Everything I Needed To Know About Making A Video I Learned From Ecclesiastes 9:4

Ecclesiastes 9:4 “A live dog is better off than a dead lion.”

So many see a mega church production and are overwhelmed by the technology. Admittedly most of them do have a very high GWF (gee-whiz factor). I must confess, even as jaded as I am, they impress me.

Sometimes though, a small church who is trying, who is doing their best –even though the technical quality is not as high—impresses me even more.

Perhaps God looks at things the same way. Perhaps that is why we were told of the widow’s mite and why we were told that “Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart.”

You know what, even if you don’t have a great site, get on the web. Even if you don’t have the best cameras, technicians, or software, make a video. Have you seen the stuff on youtube…not exactly Oscar-caliber stuff. There will be time for excellence. Learn your craft. Get in the game.

Too many churches are so afraid of looking like a ‘dog’ that they end up as ineffective as a ‘dead lion.’

I recently stumbled across my old radio air-checks. I was 15 years old when I first keyed a mic. MAN, were they awful! I can’t believe that anyone hired me after hearing those. But at the time, I thought they were good. Now, two broadcaster of the year titles later, I recognize them for what they were. They were dogs…but they were live dogs! Because of that, the live dog (or pup) grew up, got better..and became a lion.

Similarly, my first films were BAD! I cannot begin to tell you how bad they were. I can tell you that I was so short on B-roll that I used the same shot so many times that I eventually resorted to flipping it with software and made the tractor run left to right, just so people would think it was different! Now, though, I make videos that people want to see and companies are willing to pay for.

I’m quite sure that comparatively I am still a dog. That is okay. I am learning, growing and getting better. All God expects of us is this, “Whatever your hands find to do, do all to the glory of God.” As Keith Green once sang, “Give it your best, pray that it’s blessed, and He’ll take care of the rest.”

The attached video was created using some very simple, off the rack software on a home computer in my garage. Is it the best thing in the world, no. Does it communicate the gospel in a compelling way, yes. The first part of it was created using pictures that I glommed off the web, most of them from google images. The later portion was created using film that I ripped off of my DVD. More on those techniques in a future post.

The point is, tell a story. Keep it simple. Communicate. The day will come when you will be the one with the elaborate productions.

Until then, hop off the porch, throw your head back and howl. You’ll be better off than a dead lion. I promise.