sketches. Oh my god, first, second, third and the grand prize. Oh, it was the most surreal thing. I was like, I get it, God, okay, I get it. You can use me. In spite of my past, you can do whatever you want. I don't care. And then there's this publisher in the front row came up after he said, you know, the judges, we really liked those. Do you have enough of those to go into a book I got a book is when you put them all together? Right? And he goes, Uh huh. And they see, you know, became a published author. And then the opportunity from Paul McCusker to write for Adventures In Odyssey, which is just a great radio program for Focus on the Family. I was like, I don't know how to write like that. That's smart writing. I don't know how to do that. It's so well established as hard to write for some of the main characters that it just doesn't land yet. They're like, Oh, Eugene would never talk like that, or Mr. Whittaker would never say anything like that. Like, I don't know who these people are. And Paul said, Why don't you create a character based on yourself? That might be easier? And I was like, it didn't make it interesting because of like, I'm normal. What do you see that I don't see that. And I saw I was like, What do you mean? And he goes, Well, you know, he'd be somebody who's bumbling, bizarre, gullible, and naive. Don't think I remember sitting across room. I was the kid in high school. I got bullied all the time. I'm never gonna compliment but I've just got four in a row from potluck Oscar, oh my gosh.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 23:22

It's amazing.

Torry Martin: 23:23

I created the character of Wootton Bassett, who is a long haired, overweight, Redhead, a hippie from Alaska, who moved into Odyssey to become a mailman started getting involved in the thing. And he's now one of the second most popular characters. And that's where I met Marshall, younger, who's my writing partner, we've written several movies together. And he's done over 300 episodes of Odyssey. Such an amazing guy, I am so blessed. And it just God just makes introductions for me. I always tell people, I'm only half gifted, I really am. I only have gifted if I don't have a co writer who understands the engineering and the architecture and the grammar and everything. I'm just out here by myself, right? I always work with people who are more talented than me, who just helped me to get my voice out there. And that's why my main drive in life, what I love to do more than anything, is to invest in the lives of others. One of the things I'm most known for now is networking. Like Adam Drake, join here the story of how we met at No, please tell us Yeah, so I started doing this thing where I was going to do a time type. I'm going to type the first 10 minutes of every day to promote anybody else but myself. And what does that mean exactly? About myself? A tie this like, you know, God asked us to give 10% of our income to the church. So I decided, you know, I didn't have any money. I was like, I'm going to tithe. I'm going to give 10 minutes a day to the Lord to promote somebody else who is a follower of his rather than promoting myself because remember, just there like it's all about you. You've got to have a platform Have you got to have so many social media posts, you've got to do this. And I'm like, I can't do that. I don't even really like myself. But because I grew up without friends, I can talk about my friends until I am blue in the face because I can't believe they're my friends. Tell me how you met. So I didn't have anybody to time tides to. I'm driving down from the mountain to go to my dentist. And I'm always looking for new people with talent. And to help help them move in the industry. I teach classes in the Gospel Music Association. So I work with musicians publishing industry, so I work with writers, film industry, side note, actors, filmmakers, but the one thing that nobody does is those three entities, those three fields don't talk to each other. Interesting. Why? Because I started teaching it so many different conferences, like for musicians, I'm teaching secrets to free publicity press kits on a budget for writers. I'm teaching screenwriting, comedy, researching your life, writing comedy, my books. So I would meet people at these different conferences from now asked to go teach and be filmmakers, like, you know, we just made this movie. And we need to find some ancillary product, other ways for our investors to make money. I'm like, What about a novelization of your movie? I know so many award winning writers who have huge platforms and do all that. Let me make some introductions. I got somebody who could write that, or it'll be a film Mike, who's like, our budget was only like, 350,000 We need to get some music for a soundtrack. Do you know any artists who are like, would give us a break? And I'm like, Yes, I'm working with all these amazing Christian artists are just starting out, I think connecting music to to that, or it'll be an author who you'd like, I'd really like to see my book become a movie. And I'd be like, I write screenplays. And I know tons of other screenwriters too. We could get them to do an adaptation of a screenplay for your book. So then my little computer mind because I couldn't believe anybody ever really talks to me anyways, I have a photographic memory for details and people and interest. So I'm come down from the mountain I ran out of people to time type my time to, I go into and I just got into I'll never forget this. I was driving by the White County dump because it was Wednesday, and I forgot to empty the trash. And my father helped me to remember to get the trash and bring it back down. And I haven't done because I'm OCD to obsessive compulsive. I'm like, I didn't have anybody time. I've got to get a 10 minute time who I go into my dentist and Sharon, you know, so I do networking, and that I'm known for mentoring people in the industry. So Tori, there's this kid who his father is a doctor, he goes to my church, and he wants to get involved in film. He wants to get into film and I know you do networking, do you think you could meet him and make some introductions? And I'm like, I just pray it out. Right. But I passed up, I kind of jumped the gun with show me so and that's how it worked. So I'm like, yes. So I get my tooth fixed. They give Adam she calls out and says, Hey, there's Adam calls me right after this. Just point my mouth is all lemon wine. Oh, and I met Adam and started doing films with him. Every time I go to these conferences that I'm teaching out, they would always put me up in a in the hotel with two queen size beds. And these conferences are very expensive for the normal person to go to. It's like your $500 tuition. I'm like, that's a wasted empty bed somebody could be using who might not be able to afford this. So I'm going to start looking for people who are really talented who probably couldn't afford to do this. And I'm going to bring them along as my assistant. Oh, that way, I guess tuition free. And I can do all the networking by connecting them to my friends and shoot. But it has to be somebody who's really talented. So I'm like, Adam, come with me to this conference. You come with me this conference, introducing him to Dallas Jenkins, Jerry Wheeler. And here's the thing about Adam. Yes, great to make introductions for people and help them. But Adam is solid talent. If you can't deliver, once you get that connection is pointless. Exactly. It didn't take much but a few introductions and and he was off. But it took somebody else to open that door and invest in him. And that's one of the things in the Bible that tells us, each of us should not look to our own interests, but to the interests of others. Do Nothing, not a vain conceit or selfish ambition. But to humble yourself and think of others is better. And that's easy for me because I never, I was never really anything important. I always think everybody's been with me.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 29:22

