Behind the scenes of campus worship
Video team helps chapel go virtual By Katie Cook
If you watched campus worship services during fall of 2020, your digital viewing experience was made possible by the campus worship production team. Several communication majors are part of the team that works throughout the week to record and stream services for the student body. The team is made up of nine student workers and one intern, eight of whom are communication majors. The team was formed in late August, when the decision was made to stream campus worship services rather than have them in person due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Wes Brashier, vice president for Christian life at AU. “That decision was really made for us...by the COVID-19 Task Force and the CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidelines, two weeks before students returned,” Brashier said. Grace Ann Vargo, a sophomore communication major, applied after receiving an announcement about the need through the communication department. “I wanted to apply because of my love for production that has grown since the summer,” Vargo said. Photo by Katie Cook
Grace Ann Vargo
Vargo works as the team’s producer and as a director.
“I communicate with the camera operators and direct them to specific shots at specific times in whatever event that we are filming,” Vargo said. She said team members typically work 10-20 hours a week through Campus Ministries.
A production team member operates a camera for campus worship recording. (Photo by Katie Cook) video switchers. One of them, their entire job is just to edit video,” Stanley said. Larisa Crowder, a senior communication major on the team, works as a camera operator. “I man one of the cameras we use to record and or livestream performances and events, and make sure to get the shots we need from that specific angle,” Crowder said. “Usually, I just get the shots the director asks for, but there is also a lot of creative freedom to do what I think looks best.” The students on the team are getting hands-on production experience that reinforces and employs what many of them are learning in the classroom in the communication department.
“Usually, I just get the shots the director asks for, but there is also a lot of creative freedom to do what I think looks best.”
Ryan Stanley, head of production for campus ministries, said students are filling a variety of important roles.
“I am actually in an introduction to video production class right now,” said Vargo, “and it has helped me in the way I direct the camera operators for different specific shots, in giving them clearer communication in more direct terms.”
“Two of them are really just on editing and graphics. Six of them work primarily as camera operatiors or
Crowder said that working on the team has reinforced technical knowledge she has learned in classes.
“This can be setup and filming for an event or editing an event,” Vargo said.
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