Mike Walker Creative

Recently I got invited for a private screening of Will Smith’s new movie, “7 lb”. The movie was real heavy, but probably one of the best all around movies I have seen in at least 10 years. The writing, the acting, the story telling, the cinematography were all over the top well done.

As I walked out of the theater with a group of friends we were all commenting how blown away we were and not a single one of the comments had to do with special effects or technology. It was all wrapped up in the art of story telling within a movie…it’s an art I think has been lost somewhere along the way in a lot of areas, movies, tv shows, music (especially Christian music), concerts, etc…

While I am a technology guy I really feel like technology has gotten in the way of the message in recent years. I’m not sure if it”s because of the rapid advancement of technology and we are constantly trying to keep up, a lack of imagination, or laziness…or maybe a combination of the 3. I don’t know…

As a live events guy I have noticed the trend for several years. Organizations tend to throw more video screens, newer lights, LED technology, more videos all to keep up it seems, but where is the message? The presentation has gotten so overwhelming that I think it’s become more about the technology…again…where is the message?

I read something interesting the other day that made the statement “technology is a very powerful, but the one thing it can not do is lead”. I really feel like maybe in the process of staying cutting edge or cool, that maybe the message has suffered.

It would be interesting to see what would happen if you took the screens and lights away for a month to see just how creative you could get. You might discover some things about your teams as well.

A few weeks ago Tony Morgan issued a challenge to churches to stop marketing for a time. I think it would be interesting to see churches take a step back from technology for a time and dig deep to rediscover your core message and then let the technology support that message.

My phone has been ringing off the hook today from several GREAT people in the church tech world and they are looking for positions (staff or contractor). If you are looking for quality people please contact me via email and I will pass on resume’s as I receive them.

If you are one of the people who have called or were thinking of calling, please email me your resume’ at mwalker@mikewalkercreative.com

I wasn’t really going to put anything out there related to this, but recent conversations with clients have made me rethink it.

As everyone is aware at this point in February of 2009 television is making the digital transition. Several people have been asking me lately if that means their church needs to change all the video gear to digital or HD if they are going to stay on broadcast. The answer is a simple NO.

The people most effected are people who are actually working on the broadcast end (tv stations and networks) and people watching TV via an over the air antenna.

If you capture to a tape format, whether it be dvcam, dvcpro, beta, etc…you can keep doing that. Unless the company actually broadcasting your show requires a different format then you should be able to keep sending your tapes just like normal. The onus lies on the broadcast companies.

You don’t necessarily need to turn in your older analog camera package and do an immediate upgrade (even though it is likely better that you do just to stay current) and you don’t need to upgrade to HD just for the sake of upgrading. Most Christian broadcast companies don’t even have the ability to broadcast in HD (and they likely won’t for some time) so doing a higher end show while will increase your quality and will, if done right, look better is still not necessary.

In fact, if you are an organization in need of a camera package for your church and not ready to lay out the big bucks for digital or HD please email me as I do have some information on a few analog broadcast camera packages owned by major broadcast organizations that are looking to sell them at a VERY good deal.

No need to push the panic button just yet….keep pushing forward

I was taking a break from budget crunching this morning and headed to Pei Wei for some chicken pad thai.

I love listening to ESPN radio for a break in the day and my favorite show is The Michael Irvin show. Today’s hot topic was the election. Michael had some great thoughts on the election that really got me thinking.

In covering both the Republican and Democratic conventions I made the point that I will not turn my blog in to a political soap box and I maintain that today as well.

Whether or not I agree or disagree with Obama’s politics I feel very honored to live in a time that history is being made. On August 28, 1963 Dr Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In 45 years we have come a long way…still far to go, but the fact we are on the verge of seeing an african american elected in to the highest office in the country is evidence of Dr Kings dream coming to fruition. It’s a privilege to be living in such a time.

All politics aside….congratulations to Barack Obama and good luck as we in America definitely need some strong leadership to face the challenges ahead. Whether you voted for Obama or McCain it’s time for America to figure out how to push through the challenges that lie ahead together as opposed continuing constant opposition.

Again, all policy stuff aside, we are watching history and should feel privileged to be a part of it. In closing I think Dr Kings close of his speech said it best:

“when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Congratulations and thank you for dreaming Dr King