Since we're talking about Adam. He mentioned something about the streaming era and how it's kind of going to take over media in the coming year. So I want to hear your perspective on it. Is the streaming era going to provide a new platform for wholesome family friendly content that's actually worth watching?

Torry Martin: 29:44

I have no idea about that's not my realm. What do I know? I don't think I think I don't think America is going to be getting any better. I don't think we're going to come back. I think these are important times that we're living in. And actually I'm looking for the return of Jesus, okay, so the streaming network, I don't I don't see societies just getting more and more evil. I mean, hopefully, though there's some time and somebody will do good content, but that's not my problem. So I don't know, I don't care.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 30:14

Well, I'll tell you this, like the chosen, for example, you know, when we talked to Adam, he gave us the details about it. And just a phenomenal accomplishment. I mean, three costs, like $3 million to produce an episode. And they've crowdfunded the entire thing. And since I've replayed the podcast, I actually watched the chosen few of the episodes in the first season. And it was pretty fascinating. It's quite extraordinary what they were able to accomplish without, you know, a big, big box budget.

Torry Martin: 30:45

Let me tell you about Dallas. Yeah, please. Dallas, was doing all these great movies. And he was going to be speaking at this conference that I was at. And I wanted to meet Dallas Jenkins so bad because I wanted to be in I wanted to be directed by him. I wanted to be in something with Dallas Jenkins. But I was I was still smoking cigarettes at the time. And I was nervous around all these Christians. And now I'm on staff and I would sneak off and have like a cigarette. And you know, Dallas was so successful that people other actors who are at these conferences are like, Claus, you know what I mean? It's like, they're like groupies, like give me a break. And I'm like, I can't do that. I'm not, I'm not that. I'll never be good enough to talk to Dallas. And because I skipped it, because everybody gets it like kidney. You know, I'm out in the parking lot, having a cigarette. Feeling like father, I know you've called me to this, but I don't know how to do it. I'm too socially awkward, even talk to him. And then all of a sudden, I'm in parks pocket, here comes Dallas Jenkins in a parking lot. He had ducked out from where, where he was at his company was coming down. And it was just Dallas, and me. And I was praying while I was out there. I'm like, Father, if there's an opportunity, I really liked Dallas, if there's an opportunity, then you'd have to create excite so. So when that happened, it was bizarre. And we kept in touch. And I remember the shirt that I was wearing, because later after nine years of praying bothered, really, and being friends with Dallas, he ended up casting me in his movie, The Resurrection of Gavin stone, where I played the DJ in that movie. And then that movie wasn't terribly successful. But Dallas knew at this point, that I'm known for networking, I connect people in the industry. And he called me and he's like, hey, the writing's on the wall here. I'm going to be looking for opportunities to direct other places, because I don't know how much longer I'm going to be here. Do you know anybody who was like, other filmmakers? You need a director? No, I couldn't think of anything offhand. But just a few months previous, I had met this lady who went to this conference and RP for the first time. And she had this studio called Capernaum studios where they had built this little nativity, like set in the middle of Texas, as she's like, I'm just trying here trying to meet people to see if we can get filmmakers can make movies here, because we built this set. I'd like filmmakers to be there. And I'm like, I'm going to be going right by you on my way next month to this other conference in Austin. Can I stop by and tour and she's like, Sure. So I toured it. I was like, This is amazing. And then it clicked to me. I'm like, now status, Jerry Jenkins, Jenkins for the whole left behind but he also has all those biblical time period novels that was could do the novelization that screenplay, and I've one of those, and it could be filmed right here.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 33:35

