WISDOM FROM ABOVE Main Production Complete

Last night we completed the recording of all 13 Bible Lessons on St. James with Deacon Alex Jones. It was satisfying work for all of us on the crew and the 25 or so in the audience. Alex's teachings were terrific and we are excited about the spiritual success of the series.

I want to thank all of the associate producers and executive producers that contributed funds to make the production possible. The associate producer's names are HERE, and our co-executive producers are Cheryl Evans, and Abundant Graces Books (Laura Smith and Terri O'Connell, owners).

The hot weather made production a challenge in a church without air conditioning. But we had a wonderful crew, many volunteers and although we recorded nearly six hours of content, our shooting schedule was 25 minutes ahead one night, and about 30 minutes long the last night. I want to call out my wonderful staff and crew most of whom were volunteer.

Wisdom From Above Crew (Photo by Christopher Swedorske)

BACK ROW (L to R): Michael Sroka (hiding behind camera: data manager, camera operator), Jeff Carter (technical director, camera operator), John Kruse (camera operator),  Pam Williams (co-producer, reader and craft services), St. James the Lesser (but big in our hearts), Diane Korzeniewski (makeup and wardrobe), Rick Stringer (facility manager), Christopher Swedorske (camera operator and production assistant).

GROUP STANDING AT LEFT (L to R):Jan Swedorske (Assistant Producer), Donna Kutylowski (assistant director) Jennifer Wilson (reader), Gloria Yarber (reader), Eric Boone (Security).

FRONT ROW (L to R): Louisa Zachmann (PA to Stan Williams), Deacon Alex Jones, Stan Williams (Producer-Director), Anna Jones (PA to Jan Swedorske), Stephanie Boyd (PA to Pam Williams and Donna Kutylowski).

NOT PICTURED: Fr. Jerry Pilus (parish priest), Carol Fox (parish secretary), Lawrence Kowalski (coordinating secretary and marketing), Jackie Donofrio (PA), Mark Jones (PA), and Mike Allie (still photography).

The set all aglow during recording in the back of St. Suzanne/OLGH

LOCATION: St. Suzanne/Our Lady Gate of Heaven Catholic Parish, Detroit.

SUPPLIERS: Communicore Visual Communications (Jeff Carter's company that supplied one camera, wireless microphone, camera support, and other gear), Detroit Power and Light (lights and grip equipment), Cleveland Camera Rental (three of the four cameras), Video Equipment Rental (Camera Support), Reinforcement, Inc (intercom, drappery, stands, and light trusses), Hyacineth House (plants), and John Kruse and Michael Sroka (miscellaneous gear and cable), Audio Graphics (microphone), and our own company, Fast Sign of Northville (floor poster of St. James), Fr. Gene Plaisted, OSC/The Crosiers (photography of St. James from St. John's in Milwaukee), SWC Films (everything else and inbetween).

We are currently transcoding the camera files. The AVCHD files (from the four Panasonic AF-100s (HD 1080P24) cameras) will take days for the computer system to convert them to files for editing, (film would have been faster.)

In the next few weeks we'll get together with Alex and we'll record intros and outtros for each lesson. Then begins the long task of editing, made somewhat easier by our editing software's (Final Cut Pro) capability to sync up all four camera streams and switch between them "live" so-to-speak.

Continue to pray for us. We still have financial hurdles to overcome — we need "Wisdom From Above."  St. James, pray for us.