As BizVid Communications, a San Diego video production company, began working with producer David Nixon on a James Dobson Family Legacy video series, we started getting glimpses of a man who had dual passions between the Gospel message and producing wholesome films. In fact, you’ve likely heard of his work, but perhaps never have seen his face. Even so, David Nixon is on the crest of the new era of Christian film making. “I’ve tried to make films for movie theaters for 30 years, but, until recently Hollywood just didn’t want them.” That was until 2004 when Mel Gibson directed the Passion of the Christ. The big profits, grossing over $600 million, changed the minds of many of the big name studios and distributors.
David was in Hollywood, hawking his football film, Facing the Giants, when Passion of the Christ was launched. Suddenly there was an appetite for Christian films and Hollywood took their film, which was destined for a modest theater release and gave it national exposure. After all, it was funded by a Baptist Church with nearly all of the actors and crew volunteers. But, after they grossed about $11 million on “Giants”, Sony pictures came back to them asking if they had anything else. As a result, Nixon helped produce a film about marriage with good success. It was entitled Fireproof with Kirk Cameron of Growing Pains fame and Left Behind. “Cameron actually ran into some of the guys in the airport in Atlanta,” recalled David. “He said he wanted to be part of the next movie. As such, he became the star in Fireproof.” According to Nixon, “After Fireproof, we produced Letters to God. It was about a little boy going through cancer and writing letters to God. Then, last year we released Renee (about a girl overcoming drug dependencies) and we are currently in development on the Rivalry, a basketball movie, with the impact of the Hollywood movie “Blindside”, times ten.”
David Nixon is an American film director and film producer. He is the creator of the film company Possibility Pictures and President of DNP Studios, Orlando. He is the son of missionaries in Australia.David graduated from Taylor University in 1979 with a degree in Biblical Studies.