IMM

Block it out

Godwin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:51:22 +0000

2/21/12
Denise M. Godwin

Many churches are preparing for Easter programs and I’m preparing for
a shoot of the Rahab story on video. One thing we can both benefit
from is blocking our shots.
Whether you’re talking about a live event or a video, it can all be
improved in the planning.

Blocking your shots in video speak is about planning where your actors
are going to go, and what they are going to do. In doing this, you
begin to realize what props may need to move and if you are going to
record the action, where the camera may need to be or where it cannot
be. If it is live, you may realize the strength of the emotion
requires the character to move closer to the audience or to another
character.

It’s not enough to plan: Scene 3, Living room, Mom and Dad talk, sofa.

What can the characters tell about themselves by the way they move
around the space? Are they relaxed or anxious? How can you reflect
that with the action? When you realize that one of your actors is
going to move around you may then have cause to move your lights,
props, or other equipment to accommodate that action. Is there a key
line and where do they need to be when that line is said?

Once you have the answer to the action of the actor, you can begin to
ask how is it best to capture that?

The camera can also be used to add to the characterization. Does the
main character need to seem small and vulnerable in this scene? Shoot
down on them from a high angle. Do you need to express strong emotions
in this scene – use your extreme close ups.

If all the pieces build on one another, the final outcome of your
product is stronger. Good acting can be added to strongly
characterized blocking and a camera that complements the emotions and
moods of the scene. In the end, you have a better program.

TheChurchMediaTeam

mhelin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:32:25 +0000

by Michael Helin
February 8, 2012

TheChurchMediaTeam – Like most areas of ministry in the local church, the media team will primarily be staffed by unpaid workers who donate their time.

By contrast, in most church ministry environments the media ministry is expected to function at a professional (or very nearly professional) capacity. The people who form the “audience” (the congregation) regularly view and have come to expect well produced, quality media with few technical errors. Indeed, technical miscues and errors are highly distracting to the flow of, and even discredit, the aim of the message. So how can the local church attempt to resolve this natural tension between “non-professional” participants and “professional” expectations?

Here are several essential elements for reaching high quality results from non-paid team members:

1. Professional Leadership – When a media team leader is hired, his/her primary role is to develop a qualified team. A “one man show” is not the best solution for a churches media needs. The leader must possess professional media skills, training skills, as well as effective leadership skills. This position should be viewed not primarily as a technical role but as a pastoral role. In the end, the media team contributes enormously to the impact of all aspects of the church service and message.

2. Qualified training – Often media teams are comprised of a blend of willing people with varying levels of skill and training. With professional skill training, team members can be expected to fulfill their duties at a higher level. Plus, they receive the added value of increasing their own professional knowledge and skill base.

3. Belonging – All team members function best when they feel as though their work counts and that they are part of a ‘winning team’. Value can be expressed in several ways other than financial remuneration. Recognition, skill development, incentives, and a sense of belonging are strong motivators for team development.

4. Professional equipment – One misconception sometimes found in the church is that professional results can be achieved with consumer grade tools. In order for a media team to reach an “industry standard” of media output, there must be an investment in the proper equipment.

One evidence that a media team is fully functioning is that the leader can be absent, on occasion, and all systems/presentations continue with excellence.

Future Proofing

Godwin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:29:06 +0000

by Kerry Godwin
February 8, 2012

Our sister-in-law recently suggested to her husband that an evening at home watching a VHS movie sounded better than going out to brave the weather. While she has a keen fashion sense and an appreciation for mid-century flair, the VHS reference brought her a measure of grief when her slip of the tongue comment was posted on social media. “Hello 1987″ was just one of the jabs she received. Comments soon devolved into remarks about various tape formats becoming the new Blu-Ray for Hipsters.

But her thread brings up an interesting point. Media formats are morphing at such an accelerated pace, that “future-proofing” our creations has to be a major consideration before any shooting begins. Future Proof is a slang term that used to describe any technology that will not become outdated any time in the near future. However, future proofing has moved from the philosophical realms into the practical. If you have ever tried to “up-rez” a video, or sweated over pixelated content revealed in HD, you may have learned the hard way that you cannot increase quality after you’ve shot the footage. Perhaps one day in the future an algorithm will be available that turns blobby colors into rich, crisp flora with a few clicks of the mouse, but that day is still ahead of us on the calendar.

