Spring Hill couple plan to make 3-D Christian movie; They consider selling St. Jude house to finance film

By CHARLES BOOTH
Staff Writer

FRANKLIN — Two months ago, Georgia and William Nidiffer quit their jobs, sold their cars and put their house in Spring Hill up for sale so they could move to Las Vegas and make a 3-D Christian movie.

The couple had a vision, but they didn't have the $8 million to $10 million needed to make their movie. Their house is still on the market, and money has been a little tight since they gave up their jobs.

"We were getting kind of discouraged," Georgia Nidiffer said.

They needed a sign telling them to continue. When their daughter called on Sunday night, they got a shout instead. She told them they'd just won the St. Jude Dream Home, a $600,000 house in Franklin.

"It was just an answer to a prayer," she said. "This home is a platform, just to see and get us started. I am so excited. I can't wait to see what (God's) going to do next."

The couple routinely spends $100 on a ticket for the yearly St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway.

"I have given to St. Jude for almost 30 years. I was in nursing in Johnson City, and we went to St. Jude and visited the facility and saw the great work they do," Nidiffer said.

Their donation helped make it a record year for the giveaway, bringing in $1,400,010 for the hospital.

"It's the most successful campaign in the history of all the dream home campaigns," said Jim Cheney, spokesman for Southern Land Co., which donated the new 2,943-square-foot home in its Westhaven development.

When Nidiffer's name was pulled from among 14,000 others during Sunday night's live drawing, she was out in the yard with her granddaughter.

"I came in, and my phone was ringing," she said. "My daughter was coming back from North Carolina with her boyfriend, and she said, 'Mom, are you sitting down? You just won.' I thought they were playing a trick on me. She said, 'Turn the TV on.'"

She did and went numb. God gave her a sign, she said, telling the Nidiffers to make their movie.

Epcot film inspired idea

The film has been their dream for six years, ever since William heard God's call while watching the 3-D movie Honey, I Shrunk the Audience at Disney's Epcot Center.

"We believe God has called us to do a 3-D movie to bring families back together," she said. "We're going to start pursuing, just seeing and raising the funds."

The Nidiffers are still contemplating whether to move into the house or sell it to help finance the project.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," she said. "Does this mean we just stay here and get people to work on (the film) in Las Vegas? This is all God's planning."

Whatever happens, Nidiffer said now they're certain of their dream. They'll work to make the 3-D movie, and the people who've snickered at the idea will no longer bother them.

"They can laugh all they want," she said.