Here are a few of the many documentaries I’ve produced over the decades. Some were for broadcast, others went straight to DVD or even VHS in the early days. The more recent offerings were published directly to the internet.
Secrets of Hidden Lake
Secrets of Hidden Lake, the story of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Hidden Lake. A documentary by Tim Frakes with the Lombard Historical Society. 53 minutes.
For 30 years, my family and I have lived across the road from the DuPage County Forest Preserve’s Hidden Lake. I’ve trekked nearly every square inch. And on my walks, I became curious about the people who lived here in the past, the indigenous people, the homesteaders, the wheat king, and a gambling czar. The more I learned, the more I began to appreciate this sacred public trust, and I hope you will too.
RCAP Celebrating Fifty Years of Service 2023
RCAP Celebrating Fifty Years of Service 2023 from Tim Frakes on Vimeo.
Islamic Foundation of Villa Park
This is the story of one of the largest and most influential Islamic communities in Illinois and their successful struggle to build a community in harmony with their non-Muslim neighbors.
Faith of the Fathers
The story of seven Catholic chaplains who served in the Army of the Cumberland during the American Civil War. Read More…
Common Good, the story of the York Center Community Cooperative
A pioneering, faith-based effort provided fair housing, community and opportunity in an era of white flight, redlining and restrictive covenants that effectively prevented non-white Americans from fully participating in the American dream. Read More…
Rural Community Assistance Partnership: Lower Rio Grand
Various communities in New Mexico came together to pool their resources through regionalization to provide clean drinking water for their residents while treating pollutants such as arsenic. This was achieved through technical assistance from the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), the Western RCAP.. Read More…
All Citizens, the fist women to vote in Illinois
The Lombard women who voted 29 years before the 19th Amendment and the story of those who made it possible. Read More…
Sheldon Peck, portrait of an ordinary man in extraordinary times
The story of Lombard, Illinois’ most famous son, 19th century primitive portrait artist, radical abolitionist, progressive temperance and public education advocate and conductor on the underground railroad, Sheldon Peck. More…
Live in Three States
The Story of WCFC TV-38 Chicago, once the largest independent broadcast Christian TV station in America.
Seminex: Memories of a Church Divided
On February 19, 1974, students and faculty at the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod’s St. Louis Concordia Seminary marched through the campus – out the doors of an institution, church body and well established educational system – and into self-described exile.
A Gathering of Souls: The Billy Graham Crusades
Gods Glory Neighbors Good The Story of Pietism
ZAMZAM, A Missionary Odyssey
Glory to God Alone: The Life of J.S. Bach
Weaving a Global Neighborhood with Rick Steves
The Life of Apostle Paul with Rick Steves
Come Holy Spirit: 1991 ELCA Global Missions Event
Highlights from the 1991 ELCA Global Missions Event held in Greeley, Colorado
Peace Arms and a Test of Faith
Peace, Arms and a Test of Faith is a 1992 documentary I produced for Jean Martensen and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, through the ELCA Department for Communication and the Division for Church in Society.Read more…
The IMCK Story: Faith-based Healthcare in Zaire