Write 31 Days- Day 2 Creativity on the Day of Rest

CREATIVITY takes the day off on Sunday, right?

Well, that depends. I would have to say if you are an attendee of a house of worship there's a pretty good chance you could avoid having to be creative and you might not even have to put your mind to it. But if you're connected in any way with the behind-the-scenes action that takes place then you have multiple chances to exercise your creativity propensities. 

Case in point: Far Hills Church in Dayton, Ohio.

This is where my family and I attend Sunday services and where I'm part of the technical services team as a video director (VD). It sounds more technical than creative, but it involves a good amount of the C-word. As a VD it is my job to direct the camera operators to where I think the action happening onstage helps reinforce the message the speaker and worship team are transmitting to the congregation with points-of-view they don't have because, well...because I have cameras and camera operators and video projectors and all they have are their eyes. I have to help the speakers transmit their message by reinforcing their presentation notes for all to see and to co-ordinate the graphics director and technical director's actions. It is seriously exciting stuff.

OK, not really. There's a lot of problem solving (read technical creativity) that goes on when things don't go as planned. Wait, things go wrong? Oh yes. Technical gremlins show up anywhere there are hundreds, if not thousands, of feet of wire carrying the magical pixies of sound and video from point A to points B-Z. Equipment breaks, files get corrupted, people walk where they shouldn't and it it up to me to find a fix and find it fast. Maybe stressful is a better word than exciting.

And I shouldn't say ME; I should say WE. Messages have to be constructed by speakers. Songs have to be selected, arranged and practiced by musicians. Graphics, video segments and and lyrics have to be corralled and presented by the graphics director. Cameras have to be operated, stage elements have to be moved, and the sound has to be massaged and if it goes well....very few people know the support staff is there. All of this is masterminded by the Production Manager. Here's a very exciting view of the control room in action.

Technical Director (L), Video Director (C), Graphics Director (R).

And before it even gets to this point there are people working on the set design, creating LED controller panels, painting the set and creating the light elements. Lighting directors, sound engineers...the list goes on and on...all with the goal of exercising their creative talents to tell a story during two 1-hour meetings on a Sunday morning. It looks something like this (and a look we'll change 3-5 times a year).

Far Hills Church in Dayton, Ohio

  

CREATIVITY abounds in places where you might not expect to find it (or perhaps you do). You can find it everywhere, even on a day of rest.