FCA Team Up
We came into this project with a very trim budget, and yet we wanted to create a piece that inspired and drew attention to FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) that ministers to students through sports mentorship. But like any organization, they need money to operate. And asking for that can feel…awkward.
Prep
So the first task was to nail down a script. Very early on we had the idea to have this message communicated not by a professional voice-over artist, but by coaches and the kids themselves, and I think it comes through. Next, we chose locations that were local, worked with volunteers (those are actual coaches and students) and operated as a small crew on the production itself.
The product of that labor speaks for itself. It’s a tight, well told story that they can use for years to come to raise awareness and support. And, they did it on budget and on time!
Gear
This was filmed in RAW format on Blackmagic cameras, using Siuri Anamorphics. These were chosen because we wanted a narrative-type feel, and anamorphics allow that closeness, and yet are able to stay fairly wide, even on crop-censored cameras.
To keep the feel organic we only used two types of gear for support: a glidecam and shoulder rig. Because nothing was locked down, it had the benefit of constant movement (even if it was very little movement) to help enhance the idea of ‘moving forward’. This was of course about athletics so, we were largely inspired by films and tv shows that have sports themes (Friday Night Lights, We Are Marhsall, Etc).
As filmmakers, we love telling stories because that’s what people connect with. So that was the main goal in all of it – connect the audience with FCA.
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