Focus 2023
The Focus Big Top
The view from the back of Video Village
Hosted by CRT and HTB at Newark Showground, around 7000 people gathered at Focus from 27th-31st July to be encouraged, worship God and to spend time together.
I was part of the Big Top Production Team, serving as a CCU technican and camera director alongside around 50 other volunteers, staff and contractors in the main venue of Focus. This year’s venue layout had the stage in the centre, with the attendees surrounding the stage. 4 projector screens above the stage displayed the IMAG video, song lyrics and graphics. A d&b PA system complete with line arrays, stacks of subs, front fills and delays provided amplifcation. The lighting design by Joel created a wide range of looks, from a minimalistic default look to a full on “Party Mode” where we celebrated together at the end of Focus.
All the photos below are © Darleen M B Photography, and used with permission- thank you Darleen!
Big Top Production AM team (including SFL technicians)
Big Top Production PM team
My main role across the Big Top sessions was Camera Racks, or CCU Technician, where I adjusted the exposure and colour corrected the Sony and JVC broadcast cameras.
These cameras were displayed on screens inside the Big Top, recorded as well as shown across the Focus site. Though this was my first time working with the CCU panels and the ProcAmp settings of the Ross Switcher, I quickly learnt how to use the system and was well supported by the friendly engineers at SFL, especially Katie, who oversaw the Camera and Video (Graphics and Playback) teams, as well as Andrew who was leading the Camera team.
Colour correcting the cameras using the Sony CCU Panels
My second role was Camera Directing, and with some helpful advice from Andrew, I directed the final song of the Saturday Big Top session, as well as the Sunday Worship for Everyone and morning Big Top sessions.
The camera team at Focus were a pleasure to work with, with everyone bringing their enthusiasm and creativity to the table.
Camera Directing during the Worship for Everyone session
I am very grateful to Andrew and Ben for giving me the opportunities to CCU and Camera Direct, as this allowed me to build on the skills that I had learned at Leadership Conference ‘23 in May, and continue to branch out into areas of production that weren’t intially in my comfort zone.