Today we’d like to introduce you to John Franklin Rinehart.
Hi John Franklin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I never imagined myself becoming a filmmaker. Initially, my passion was music. Growing up on a small ranch in Gonzales, Texas, I was the seventh generation to call that land home. As a kid, I’d sit in the pastures, serenading cows and horses with my trumpet. Music felt natural to me, and eventually, I pursued it all the way to Sydney, Australia, where I studied formally.
However, once my career as a musician began, reality hit. The late nights, constant travel, and lack of sleep quickly wore me down. It didn’t take long for me to realize this wasn’t the life I wanted. After a couple of years of soul-searching, film emerged as my new direction. I’d dabbled casually in filmmaking before, but now I was ready to commit fully.
From that moment on, film consumed me. Every waking moment, every evening, every morning, revolved around filmmaking. This was before YouTube, so I devoured every book and resource I could find. I gathered hundreds of photography and film books, soaking up every bit of wisdom I could. I started filming anything and everything—small businesses, big companies—refining my craft along the way.
Things began to escalate, becoming bigger and more complex. At that time, my family was living in Redding, California. But Texas was always home, and eventually, we returned. Starting fresh in Texas, we initially focused on real estate. Gradually, our work expanded, attracting attention from Fortune 500 companies. As our reputation grew, so did our travels, taking us across the United States.
The pandemic, however, brought travel to a halt and forced us to refocus locally. That’s when we truly embraced our identity as filmmakers who approach each project from a place of servanthood. Our mantra became clear: “We create films from a place of solving problems.” No matter the size of the company, our process was always about diving deep into who they were. We liked to say we were digging for gold—finding dirt was easy, but uncovering the gold required effort, attention, and care.
Wanting a quiet place to reconnect with my roots, I set up a small office in Gonzales. Initially unnoticed, our presence grew when locals approached us with a problem: attracting overnight visitors. Immediately, I knew we could help. We had experience working with cities on tourism projects—our efforts in Redding even earned us the key to the city.
Gonzales was special, though. It was my hometown, steeped in history and significance—truly a place of firsts. I felt strongly that Gonzales deserved a unique story told in an equally unique way. That’s when inspiration struck. The Gonzales Memorial Museum seemed perfect for an ambitious idea I had: using projection mapping to display a film directly onto the museum. Similar to the stunning castle projections at Disney parks, we could tell the compelling story of Gonzales and the iconic “Come and Take It” message every night.
At first, it seemed like a wild idea, one that nobody would likely approve. But to my surprise—and excitement—they did.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There’s no such thing as a smooth road. Something is always trying to knock you down—whether it’s people, money, technical issues, or just mean girls trying to run a town. Challenges are constant, and we’ve definitely faced our share.
This project is huge, especially for a small town. It demands tremendous trust from the community, trust we’ve had to earn every step of the way. But that’s true everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Dallas, Austin, New York, or California—there’s always a group who doesn’t trust you, doesn’t like you, or even wants to see you fail.
What I’ve learned is that friction makes you better. Your critics, haters, and those whispering behind your back—they create the resistance you need to polish your skills. They’ve pushed us to sharpen our story, improve community outreach, and develop stronger marketing plans. Without friction, there’s no refinement.
Our experience mirrors the story we’re telling. The birth of Texas wasn’t frictionless. It came from disagreement, struggle, tears, and sacrifice. Incredible things never happen easily, and this project is no exception.
The challenges of creating something like Texas Legacy in Lights are immense. Technologically, we’re pushing boundaries in ways never seen before. As far as I know, this will be the world’s first narrative projection mapping film—not just in Texas or even the United States, but globally.
Normally, projection mapping involves animations or graphics—simpler two-dimensional visuals mapped onto three-dimensional structures. But we’re creating a real film, complete with actors, horses, guns, everything you’d expect from a traditional movie, specifically designed to map onto a building. It’s unprecedented, complex, and incredibly exciting. Gonzales, once again, is becoming a place of firsts.
