Jesse Henning is a 3D artist and filmmaker in Durham, N.C. He has worked in full-time creative ministry for eight years, and he has also worked on commercials, animations, music videos, short films, and a feature film. Henning will be teaching at this year’s Capture Content Creation Summit in Dallas.
CPM: How did you get into video ministry?
Henning: When I was young, I had a huge JVC VHS camera. I would film our band’s jam sessions, action films with my siblings and, wanting to be like Marty Stouffer of "Wild America," I filmed some good ole nature footage every time a deer wandered into my backyard. I put down the camera for a few years to pursue music and youth ministry until I was handed a small DV camera one summer as an artistic leader for a youth performing arts camp. I started editing music videos of what the kids had done and caught the insatiable bug for filmmaking. I started entering short film competitions and landed a job with the government as an IT support specialist. Hooray, I made it! Fortunately, that job allowed me to shoot video and do animation for them. I attended a free online school their internet service provided called YouTube. I trained hard, self-educated, and merged my two passions of media and ministry with my first full-time role as the creative arts director at a church near Baltimore.
"We … learned that our film team could be a ministryoutside the church.”—Jesse Henning, 3D/VFX Artist & Filmmaker, Henning VFX + Animation, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
CPM: Your movie, “Found,” was entered in the 2019 Capture Film Festival. What was the inspiration behind it and your biggest lesson learned in producing it?
Henning: At the time our church was in the middle of a 33-week sermon series called, “The Story.” So, we wanted to do something for the final Sunday of the series that told a story of life change. Our producer was approached by a woman who said, “You have to hear Raymone’s story.” After talking with Raymone Maye we knew we had to tell his story. The biggest lesson learned was, don’t try to do a feature film in two months. We also learned that our film team could be a ministry outside the church. We included actors, extras, and crew from the community, most of whom have never been to church or ever wanted to step inside of one, and we got to share the story of how God had changed this man’s life.
CPM: You’ve recently become an independent visual effects artist and animator. Give us an example of the projects you’re working on.
Henning: The 3D modeling and animation work I am doing is mainly around product promos for companies (https://www.henning3d.com/). I really enjoy that side of it, because the challenge becomes taking something very ordinary and making it seem like the greatest thing on earth, which engages every ounce of story muscle I can flex. I used to tell beginner filmmakers to go outside and film a tree from different angles and make it interesting enough that I want to watch it for 30 seconds.
CPM: What will be the focus of your break-out sessions at Capture 2020, and what do you hope attendees learn?
Henning: My focus, as a whole, will be on the craft of visual storytelling and how you can use your tools, talent, team, and time to make a great story that will engage your audience—regardless of the resources you have at your disposal. So, I hope that everyone who attends feels more equipped and empowered as a storyteller and less discouraged about their limitations.
