The Polynesian Cultural Center Leadership | An Interview with Blair Treu

Leading Saints Podcast

Leading Saints

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Blair Treu is an award-winning director whose work includes a variety of feature films, television shows, documentaries, and commercials for over 30 years—from The Power Rangers to Chicken Soup for the Soul. The writer and director of Sharing Aloha and Meet the Mormons, he graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's degree in Theatre and began his career at the Walt Disney Company. More recently, Blair worked with BYUtv to create the series Real Families, Real Answers, and was a co-director of Granite Flats.

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Highlights
The film Sharing Aloha, directed by Blair Treu, highlights the inspiring stories of students at the Polynesian Cultural Center and their transformative experiences. Blair shares how he became involved with the project, and discusses the unique challenges of capturing the students' stories, emphasizing their resilience and strong family ties. The film aims to showcase the students' journeys, illustrating how the PCC provides them with opportunities for education and personal growth.

Throughout the conversation, Blair reflects on leadership principles learned from working with the students and the PCC staff. He highlights the importance of appreciation and compassion in leadership, drawing parallels to church leadership.

00:01:52 - Introducing Sharing Aloha
Introduction to the film "Sharing Aloha" and its connection to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

00:03:44 - The Genesis of Sharing Aloha
Blair Treu discusses how the project came to be and the inspiration behind it.

00:04:55 - The Abundance of Stories
The challenge of selecting which stories to tell from the many available.

00:06:47 - Blair Treu's Background
Blair shares his experience and previous projects in film and media.

00:08:44 - The Polynesian Cultural Center
Discussion about the PCC and its significance in the film.

00:10:43 - Focus on Student Stories
The decision to center the film on the students' experiences rather than the PCC's history.

00:12:14 - Insights on the YSA Demographic
What Blair learned about the Young Single Adult demographic through the film.

00:13:37 - Cultural Connections
The importance of family and community in Polynesian culture.

00:16:42 - The Film's Format
Comparison of "Sharing Aloha" to "Meet the Mormons" in terms of storytelling.

00:18:18 - Funding and Support
Details on how the film was funded and its relationship with the PCC.

00:20:38 - Addressing Criticism
Discussion on the misconceptions and criticisms surrounding the PCC.

00:22:39 - The Value of Work
The benefits students receive from working at the PCC compared to other jobs.

00:24:36 - Leadership in Performance
Insights into how the PCC manages its performances and trains students.

00:30:14 - Leadership Lessons from Film Production
Blair shares leadership principles learned from directing the film.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, if you think Leading Saints is just a podcast, well, that's a big mistake.
0:10.1	We are so much more than a podcast.
0:12.0	We've established online a Leading Saints community.
0:15.7	That's right.
0:16.0	If you go to LeadingSaints.org slash Zion, you'll be pushed towards a community online where the discussion is really
0:22.4	happening. Sure, you're going to listen to this episode. You'll get some great tips and ideas and
0:26.2	hear a thought-provoking discussion, but the conversation doesn't end there. We go over to the
0:32.4	leading saints community and talk further there. You can make comments, you ask questions,
0:36.5	and we'll probably do some follow-up live streams with maybe the same guest, but a lot is going on at the leading saints
0:42.3	community. So check out the show notes for the link, leadingsaints.org slash Zion, and join the
0:48.3	leading saints community. I would be rude if I didn't take the time to explain to the newer listeners what Leading
1:02.5	Saints is. Here goes. Leading Saints is an organization that started as a hobby blog in 2010
1:08.7	and then really caught some traction in 2014 when the podcast started.
1:13.9	We talk about all things leadership in the context of the Church of Jesus Christ or Latter-day Saints.
1:18.7	We aren't owned by the church, but we have a great relationship with them and always aim to
1:22.8	be faith promoting, even though we talk about the tough topics. My name is Kurt Frankum. I'm generally the
1:28.8	voice you hear as the host of the podcast. I've tried to get other hosts, but people demand my
1:33.9	smooth tone. And I really enjoy it. Check out LeadingSaints.org to really get into the weeds of
1:40.0	what Leading Saints is and learn all about our mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead.
1:51.7	Hey, do you remember Meet the Mormons that feature film documentary series that we all saw in the theaters and now you can stream it all over the place?
2:00.5	Well, Blair True was the mind behind that,
2:03.3	the director and producer of Meet the Mormons,
	...

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