Sunday, June 26, 2016

Training Camera Operators and Church Production teams


Operating video and photo cameras is like cooking. You may know how to light up the gas but not know details of ingredients and quantities needed. The results will be different. However, just like georgeostories do with cameras, your experience will distinguish you
While the practical training is about following the rules, artistic training is really about knowing when and why to break them.
Ugwuja George volunteering in a church media team-Abuja-Nigeria
In Nigeria, Camera work for churches, schools and corporate organizations must be localized to serve the everyday needs. For churches, live streaming has suddenly become a necessity. The gospel must be expanded remotely.  It is a perfect marriage of technology and artistry, which is why I think it’s one of my favorite things to teach volunteers.
Training camera work can really be broken down in three sections technical, functional, and artistic. The first thing I always tell potential new camera operators is to watch what happens on TV and in movies and try and copy that. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. Look at what the professionals are doing and copy it. I am a huge fan of finding videos to send to volunteers so they can watch them on their own time before training, I find this better prepares them to come to training with questions, which allows me to figure out what they need to focus on. If something is confusing, then that is where I am going to spend more time.
The first thing we train on is the technical side. We spend time going over the parts of the camera. It’s really introduction to Camera 101. This section focuses on the important switches and buttons, and the switches and buttons that aren’t important but will mess things up
I will train my students to a point where they can ask for direction on how to fix the problem because they understand what it is.  From there, we hit the field.
In a church for instance, shooting with different cameras from different angles and perhaps a central camera on a crane sounds very complicated. During my training, I build the capacity of the participants to learn how to shoot, mix shots, broadcast in the church and as well stream online without compromising picture quality and sound.
To discuss your training, call George
Phone: +234-803-884-3041
Website: www.georgeugwuja.com.ng