Are you the reason that the chosen is that an actual thing? Or is that what you're just telling? Are you telling me that right now? Are you the glue that no that brought it all together?

Torry Martin: 33:46

No. But I am the person who then called Dallas a Dallas. I know it's crazy. You got there. There's this funny Tammy, she's got this set out there. I just heard it. It's fantastic. If you could get the rights because I'm thinking your dad's books or something, you know? And he's like, Yeah, I'd be interested to learn how Tammy I like kami. There's this filmmaker in Dallas Jenkins. He does resurrection Kevin stone. I told him about, would you like me to connect you? And that's what I do. I keep bios of everybody that I meet, so that I have the bio that I can send to the person that I feel like I'm supposed to introduce them to. And it's always the most important person gets the other person's bio first. Because you don't want to tell this person Hey, I've mentioned your set to Dallas Jenkins and stuff. But he didn't think it was very good. So I'm sorry. You don't want them to know you're doing anything on their behalf. Right? You know, because you want to have the joy of it being a good thing that disappointed them and getting their hopes up. So he said he'd be interested in me. I'm like, That's awesome. Welcome. Dallas Jenkinson. Would you like to Oh, yes, we'd love that. And they got connected in AI. The story of how the Chosun happened all that happened. I don't know all those details. All I know is that it was filmed there at Capernaum through that introduction,

Kosta Yepifantsev: 34:57

and Adam Drake who then After introducing the least all of this together is what I'm trying to say you. So you talked about the fact that you understood novelization. So that's one, you found the set that they would use to film the show that

Torry Martin: 35:13

made the connection between Dallas and Tammy. And that it ended up that God use that,

Kosta Yepifantsev: 35:18

you know, Dallas, and you know, Adam, and you pair them together? Yes. And then Dallas

Torry Martin: 35:23

sent me a message. He's like, Hey, we're thinking about, you know, because after I introduced him about Adam, Adam and I co produce heaven bound together. I'm like, he's amazing. Yeah. Because he's a kid who I've been mentoring. He's like, What are the recommendations about him, and I was like, the most glowing thing, I still got that text. Because you know what, at that time, it didn't feel like God was used doing anything in my life at that time. But then when I look at Adam, this little, this kid from a dentist assistant in Sparta, Tennessee, who's now the first ad for the chosen, that's where you realize it is not about me, Father, it is about you, all I have to do is be aware of the people and the talents around me and help them to use their ability for your kingdom.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 36:14

So you said something earlier, I know you kind of inferred without saying it that you were essentially waiting for Jesus to come back, kind of the end times of things. When you see things like the chosen, and you look at your own, you reflect back on your own life and the things that you've experienced the good and bad, what about the hope of the fact that I think the Christian content community can start putting out things that are going to be more mainstream and start changing the conversation in the United States to maybe be more aligned with a level of morality and values that fall? Yeah, absolutely. into. So I mean, the rest of our show, right? Yeah. Okay, so it's not the end of the world. I just want to make sure.

