Hey.

You’re reading this because we see you as someone who loves Jesus, picks up quick on all things video & you have big leadership potential!

Here are the basics that we require from a switcher….

1. #1 PRIORITY – JESUS.

Yep. Our #1 priority is that you are pursuing Jesus. As a switcher, it matters. When you are pursuing Jesus, you speak differently – you respond differently – you pay attention because you want Jesus to be a part of all you do.

2. VIDEO IS A SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP.

You may think, “how?” but think about it – the first thing God ever did in the Bible was create! He created heaven & earth, animals & humans. He is the ultimate Creator. And if we humans are made in His image… creativity is a part of us too! And when we are able to share worship & the message of Jesus through the medium of video, to anyone and everyone in their homes, we are utilizing that creativity!

3. LEADERSHIP QUALITIES.

Leadership is high importance in this role because there are many people who can push buttons at the right time, but leading others adds a whole new dynamic. We need you to not only know how and when to push buttons, but how to lead your camera operators.

Leadership qualities we need from you:
1. Vocal. Your camera operators need you to prepare them, guide them and talk them through everything that happens in service. We cannot have any switchers that aren’t willing to speak to their camera operators.
2. Grace. We need you to be gracious. Not all of your camera operators are professional videographers. If there’s a mistake, let it pass and go on quickly! The best switchers take blame for every mistake whether it was their fault or not.
3. Responsibility. You are responsible for your video crew when you switch. It’s your responsibility to tell them where to be and when, to prepare them for anything abnormal, it’s your responsibility to go over the service plan with your crew, it’s your responsibility your crew feels confident in what they are doing.
4. Timely. You are the first to arrive and the last to leave on the video crew. We need you to be on time as a way of leading by example.
5. Encourager. As the switcher, it means so much when your operators hear you tell them “great shot!”, “way to be ready!”, “this looks so good!” They need positive feedback from you so they know they are doing the right thing!
6. Feedback. You will give corrective feedback, that is unavoidable. There will be times you will need to tell an operator to be more smooth in their movement, or they need to correct their video framing, or they need to find a new shot. There is a right way to give feedback & a wrong way… always, always, always take the kind route in giving feedback.

3. REQUIREMENTS OF A SWITCHER.

*Arrive 15 minutes before video crew call time
*Turn on all static cameras & stage cameras
*Have service plan ready to talk through with video crew
*Lead a quick huddle with your crew when they arrive (this looks like checking in with the team on their week, any prayer requests, telling each operator which cameras they’re on & talking through service plan)
*Communicate switches to camera operators the entirety of service (during the message portion of the service, you do not need to speak through every switch, but make sure your team knows, & pop in every once in a while to encourage them as some messages can be long 🙂 )
*Always communicate what’s next. You always need to be thinking, “what’s happening next?” & tell your team!
*Cleanse cameras and headsets anytime there are camera operator changes and when the services of the day are completed

3. THE FUN PART – SWITCHING.

We have a specific “style” of JCI & terminology we need you to learn!

STYLE
We solely use cut for transitions. No fades.
No panning or zooming while live on static cameras.
Static camera shots (camera 1, 2, 3) = tight on worship singers, tight on speakers
Stage camera shots (camera 4 & 5) = instrumentalists playing, side shots of singers
Slight movement of cameras during worship! Switch/cutting to the beat is a bonus 🙂
During the message, as steady as possible with tight shot from camera 2 on speaker (If using teaching display, cuts between tight shot on camera 2 & teaching display shot on camera 3)

TERMINOLOGY
When speaking to your cam opts, it sounds like this, “One… one”, “four….four”, “three….three” & so on…
This is what you’re saying… the first “one” (Camera 1, get ready, I am coming to you), the second “one” (Camera 1, you are LIVE) – – you don’t have time to say all those other parts while switching during worship 🙂

“Tilt up”/ “Tilt down”
this is typically said when you want a specific stage camera to add more movement and get the full shot of instrumentalist

“Tighten” or “Loosen” / “Push in” or “Push out”
These are all terms when the framing needs to be adjusted, either the shot is too wide or too tight

“Fix the head room”
This is said when the head room is off, either too much space between head and top of screen or the head is too close to top of screen

“Turn up/turn down the iris”
This controls the brightness for the static cameras

“Turn up/turn down the iso”
This controls the brightness for the stage cameras

SERVICES

Monday Morning Prayer (21 Days of Prayer)
1 switcher, 1 camera operator, 3 cameras in use

Camera 7: Rail Cam Shot (robotic operated)
Camera 2: Camera operator
Camera 3: Wide Stage Shot
Camera 4 & 5 are not used
IRIS at 3.2 for cameras 1-3, make sure red lines are showing for focus on monitors

(Exception on Saturdays during 21 Days of Prayer: it is a full team of 1 switcher, 4 camera operators.. looks similar to Student Impact/Sunday Worship)

EXAMPLES OF MMP & 21 DOP

Sunday Worship Experiences
(same for Student Impact)

1 switcher, 4 camera operators, 5 cameras in use
Camera 7: Rail Cam on Stage (this set this up during run through)
Camera 2: Camera operator
Camera 3: Camera operator
Camera 4: Left stage camera operator
Camera 5: Right stage camera operator

EXAMPLES OF IMPACT & SUNDAYS DURING WORSHIP

EXAMPLES OF SUNDAYS DURING TEACHING