Ep. 155: Kris Wheeler / Filmmaker

This week Clint and Dawson Talk with Kris Wheeler. Kris is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and commercial content creator. The professional journey of this North Georgia native is rooted in a foundation of journalism and storytelling.

In recent years, Wheeler’s film work has garnered coverage in national publications and media outlets, including: Billboard Magazine, USA Today, Garden & Gun Magazine, Paste Magazine and NPR World Cafe.

In November 2018, his film, Revival: The Sam Bush Story, became a hit with Amazon viewers, quickly climbing into the “Top 10 Best Sellers” list for documentaries following its commercial release. Revival earned four “Best” film awards on the indie film festival circuit, including “Best Music Documentary” in its World Premiere at the Nashville Film Festival.

Wheeler’s storytelling skills were developed early in his career, in route to becoming an award-winning newspaper journalist and feature writer. After covering the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992, he moved quickly through the publishing ranks, and was named the following year as Managing Editor at Rural Press USA, the world’s largest publisher of agricultural magazines.

At age 32, Wheeler kicked off his journey as an entrepreneur, publishing a series of magazines over the ensuing years, including Atlanta House & Home and Coastal Homes & Lifestyles.

In 2008, he walked away from the publishing world to pursue a life-long dream of filmmaking. Since then, he has gone on to write, direct and produce three feature-length documentary films, two on-demand series. Wheeler’s commercial work focuses on creating story-driven content for a diverse range of clients, including ad agencies, global corporations and national healthcare brands.

Other projects currently streaming — available on Amazon — include the on-demand series, “Ride To Extraordinary,” and “Undiscovered.”

Wheeler is currently in production on a feature-length documentary about the life of Grace Ragland. Career highlights include:

  • Reporter/Feature Writer: Northwest Florida Daily News.

  • Cockpit ride-along with The Blue Angels (Feature Story).

  • Covering the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona for Freedom Newspapers.

  • Managing Editor — Rural Press USA.

  • Publisher — Atlanta House & Home Magazine, Agri-Alternatives Magazine, Cattle South Magazine, Coastal Homes & Lifestyles Magazine.

  • Covering the World Festival of Sacred Music in Fez, Morocco for CNN’s Inside Africa.

  • Writing, producing, co-directing three feature-length documentaries, including Revival: The Sam Bush Story (four “Best” film awards/Amazon Top-10 Best Seller).

  • Creator/Director — Ride To Extraordinary, an on-demand series available on Amazon.

  • Creator/Director — Undiscovered, an on-demand series available on Amazon.