traveling the world, telling stories that deserve to be told

(how’s that for alliteration?!)

There have been several times over the course of the summer that interns, students and people going into their first job in the real world of television have asked me for advice – they want to know the secret to becoming needed, liked and successful.  Often, I end up telling many stories, and hope they can pick up the essential truths.  Then, I send them to my archived blog post “employment advice” and hope they’ve learned something and put it in practice.  I really like my original list of ten pieces of sage advice, but I’ve now added another ten.  These are great tips for those getting their first job and for the rest of us they should be common practice.  If not, there’s still time to change!  Here they are: [Read more →]

Those of us who love adventure travel – especially when we have a camera in our hands – are a unique group.  When danger stops lurking and jumps out at you, we first push “record” and frame a shot before we look for a place to take cover.  When we return home, the stories of being shot at, abducted, held prisioner…make great conversation and cause our sane friends and loved ones to wonder what exactly is wrong with us.

But sometimes it goes horribly wrong.  Today I grieve for the family of Brian Carderelli, a 21 year old shooter who died doing what he loved – covering humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan.  He graduated last year and already was making an impact in the world because of his talent with a camera and sense of service.  His facebook page lists the Bible and God among his main interests.  WORLD Magazine mentions him in the very last line of their excellent article; but the story gives a sense of who he was by the people he associated with.  They were doing the Lord’s work, and died in His service.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.  Psalm 116:15

I recently joined the DSLR video revolution (see my post: “converted in vegas”) and have been shooting full 1080p HD video on a Canon 7d. I’m loving the images and I’m putting up with the funky workarounds. (Note: these cameras were not designed for shooting video. Yes, they make great pictures, but there’s a bit of voodoo needed to make this technological alchemy work.)

When I called this a revolution, I wasn’t overstating the case. These relatively cheap “stills” cameras are attacking the establishment’s traditional video cameras and blowing them away with incredible results. Kinda like a video tea party.  You gotta love a good revolution, but I’m warning you, there’s a dark side and I’m here – as a lone voice crying out in this unmapped territory – to at least warn of the very real danger lurking seductively in the shadows.   Don’t blame me. You’ve been warned. [Read more →]

This is the third, and probably final, installment in my posts of lessons from my latest project.  The first was on communication, second on contracts and this is about the money.  If money isn’t all that important to you, then don’t waste your time reading any further. But, if you need to get paid what you’re worth to provide the necessities of life (bills, food, housing, a new camera, etc.), then read on… [Read more →]

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been overseeing a large project for a major ministry and although I’ve been working professionally in television for more than 30 years, this project has brought to light some important things that I do automatically but, it turns out, are not standard operating procedure.  Last time I hit on a big communications issue; this time its on business.

Want to save yourself some headaches, keep from looking like an idiot, and reduce the chance of pissing off your client?  Read on… [Read more →]

I’m overseeing a large project that has several producers working on individual segments. This process is incredibly rewarding, giving me the opportunity to work with very creative friends that I rarely get the chance to interact with.  It’s also been a great learning opportunity. I’ve discovered new ways of organizing and managing creative people and fueling the process of fostering creativity.  But I’ve also gotten so frustrated that I [edit out nasty things], well, suffice it to say, this process has had moments that have made me crazed.  I’m going to write about some of them over the life of this project.  Here’s the first.  Try talking… [Read more →]

I’ve been in the market for a new HD video camera for some time now.  That’s why I played around with my schedule and bailed on a couple of days of billable work to go to Las Vegas for the National Association of Broadcasters convention (NAB).  For those who have never gone to this annual toy-fest there’s really no way to describe it.  It’s the entire LV Convention Center (and the surrounding parking lots) filled with the latest TV and radio technical toys. It’s a porn show for geeks.  It’s the last place you’d expect a conversion to take place (unless of course we’re talking about converting a H.264 video file to an editable MOV file… but I digress).  Nevertheless, I was converted in Vegas, and when something of that magnitude happens, it can’t just stay in Vegas. [Read more →]

I just returned from the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville.  It’s a conference I try not to miss – not because of the great lineup of speakers (I’d rather listen to their podcast or read their books); not because of the musical talent (you won’t find any of those guys in my iPod); not because of the exhibition floor (I go to NAB to drool) — but because of the relationships and workshops.

There are many people I see once a year – at NRB – and that in itself makes the trip worthwhile.  But what I really love is sharing what I’ve learned with others at the workshops, and picking up new ideas from those I respect.  I never have enough time to go to all of the sessions that I could benefit from.

But every year I come home with a bag full of meaningless swag and a pile of business cards. This year, only five of these cards have remained on my desk – the rest are in the trash along with the stress balls and brochures.  Hopefully, these five cards will open up new relationships and new business – and new ways to serve the Kingdom of God.

On Christmas Day, I turned my Blackberry off as I boarded a flight from Grand Rapids to Ft. Lauderdale.  The four of us (Kat, Tori, Alex & I) were off for a week of relaxation, sun, scuba and fun in Key West.   The next day, we used the phone once to set up a lunch and then to find our girls on the beach, and then I turned it off with no intention of even thinking about it for the rest of the week.

I brought my trusty Toshiba netbook with me, but only used it to do a mapquest and check diving conditions.  For the first time in  – well, maybe ever – I totally unplugged my business side for an entire week.

Finally, ten days later, driving to a client location on January 4, the phone went back on and the list of messages (email and voice) was lengthy.  Some were thought to be emergencies when they were left, but everyone survived, no projects derailed, and I could just smile…

Try this on your next vacation. As I found out, not only will you benefit, but your family will feel they finally have you – and your full attention – and that will be reward enough.

I’ve had the privilage of working with many great men and women in the Christian world – Pat Robertson, Luis Palau, Kay Arthur, Rod Parsley, Leighton Ford, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Thomas Zimmerman… really, it’s a long list.   But I put Billy Graham and Oral Roberts in a completely different category, and I’m humbled to have worked with both of them.

Less than a month before the Lord called him home, I had the immense honor of producing what would be the final television interview with Oral Roberts.  We did it in the living room of his home in Newport Beach. This is not a room made for TV, it’s long and narrow.  One wall is all glass windows looking out on the golf course, the other wall is all mirrors – you who know television production are feeling my pain. We had a very limited time to set up the 3 cameras, lighting and sound.  Somehow we did it, and it looked good.

Rod Parsley did the interview, which was more of a conversation and a time of prayer.  Here were two men, friends, who both knew the anointing and power of God, from two generations, and both had the sense that this could be their last time together.  The atmosphere in the room was charged, and when Oral looked at the camera and said “something good is going to happen to you” – I believed it.  And later during prayer when he again looked up into the camera and said “be healed” – I knew people were being healed.

We can tell stories some other time… but today, as his funeral is taking place, I wanted to recall the man who told millions to “expect a miracle” – and who today is hearing his Savior say “well done”.