Caleb Rivers

Chris Vaughn’s haunting short film The Fifth Chair has carved out a powerful reputation on the international festival circuit, earning three major awards, eight official selections, two quarter-finalist honors, one nomination, and one honorable mention. Its combination of psychological tension, spiritual allegory, and visual artistry has drawn praise from both faith-based audiences and independent film critics alike, marking it as one of the standout short films of its class.

Chris Vaughn’s planned documentary Making Arby set out to explore the spiritual threads that connect film and music. But instead of support, the project was met with intense family opposition, as some close relatives feared exposure of their “less than moral lifestyle and views.” What followed was a wave of targeted attacks against Vaughn and his family, underscoring the very struggle between truth and resistance that the film itself was meant to explore.

Chris Vaughn set out to promote his music and found an ally in rock icon Bruce Springsteen. Chris Vaughn set out to promote his music and found an ally in rock icon Bruce Springsteen. For Red Bank musician Chris Vaughn, making music was the easy part. But getting it out there would require the help of one of his idols.