Our Style
We don’t want to just “show what is happening.” We’re inviting and providing a way for people to experience it. Every choice (framing, movement, focus, timing) should help someone feel part of the service rather than just informed.
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Always be moving. Whether that’s walking the track or slightly moving the camera.
- How often do you stand perfectly still when worshiping? Probably not a lot. You’re usually lifting your hands, or swaying a bit. If someone is watching at home, make it feel like they are watching you worship through your eyes.
- If you’re swaying in worship it means you’re engaged. If you’re standing static it doesn’t feel like you’re engaged in the moment.
- That said, be intentional with static shots. Don’t just “be” static—choose to be static. When Pastor Caden is preaching, we choose a static shot so his words are the focus.
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Always be usable. Don’t grab a shot of the front of the drums then point the camera at the ground and walk all the way around the room to get keys on the other side—you just wasted 40 possible shots and 30 seconds.
- This is even more important when we’re recording all cameras for original songs. If you only have a shot when the director is on you, we can’t do anything different in post.
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Be cinematic. Being cinematic means we’re telling a story.
- Shots are deliberate.
- Cinematic shooting avoids flat or cluttered shots.
- Foreground, subject, and background are layered to give a sense of depth.
- Movement is intentional and motivated by the story and the emotion we want to convey.
- We don’t want to just “show” the viewers what is happening in the room. We want them to experience it and feel part of it.
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Listen to the room. Pay attention to the music. Know when a big bridge is coming so you’re ready before it happens. Read the energy of the room. Remember, viewers online only know what we tell them through our shots.
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Keep your eyes up. Don’t be locked into your monitor. Keep your eyes up and looking around for shots.
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Focus. Make sure you’re in focus or actively pulling focus. Don’t linger out of focus—either go in or go more out to motivate intention. This also hides mistakes.
- When running camera, keep your hand on the focus ring most of the time. Even a subtle focus pull while shooting the piano can guide attention from the keys to the hands and instantly elevate the shot.