“There is no way to know what industry-standard video formats, resolutions, and aspect ratios will be 2036. So the only thing a smart content producer can do today is to shoot, edit, and store content at the best possible standards currently available, to minimize the gap between current standards and those adopted in the future,” offers James Careless of StreamingMedia.com.

So we create content on the most current, proofed format available. Now, how do we store it? The same article goes on to mention that “the only way to maximize video quality for the future and to minimize the danger of artifacts due to compression is to avoid compression entirely,” says Dan Weiner of Thought Equity Motion, Incorporated; a cloud-based video platform and footage licensing services company.

So don’t compress anything. — WHAT?! — Does that mean we should embrace those all night ventures downloading content to media distributors through narrow pipes? Maybe. Consider the purpose of the media. Is there a DVD burner on the other end of the pipe, or only a streaming source featured on a dedicated public forum? Or would it be easier to mail a VHS tape? (I jest.) The call is yours, but know the potential pitfalls that could render your beautiful content into dust

I am a firm believer that any content we create should never be stripped-down for a chunkier delivery system. Scan the related concerns of technology providers, and know that the day is fast approaching when low resolution will die. So pray, like we do, for greater bandwidths and higher speeds. Pray that the future proofed Gospel is able to be seen and heard at the highest resolution possible.

New Year, New Beginnings!

Jerry — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:10:15 +0000

by Jerry Gibson

January 24, 2012

This new year is bringing many new changes to IMM. Four Missionary Associates have joined IMM and a new missionary family is on their way. We are blessed as a team and an organization to have each one of these individuals with us to further our vision to tell the story that changes lives.

Jennifer Ellinwood arrived the 3rd and will be with IMM for two years. She studied film and editing in her undergraduate degree and completed a summer internship in Sevilla, Spain with another media organization. She will be serving as part of our production team as an editor.

Chip Redd arrived the 5th and will be serving with us for two years as a missionary associate. Chip studied at Southwestern University and has done freelance editing work. At IMM, Chip will serve in production as an editor, director, assistant, photographer and more.

Clarisse Malewo arrived the 6th, from France, where she has been working with Micma Profic Ministry. While in France she worked in production with editing, filming, directing and producing. This is her second assignment here at IMM. She previously helped direct Open the Bible, French and was a part of filming Women of the Bible, Ruth. While at IMM, Clarisse will be part of our production team editing and directing and will continue to work with Micma Profic Ministry from Spain.

The McMath family, Brad, Glenda, Macy and Mia arrive on the 24th. These next few months will be busy with moving into a new home and the girls starting school. Brad and Glenda will also be in language school for the first part of the year. Brad and Glenda served as youth and lead pastors in the United States and have been called into full-time missions using the power and gift of media to communicate Christ to our generation.

Production Blog

tgutel — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:54:38 +0000

January 18, 2012

This week the production team is extremely busy. Last week a short video was shot for Arab World Ministries in our studio and our team is in a rush to edit the film. We are also in post-production for Open the Bible, Arabic; Women of the Bible, Ruth; and French sermons for the country of Congo.

This month we have received three new staff members on the production team. With new staff comes more training. The team has been busy teaching, learning and growing. We are thrilled to have a growing team and a growing impact.

Please pray for the team, as we learn and grow, that we may reach more people and make a big difference. Pray, as well, for the new team members as they acclimate to Spain and to IMM. Finally, please pray for all the post-production projects we have going on- for creative minds and speedy editing.

Featured Blog

Jerry — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:03:54 +0000

by Gwen Gibson

January 18, 2012

Jerry and I have been missionaries for over 22 years, presently, and have served in three different areas. When we accepted the position here at IMM, I knew the move to Europe was going to be a challenge but, despite that, I was looking forward to the adventure it would bring as well. We left our children for the first time and even though they have all grown into adulthood, the distance and time zone difference make it really hard. I have a grandchild now and, boy, I can’t tell you how difficult it is to be so far away. There are language differences too. My Mexican Spanish doesn’t always help me here in Spain and there have been occasions where I get blank looks. I knew there would be cultural differences to adjust to; I just didn’t think it would take three years to get adjusted — I’m still working on it.

So I find myself trying to work through the culture shock, the language differences, leaving family, trying to make new friends, finding my way in a new ministry role, and working to feel at home in a new church; Basically just trying to feel at home, period. It has been an uphill struggle and now I have another challenge. My role has changed to include doing the bookkeeping for IMM. Mind you, I’m not an accountant and furthermore I’m not a detail oriented person. I would like to be, but I’m not. I’ve worked at learning as I go and it has been a real struggle. What I thought would be temporary, now, seems as though there’s no end in sight.

