We develop and produce award winning non-fiction content that’s designed to entertain, educate, and equip audiences to move from viewer to participant.
 

ABOUT

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

T.C. Johnstone is a multi-award-winning impact documentary film director/producer.  He has produced and directed multiple features and short documentaries including the award winning film “Rising From Ashes” executive produced by Oscar winning actor Forest Whitaker. The film won 19 film festivals, received US and international distribution and was a catalyst for the creation of the Rising From Ashes Foundation which continues to support the work of peace and reconciliation.  

He is also the founder of the Gratis 7 Media Group Foundation which produces films designed to create measurable change in 5 specific areas; reconciliation, equipping servant leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation.

 
 
 
 
 

Gratis 7 Films goes behind the scenes of impact documentary films to give you the rest of the story. We sit down with the cast, crew  and a few special guest to give you an inside look into impact documentary filmmaking and the lifestyle that goes with it.

 
 
 
 
 

CURRENT WORK

 


THE DAVE MIRRA STORY: IN DEVELOPMENT

Dave Mirra was more than just a BMX legend - he was a cultural icon who changed the face of extreme sports forever. His life was filled with triumphs and tragedies, and his legacy continues to inspire people around the world to pursue their dreams.

 

THE POWER OF SMALL: PRE-PRODUCTION

In a world longing for compassion, imagine gathering a diverse group, endowing them with unexpected financial means, and setting them on a single mission: spread kindness. No rules, no supervision – just empathy as their guide.


This incredible story really happened! "The Power of Small,” chronicles the journeys of 5 individuals out of 50, each gifted with resources to spread kindness. What unfolded defies expectations. "The Power of Small" is a story of the most subtle gestures possess a remarkable capacity for lasting impact. By weaving together personal anecdotes, scientific insights, and heart-stirring moments, the film crafts a vibrant mosaic of a world in which modest acts of kindness emerge as the pivotal force propelling positive change.


 

IN THE DIRT

Available now for community screenings and personal rental.

"IN THE DIRT" is a documentary film about a group of passionate Native American cyclists who attempt to bring the sport of mountain biking to the Navajo Nation, where no bike shops exist.

In 2018, retired pro cyclist Scott Nydam and his family moved to Gallup, New Mexico, to pursue a healthcare job for his wife. Soon after their arrival, Scott began meeting passionate mountain bikers across the 28,000-mile expanse of the Navajo Nation who loved the bike and wanted to bring the sport to their communities. The only problem is no bike shops existed. Through a grassroots native-led effort, this group of dedicated cyclists and their families have overcome countless odds to build a cycling culture that today has become the fastest-growing recreational sport on the Navajo Nation.

 

RED HORIZON

A group young pilot carry on the legacy of the original Tuskegee Airmen while pursuing their dream of becoming professional aviators. Available now at redhorizonfilm.com

 
 

DEALMAKERS

Pete Ochs had a crazy idea. What would happen if we put a manufacturing business inside a maximum security prison and payed our employees fair market wages and help them find their purpose? What started out as a crazy idea turned into reform, relationships and transformed lives. 

CLICK TO VISIT THE DEALMAKERS WEBSITE

 

TEEN PRESS

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“Teen Press” is a short documentary about one semester of the Santa Barbara Middle School Teen Press program. The film follows the selection process and initial training, as well as multiple interviews—with celebrities and unknown heroes alike—throughout the United States.

For more information on the project visit: teenpressthemovie.com

  • Heartland International Film Festival: AUDIENCE CHOICE

  • Virginia International Film Festival: AUDIENCE CHOICE

  • Santa Barbara Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Crested Butte Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Napa Valley International Film Festival: Official Selection

  • DOC NYC International Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Chargrin International Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Rhode Island Film Festival: Official Selection

  • St.Louis International Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Bend Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Orlando International Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Dam Shorts Film Festival: Official Selection

  • Boston International Kids Film Festival: Official Selection

 

RISING FROM ASHES

“Rising from Ashes” is a feature length documentary about two worlds colliding when cycling legend Jock Boyer moves to Rwanda, Africa to help a group of struggling genocide survivors pursue their dream of a national team. As they set out against impossible odds both Jock and the team find new purpose as they rise from the ashes of their past.

