Behind the Scenes Look at THE CHOSEN: Season 4!

hi I'm Laura Bennett and today I'm taking  you behind the scenes of global phenomena   the chosen a first of its kind series based  on the life of Jesus and his disciples it's   gained over 110 million viewers in 175 countries  and is soon to be translated into 600 languages   we visit the set in Dallas Texas where season 4  is underway to find out where the show is headed   and the Heart behind one of the most successful  crowdfunded Productions ever the cast and crew   open up about the highs and lows of approaching  the halfway mark of the series how they feel about   some of the big moments that are still to come  and what fans will be talking about after season 4 before season 1 debuted in 2019 it was Creator  and director Dallas Jenkins who imagined what   the chosen could become humanizing the disciples  revealing their doubts and concerns about the cost   of following Jesus what will they face in season  4 well season 4 what's kind of funny about it is   that they don't learn a whole lot that's the  point is that the disciples are missing some   of the message that Jesus is trying to teach uh  he's trying to teach them about what the kingdom   really looks like and they're focused on their  status they're focused on where they belong he's   trying to say no no that's what other people are  worried about you're G to lose your life you're   gon to you have to surrender you have to sacrifice  and they're like okay fine but um can I be on your   right and left hand when we get up to heaven and  I can share in your glory and it makes him sad and   that's one of the things that experiences often  through this season is they're getting closer   and closer to Holy Week closer and closer to his  death and scripture shows that the he kept telling   them and warning them and they were like just went  right over their heads it wasn't until after his   death and resurrection that they became passionate  fervent willing to die uh spreading his word quite   uh as much as he was hoping that they that he  that they would so we start to approach some of   the sadness in this season so I don't want to make  people worried about it there's a lot of Joy too   there's a lot of great biblical stories that we  cover but uh this is when you start to see human   nature and the disciples are kind of missing the  point a little bit for all that happens on screen   there's an entire world of people bringing it to  life behind the scenes and incredible facilities   that have helped the show raise the bar with every  season into our brand new um 36,000 ft Sound Stage   there's nothing like it in the state of Texas  10,000 ft of offices which is in this Wing two   floors of production offices and bullpens um  private offices cubicles and everything that   happens in there then goes through the process  and becomes what we're about to go take a look at   hey we are just about to go in and check out one  of the sound stages for the chosen almost 35,000   square meters of space in here creating some of  the sets the scenes that you love let's go take a look um right now there are five sets on our  Sound Stage um when we moved in um it was   nothing but a big empty almost airplane hanger  is what it feels like the first set that we're   going to look at is um the Roman Authority um  it was a set that's been with us since season   1 we built it on a sound stage in Dallas  moved it it's moved twice um it's had an   upgrade each time it's moved it got a little  bit of a facelift what I'm going to do is just   let you guys sort of go and and enjoy the sets  walking through these spaces the scope of the   series hits you and knowing that it's generous  fans and support is that have brought it to life Welcome to Peter's house  he's not home at the moment so   we're going to go take a look pay  attention to the level of detail   that the set dresses go into when  they're creating these spaces it is [Music] amazing they are in need of rescue  and you are going to help me rescue them the   disciples are very much the fans inroad into the  story of Jesus and everything that scripture talks   about you mentioned that Jesus is this relatable  touchable kind of character what do you think the   disciples have learned about him through their  time alongside him I think it's to spread that   kindness I know we're not there yet but but the  biggest Commandment that that Jesus really wanted   his disciples to get at the Last Supper was uh  love one another as I have loved you and I feel   like there's in today's world there is so much  divide yeah you know because so many people walk   there's so many people that come from different  parts of life different upbringings different uh   politics different religions but when it all  comes down to it we are all connected one way   or another so if we all stop and listen to each  other and spread that kind of spread that love I   think that was his main message yeah and I think  if we do a lot more than a lot more of that you   know there's no telling like the magic this world  could be you know in terms of the the connectivity   the the togetherness yeah I think the you know  Jesus was a disruptor he he was not he was all   about love but he definitely changed the status  quo of like how things were he he disrupted the   system that was in place and I think that that's  something that's changing in the characters as   well getting okay with chaos and used to it and  not just used to it but being the reason for a lot   of the chaos and I think that uh you're going to  see that more and more this season and especially   in future Seasons what you guys have created with  the chosen is is phenomenal you're basically in   charge of the visuals the set design everything  that creates the visual identity of the show how   do you prepare for that what are you looking for  when you decide what each set needs to look like I   do a lot of the logistics I don't do actually the  design work I have a team of incredible artists uh   my production designer James Cunningham who I've  been working with for years actually prior to this   this production he brought me on to this James  does his research he reads and reads and rereads   the scripts and lets the text Inspire him and then  he digs into ruins and history