Thursday Night Rehearsal

Last night's rehearsal was amazing! NY BattleCry is an event you're not going to want to miss!

Interview with a Soon-to-Be Legend

Jared Haskell on his last day, with his grip from last year and this year's blogger
(That is to say, Jigga and me)

In addition to being a tremendous event, the New York BattleCry was also the last day of work for staff DP Jared Haskell, who heads back to Texas just long enough to figure out what's next.

Up first? Seeing Atlanta with the members of Unhindered.

Here with a look at his last job is Jigga himself.



By the way, working with Jigga has a way of rubbing off on you. After working as a cable-monkey grip for him for a single weekend, I still have the habit of wrapping my power supply over-under every time I pack up my computer A FULL YEAR LATER. He's a great DP and an amazing guy all around, and it's been a blessing to work with him for the last sixteen months.

The Beginning of the End...

The final session...


Be the Love Encounter

We have reached the end of the event. Unhindered did a big final set, complete with confetti cannons, after Ron Luce gave his "Listen to Love/Be the Love Encounter" message. And the live show wrapped up right on time, with Kemtal Glasgow giving the final exhortation on-air.



Now it's time for clean-up and load-out. I've already helped Logan pack up the lights from the crow's nest, and now breakdown at the tape truck is go. Let the wild rumpus start!!

(Also, can I just say that Anna is way too kind in her assessment of my posts? Anna, you did an edited mini-highlights piece yesterday. No matter how many videos I put up, yours put mine to shame. But thank you so much anyway.)

A little poetry from the event..

So Tyler and I were just sitting in the team room, watching as people prepare to load out, since the event will be getting over soon.. And I was talking about how sometimes I can be very random and that I would probably just post random thoughts and poems that I wrote off the top of my head.. So he said, go for it.. So here’s a little poem that I’m making off the top of my head about this weekend.. There will probably be a rhymning scheme, but it won't probably be that good..

Ode to BattleCry

The weeks, the months we prepared and slaved..

Never compared to what we had to brave..

Hard work and long days..

Oh you helped us perservere in so many ways..

Finally the day of the event came..

I don’t think I’ll ever be the same..

From speakers like Ron Luce and Mike Guzzardo..

They was definitely no Ricky Ricardo..

But they came and they won peoples hearts for the Lord..

Not a person this weekend was ever bored..

The bands and special guest blew our minds..

They were definitely very good finds..

But now alas it’s coming to and end..

I’m pretty sure we all made a life long friend..

His name is Jesus and he died for me..

So thank you BattleCry because now I’m free..

Whoa..! A little corny but defintely not phoney.. Watch out I’m speaking in rhyme this sure isn’t a crime.. Unless I’m just really bad at it then that’s not so rad.. I hope you had a lot of fun.. There’s some more post to come, oh yeah we’re not done..

Enjoy the Night.. Please don’t get in a fight..

(okay I’m done with rhyming..)

Anna

Interview with a Staffer

Lauren Baize isn't your average CCMer. In fact, she's not an intern -- she's a staff member, working as acting coach and Sterling College representative! This weekend, though, she's jumped into the event with both feet, working as tape supervisor to make sure all our footage comes back the way it's supposed to be.

... which, past problems suggest, is pretty much the most important thing ever.

Way to go, Lauren!!

Makeup time!

So I’ve had quite an exciting time. After dinner I was able to help out in the interview room and be in there while my fellow CCMer, Keshia Weaver, produced the interview with Canton Jones. It was so awesome to hear him talk about how his wife keeps him accountable in their relationship and in his profession, hear him talk about his kids and his business and him reaching out for this generation.

After the interview I got a total makeover. I was able to visit my very good friends Aspen Henry and Kristina Kutscher and get a make up makeover from them.. Not only did I get my whole face done, but in the process I got my hair curled by, Shannon Haack, and got a very nice and soothing hand massage. If I must say anything it would have to be this, these girls are really good at their jobs and if you ever need makeup done, go see them.

Update Time

Oh my goodness. Can I just say right now that Tyler is a blog updating machine..? I’m proud of my 5 updates. And then we’ve got Tyler in the corner over here pumping out a update every minute it seems! Good job, buddy. You are one talented writer. I guess that’s what you get when you stick a writer/producer on blogging. Me a lowly editor can barely keep up with him! But hey, it’s all good, we all do what we can. And this blog is looking pretty spectacular.

Let me tell you a few things that I have been able to witness at today’s event.. I was able to slip into the arena while Nick Vuijicic was speaking.. If you just see him that alone is amazing, to see how God has used this man’s life and his situation to speak to thousands.

Another thing that I was able to see was HeeSun Lee the spoken-word rapper.. It was very cool seeing her rap. Yeah. (I’m not to sure how to describe.) Why don’t you just watch this clip to check her out.

Also for your enjoyment, here are some more pictures for you to see first hand what the event is like.

HeeSun Lee doing her Spoken Word

Shannon Haack enjoying her break while listening to Nick Vuijicic

Another picture of HeeSun Lee

The crowd

Mike Guzzardo talking to the crowd

Another shot of the crowd

Tyler and I working hard

Ron Luce speaking

On a Lighter Note...

"Where are you, Christmas? Why can't I find you?"

Remember when I said Kristina had a quirky sense of style? Perhaps this is no more apparent than in the discovery of Kristina Lou Who, who is no more than two.

Just in case the event was starting to seem a little overwhelming, every now and then you come across a little gem like this picture, which reminds us what the truly great thing about working in media is... it's entertainment. Sometimes it's inspirational, moving, informative entertainment -- and sometimes it isn't something like this. But no matter what, our work in entertainment always has two things going for it.

1) It can be used to bring glory to God;
2) It's FUN!

Case in point...

I saw this on posters around the concourse, detailing the events on the schedule for the IZOD Center, and the placement of our very own "Acquire the Fire presents the Greater New York BattleCry" in the scheme of other events made me laugh. So I had to pull out my cell phone and take a picture... which is currently my cell phone wallpaper.



That's right. Last week was Stars on Ice, this weekend is BattleCry, and Monday is WWE Raw. That's almost as good as this summer, featuring Doo-wop... followed by Megadeth.

Is it just me, or is this one of the funniest, most random combination of things in a very, very long time?

A Video from our Fearless Leader

This exclusive clip of the inner workings of the TV truck comes to us courtesy of Doug Rittenhouse, director of the CCM program and executive producer of all the great stuff we put out.



Inside the Production Truck during the broadcast of a Live Event at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands. This is just part of a team of 75 people that it took to produce more than 15 Hours of Live Television.

For more from Mr. Rittenhouse, check his Twitter feed... he's got a lot of TwitPics up from the event.

And, while you're at it, follow CCM Studios on Twitter, too!

Interview with a PA

Shannon Haack wasn't content to just shoot a simple interview -- she hijacked the full-broadcast interview room for her own literal moment in the spotlight.

Of course, a simple blogger's inexperience with video work on his personal digital camera was still our downfall, and the zoom suddenly kicked in by accident about halfway through.

In any case, she takes her moment to shine and shares a bit about what "production assistants" actually do... and how the weekend's been shaping up from the viewpoint of the corridors of power.