Beyond the technology, the story itself—the birth of Texas—brings its own enormous challenges. Telling such a profound historical narrative, from the bravery of Gonzales to the Immortal 32 and the Runaway Scrape, demands meticulous research, scripting, and production. Every aspect requires careful planning and precision.
The physical infrastructure alone is remarkable. My good friend James Hurley, a former NASA employee, is helping us design an extraordinary sound system built directly into the ground. We’re talking about roughly 90,000 square feet—an area nearly 100 yards by 100 yards—engineered specifically to immerse audiences in the experience.
Combining all these elements—historical storytelling, cutting-edge technology, and detailed infrastructure—is borderline impossible. Honestly, most people wouldn’t attempt it. But we’re doing it. And precisely because it’s so ambitious, we’ve attracted remarkable talent from across Texas. For example, Allison Freer, our wardrobe expert with decades of experience, has joined us enthusiastically. We’ve brought in professionals whose IMDb credits are incredibly impressive. These talented individuals chose to be part of our project because they believe deeply in its importance.
Yes, the challenges are daunting, but with such passionate and talented people by our side, who cares how hard it gets? Doing something this groundbreaking and meaningful makes every obstacle worth overcoming.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We specialize in finding the gold in people, businesses, places, and communities, and then crafting stories that help launch their dreams into reality. Sometimes these stories create huge impacts; other times, they’re quietly powerful. That’s what makes us special—that ability to uncover what’s truly unique and valuable, transforming it into something inspiring.
I’m most proud of the small, meaningful moments we’ve helped create. Like the time an older couple approached us after filming, and the wife said our video was what she’d show their grandchildren when they asked who their grandfather was. Or when small-town businesses used our videos to finally take their dreams off the ground. Those are the moments that make me feel deeply proud.
Yes, we’ve created impressive content for Fortune 500 companies, but ultimately, it’s these personal, heartfelt projects that define us. That’s what makes our work truly meaningful, and that’s what sets us apart.
Another key element that defines us is our business acumen. Many people can create videos, but few deeply understand business the way we do. When we work with a company or community—big or small—we don’t just make videos. We dive deep into their business, uncover their daily challenges, and help transform chaos into clarity.
We approach each project from a place of servanthood, blending genuine care with strategic insight. This allows us to craft media strategies that not only tell compelling stories but also drive real-world results. That’s our difference—turning thoughtful business analysis into creative media solutions that launch our clients to new heights.
What does success mean to you?
I define success closely aligned with its original Greek concept, “eudaemonia.” Aristotle introduced this idea as human flourishing. To me, success isn’t just personal flourishing—it’s helping others flourish too. Of course, we all want our families to thrive, but I think success runs deeper and wider.
Having traveled extensively and spent time living abroad, I’ve observed how differently success is viewed around the world. My wife is Finnish, and through frequent visits to Europe and living in Australia, I’ve seen diverse definitions of success. Compared to these cultures, the United States often emphasizes constant growth over contentment. Here, a small family business running for multiple generations might wrongly be seen as unsuccessful if it doesn’t become a billion-dollar corporation.
Many people in my generation—and those younger—feel immense pressure to be another Mark Zuckerberg by their early twenties. They struggle deeply when they don’t meet these unrealistic expectations. But I believe success is more profound than that. It’s more grounded, closer to the earth. True success is found in raising a wonderful family, being a devoted parent, aunt, or uncle. It’s being fully present, living in peace with yourself, whether you’re making movies or baking bread.
Ultimately, success isn’t measured by how many eggs you break to make your omelette. It’s defined by your integrity, honor, and how you choose to live your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.austinfilmcrew.com and www.texaslegacyinlights.com
Image Credits
Photographer Heidi Rinehart ( my wife) Picture with Wagon John Franklin Rinehart on ground and Kerry Hellums ( weapon master for the film Texas Legacy in Lights ) in the wagon for the upcoming film.