and artifacts and   culture and um location and just like the writers  do with the the text and of what the actors are   saying and the story that we're telling they try  to give a backstory um we support that with the   um architecture and the the locations where we  place all all of these stories um so um that's   really what was um just incredible about about  what James brings to the show is the the attention   to detail a new texture a new a new color a new  a new flavor to just to keep us on our toes and   when you walk through the city area of Jerusalem  and the different places that we see whether it's   where you've got uh Simon and Eden's wine press  you've got places where Jesus has conversations   you've got workshops everything it's almost like  a maze but each space looks different talk us   through how you create that kind of 360° uh world  within that space well that's just it we allow the   creative team the directors and the Director of  Photography and and the storytellers to go play   in the space we give them a complete world to play  in we never know where the camera is going to end   up on any given day so we make sure that we've  given them a complete uh playground with every to   toy that they wanted you know they could possibly  want to to tell the story Mary Magdalene is such a   dynamic character across the chosen season 4 where  is she now cuz season 3 was such an evolution and   there was so much grit I suppose to her what's  happening this time around yeah I think I think   season 3 helped her sort of really let go of the  past and start focusing on the people around her   and this season there's there's more of that she's  shifting into a real Observer of what's going on   around her um I think first two seasons she was so  focused on her past and her pain and her fears and   this season she's able to really focus on Jesus  and his message and what's happening and there's   so many unexpected tra IC things that happen this  season and and as a group together um they're all   really they all have to be there for each other  and um so I think focusing Less on herself and   more on others is just is it I think there's no  doubt that she belongs in the group now and and   I think she's picking up on on some subtle sort  of uh hints the of of what's to come and and um   really becoming a little bit more thoughtful about  what's happening season 4 does Mark a significant   milestone for the Chosen and being on set you  realize it's not just a show for the cast and crew   but a community built on passion and hard work  and when we go into the synagogue area that is to   me one of the most impressive sets on the chosen  how long did that take to create the creation of   it was actually done in record time because of  the the army of workers that we had uh working   on on just building from the ground up um but the  entire city was put together from almost from pen   to paper to its to the first day we rolled camera  in in less than 9 months incredible and when you   look around the walls it looks like Stone it looks  like it should be this really heavy kind of uh   structure it's made of styi a lot of the finishes  on the wall now the walls are all structural and   weatherproof and and um very uh contemporary um  we have uh you know plaster and and and drywall   and um you know the framing is all is all right  but the finishes that our Scenic artists put on um   are at some some places just layers of Styrofoam  that have been treated to look like giant pieces   of stone and then other pieces are actually we  brought in a team of Masons and they did actual   stone work amazing and I hear that behind that  uh that work the painting there's graffiti and   quotes in there is that so just before we put  the finishes into the synagogue and it happened   throughout because there were other buildings  that didn't that weren't finished so once the   uh the crew was given the okay to do that um  it it continued it it worked its way out of the   city out into the city um but behind every every  square inch of the walls in the synagogue um the   crew was given uh big fat black magic markers  and told to go write their favorite scripture   their favorite verse their favorite inspirational  words some of them are in Spanish some of them are   in um in in English it's just but the walls are  just covered with um with with inspiration with   with with scripture and um and then we covered  and we we built the city on top of that so it's   it's there it's in the foundation the word it's  just it's there with all the heart that's behind   the series it could be easy to think the craft  comes second but what the chosen continues to   prove is that their mission to connect people to  the story of Jesus runs alongside a dedication   to Artistic [Music] Excellence please  everyone's going to move back behind the uh [Music] ladder okay thank you come on back I've seen a long time  great job let's reset that's the and you've worked   on some pretty big projects for organizations or  um production companies like DreamWorks Universal   the F Furious franchise so many massive projects  what brings someone like you to something like the   chosen well uh you know for me it's it all starts  with the filmmaker and Dallas is a true filmmaker   he has a vision he um doesn't compromise on that  Vision but at the same time he's flexible where   he needs to be every director has a budget  every director has certain constraints and   uh he's the kind of filmmaker who rolls with that  and is actually inspired by it to make difficult   decisions but decisions that are ultimately good  creatively and um you know I just found not only   his work powerful but the way he talks about  his work really powerful you know if you ever   watch the shorts that he does where talks about  the episodes I find those just as compelling in   some ways as the show itself um so for me it  started with my connection with the series but   also and the quality of that series but uh it  all starts with the filmmaker and um he is a   real filmmaker and I say filmmaker it's a series  but he really approaches it as a filmmaker and so   for me it started with a firm belief that I was  working with somebody who was a true Storyteller   and the show show is just going from strength to  strength