PURPOSE AND VISION

The documentary feature film "Rising From Ashes" was created with a common goal, to tell a story of redemption, hope, and second chances. It was not about the bike, however, the bicycle became a tool that has changed a nation.

Rising From Ashes has been produced by two partnering non-profit organizations, Gratis 7 Media Group and Project Rwanda. Many have believed in the project over the past 6 years and have generously provided over $800,000 in funding. The film has been completely donor funded and we currently have no debt on the motion picture.

For more information visit: rfafoundation.org

Watch the film on iTunes: CLICK HERE

 
 

 

 HEARING EVERETT

Thirty-eight years ago, Ed Everett went to Mexico to help the poor. What began as a simple trip became a path to destiny as the young father of six seized a unique opportunity, one for which he was unusually suited. "Hearing Everett" is a story of faith, love, and adventure, of one man’s legacy and its lasting effect on thousands.

The Everett’s were an average American family in the 1960s, with a comfortable life in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ed owned a successful neon-sign business, a Cadillac, and a brick house, and attended church every Sunday. The family seemed to be living the American dream, until a series of events altered their lives forever.

It began with their young son Luke’s debilitating illnesses—one that resulted in the child’s major hearing loss and forced the family to learn sign language. It continued with a journey to a pastor’s conference in Florida, where Ed made a commitment to God’s plan. Ed’s calling finally came in Mexico, where he encountered a deaf shoeshine boy and realized a need he and his family could meet. Inspired, he returned stateside, sold his business and home, and moved his family in a converted school bus across America into Baja, Mexico, to the town of Ensenada, 70 miles south of the border.

Once the lives of Mexico’s deaf children intertwine with the Everett’s, the adventure truly begins. Over the next 38 years the story takes many twists and turns, from the heights of happiness to the depths of tragedy. It’s a story that delivers a message of hope, of overcoming obstacles, of realizing that the reward outweighs the cost. "Hearing Everett" was filmed in two countries, covering thousands of miles from the lush, green riverbanks of the South to the barren, dry desert of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. It's story is told through the eyes and memories of the hearing and the hearing-impaired. You will come away with a better understanding of how you, as an ordinary person, can accomplish the extraordinary, if you’re only willing to take that initial step of faith.

For more information visit hearingeverett.com

 

FILMMAKER / SPEAKER / WORKSHOPS

 

PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS Festivals and Events

SXSW Film Festival; Austin, Texas

Crested Butte Film Festival; Crested Butte Colorado

GAP Film Festival; Austin, Texas

Napa Valley, CA Educational workshops for 1400 students in 8 high schools

Goldman Sachs; London England, Speaker

UNESCO; Paris France, Speaker

United Nations: New York City, speaker

Belarus, U.S. State Department cultural ambassador

Bahrain, U.S. State Department cultural ambassador

Google, Palo Alto, CA

World Bank, Washington D.C. 

Google, Main Campus California

Universities and Colleges

University of Arkansas; Fayetteville, AR

Montreat College; Asheville North Carolina

Carson Newman College; Jefferson City, Tennessee

Abilene Christian University

Campbell University, North Carolina

Trinity Valley, Fort Worth Texas

For more information on workshops, consulting or speaking engagements, please contact via website. 

PREVIOUS GRATIS 7 WORKSHOPS

All topics are tailored to best suit your event and format, from preliminary sessions with screenings to all day workshops and classroom visits.

The power of storytelling to make a difference in the world.

The power of vision. Finding stories that matter.

How to find and use your passion and think beyond yourself.

The power of partnerships. Creating networks to accomplish your vision.

18 months with Rick Warren. 10 life lessons I learned from documenting Rick Warren.

Life stages of a filmmaker. The Business of independent filmmaking and how to thrive.

“Leaders are Learners”: The importance of personal and professional mentors. Fundraising: The difference between a donor, investor and friend. How to create a healthy financial model for your movie.

Profit vs Non-profit filmmaking. What we own is only on loan. Balancing your goals of money and meaning.

Technology and film.

International documentary filmmaking. What they don’t teach you in film school. Genocide Recovery: Rwanda and it’s future development.

Money matters: Goal setting and lifestyle management for staying financially healthy as a filmmaker.

Business basics: The ten commandments of building a successful production company.