glow sticks…

LIGHT

Sometime in 2008 I ran across this video from GCC wired. And while I have shared these vid’s before, I haven’t traced how my mind has been working to use these ideas.

(http://vimeo.com/1300196 - If you link over you won’t be disappointed)


Very cool experiential element to emphasize viral communication.
It was interactive and fun!
While we have discussed it a few times at our creative meetings, we never have used the idea. I love the idea of the interactivity of the element.
While I would love to use glow sticks in a similar way as GCC did:

One possibility I thought of was using glow sticks in a dance piece. Where the dancer is covered with glow sticks and dances in the dark. This was before I realized that this was very popular at raves. Still like the idea. (smiles)

Or something as simple as hanging glow sticks all around the stage. Using various sizes and shapes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Maybe creating a video of the traces made from glow sticks.

There are so many innovative concepts that could be utilized with glow sticks. One recent concepts is team iLuminate which garnered a lot of attention fro America’s Got Talent. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=XRwX9oCaE9Q&feature=player_embedded )

I have taken the idea as far a purchasing several types of glow sticks and even trying them out.
So now it is a matter of simple finding the appropriate message to link them with. That hasn’t happened yet. But it will…

thankful…

I am grateful for being who I am…
Through out my life I have often faced the fact that most people don’t understand me or how I think; which is fine with me.
The older I get the more I am thankful for how God created me. Completely unique.
One of those things is the creativity that lives in me.
I see things like these…

(http://youtu.be/Ov_iJQGq6DI)
…and my mind simply explodes with ideas. My mind extrapolates and blows the original idea up into something entirely different. It’s fun and exciting…
I have been dreaming about utilizing holograms for several years now.

(http://youtu.be/JMSBihWsuBc)
I don’t see the world the way most people see it. It is more alive and vibrant.

(http://youtu.be/XRwX9oCaE9Q)
I wonder how to translate things like these, into an experiential experience...
What I do know; is that I am doing what I am supposed to do, at this point in my life.
I have people who appreciate what I do; and for that I am extremely grateful.

pushing pause, con't...

Being creative requires constant evaluation.

That is where the creative team is at this moment...

What is really in our toolbox at this point in time? We have been in a place where the gifts and talents of the people on the team are shifting.

Stage design, drama, dance, vids, experiential elements are all tools we have had for several years. We are going through an actually time of mourning (what has been) and need to start focusing on what we currently have. Tough place to be.

We are still able to focus on the 5S (5 senses). Which are taste, smell, hearing, sight and kinesthetic (touch). We are in a place of being un(limited). Recognizing that we still can be unlimited in our creation; yet understanding we ARE limited in our actually production.

While we still have tools like dance/movement, interactive/experiential elements, spoken words and much more. We have to face the reality that at this moment in time we do not have the bandwidth to do true dramas and major in-house videos.

Several team members are in a different season of their lives, which doesn't give the time they were able to give before; for writing, direction, production and such.

But this is not a bad thing. This is just the reality of where we are.

So, this is a time of experimentation. What new things are we able to do? Who wants to learn more about owning elements? Who is willing to try to learn new skills? Who have skills that are being used currently? Or are we even supposed to being doing this at all?
I believe we are supposed to continue...but doing what? I am not sure at this point.
One other point...while I personally still finding it easy to create the stage designs each and every week; I have intentionally pushed pause on that also.
This is truly a time to reflect and pray about where we are heading as a team.

D4F (Dancing 4 Freedom)

Have you ever had a super ginormous, crazy - hairy idea?
This idea is called “La Casita”; a little house making a big difference.
The idea has been percolating for years now. With a lot of pieces to the puzzle.
Today I’m sharing just one of these pieces.

It’s D4F (Dancing 4 Freedom)

Since I have started to becom educated on the human trafficking problem I have been praying for what “Action Plan” God has for me to do. This is what I have been hearing: start a creative performance arts group focusing on awareness and restoration.
The first part is to develop a dance troupe (and other performance arts) focused on raising awareness of the human trafficking/justice through performance arts show. To bring stories alive. As we progress: offer an opportunity for victims of trafficking to have a creative outlet for their restoration process.
There is a lot more to this adventure. This is just the first step. Stay tuned for more updates.

extrapolating experiential elements from extreme sheep herding....