why do you feel like the the message of   Jesus the story of his disciples is relevant to  audiences today my belief is that you know we're   living whatever your politics are whatever your  beliefs are I think we're living in a time that   is filled with enormous amount of change enormous  amount of confusion an enormous amount of conflict   and I think you know there's a place for darker  shows and shows about bad people doing bad things   and you know those are some of those shows are  great shows but I think that there's something   really helpful to see a show that's about good  people doing good things and uh that's something   inspirational and there are lessons in there  and that gives people comfort and guidance and   Leadership and I think it's the right show at  the right time that resonates and I think we're   in a time right now of great confusion and uh I  think this is the kind of show that people that   resonates with people not to say that it isn't  Timeless but I I do think that specifically now   my guess would be that there's a there's a real  need for this show last time we spoke I remember   you saying when you originally took on the  role of Jesus it was a job Four Seasons in   what is it to you now fortunately it still is a  job um and I'm able to make a living because of   it it's an increasingly weighty responsibility I  feel like the more people see the show the more   further we get into the show the more people  see the show the more encounters that I have   uh outside of the show and um The Wider reaching  it is and and uh the more impactful it becomes so   that's something that I'm always mindful of as  I uh as I meet people and and uh I'm I'm just   gracious to be able to I'm just uh uh grateful  rather to be able to have the opportunity to to   play such an impactful character and and one that  clearly does impact people on a personal level as   well as a character when you look at Jesus as a  character typically you know you see a character   go from like not knowing a lot to they grow they  change but when you're playing someone like Jesus   who's perfect and knows everything and continues  to be perfect and knows everything what does a   character Arc look like for him uh well it's not  traditional that's for sure I I uh for me I have   to find a lot of that on my own I think um within  the confines of what Dallas and Ryan and Tyler   have written and I think it's this gradual coming  to the knowledge uh the experiential knowledge of   the Earthly life of of seeing the things that  Jesus knows coming to fulfillment um and how   that affects him emotionally as he gets closer and  closer to the cross and the way you've represented   The Human Side of Jesus is something that makes  him so relatable to so many people what is it   about Jesus you think makes him someone people  want to follow whether it's in the context of   him as a character or him as a savior to so many  I don't believe it was stained glass windows and   statues and paintings that we see where he's so  formal and distant and reverent I don't believe   that thousands would have wanted to be around him  all the time I do believe that he was magnetic   and charismatic and funny and compelling now  that's different from successful accomplished   he wasn't those things he was humble um but I  do believe that his humility and his connection   his personal connection with people drew them to  him unlike any other Rabbi who had ever lived and   unlike any leader who had ever lived now then of  course there is the savior part the fact that he   is healing people not only of their physical  diseases but their spiritual sickness and so   that's kind of the whole point of the show is  you see the the popularity growing and everyone   has different reasons and I think that when in  the context of Seven Seasons we get to explore   all of those different reasons it's different  for everybody just like it is today season 4   where's your vision at for this uh this season  well uh you know it's it's definitely a we try   to make every season appropriately bigger and this  season is a like another season that is faithful   to the Bible and uh you know we're faithful to  the characters that are in the Bible but it's   also a bigger season that's certainly a season  that um has more in terms of color in terms of   costumes uh it shows another side of the world  the Richer side of the world World um it's got   a scale to it um you know we had the feeding of  the 5,000 walking on water but we certainly have   a lot more in terms of many more scenes with a lot  more extras hundreds of extras so I think you're   going to find that the scale of this season was  going to be a bigger scale and uh it's going to   have a bigger look to it and a richer look to it  than previous seasons and I'm excited to see what   aspects of Jesus character you bring to life this  time around we always see something about him that   just I suppose makes people connect with him in  a way that maybe they hadn't expected to what do   you think we'll learn from Jesus about Jesus this  time around well I think it'll be more uh more of   a connection with him as somebody who is relatable  and approachable which I think has been consistent   from season 1 that he's not just this kind of  distant figure that has been portrayed in the   past in other films and television series and  I think you're going to see a lot of that this   series and in terms of his vulnerability and  uh I don't want to give away too much um but   I think you're going to see uh more of that than  you've ever seen before um and that's going to be   um particularly um uh powerful I I'll leave it at  that because I don't want to give everything away   um uh which sounds silly because it's the Bible  but um you know I think you're going to find a   deeper I think people My Hope and our hope is a  even even deeper connection with Christ in terms   of what he's going through and um that's comes  out of like I said a deeper connection with him   and what he's going through writers Tyler Thompson  and Ryan Swanson have the big job of working out   how to adapt and expand elements of the Bible for  the Chosen and in season 4 and Beyond that's an   increasingly delicate task in in some respects  you're kind of nearing the end like