Advanced writing for broadcast media taught us not only how to write, but how to film as well. After turning in a tree’s worth of papers, week after week. The class was starting to look like a tree at the end of autumn, with all it’s leaves (students) falling off.
There are reasons why these classes are intense; they want you to make it. Look at it this way. A local news station only has a handful of people working at the station. Just think of the lead anchors, their photo is plastered on local billboards – it’s the same familiar faces every year. This is good for the people working the station, but bad for people trying to find a job in the industry.
Editing videos on Final Cut Pro for my class.
The professors preach about how people don’t make it in the industry, and when they get mail from alumni students on a weekly basis complaining about how the couldn’t keep there job who could blame them.
With this notion I decided that halfway through the semester my videos had to be the best in the class. Please, acknowledge the fact that some people took this class as an elective, and others came in hung over everyday.
Halfway through the class I made a dog show video that was praised by my professor. My video made it to the “UNF Weekly” news show.
After I made the video I started working on my final project, even know it wasn’t due for three weeks. I wanted this video to be the best video I had ever made, and of course be the best news package in the class. My final project would also be easy for me because it was on something close to heart.
It was a video about media in the church, and how it’s changing with the progression of technology. I went downtown to First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, and interviewed the media pastor, Jeff Stoll. I planned six questions but ended up asking him twenty. I spent roughly an hour talking to him and filmed about 30 minutes worth (see the interview here). I finished the rest of the package Sunday and edited the film for class. I spent hours working on the video and the turned it in, and got a response back.
The package was panned!
I was shocked and upset. I kept asking God, Why? This video was about the church how could you let it fail. I was upset for a couple of days until I found this simple verse on a blog I was reading.
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. – Matthew 6:19-21 – New Living Translation
Over the last few months I realized I was listening to the advice about how to be successful. I was caught up in the professional mindset.
I wasn’t working towards my goal of being in ministry, but going after my own ambitions of earning best of class prize. I put friends, church and everything else to the side for a goal that meant nothing in the long run. Besides, TV news was not even why I came to college, I don’t want to be an anchor. I don’t even watch local news. I wanted to be a media director in a church.
After swimming in the seas of self-reliance I felt it was time to come back to shore, and follow after what God has in store for me.
Well, it's a good try Chris!Just remember that failure is the mother of success. Simply take it as a building block for you to move forward.God indeed knew what you've been desiring of.We actually don't have the right to question God for such things for He knew it from the start.He's been doing something great and best for us in a right time!!!Go for the things which God would like you to do. Just stay patient and closer to God. He will surely grant what you have been asking of in a right time!!!I wil back you up in prayers!!!
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