I’ll be 55 this year — ahem — be kind, and I feel like I am working harder than I ever have in my entire life. The daily grind is long and the challenges are many. So, how did I decide to cope? I bought a puppy this weekend. What was I thinking!? I forgot how much work it was to house train a dog. I was thinking of the joy they bring when you arrive home and how excited they are to see you. I thought of evening walks where I would have the opportunity to meet my neighbors as they are walking their pets, of cozzying up on the sofa after dinner and petting a faithful companion on my lap and letting the stress of the day ease away. We will get to that point but right now it is the work of patience as I stand out in the cold waiting for success, vigilance to avoid accidents, consistency in setting his schedule to match mine and a lot of messes that have to be cleaned up when we are not successful.

While reflecting on that whole process I’ve come to see similarities in my life adjustments. There are joys that lie ahead but they don’t always come easy. There are some things that require a great deal of patience, diligence, consistency and, yes, clean up. We don’t always get it right the first time we take on a new challenge. We make mistakes, we get impatient with change, we get tired of striving to learn or adjust, but there is joy on the other side.

I am anticipating a reward of infinite joy when, having done all, I stand before the Father and feel his pleasure with me and hear Him say, “Well done.” I may never know, directly, what my small sacrifices will accomplish for the Kingdom but I know I am doing what He has asked of me. So, I press on, and pray for strength, understanding and the ability to do the tasks put before me. At the end of the day, I am thankful. He is with me and there is joy ahead.

Place for Replacing

mwinters — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:57:27 +0000

by Michael Winters

January 18, 2012

Lately, I find myself longing to replace items for better ones. I do need to mention, by replace, I mean to substitute or get rid of the old for new or vice versa. The hope for all replacements is that it will fulfill the purpose of use more effectively or be of more worth than the old. When you acquire something and release the old thing there are certain consequences to this action.

This past month, I have been looking to replace my laptop computer for another, hopefully more effective, laptop. The laptop I hope to acquire requires a good deal of money to purchase, which is a pretty genuine concern for me. I have to ask myself if I am willing to invest in this new laptop computer. I have to ask myself if I am willing to pay the price for what I desire. The weight of this investment has to cost you or it really isn’t an investment at all. This reminds me of the rich young ruler who came face to face with Jesus, who then asked him to sell all he had and follow Him. Sadly, this man valued his external wealth over his soul and he didn’t concede due to his limited view on what he would be getting in return.

We have to comprehend what we are getting in return with a replacement. The value of the acquisition has to be established and thought through thoroughly. The worth of the object or really anything has to outweigh what you are losing. The chance has to be taken if the value measures up to the risk. Now, I’m not just talking about replacing objects but counting the cost in our own lives for what is worthwhile in this life. Here are some questions that have challenged me greatly: Am I willing to give up my riches for something that cannot be priced? Am I willing to give up my pride (self-value) to honor all others? In every person’s life, they put worth, value, and time into their highest priority. Every man will, at one time in his life, have to examine what he has done and put at the center of his life.

The motivations behind a person’s choices will show their character and their character will reveal what they hold high as their obsession. I remember when I was in high school; I dressed in fairly nice clothes so I could fit in with the popular crowd, to get a girl, and to pull off this idea that I was nicely clothed in my heart. Yet, my life was not as it seemed as my heart was full of darkness. My heart was crying out for a light to get rid of the darkness inside of me. The life that I had is now new and now I see that motives reflect actions that determine priorities. Some of the most intriguing participants of the New Testament were the Pharisees. They were renowned theologians of the Old Testament that had their law ingrained in every external action. Jesus came upon the scene and exposed their hearts by saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Jesus knew their hearts, which then exposed their character for they plotted to kill Him many times.

The Pharisees plot had finally come to fruition as Jesus was hanging on a cross. Jesus cried out to God, “Eli Eli lama sebachtlan or My God My God, why have you forsaken me?” The Pharisees then mock him by saying, “This man is calling for Elijah,” and continued the verbal onslaught by saying, “…let us see if Elijah will rescue him.” The Pharisees had replaced God for a man. They valued and placed more worth in this man, Elijah, than they did in God. They had replaced that which should never have been replaced.

These religious leaders put men of God on a pedestal above God. I must often ask myself whom is on top of my pedestal (where no man should come close). The cost of replacing the Lord of hosts is high, yet I have done this in my own life. Let us be a people that count the costs, examine the value, and look at our motives for replacing what we already have in our possession.

