TammyThompson – THOMPSON PRODUCTIONS

Special Effects

Being able to have access to special effects that you can’t create on your own is really important, especially starting out as an indie filmmaker. I knew early on, when I wrote the pilot script, that I would need to have a way to pull off the gunfire and explosions that were part of the […]

Blackwater Receptionist area Screenshot

Meet the Receptionist entrance of Blackwater, where you are greeted by an armed escort and high security. The security camera is fake. It’s just a little dome that has a blinking light in it, battery powered. We took some wall sticker tape and stuck it to the wall. This is a great little prop that […]

Celebrating 5 Years of Love and Encouragement to Live By

Love and Encouragement to Live By is now available on the Thompson Productions streaming platform, launching on the podcast’s 5-year anniversary. For two years, Jo Heather Dodson and Tammy Thompson came together each week to uplift and encourage listeners through honest conversation, faith, and Scripture. While they didn’t always see every topic the same way, […]

Why a Teaser Matters, A First Taste of Word and Deed

A teaser is meant to do one thing well: spark curiosity. It’s not the full story and it’s not meant to explain everything. A good teaser works more like an appetizer than a meal—just enough to pull the viewer in, set the tone, and leave them wanting more. The goal for the Word and Deed […]

A Sip of Wine and a Moment to Remember

Derrick’s POV – A Scene from “Word and Deed” I remember the way Valerie smiled at me that night. We were tucked into the corner of that cozy little Italian place just on the edge of town. It was the kind of place where the candles flickered with real flames, and the music hummed like […]

Seeing Through Derrick’s Eyes — POV Filming at Fika Coffee Bar

This week on Thompson Productions, we’re giving subscribers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at a powerful creative choice in Word and Deed — POV (Point of View) filmmaking, and we captured it right on location at Fika Coffee Bar in Hampstead, MD. In most films, we experience the story from an audience perspective, that is, watching […]

When the Lockpick Kit Doesn’t Show Up: Making Movie Props on the Fly

In the world of indie filmmaking, things rarely go exactly as planned — and sometimes that’s where the real creativity begins. We were gearing up to film a key scene for Word and Deed involving a lockpicking kit — a prop meant to show up on camera in an important moment in the storyline. The […]

Susan Gdovin Talks Late-Life Acting, Faith, and Playing Derrick’s Mom in Word and Deed

Exclusive Interview Now Streaming on Thompson Productions What happens when you follow a dream later in life and trust God with the outcome? Actress Susan Gdovin shares exactly that in our exclusive behind-the-scenes interview — now streaming on Thompson Productions. Susan plays Silvia Miller, the mother of Derrick Miller, in the upcoming show Word and […]

When the Van’s the Wrong Color: Improvising on Set

If there’s one universal truth in filmmaking, it’s this: things rarely go exactly as planned. While filming the pilot episode of Word and Deed, we had a very specific vision in mind,—a black tactical van, slick and intimidating, perfect for a high-stakes scene. It was written into the script, imagined in the blocking, and fully […]

Gun Safety on Set: Why It Matters More Than Ever

When it comes to filmmaking, few things are more important than safety, especially when working with prop guns. Even though these props are often non-functional or loaded with blanks, they must always be treated with the same caution and respect as real firearms. On the set of the upcoming pilot episode of WORD AND DEED, […]