Torry Martin: 37:04

Martial Art, right. We prefer to write mainstream films. We did a we wrote the match breaker with Christina Grimmie view. It's a romantic comedy, mainstream romantic comedy. She was a singer. She was the real deal. She was serious about the Lord was foremost right before the movie came out that she was murdered. And in Florida, that was devastated. That really shook my faith. So I was like, God, she got murdered in Florida, she she was killed by a stalker at a concert in Florida. absolutely devastating. She really influenced me and debrief time, I played the landlord, and we wrote that movie for them. Which by the way, let me tell you how I want to tell you two other stories that are really okay. I did this 700 Club interview as a comedian and they're like afterwards they're like, Hey, if you know any other comedians who we could do a profile on let me know and I'm like most Christians in the comedy network because all those guys would love to so I'm referring here do a show notes here my time minute 10 minute tie this down for that day. How about this person there it was so quick, your matchmaking your your pain. Because I'm I'm single, I'm called to be single. So my friends or my family, and just like a parent would want to get their kid a really good job and make sure they go to good college. I want my friends to stay gainfully employed so they can support their five kids. Ran out of comedians, this is what I was on MySpace at the time. And so I've had like, I don't know who to time tied to this day either. So I just typed in the search on MySpace, Christian comedian. Hope your name and Michael Joyner his name came up and I'm like, Okay, now this is where I have to embarrass myself. And write that message helped me Father like, Michael, my name is Torie Martin how you to 10 minute time pipe I'm looking for people to help grow in the entertainment industry. I see that you're comedian there's just haven't had a club fitting through looking for comedians would you like to be featured? I'd be happy to connect you. And you're just you feel so stupid doing that to a stranger, you know? And he's like, he answered back. That that letter to he's like, Yo, bro. Like, I am a Christian comedian, but I'm also working in mainstream right now. I'm living in Los Angeles. I really don't want to be identified as just being a Christian comedian. So thanks for no thanks. And then I'm just like, Oh, that's so fun. ferrocene I just made an idiot. He's like, a number one Christian comedian. I'm like, I just embarrass myself. A year goes by another day that I do not have a time tight time ties to now I'm on Facebook.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 39:38

Wow, you've upgraded from MySpace congratulations, by the

Torry Martin: 39:41

way again, type in two seconds still collect comedians to this so that was an easy one. Christian comedian, Michael Joyner. No,

Kosta Yepifantsev: 39:50

why does he not want to be associated? Okay, I'm

Torry Martin: 39:53

like, No, I'm not. But I pray I'm like father show me whose time type to type Christian community Michael Moore. No for that guy, he was like, Yo, bro and wasn't interested. He's cool. I'm not. And I felt like an idiot. So I didn't die that day. The next day. Remember, yesterday, you prayed? You asked me the first name. And I put Michael Jordan in there. So that's what I want you to connect. That's what you're hearing in your head. And I'm like, going, No, he wasn't very nice to me. No. So that was day two, day three. Fine, fine. Michael, I don't know if you remember me or not. But a year ago on MySpace, I tried to build it in and I feel like the Lord's laid you on my heart for the last three days. So if you're interested, if there's anything I can do to help you let me know. And it wasn't 10 minutes Michael sent me a message. He goes, Can I call you right now? Oh, wow. Phone call? And I'm like, okay. Yes. And we start talking. And he tells me about how he's left Los Angeles in the last year. And it's in Kansas City now with his in laws and his kids. And he had the housing market had happened. I was like, okay, yeah, you're going to be my time. I'm going to do something for you. Meanwhile, a week, send me your tape of all your acting stuff that you've done. There's another guy on my Facebook who I'd never met, who I just got connected to who was driving from California back to Niagara Falls. And he goes, I know, I've seen on Facebook that you are household side of the road. First year here I had 50 overnight visitors and only counted if they spent the night. Everyone in the entertainment industry because they've got to go to Nashville, or to New York, or you know, they're all coming by and they're saving money stayed up at my house. He goes Kai, stay at your house on the way back to Niagara Falls because I know, I didn't know him. I'm like, Sure. So he stops. He's like, he comes in and welcome him. Rob's there. And he's like, so I just landed a job. And they're looking for a guy who can do comedy who could play a cop for this movie called The Grace card. I was like, stay right there already and I got Michaels audition thing. I gave it to him. He gave it to David Evans. And that's how Michael ended up getting cast as a lead in the Sony provident picture, the grace card. And then I wrote the screenplay, Heaven bound about this guy who loses everything, which is what happens inspired by Michael and I wrote the street for Michael, and for my friend Nancy Stafford, who played on Matlock, the assistant on Matlock. Now mind you, at the same time, I'm helping Adams way before Dallas. We're doing these short films together. I'm so impressed with him. He's just amazing. He's like Tori, I want I'd written this whole movie idea for Michael Joyner. With him in mind, I think we could do low budget, it'd be about these criminals who break into this Christian guy's house to steal his jewels. But he decides to lock them in. Because his wife had Alzheimer's, okay, we have these security locks on on the house to keep his wife from getting out. He's now dying of cancer. His wife has already passed away, she had Alzheimer's. He's now dying of cancer, and he's afraid to get a shirt and he's a Christian. He's afraid he's gonna show up in heaven. And he's never led one person to the Lord. He's gonna show up empty handed. But these crooks are broken into steal all of his wife's jewelry. And he decides she's going to lock them in until one of them accepts the Lord. It's like a salvation piton yada, he's gonna bring one of them open. And it was all going to be set in his house. And I wanted him to have the doctor to have this Christian movie theater with every Christian movie ever made, because that would be torture for non Christians to be trapped in the house having to watch every donation ever made. So Adams like Tori has come over and want you to come over meet my parents and I'm like, hit with grownups. And he's a doctor. I don't talk smart.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 43:47

