It’s critically important to adopt a standard of terminology used when directing camera operators.
When it comes to the art of directing cameras, there isn’t necessarily a true version of right and wrong. After all, so much of a church’s style boils down to the vision and preferences of leadership, along with their unique worship style. Things like shot selection, pace, and style are all very subjective and can vary greatly from church to church.
However, when it comes to actually communicating as a camera director, there are definitely things that have proven the test of time to serve as a “best practice” for anyone functioning in that role, regardless of church or worship style. And by sticking with some baseline standards of communication, any ministry can be ensured that it’s building its camera ministry on a successful foundation.
...using the same terms repeatedly can help develop some mental muscle memory and cut down on response time.
First, it’s critically important to adopt a standard of terminology used when directing cameras. This is especially crucial if a church has multiple people serving as director week-to-week. There should be consistency in the language used regardless of who’s in the director’s chair so that the camera operators are always set up for success each week.
Terms like zoom in/out, push in/pull out, pan right/left, tilt up/down, and rack in/out are all industry standard and should be the default terms used when giving direction. Since camera ops often have to respond very quickly in the moment with a minimum amount of time being spent to decipher their instructions, using these same terms repeatedly can help develop some mental muscle memory and cut down on response time.
Plus, if a ministry has a rotation of camera directors, standardizing the terminology used can help ensure the camera ops that, no matter which week they’re serving or who’s directing, they’re going to be asked to do the same things using the same terms, and the definitions aren’t arbitrarily going to change week-to-week.
If necessary, take time during rehearsal or in a pre-service meeting to gather the director and camera ops and review terminology to ensure that the ops fully understand what it all means and what they’ll be asked to do.
...we serve as a “thermostat” that can set the emotional temperature for the team.
Another critical piece of communication to remember is that, as a director, it’s important to always maintain a level head when communicating on intercom. Since we’re steering the ship, we have the ability to determine the level of emotional energy, whether good or bad, that is being communicated over intercom.
If there’s a bad shot or an op misses my instructions, we may need to just let it go instead of trying to correct them in the moment or voice our frustration. If we’re trying to get someone’s attention or give them direction for an upcoming shot, we have to resist the urge to yell or raise our voice. After all, we have no idea what volume level they have their headset on, and yelling could not only raise their blood pressure but also hurt their ears.
As the camera director, we serve as a “thermostat” that can set the emotional temperature for the team. Are we doing things to raise the temperature and stress level, or are we handling things coolly and calmly and helping to lower any potential tension?
It’s crucial to remember that camera ops are most likely volunteers who are doing this for the joy of serving. It’s OK to provide direction and coaching, but we need to do it in a way that honors their desire to serve for free and helps them continue to feel valued enough that they want to come back next week.
However we choose to address a mistake, we need to ensure that we’re doing it with a level of affirmation and support, instead of judgment and criticism.
Since we’re all human, it’s inevitable that we’re going to make a mistake at some point. And it’s much better to have an atmosphere of grace on our teams, rather than judgment. Maybe we can gently coach or correct after the service if necessary. But however we choose to address a potential misstep, we need to ensure that we’re doing it with a level of affirmation and support, instead of judgment and criticism.
It’s critical as a director to choose our words wisely and to be intentional with our tone and delivery. But beyond just speaking in the moment, how we communicate ahead of time really ends up shaping the depth of how we need to communicate during a service.
And what does that mean?
A good director will be attentive and take notes during the worship rehearsal or sound check before service, paying attention to which vocalists and instruments will have leading roles, what the arrangement of the song is, and if there are other important moments (like transitions between songs, or transitions from worship to a speaker/host) that need to be prepared for.
That information then needs to be shared with the camera team during a pre-service gathering so that everyone knows what to expect. The ops then need to know if they have specific responsibilities or areas of focus during the service. Does a certain person need to focus on a particular subject? Does a specific camera need to be ready to be used in a unique way during a transition?
Often, it’s the transitional moments that can make or break a service. And just as it’s important for an audio engineer to manage those transitions by having mics and instruments unmuted and ready, it’s equally important for a director to have cameras framed and ready to capture whatever is happening on stage. Being able to communicate those notes ahead of time, along with a reminder just before it needs to happen, is vital.
The most important tool in a director’s toolbelt is his or her ability to communicate: to prep the team ahead of time, to issue reminders, and to provide clear direction in the moment.
If a director is able to master the art of pre-service communication, it helps reduce or even eliminate any other hurdles that may pop up during the service. Everyone knows what to expect and how they’ll be directed, so there will be less confusion of what shots to get. Planning ahead of time gives the ops confidence in their shot selection, framing, and preparation, which inevitably will lower any potential in-the-moment tension.
It’s a lot of work and takes plenty of time and practice in order to be effective. But when done well, a good director can help a service flow smoothly from start to finish and provide an excellent experience for both those serving and attending.
Communication is the key.