you're at   the halfway point so we don't want to say it's too  close to the end but how do you feel as you move   closer towards some of the big events like we know  the crucifixion is coming we know that there's   going to be a time when the disciples don't have  Jesus with them anymore how does it feel to be   approaching some of those significant Milestones  well it's it's it's not a good answer but we try   to take it a day at a time truly we really do  try to take it a line at a time I mean because   you know the the immensity of the the the task and  what the the show is trying to tackle is of course   being Beyond any one of us but as we get closer  to the the the you know when the situation is most   fraught for our main characters um we need the  writing to get exceptionally sharp and intentional   because now we're we're we're we're we're moving  towards a section of the Bible that is almost   written minute by minute and so the chosen premise  is to bring you something authentic and disruptive   and intimate and um and so to tell those that  story in a way that's not just like uh pieces   on a feltboard we want to know what they mean and  so we're there's a Reliance on our researchers   that maybe in previous Seasons where we just had  eight T Poole moments to string together with the   emotional threads of of our characters this is  a you know an account that becomes intense it   becomes well documented and we trying to slip in  the lives of 12 characters into what's written   for us for one and so how did they each move  from Station to Station why does Peter keep not   understanding why do we why do any of them keep  not understanding yeah so you know to get it down   to ground level it it it does require something  different and and and we're so we're doing a lot   of research reaching over 550 million views and  Counting the series has a lot of fans Keen to   see what comes next despite the well documented  spoilers so what can they expect from season 4 I   think the relatability is the biggest thing like  we've been talking about the disciples are real   people um but I always go back to this one scene  that Dallas talked about with the miracle of the   fish when Jesus approaches Simon and the Miracle  of the fish happens and Simon gets down on his   knees and he looks up I remember Dallas saying  to me on the day in filming he goes I'm going to   have Jesus go down to Simon's eyeline and I don't  know how the audience is going to read react to   that because always that scene is depicted as God  and us but Jesus in our scene Jonathan gets down   on one knee and he says follow me doesn't say it  from above and I think that's what makes the show   successful it's the relatability we're on the same  level as as these disciples we see Jesus dancing   at the wedding at Kaa we're seeing these people  as real human beings and I think that's the main   success of the show I think the thing is um how  to not lower your eyes and head in the midst of   a challenge how to try to meet it headon and even  when it's could seem like insurmountable odds uh   emotionally or in in any way that you just have  to meet it head on and you have to do your best   to not lose sight of what's important to you  probably going with an open mind you know there   might be some things that are are challenging  for people to accept or you know challenge es   their viewpoints of a story that they might have  grown up with their entire lives you know I would   say be open to having your mind changed MH that's  that's really good I should start going first my   God the disciples are more put to the test let's  say um you know how they come out the other side   being the great teachers that they became later  is really a lesson to be learned where where we   see them um um um we see them struggling so much  in these in these Seasons that there is light at   the end of all this Darkness it's the connection  to the characters of of who we are and what   they're going through their real problems that  they're going through um and they're trying to   figure it out they don't know what to do you see  them going through not knowing how to navigate   something um how to talk to their wife how to  talk to their dad how to talk to Jesus and or   just you know maybe a friend and figuring it out  you know and it's not and it looks messy which I   I really love and sometimes it works sometimes it  doesn't and it's not perfect and as the seasons   continue we know we're getting ever closer to  Jesus crucifixion to this real uh climax moment   of the story of the show how is that affecting  everyone on set the the characters themselves   what's that like for you guys I think there's  this parallel that's happening where as we're   as we're getting closer we're also realizing we're  getting closer to the end of the show which means   that we won't get to work together that that this  journey is going to come to an end at some point   and I think because of that parallel we're all um  every little moment's becoming more meaningful you   know knowing that there is an end inside like  everything um is becoming more special and um   also knowing that it's getting especially  this season and and onward like it's dark   it's getting dark um we're all very cognizant of  keeping each other in good spirits and finding the   levity and and joy any chance we can and um and  just really being there for each other which you   know this group does so well um but yeah I think  I think it's I think it's a sort of appreciation   that we're finding with each other hey we do  have a separate video thanks for watching this   special on the chosen ahead of season 4 to stay  up to date with everything on the series Follow   The Hope 1032 YouTube channel find our following  the chosen podcast wherever you listen to yours   and keep an eye out for season 4 coming soon  there's so much more to hear from the cast and   crew of The Chosen don't miss a moment follow  h132 YouTube channel and find Sydney's h132 on   Instagram for more and if you're Keen to catch up  on previous Seasons find them all on Angel Studios app

Channel: Hope 103.2

Views: 60,877

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Id: aa-nasIg0eY

Length: 25min 37sec (1537 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 27 2024