Did you pitch the movie? Like you just did to them? No. Okay. They didn't know that. No, I

Torry Martin: 43:52

know. And I didn't know anything rusty whitener was with us who was an actor, come over. Go Rob, where you come with me to meet Alex parents, because you know how I get anxiety and stress about meeting people. And as soon as I start to say something dumb, you know, the signal, which is the signal is ADHD. Timeout. Is it your you know, there's queues with all my friends? No.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 44:13

So like, when you start to say something strange they do? Or there's, or there's

Torry Martin: 44:18

code words. Oh, remember, we're gonna have to leave it 11 I'm like, well, that's like four hours from now. No, 11 Oh, 11 that's when you go went over the top 10 commandments in dangerous territory. So I went there to meet his parents. And as we're walking through the house, I'm like, Rusty white nervous of the who was the only person who was familiar with this screenplay that I had written about this house and this doctor and everything. And it was everything that I had written, and it received tarnish me just in the middle of meeting Dr. turocy this house and he goes, Did you prophesy this place? I'm like, I don't know. So then I told him About this idea I had for a movie, and it was Adam stat who ended up financing heaven bound. It was crazy. That's incredible. And then when Adam introduced me to you and said at that's the only reason I'm here is Adam is doing that return networking thing. And he's so good at it. He's like, I think you'd have fun. It's a really professional. He's really nice. I had a great time. I'm just gonna mention like, okay, and then I hear from Morgan. And I'm like, okay, father, I don't know what I'm going to talk about. I don't really have anything flow. But I'll I'll go wherever you will for the door and see what we can do. Because I come into this with the knowledge, it's probably not about me. So I'm going to need to find out about you, and how I can help with what you're doing. Listen,

Kosta Yepifantsev: 45:44

first off, thank you for being here. So just the fact that you agreed to be a part of the show, you're already making all my dreams come true. So you don't have to worry about bigger dreams. But I really I want to ask you, though, because you've had so much success with essentially screenwriting with stand up comedy, and you've done it all and so many other things, obviously, networking and connecting people, but I almost feel like you're a somewhat of a producer. And you did it all in the Christian space. But when I think of Christian movies, and Adam and I talked about this, whenever whenever we did the podcast, I just, man, I just they're just not well done, at least as you compare them to like,

Torry Martin: 46:29

Dave's danger. Right. Right. Absolutely.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 46:32

So two questions. First, what advice do you have for people that are trying to create movies in the in the Christian space? And secondly, why aren't they well done?

