cameras – MessageWeek

Colour grading and LUTs

We’ve been continually improving our weekly livestreaming over the past 18 or so months. However, this has accelerated since March this year, and we’re appreciative for all who have helped.

We use two BMD cinema cameras as setup in our studio. Filming in BRAW, we’ve been using a progression of modified LUTS for our livestreams, and this week we made the mistake of creating/using a LUT that was too “bluish”.

Our film is recorded to SSD in BRAW 10 bit video format.

However, the LUT (Look Up Table – an applied colour grade) we used on Saturday’s livestream was too bluish – we received several viewers comments on this. Some said that I “looked tired”. Others said it looked “washed out”. It’s amazing how colour can negatively affect mood and feel!

So, back to the editing suite, and thus for the next studio livestream we’ll try this completely new LUT/colour grade (which we’ve already used in post.)

I hope we’re finally reaching a level of maturity in our media streaming work where any future changes are merely incremental. We always appreciate and value viewer feedback.

Our small team has worked extensively on improving, for example, audio quality. You’ll also note the new backdrop that we added last week, together with some subtle lighting changes. The biggest job each week, however, is the preparation of good quality content – a task that only the Holy Spirit can enable.

A big thank you for all who have supported our work with suggestions, contributions, prayers and donations. The glory goes to God alone who is calling many in the great harvest of humanity. May we be faithful as He works through us according to His will.

Pandemic Fear or Prolific Faith

After more than a month of quarantine, social distancing and ongoing political and international narrative over the COVID-19 virus, with churches closed, businesses struggling, a major airline collapse amidst a general air of uncertainty, we’ve seen the remarkable response of church communities coming together in the digital universe for livestreaming of weekly church services, Bible studies, devotionals and online fellowship.

When we began livestreaming Sabbath worship services in Mundaring, WA, some 15 months ago in order to cater for our family in Christ living in remote areas, little did we realise that livestreaming would soon become an essential service. Now with three cameras, lights, microphones and other streaming equipment, the back part of our home has been turned into a mini television studio. Take a look!

And so, every Sabbath at 11:00am we “go live”, ministering in the lives of our faith community, not only throughout Australia, but overseas as well. Last week was our most successful and riveting online service, benefiting from the contributions of many more people. This week via Zoom we started a Tuesday night Bible study. And this next Sabbath’s behind-the-scenes work is again almost complete.

We’re grateful to Hannah and Emma, who significantly contribute to our team’s work. Hannah arrived here just before the coronavirus lock-down, and then being unable to return to Sydney, has been an invaluable help in our work here. Emma adeptly manages the livestreaming console. And Rebecca, as vocalist with keyboard as well as facilitating children’s church completes the onsite team.

When Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it,” I think he was also thinking about the difficult times we’re now entering. For when the church is under pressure, it is then that she is at her best! Pandemic fear gives way to prolific faith.

Why all this effort?

We are currently refurbishing our film studio in Western Australia, adding another cinema camera, as well as working on better lighting. By God’s grace and providence, we’ve just uploaded our 631st gospel video.

The cameras we’ve been using in our more recent films has been the Canon EOS 80D, the BMCC 2.5k, and we now have a new BMCC4K on order. This will allow us to film each clip from multiple angles. Over the past 22 years, we’ve used a variety of cameras, including some old VHS cameras, various prosumer cameras including Canon and Sony, as well as a range of DSLRs. But, whether originally written on parchment, or conveyed by digital film, it?s the same timeless message that centres on Jesus Christ.

We?re all aware of the role that media plays in our lives. With the continual roll-out of better and faster technologies throughout the world, and the windows of opportunity that still exist in the free world, whether written on parchment or conveyed in bytes and bits, the follower of Christ has a commission and mandate to share the good news everywhere – to the ends of the earth.

We invite you to partner with us in this labour. Please pray that the LORD of the harvest would call and commission many more disciples, who with fervent vision and Christ-centred identity, embrace with diligence the work of supporting this and other ministries. We need capable media producers, presenters, researchers and those skilled in apologetics who can speak into this generation. We need those who are prepared to sacrifice in the name of Jesus that one more person may hear the good news. More than that, Jesus wants you to step up into his vision.

Someone once asked me, ?Why all this effort into sharing the gospel?? I suppose it?s a fair question, considering the apathy and lack of scriptural integrity that exists in parts of the Christian community. How would you answer? Perhaps mine would be: “Taste and see that the LORD is good!” After all, he is the Bread of Life!

John Klassek,
Producer