This was a project I did with a friend of mine. It’s for a product from Wisdom Panel, a company that test your dog’s DNA to give you insight into it’s breed. This video was designed to help the client understand the results. We worked with a local illustrator for all the drawings.
I did a short promo for Daystar School, where my kids attend. This was down and dirty project, I did not have a camera to use at the time so I shot the background image (the desktop) with my iPhone and a manual camera app. I was in my loft which has huge windows and no way to block the light. The only place with controlled light was the bathroom so…. I set up a makeshift studio. I picked up some peel and stick wood grain floor tiles and applied them to a piece of poster board. I used my coffee table that is on wheels for a table. I created a holder for my iPhone from an old case, velcro, and a modified light bracket. I downloaded a couple vector drawing and then drew the rest by hand. I created the video in Motion which allowed me to move the camera around so it was not just a static shot of the desk.
As the rest of the world looks back in memory this weekend, I think back to the many hours preparing memorials over the last decade. The many hours sifting thru footage, having to walk away because I could not take in any more, and sitting in the edit suite with my face in my hands as tears stained your face.
By the time my 9-11 memorial video played and hundreds were wiping tears from their face, I was numb to the effect of the imagery and the sounds. My heart beating fast, I glanced around the darkened room and saw the light from the video screens reflect in the glistening tears on peoples faces. Each processing the moment for themselves.
Years had passed and, unfortunately, a numbness had set in to the disturbing footage. So for the 5th anniversary, I told a story of hope.
This is that video.
Remember. Hope.
Here is another video project I did thru Church Solutions Group for Salem Fields Community Church. This is a series of conversation videos that encourage people just to have conversations with people you encounter on a daily basis. Conversation for the sake of valuing them as a person and not to try to convince them of your view point.
My Life My Message is the next video in a series of videos I am producing with Church Solutions Group for Salem Fields Community Church. Again these are being used to launch new initiatives for the ministry.
I spent the last week of May in Fredericksburg, VA shooting 5 video spots. With the help of Church Solutions Group, these spots will be used to launch some new initiatives at Salem Fields Community Church. It was great to hang out and work with the team there who are working to bring change to their peoples’ view of what it means to spread the Gospel.
The original concept for the first video was an interview with b-roll of the cook out. I thought the story was better told through images with simple text.
For the Invest series, I wanted the media to look and sound different. I wanted to tell stories in a different way. This proved harder to coordinate than I initially thought.
I came up with the concept of just showing peoples lives instead of having them do a talking head testimony. We would send out a camera man and he would just document a day in the life of. Then the people could read the script and narrate their story. Well it sounds good on paper but much harder to pull off. Several people did not want camera’s following them around in public. We had one home run and the others were ok.
All the videos would be desaturated with a high black level. Also the music would be simple piano music. This was true until the last two videos, the history video and the 1% video needed to be a big end.
We also had one other story about a neighborhood school that had to fit into the theme of the other videos. The footage had been shot months earlier so we just had to make it work.
Jenner School
Tenbrink
Albany Park
Park History
1% video
Live service with 1% video
When it came to defining the sound to our Good Friday service, we were inspired by one of the musicians in our church. Christian Larson had recently stepped up and started serving in one of your bands.
While driving to work one day, I saw a dance in my head to go along with one of his songs. The story was about something beautiful and pure being destroyed and torn.
I talked to a couple of people and decided to move forward with it. I spoke to Jess Graff, a dancer who happens to be the wife of our audio guy. She was game so we ordered a costume and set a shoot date. We shot for 2.5 hours. I just kept cutting her costume and applying more makeup and mud. The snow was a last minute inspiration that worked really well.
We decided to use the seven sayings of the cross as the framework for our Good Friday service this year. I had the idea to have a local poet, John Shirk, take them and re-write them poetically. I had an actor friend of mine, John Dowd, do the videos. I shot the videos with a ring light in a tiny room. It was the most intimate video shoot I have ever done. I am honored to be working with such a talented group of people.
Behold your Son
Father Forgive Them
I Thirst
My God, My God
Today You Will Be With Me
It Is Finished
Into Your Hands