The men decided they wanted to write a movie together, so they went through play manuscripts to find something with potential. "Together Again for the First Time," a play that premiered at BYU in 1985, seemed like their best bet, so they adapted the script for film and sent it to another of Parkin's friends, James Huntsman.

Although he had the family chemical business, Huntsman had wanted to work in the film industry since he saw "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as a 9-year-old boy. When he read the "Together" script, he decided to be one of the film's producers.

The "dramady" is about a large family that gathers for Christmas — the first time all the kids have been together since they've grown and left the nest, with the parents played by Stiers (best known as Charles Winchester III on TV's "M*A*S*H") and Julia Duffy (Stephanie on "Newhart").

"The dialogue between the siblings and step-siblings is really funny, quick and fresh," Huntsman said. "Coming from a large family myself, it's the kind of humor I can relate to."

Although many producers don't have a lot to do with the actual filming process, Huntsman prefers a more hands-on approach because he gets to interact with so many talented people.

Likewise, Parkin said his favorite part of the film is working with so many creative people and bringing the ideas together.

Another enjoyable aspect of making "Together" is that it includes 40 BYU interns and recent graduates. "I just love moviemaking because you get to involve so many people," Parkin said. "I have my students from BYU and a great cast from Hollywood, and we all put our ideas together."

Of course, having a crew with little production experience can lead to a few setbacks. Stiers said the first day on the set, the producers warned the cast that a lot of the crew was still learning how film production works. "But make no mistake, everyone here is a professional," Stiers said. "And they are as willing to learn on Day 9 as they were on Day 2."

Making a movie requires working together at every level, and that is especially true for the actors. "You have to let the wall down," said actor Kirby Heyborne. "It's up to you to make the chemistry. It's a conscious effort on your part."

But for this film, the chemistry came easily.

On their first day together, the cast got to know each other over a Christmas dinner. After filming together for 10 days, they really did act like a family.

For example, many scenes didn't require all of the actors being around. In one scene, while most of the family is gathered around a speaker phone talking to Heyborne's character, Heyborne didn't need to be in the room because he wasn't on camera. But instead of staying in his trailer, he was on the set, reading his lines and supporting the cast. "Everybody stays here," he said. "That's what makes this cast so fantastic."