To err is human

I can tell you this story now because the job I was doing is now over & passed but this time last week, I would have been ashamed to admit... Mainly because they are basic camera errors. Perhaps you'll find the insight interesting (and the people concerned will forgive me).

If you are in any way interested in movies (like me) and have read articles, watched interviews or listened to DVD commentaries, you may have heard mention of shots or sequences that went wrong or that had to be 'salvaged' during editing or just plain bodged on the day. There's a whole raft of stories about things done in Star Wars due to lack of money, time or skill on the part of the filmmakers and there's even examples of where a 'bodge' can end up better than the original script/intention - see the infamous 'whip/sword/gun fight' in Raiders of the Lost Ark brought about because of a major case of diarrhoea...

But these are mainly the exception and usually errors or misunderstandings are just plain stressful. We, at Urban Saints, are not immune to these situations either. This was clearly the case last Friday as I can now explain:

It hadn't started well. I was due to take Chris - with me on work experience - off to an activity centre for the final 'act' of his week. We were filming some cheap & cheerful intro clips for this weekend's Spree camp. Problem was that my meetings had overrun, my 'presenters' had phoned to say it was raining and were we still planning to show up and we hadn't packed any of the props. We reassured them we were coming - rain or no rain - and got packed up ASAP but by the time we left we were already nearly an hour late with around an hour's travelling to do. A couple of traffic jams and wrong turns later and we've arrived - a full two hours later than we'd arranged.

We arrive to see Fiona (Presenter 1) in a full climbing harness and hard hat so clearly there is no time to lose. The first thing I'm told is Ellen (Presenter 2) has to be home by 5 so that means we've only got 90 minutes, rather than the 3 or 4 hours I was expecting. We're going to have to shoot and move on, shoot and move on. All in one go, no mistakes, no re-takes. And then they put climbing harnesses on us too! Unfortunately, I'm about to commit at least two classic errors...

So, the opening shot of the video is an introduction at the top of the abseil tower before our presenters disappear off down the wall with a flourish. To make things easier, we'll film them setting off, get them to stop halfway and then go down and film them landing etc. Up the tower we go, carrying all the camera kit up the several stepladders only to head back down again once Fiona and Ellen are halfway and carry on filming as they finish their descent...

Now I'm attached to a rope at the top of the tower, while our intrepid duo ready themselves for a one-off 'drop'. We've got to get this in one go and I get them to do a practice to make sure the sound is right. I practice 'following' our stars down over the edge and although I'm not especially worried by the height, I am worried about losing my grip and seeing the £2000 camera literally following them! Time is ticking though so we need to get going. There's hardly any light on their faces so I switch on my rarely-used 'back-light' function (technically Error #3, as I forget to turn it off in a later shot, leading to a really washed out look...) and we're ready. We shoot - they yell, then disappear over the edge, stopping a few feet down, while we go back down the ladders with harnesses and caribinas clanging.

Now we're at the bottom of the tower looking up as they drop to the ground, detach their ropes and stride off, looking like Charlie's Angels. At this point I decide it is a good idea to check that our "one-off" shot has recorded correctly. Disaster - the sound is bodged and there's no way to fix it! Error #1: Should have let the camera roll while we we're setting up to avoid giving the potentially unstable opening millimetres of the miniDV tape the chance to ruin the whole shot. Decide we can salvage it, of sorts, by repeating opening line on the ground and then cutting to their descent (see final video - below). But having watched the footage back I then commit Error #2: Forget to ensure tape is at the end before hitting record and end up recording over some of the descent too...

Needless to say, what you see next is the result of what WAS filmed (and is probably still more than adequate) but could have been SO much better but for basic errors and poor time-keeping! Let this be a lesson to us all (it certainly was for me!) and let's say no more about it...

How much is a sense of humour worth?

I've been very encouraged by the pleasant comments about our silly little spoof video. Everyone's been very supportive and I'm sure we've also sold a few hoodies off the back of it. However, a question was raised at our team meeting today that got me thinking. At what point does something, that isn't directly intended to support our volunteers or generate income, become a "waste of donor's money"?

