“Ok, Camera 2…let’s push in and focus.”

My wife told me that we needed men to volunteer for the GFC Fearless Conference so the ladies could attend and enjoy the conference.  I loved the idea.  Led by Bryan Singleton and Chris Ogboke, this group of men was amazing – smiling, helping and serving.

I signed up and was put on the tech team.  I figured they would put me on some item that was “remote” – stay here, don’t touch and don’t break anything.  To my wonder they put me on Camera 2.  In football, QB 1 means you are the starting quarterback.  At GFC, Camera 2 is the one who is dead center and actively follows the person on stage.  I was taken back at first but then said, “You can do this.”

I was impressed when I read as a young man that former governor of Florida, Bob Graham, would go out and work a job found in Florida.  It became known as “work days.”  He was short order cook, bellhop, social worker, and plumber.  I have tried doing that at GFC.  I have been on the traffic team, been a camera man on stage, the worship team (they were desperate), moderated our live stream service and taught in Clubhouse.  I am tremendously grateful for all who serve at GFC and doing some of those tasks help me understand the importance of those who serve.

I went to my “training” the Tuesday before the Fearless conference.  Glenda, the veteran camera person who mans Camera 2 each weekend, had two pieces of advice.  One was don’t hold the handles tightly and….don’t screw it up.  With that in mind, I took the two-hour run though as my crash course.  I learned to flow with the movement of the stage.  I developed a little confidence in zooming in/out and focusing at the same time.  I also learned that my headset had a one way microphone.  The producers could talk to me, but I couldn’t talk back to them…I think that one was intentional.

Here are a couple of nuggets from manning Camera 2 at the conference:

• I love our tech team.  They are fun, amazing, awesome and they go out of their way to make you feel part of the team.  I laughed so much and thoroughly enjoyed it.
• It takes a lot of communication to pull of a video service. Even with all the laughs, when it is “Go” time, the job of producing an excellent service requires a lot of people, willing to serve at a high level and not be seen.
• You can learn a lot when you listen to “The Voice” in your ears and just do what he says without talking back.  (Great principle in our relationship with God)
• Every motion is big…the smallest twitch shows up on camera.  God sees all we do and he loves us through it.
• Focus means different things to different people.  Creative people like the in/out effect of focus while “nuts and bolts” people like myself tend to like always in focus.
• Most important one – Have Fun!  I would do it again in a second…if you aren’t enjoying something you will never bring your best.  Joy flows inside out.

Ironically, I watched our weekend services a lot differently after the conference. I could imagine the voices of the producers coaching and leading our video team.  When something looked out of focus, I was a little more tolerant of what it takes to remedy that. And I smiled…what a team…what a team.