Torry Martin: 46:43

First of all, the first game any filmmakers make is going to be a low budget film, because nobody's going to invest in someone who's unknown for first time director. And then it's really hard for them to make their money back so that they can produce another movie, right? Why don't they make their money back? Because they made a bad movie that didn't make money? Well, why was it bad because they did it on a budget and they thought, I'm going to direct it, I'm going to be the lead actor in it, I'm going to I'll save money on our writer, I'm going to write it myself. And then you got Southern Region movie that is never going to be successful. And it's very hard to make the money back to make your next movie. So most Christian filmmakers make one movie, it's one and done. They don't go on, so they can't see any better over time.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 47:29

Why is there no money though? Why don't big box office? You know, why doesn't MGM or Warner Brothers? Why don't they invest in this market? And telling the stories about Christianity in the way that the chosen does not the way that the righteous gemstones do? Try to

Torry Martin: 47:45

with that Russell Crowe thing where they had the rock, like, crazy? Well, first of all, they are you know, Sony, provident, is distributing like the Kendrick Brothers movie that I worked on. They seem to be the most successful. And I don't know, you know what the thing is, I don't know how to answer that. I mean, Heaven bound was our first movie that we did. And I came into it so arrogant, in my head thinking, man, it's not going to be hard to be better than these other Christian movie makers, that's not going to be a challenge. And once you do it yourself, and that budget spiraled out of control, and things are costing more, and you learn a lot of hard lessons. And I think heaven bound, I'm proud of Heaven bound. It's not much better than what's out there, though. You know what I mean? I thought it was gonna be so much more. In some ways. It's really not, I don't know,

Kosta Yepifantsev: 48:42

what's it going to take? This is just a fascinating subject for me. And I know, I keep hammering on the same thing, but I'm just I just don't understand and somebody from the movie industry can help me understand it. What's it going to take for multiple movies to have the same success, that Passion of the Christ does?

Torry Martin: 49:02

No, God, maybe miracle may be filmmakers who allow other people to move in their talents, who do not make it all about themselves. I'm going to be the director, the actor, the screenwriter, I couldn't even score this, I've got a keyboard. If they start looking, okay, I want to find a good screenwriter and let him write. I'm going to find a good director and let him direct it. I'm gonna find the best first ad out there and that is Adam Drake, and I'm gonna have him be the first ad on it. You realize it takes them realizing it's not about them. It's about God and allowing the people that he wants to be involved in bringing this to life, to be a part of it. This whole industry doesn't matter whether you're a Christian or a non Christian, it is very me centric.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 49:55

Well, I mean, but you when you brought up Michael Joyner and his story, and when you guys first talked And he sort of said, No, thank you. And he said he didn't want to be identified as a Christian actor. He didn't want to be one dimensional.

Torry Martin: 50:06

He's a super talented. Oh, absolutely. He's working in the mainstream. And they're if you're working in the mainstream, they find out that you're identified as a Christian comedian that closes doors. Being a Christian isn't really popular in the entertainment industry, you can't even be a conservative because you might

Kosta Yepifantsev: 50:22

get candy because they're not gonna hire you. That may be another podcast for another time, because if we start going down that rabbit hole, we'll be here for about four hours talking about all the problems in society. So I want to talk about your recent movies you had a recent movie released called the desperate riders with trace Adkins and drew waters, what other projects are you working on? And also, what comes next,

Torry Martin: 50:46

personally, that desperate writers that was a fun project to be I have a scene opposite Tom Berenger from The Big Chill and platoon, I got to act opposite Tom Berenger. And I only got that role from my friend, Kevin, who was on under the dome, who had a director who seemed natural who needed an actor for right the next day, and he suggested me as soon networking, and there I am the next day without an audition just on a reference from a friend at shops at Tom Berenger. Amazing. Right now. I'm working on an audio book, adaptation. It's done. It's ready for release for my book of loosen men. I've got four screenplays out there right now that are being shopped. One of them is optioned by Paramount Studios. It's a shopping agreement with Steve Mitnick, who did Superman Returns and all the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies. And that's a romantic comedy mainstream. I'm working on historical time period piece. It's done with a studio out of Georgia right now that we're very excited about another children's book. And I'm having adventures in my hometown of Sparta, where I challenged myself to start getting involved with my community and see what I could do there. And there's a lot of projects this the thing about ADHD is I am a multitasker actually didn't sleep last night. I was up all night last night working. And it's just wow, it's just it just happens. I'm going to crash tonight. Oh, you're

Kosta Yepifantsev: 52:20

doing great. I mean, you're functioning very well thing. I can't miss a day asleep. I would I would be underneath this table. It takes like a special person that's not from a community, especially a small community and decide that they are going to pour their time their attention into a community. Why did you decide to do that?