We walk a fine line as a youth organisation between what is 'good' because it directly effects and/or invests in young people and children and what is 'good' because it appeals to young people and their interests. On this particular occasion, I think this latest video "ticks enough boxes" (especially as it was made as a work experience project as well as a marketing opportunity) to justify its own existence. But what about a stupid video made just for the sake of raising a smile and showing our playful, (to quote Matt's own words) "more human side"? Can an individual donor feel aggrieved that we are frittering away their generous gift or does this sort of thing actually help people to connect easier with the people who serve the mission and calling of Urban Saints? After all, if Urban Saints could be run much cheaper by using robots, would that make it the correct decision to replace the staff with them?!

It would be interesting to hear some perspectives on this - especially as all different charities are run and funded differently and because people have very strong feelings about what charities should and shouldn't do with their donations. Ultimately, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to make the choice about whether they start (or stop) giving towards an organisation like Urban Saints. But is there a danger that when can both be 'under-' and 'over-' sensitive to this all at the same time?!

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #12 / 8.7.09

What’s my role…
One of the things that I am responsible for at Urban Saints is supplying news stories and announcements to the (mainly Christian) press. This role seems less about the ability to write (which I believe I am developing) and more about the ability to get to know the people who ‘edit the news’ (which I’m less efficient at!). There is also a challenge to be available (as a movement, rather than just me) to comment on other news stories from a Christian / youthwork perspective. For me, this next quarter will see a review of how Urban Saints does this, especially now that people read much more of their ‘news’ online and you have to respond to items immediately. I’ll try and keep you posted…

Elsewhere in Urban Saints
Today, we kick off three of our six Spree weekend camps. We’ve got sites / teams in the South West (Taunton), Midlands (Kettering) & Wales (Llanelli) with hundreds of young people and leaders heading their way. Spree is a weekend for whole groups to attend with their leaders, and offers a programme full of games, sports, craft, water fights, adventure activities, inflatables, worship, prayer, teaching, food and lots of fun. The original Spree weekends in the South East and South West have been running since before the dawn of Urban Saints but now we have grown to six (with Spree North and Spree in the Borders completing the set!) and Spree represents the single biggest interaction with our target audience in one place – and sees the most faith development of any one event in the Urban Saints’ calendar. Spree is just amazing!

How can you help?
Please consider taking just a few minutes to pray for Urban Saints and the work that I’m involved in. Let me know if you’d like any specific prayer points to guide you… Thanks for your support!

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #11 / LATE!!!

It couldn't last for ever... Apologies, but those more observant among you will have noticed the severe, almost Virgin-Trains-like delay of my latest offering. Normal service will resume but this does mean you're going to get two in just a few days...!

What’s my role…
Last week was a BUSY week. I had Chris Brassett with me for his work experience. I try to make my work experience placements as fun as possible but was also aware that I had loads to get done so wanted to make sure any projects I involved him in, would actually have use to the organisation. As a result, among other things, we did a green-screen trial run for ‘The Big Picture’, filmed some intros for this coming weekend’s Spree event (including being strapped to the top of an abseil tower!) and made the following video to promote our new ‘pink’ hoodies…



I’ll let you be the judge of how useful Chris’ week might have been!

Elsewhere in Urban Saints
I’ve eluded to this project before but here’s the full details about ‘Storyline’. This DVD-supported resource has just gone to the duplicators and Gibbo has put an amazing amount of work into it. It is a 12-part journey through the whole story of the Bible, aimed at teens. It uses animation, music, drama, vox-pops, interviews, testimonies, video montages and more conventional paper-based meeting plans to unpack various aspects of the bigger picture of the Bible (‘The Big Picture’ is the kids version of this.). It’ll be available shortly, both as part of Energize and as a stand-alone resource for youth groups, so watch this space!

How can you help?
Support is about so much more than money – your time, as a volunteer, and your prayers are even more valuable – but without sufficient funding, many of these opportunities will have to be cancelled. Even a few quid a month can make a massive difference. Thanks for your support – please get in touch if you’d like to do more!

Car washing again

"You might not ever get rich/But it's better than digging a ditch"

NOT in my experience! My nearly-annual car washing (this time with vacuuming inside and glass cleaner too!) saw me sink to new lows in this particular field.

