Official Selection: Las Vegas Film & Screenwriting Festival 2024Winner - Los Angeles Film Awards 2024Culver City Film Festival 2024 Official Selection.

Hello Joy

An artist stricken with grief has an unexpected encounter that sets him on a transformative journey towards joy.

behind the scenes

About The Project

Hello Joy was born inspired on the book Choose Joy by Kay Warren, and the question “How can one find happiness again when you feel the worst had happened?”  Grief is something we all go through at different levels, and it affects all areas of our lives including the very ones that could helps us get through it; like music, art, and connecting with others.

The story of Vince is meaningful to us, because we’ve all been him in one sense or the other. And by we, I mean the crew who worked on this project. We’ve had very close loss, we’ve had family and friends struggling with mental health, we’ve pushed aside our passions, our art, and kept moving through the motions numb and disconnected at different times.

But sometimes it takes one person, one line, one book, one song, or one movie, to help you see things in a new perspective and offer a glimpse of hope. And thats the reason we wrote this story.

Hello Joy Poster: A young black man walks across train tracks with trains in the background. The Words "Hello Joy" sit at the top of the poster.

Cast & Crew

Portrait of Taty Ortiz
Portrait of Veronica Saldivar
Portrait of Yamil Cervantes.
Portrait of Tylyn Rikimaru.
director
Photo of Vaughn Biggs, male, early 30's.
Vince
Vaughn Biggs
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Vaughn Biggs is a versatile worship pastor, singer and actor. He has held the title as worship pastor for several years at Saddleback Church's LA campus. Known for his impactful contributions to worship music, he has played a significant role in various Saddleback Worship albums and songs. Most notably, he was instrumental in the recent album “Christ Forever (Live)”, where he participated in songwriting and production. Leading the song “The God We Know.”In addition to his musical achievements, Vaughn Biggs has made a mark in the entertainment industry as an actor. He appeared in the 2023 Super Bowl commercial for the M&M’s company, starring alongside actress Maya Rudolph in the recognized "May&ya’s" campaign. His diverse talents continue to enrich both the worship and entertainment worlds.
Portrait of Madison Watkins. Female, early 30's.
Mia
Madison Watkins
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Madison Watkins is an American singer, songwriter, and influencer who has made significant strides in the music industry. Her career began with a notable debut on NBC’s America’s Got Talent in 2016, which showcased her exceptional talent and set the stage for her future endeavors. She gained further recognition as a Top 12 semi finalist on American Idol Season 19, where her unique voice and compelling performances captivated audiences.Watkins' single, "Blinded," garnered additional acclaim when it was featured on CBS’s popular TV series Love Island (American edition). Her musical versatility extends to her collaboration with Saddleback Church’s worship band, Saddleback Worship. She played a pivotal role in the creation and performance of the original worship song "Before the King."
Gen28 films presents "Hello Joy" Vaughn Biggs, Madison Watkins, G.G. Crawley. Music by Olen Kittelsen. Costume Designer: Jess Diaz. Edited by Zoe McCracken. Production Designer: Karu de Jesus. Director of Photography: Exequiel Ferreira. Visual Effects by Gabriel Guevara. Executive Producer: Veronica Saldivar. Produced by Yamil Cervantes and Tylyn Rikimaru.
Assistant Director: Chris Tellez. Screenplay by Victoria Melendez. Written and directed by Taty Ortiz.
Taty Ortiz
Executive producer
Veronica Saldivar
producer
Yamil Cervantes
producer
Tylyn Rikimaru

support

Financially

If you’d like to support us financially here are a few options, every dollar counts. As a starting production company this would be a huge help to help us distribute, and cover the costs of this project.

Tax-Deductible donation via Wedgwood Circle
Wedgwood Circle is acting as our fiscal sponsor, and offer donors a tax-deductible receipt.
Donate via Wedgwood Circle
Donor Advised Funds (DAF) through National Christian Foundation (NCF)/Impact Foundation
If you already have funds at the National Christian Foundation (NCF), you can direct that Donor Advised Funds (DAF), held at NCF, towards the film.
support through impact foundation
Support our Crowdfunding Campaign
Helps us cover the cost of bringing this film to life. Every cent will go towards the film and helping us share it with the world. 
Support on Indiegogo

share/follow on socials

Please follow our Production Company Gen28. We will be posting updates and would love the extra help liking and sharing our content.

Word of mouth

Nothing has more relevance than hearing something from someone you trust, so if you like our project, you're interested in these topics, or you’ve watched the movie please share. And if you want to support us but you're not in a position to help, you may know someone who is. We’re thankful you’ll spread the word!

resources

We want to be very mindful of the topic this film brings. If you or someone you know is dealing with grief, depression, or other mental health challenges here are a few resources.

a support group near you
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
a community to belong
Celebrate Recovery
A book to be inspired
Choose Joy by Kay Warren
groundbreaking therapy: emdr
EMDRIA: E M D R International Association

other resources

The Suicide Solution by Dr. Daniel Emina & Rick Lawrence
The Garden Within by Dr. Anita Phillips
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
E M D R: The breakthrough therapy for overcoming anxiety, stress and trauma by Francine Shapiro, PhD and Margo Silk Forrest.
What Happened to You? by Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. & Oprah Winfrey