Torry Martin: 52:40

I was doing this thing a season of Yes. Writers challenged myself to say yes. Okay. But I couldn't tell anybody, those students, because I was just trusting God. I'm like, God, I feel like I'm in a standstill right now. And I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing now. I wanted a timeout from the entertainment industry. This is four years ago. And I decided I wanted to get involved in my community. I just didn't know how. And my friend from Alaska came to visit me. And we're walking. I'm showing him downtown Sparta, there's nothing there's this coffee shop that just opened. He goes, is that a coffee shop? And I was like no, Sparta doesn't have a coffee shop. And he's like, No, I'm pretty sure that's a coffee shop. It was called the coffee collective last, like we got a coffee shop. I only drive down from the mountain go to Walmart and I go back up. I travel. But I don't do anything. I don't know anybody in Sparta. I've been here 17 years, except Adam. He goes, go into a coffee shop. And he goes, I'm going back to Alaska. But I'm going to challenge you to come to this coffee shop three days in a row. And you can't leave until you meet three people each day. And he did not know as soon as Season Two. Yes. Oh, wow. And I was like, That is the worst thing you could have. And he had no idea because I'm like, I hate talking to strangers. Look at me. I'm a fat overweight hippie from Alaska. I'm ADHD. I'm OCD. Nobody's gonna like me either. But I had to do so for three days, I went down there. And firstly, I'm like the person who captures your eye on my story with your new one, their brief conversation or whatever. But it just so happened that Marvin Bullock, who was from the Chamber of Commerce was one of the people I met who introduced me to Jeff Young, who was the mayor of Sparta, who found out that I did branching into marketing a creative idea and for helping businesses and doing network stuff. And then there's Dr. Griffin, who became and then next year, I ended up being on the historical board to help revitalize Naira and it was amazing. And then I'm in the coffee shop on the third day and there was somebody there was two ladies at the table across me. And I'm just buying my own business. I had one more person I needed to meet that day one, and I'm looking for the easiest target so I can get out of here because I knew God was holding me to it. And she said, you know if everybody in this town would just do three good things for the city. We pit changed this place was like a father, you had me here that on purpose. I'm gonna have to think of three things to do for the city of Sparta. Well, I have so many talented friends all that working there is this Leicester flag guitar that needed to be led up to celebrate Lester flat that I happen to have a friend who does all the stage lighting for the Taylor Swift concerts and I'm like, Hey, could you help me put together some a proposal for how to do this, and I love Gilmore Girls. And they it was like, it's one of my favorite shows. You know, it's set in a gazebo and Stars Hollow and I'm like, I'm gonna make spike stars. I'm gonna get lights on that gazebo like the one on young girls are naked. Edison lights, that historic kind of vintage feeling. And then I found the mnh hardware store where I put together the Christmas display that I started coming down and doing and then redoing the City Hall windows, I took this, I had my friends who I teamed up with who all owed me favors put together as his pitch deck. It took it into the mirror and Jeff Young is like the budgets all laid out the whole business plan of everything and he's like, would you consider being on a historical or

Kosta Yepifantsev: 56:06

it's like you've done this before? Right? It was

Torry Martin: 56:08

just it's just it was just weird. And then I started meeting people and making friends and I have so many friends in Sparta now. The kid who grew up being bullied with no friends just wanted to be on stage because you could become somebody else did anybody else put me in a place like Sparta, Tennessee, where I'm surrounded by people who love me and encourage me. When you know somebody gets you, it's the best feeling in the world.

Kosta Yepifantsev: 56:39

So we always like to end the show on a high note. Who is someone that makes you better when you're together?

Torry Martin: 56:47

My best friend Rob. My best friend Rob. Yeah, as an Marshall younger my writing partner and Jackie can my pastor and Adam Drake, because I'm half gifted. I would say anybody that I collaborate with, I'm better together with the spark person. I'll provide the comps for you for finding the brains. But Rob for sure. Marshall, Adam. Pastor, I think I am a less guy.

Morgan Franklin: 57:17

Thank you for joining us on this episode of Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev. If you've enjoyed listening and you want to hear more, make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. Leave us a review or better yet, share this episode with a friend. Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is a Kosta Yepifantsev Production. Today's episode was written and produced by Morgan Franklin post production mixing and editing by Mike Franklin. Want to know more about Kosta visit us at kostayepifantsev.com We're better together.