Those of you that have followed my exploits for a while will know that I have questioned the logic of car washing and paying for the privilege BEFORE but this weekend, not only did I manage to clean it (but not quite clean it and even where I cleaned the grime away, there were still the ever-present white streaks) but this time my 'free' car wash cost me more than just my time.

During my enthusiastic attempts to prove that I didn't need to pay some bloke at Sainsburys a fiver to wash my car, I managed to knock a whole cup of tea in my favourite mug over and it smashed all over the floor, spraying my car with the majority of the caffeinated beverage...

I officially give up!

Why does my sport feel so bad?

Michelle asked a very pertinent question this evening... "Why do we get so worked about sport?" It's a question I have often "suffered" but rarely really considered. Yet, tonight, as I listened to the U21s getting a hammering and Andy Murray putting the nation through hell at Wimbledon, I do have to concede that it would just be so much easier not to care! It was the same on Sunday, watching the topsy-turvy Cricketing-lottery that was the Twenty20 match at Edgbaston. Watching sport where you have an allegiance can be physical torture! It is gut-wrenching and it totally messes with your day / night.

Maybe it is a tribal thing or a nationalistic thing? Maybe it's the innate competitiveness - the survival of the fittest - in all of us, that makes watching sport as a neutral slightly less worthwhile? That's not even considering what 'sport' actually is - an essentially pointless pursuit that matters not to any real aspect of our lives. But if it IS so pointless, why is it such a huge part of who we are?

Well, it is match point now, so all this discussion becomes academic. Until next time. There's no doubt that watching sport as a sports fan can be seriously bad for your health but I'm not going to stop caring just yet. I couldn't do that to myself!

Michael Jackson: Grief or obsession?

Respect is due, of course. We all have our Michael Jackson "story" - mine is that 'Bad' was my first EVER album (on tape!) and being utterly traumatised the first time I saw that Thriller video, when the older kids from across the road showed me it - but things are starting to get a little creepy now. I really do wish people would let it, let him, rest now.

I guess it is in keeping with his bizarre life and career that, not only is it hard to separate the genius from the damaged human being, but even in death his story twists and turns. It's dug up and analysed; questioned and fought over. As a result, music sales soar and journalistic morals plummet. Perhaps foul play was involved but will that revelation seriously bring any redemption to this sad tale?

I simply hope that those who remember him fondly will recall his musical genius often and those who don't, will just stop turning over his remains for their own ghoulish glee. For my part, I pray he will rest in peace and that the rest of us will quickly move on.

When Toys Grow Up

This is not some reference to a forthcoming 'Toy Story' sequel idea but more an observation that concerned me.

Last night, at kids club, we used the 'infamous' spinner from Twister for a challenge but when we asked the group (under 11s bear in mind) who'd heard of 'Twister', it was only the adults that put their hands up. Has this 'classic' participation game gone off the cultural radar for our kids? Is it true that anything that can't be played on the Wii is now redundant for them? Or was Twister always the realm of American slumber parties, eager teens and students trying to "get lucky" and those adults who are yearning for a happier (and younger!) time?!

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #10 / 25.6.09

How’s it going…
I thought that perhaps every 10th edition of this, I’d give you a quick update on things I’ve mentioned before, rather than share something new…

The Big Picture – We’re definitely making progress on this whole-story-of-the-Bible video resource. The final scripts are days away from approval (at last!). We have a great couple involved in casting and training the actors and we’re in discussions with an animator to give it a mixture of live-action and animation. We’re hoping to shoot in August in Luton with inevitably more stuff to do before and after this. This project is going to seriously dominate my remainder of 2009!
Ultimate Event – Our involvement at the music event at Alton Towers in May brought us in 450 contacts and we’ve been in touch with them all to let them know what we do and what we can offer them to serve their ministry. The day was massively encouraging and we’ll be hoping to be involved again in 2010.
Website – I’ve been asked to look into adding a little more personality to the site. The first stage is to come up with some biogs for the team so I’m working on that one too.
The Academies – Thrashed around some ideas for the script and concept of a Music & Media Academy promotional video to great effect today so am feeling pretty energised right now too…

Thanks for all your support – hope you’re keeping up! I’ve found these ‘first’ ten weeks to be very encouraging and I hope you have too. Let me know if there’s anything else I can fill you in on… God bless