Featured Blog Article

zBrackmen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:45:59 +0000

by Zach Brackman

December, 2011

Last Saturday, December 10th, 2011 marked ten months since arriving to work here as a production assistant here at IMM in Spain. Over these last ten months I have encountered many challenges, having had the unique opportunity to film and work on projects in over seven languages. These challenges have not been easy to surmount and, moreover ,my college education and degree work definitely did not prepare me as effectively as I would have hoped. The good news is that God has been with me for each step and met me in every technical issue and speed bump along the way.

Before I left for this experience, I thought I knew well what it was like to live my faith. I went to a secular university and had a non-religious core group of friends. All the while, I maintained my convictions and the strong center in Christ I was raised on all my life. I maintained a personal relationship with the Lord and I saw Him work in me over those formidable years. However, with that said, when I got here to International Media Ministries and was hit with more responsibility and challenges than I thought I could handle, my faith was seriously tested and strained.

Reflecting upon these past months, I see a handful of projects I worked on and completed, which will reach millions of people and hopefully bring the lasting love and the light of Christ into their lives. Every project I received was a struggle, which I was only able to work out with God’s strength. Change and growth are, have been and will continue to be difficult, but the Lord shows me more and more that He wants to go through it with me, and he wants to be there to comfort me in my struggle.

The Lord has tested my faith under trial outside of the comfort zone and familiarity of the United States, away from friends and family, and submission to His will has brought moments of peace just when I needed them most. The more events that occur in my life, which I make a conscious effort to give completely over to God, gives way to His blessing of spiritual fruit. Trying not to get consumed by how huge the tasks set before me may be, allows me to see and enjoy the blessings the Lord has set aside for me in each day.

I thank the Lord that He has given me this opportunity to serve here at IMM and teach me all these lessons at the ripe old age of twenty- four. It is so exciting to see the impact that media can have in the name of God. I feel honored and humbled to have had this opportunity. It is amazing that the Lord took me from where I was, just out of college, not thinking that a degree in film and television would ever qualify me for ministry work and called me here to Spain to do His lasting work.

“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” James 2:22 (NIV)

A Game of Failure

mwinters — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:41:31 +0000

by Matt Nelsen

January 11, 2012

Baseball is a game I love. I love the nuance, the ebb and flow, the tension. But baseball is also a game of failure. Even Hall-of-Fame-hitters fail more than two-thirds of the time. My favorite player, Derek Jeter, is loved by so many not because he always succeeds, but he seems to do so when it counts.

The arenas of media and missions (and where they intersect) are also full of failure. Few scripts are ever perfect. Many actors lack the performance the director seeks. Missionaries share with many people over a long time and sometimes see very little fruit. These instances can be discouraging and frustrating.

In Matthew 13 (and also told in Luke 8), Jesus shares a parable about a farmer who sows a bunch of seed all over the place. The seed falls in a bunch of different kinds of ground. Many of the seeds that are cast ultimately fail. This is a reality of farming.

Just yesterday, I experienced an academic failure. I studied hard, used multiple resources, and really believed that I was properly prepared. But I wasn’t. I failed. It was frustrating and discouraging. But it’ll be okay. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” I have not given up and hope that someday I’ll have another opportunity and will pass that exam.

As a media missionary, I also know that much of the “seed” we cast of airwaves, devices, and servers will fall on infertile places. I also know the promise of the parable that the seed that finds good ground produces “a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” Now that, my friends, is anything but failure.

Production Blog

tgutel — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:01:55 +0000

December 8, 2011

This week has been another busy week in Production. We have some friends from France here in the studio producing sermon videos for both France and The Republic of Congo (a French speaking country located in Africa). This has been a great opportunity for IMM; partnering with other missionaries and organizations to get the story of the Good News and Christ’s teachings out to all parts of the world.

Post-production has started this week for the Deb music video that was recorded a few weeks ago. Joel will be spending many hours editing this video, which will be a great tool for Spanish artist Deb Zapata to lead people to Christ through the gifts of music God has given her. Check out her new website at http://www.deboficial.com/Deb/deb_intro.html

The team here has also been busy planning, preparing and gearing up for our media conference here in Madrid, Connect 2012, that will be held in April 2012. Please check out our website for more information. Make sure to pass it along! http://www.imm.edu/connect2012/IMM_connect_2012/IMM_connect_2012.html