While I've seen sheep herding with lights before; this is extreme sheep herding. And it reminds me of an experiential element I've thought about for church.
No, I am not going to rent a bunch of sheep; simply because that is really expensive. No seriously, renting animals is expensive and yes I have checked it out.
So see this...



...this combined with: we were talking about a previous designing for Philistines post this week at creative team-where GCC plays Simon Says (April 2008)

see this...

Camp Friendship Plays Simon from Grant Ferguson on Vimeo.

Obviously this would be for fun; but it could work when discussing communication, doing what God asks you to do. Actually that is why we were discussing it at our creative team meeting. We were planning for the 1 Chronicles message later this month. Thinking about what you are willing to do when God asks you to do something and/or where would you draw the line...
Thinking several things.
For example: Creative movement/percussive element
Lights out.
Dancers entering from the back, walking up the aisle creating movement light designs with glow sticks to a percussive beat. Maybe handing out glow sticks to people in the crowd. Lead into opening worship set. Band with glow sticks encircling their arms?
That's just one idea I was thinking about.
Just thinking...

SHOUT...

Nothing big and flashy, just a simply SHOUT element. We were studying the book of Joshua a couple of weeks ago, and I can't think of Joshua without the battle of Jericho. Think about it, seriously...God tells a group of warriors, strong, bold, courageous...hey there, just walk around the city
once every day for six days with the seven priests carrying ram's horns in front of the ark.
On the seventh day you big strong men march around the city seven times and then the priests blow their ram's horns.
That's what they did-and gave a war cry. The walls of the city collapsed, and the Israelites were able to charge straight into the city.

The stage was very simple.
Bought and painted some trash cans and buckets. Sorry, I am so not a graffiti artist.


So this is what we ended the service with...
SHOUT element at about minute 44
Let it buffer, then watch...

לקוות ...

Wild and crazy production weekend. While we try to do a creative piece each weekend; this last weekend was a magnificent tapestry woven together of many creative elements. I am simply blown away to be able to serve with our awesome teams.
These elements included the blowing of the Shofar, two original songs, a dance, a reading from Eli Weisel and last but certainly not least, 4 cantor elements with Rabbi Neal Surasky of Kehilat Sar Shalom.
For the stage set design we created a background screen of chiffon draped over two 1” x 2” x 10’ pieces of wood. They were painted black, and we drilled to holes on each end. Then each piece was suspended on the black curtains with fishing line and safety pins. Honestly I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have fishing line and safety pins.
Sadly, I got so wrapped up in producing, that I failed to get enough pictures.
One last thought, part of what makes our team work so well together is we actually like to spend time together. We often go out to lunch after our Saturday set up/rehearsal and EVERY Sunday. This week Rabbi Neal and his amazing wife Kim joined the crew at Foster’s. It was an incredible time of laughter, learning and gnoshing.
ILML

Our Order of Service (and worship set list)
Blowing of the Shofar
Instrumental Opener

Worship Set 1
Freedom is Here

Bridge: Hope in difficult circumstances using illustration of God’s Chosen People.

Cantor Piece # 1 - Hatikvah - Rabbi Neal

Reading from Eli Weisel

“Israel’s Song“with dance (original song Desneige Eisenberg)

Cantor Piece # 2 - Rabbi Neal (In Hebrew, but words in English on the screen)

Reading of Psalm 42

Worship Set 2
“Psalm 42” (original song by Melanie Moore)

Message: Chris Eads interviewing Rabbi Neal

Cantor Piece # 3 - Rabbi Neal teaching a song to the congregation

Worship Set 3
I Surrender
Congregational Prayer
Better is One Day (Amazing Grace)

Cantor Piece # 4 - Rabbi Neal doing the Aaronic Benediction Blessing (Numbers 6)

I cried at 4:29...

I am starting to import posts from my other blogs, soon they will all be in one location again.
Here is one of my fav's from June at CruX-the heart of the matter...

sytycd4 (for the uninitiated it's So You Think You Can Dance)
hip hop has come of age - beyond a shadow of a doubt...
The dance starts at about 3:00. I cried at 4:29...

This is the raw passion that we need to share with others who do not know...
danced by Mark and Chelsea...
choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon