As someone involved in leading church media and filmmaking teams for over two decades, I wish I had a dollar for every time a pastor or executive leader hit me with that line. And if I’m being totally honest, many of those times I was sorely tempted to simply grab my cell phone and literally give them what they asked for.
Except that I knew what they were actually asking for. They wanted something that was effective and efficient, something that would deeply connect with viewers, holding their attention for the entire length of the video. And knocking out something quick with a cell phone wouldn’t have accomplished any of that.
The truth was almost always that the leader in question was simply leaning into the myth of effortless filmmaking, and they were doing that because they hadn’t planned ahead properly. Giving into that subversive temptation to make something substandard in order to prove that quality filmmaking takes real effort would ultimately have done far more harm than good.
The harder path, which time and again proved to be the right path, was to help the leader understand, or remember, that producing effective video and film projects takes considerable time, energy, and creativity.
So what’s the best way to confront the myth of effortless filmmaking the next time that conversation comes up with your executive leader or teaching pastor?
"Why Not Just Film It in an Hour with Your Cell Phone?"
When it comes to ministry filmmaking, quality matters. It communicates the intrinsic value of the video’s content. It speaks to the producer’s seriousness of intent. Quality also allows the story or message to come through transparently.
Be clear about how much lead time you or your team needs to produce quality content.
From an organizational perspective, the quality of your video work expresses a deep value for the community that produced the content. It also illustrates the depth of your spiritual faith and creative convictions.
If you’re going to ask your church to invest time and resources into a video project, rather than just knocking out something with an iPhone, it needs to be clear why those investments are worth making.
Every Step Matters
Part of being able to communicate the value of that kind of investment means having a clear command of the significance of each step of the filmmaking process.
Taking a shoot-from-the-hip approach to filmmaking almost always means bypassing the crucial stage of pre-production. For instance, if you skirt the process of crafting a good story or structuring a message and coupling it with a clear call to action, your project is unlikely to produce the results your leadership or creative team is looking for.
Taking a shoot-from-the-hip approach to filmmaking almost always means bypassing the crucial stage of pre-production.
The pre-production process also allows teams to ensure everyone’s intentions for the video are on the same page, that you have the right messenger in front of the camera, and that you’re filming the content in the best possible setting. Most importantly, the pre-production process gives you time to develop and include new members of your volunteer cast and crew.
Taking the cellphone cinematography approach to video also means the production quality of your project will suffer. Good production technique means paying close attention to how your audio is captured and how your scene is lit for clarity and emotion.
A solid approach to production involves capturing great secondary footage to illustrate and reinforce the message or story. It also means filming with the best camera and codec quality available to protect flexibility later on.
In the same way, creating high-quality content is only possible when investments of time and energy have been given to the post-production process. For instance, the editing process provides filmmakers one last chance to evaluate their media assets and to reimagine the best way to tell the story or message with what’s available.
Post-production allows for the crucial steps of adding music, creating an overall audio mix, and color grading the footage for visual unity and impact. It’s also the time when the message or story can be reinforced through onscreen text, animations, and additional b-roll incorporation.
Believe in the Value of Your Art
Again, the myth of effortless filmmaking is often rooted in a deeper unwillingness to plan ahead. This is especially true in ministry. Leading effective film and video teams means knowing the value of your work and continually raising up the value of effectiveness.
When the myth starts to rear its head, good leaders create opportunities to communicate and recruit other leaders to that same worldview where quality matters. Be clear about how much lead time you or your team needs to produce quality content, then follow-up with leaders to express your gratitude for giving your team the time it needs to create something great.
And finally, try taking the long-haul view. Commit to establishing benchmarks for which videos were homeruns and which were just solid doubles, and with the right attitude your short-term losses can become long-term gains.
