January 2010 Behind the Scenes: How the WIC Love Gift Video Was Made

Perhaps, like me, you’ve stayed awake at night wondering to yourself, “How does one make a WIC Love Gift Video??”

Actually, the thought never really crossed my mind either before I found out the great news that MNA Special Needs Ministries had been designated as this year’s Love Gift recipient! During the last year, I’ve thought about it a LOT!

There is a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes planning that goes into producing a high-quality DVD. Really, I had no idea! The entire planning and production process from start to finish took about a year. Since MNA staff work from locations all around the country, I work from my home in Lancaster PA. I had been involved in a video production with a local Christian videographer on a previous disability ministry project—so I knew right away that he was my first choice to create the film. Jon Carlson is a gifted, creative, high-energy 20-something guy who loves the Lord, loves technology, and loves coffee. He is the executive director of Re:freshed Media, a Christian non-profit in Shillington, PA (www.refreshed.tv).

John Carlson, Re:Freshed Media

When you’re addressing a subject as broad as disability, it always creates challenges—no matter what the medium is! Disability covers such a huge spectrum, that we wanted to do justice to the variety of types of disabilities that people experience—and the variety of ways that churches can respond in Christ-honoring ways. Put that together with a 10 minute time limit and a fixed budget and “voila” you’ve got an exciting project! While the Lord is clearly very much at work in a number of PCA congregations in their special needs ministries, we could only do on-site filming at a few. (Note: Just because your congregation was not chosen doesn’t mean we don’t value what God is doing there! ) We chose Pear Orchard PCA in Jackson MS, Covenant Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville GA, Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia PA, and Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ephrata PA. I had invaluable on-site assistance at each location that helped the project go so smoothly! Martie Kwasny (Pear Orchard), Sue Jakes (Covenant Presbyterian) and Kristen Harnly (Tenth Presbyterian) each took care of a myriad of organizational details from scheduling interviews to organizing housing and meals to acquiring video release forms. We truly couldn’t have done it without them!

Steph Hubach (left) and Sue Jakes (right) after filming.

Martie Kwasny at Sunbeams' Night Out

Kristen Harnly at Tenth Presbyterian Church

Across the four congregations included in the film, we completed about 50 individual interviews. That may seem like a ridiculous amount for a 10 minute video. Maybe it is! But we did this for several reasons. First, we wrote a general script with a thematic approach that would interplay with John 9 and the song Hear the Call of the Kingdom by Keith and Kristen Getty (who generously gave us rights to use the music—for a song!) We wanted the interviewees to tell the story from start to finish in their own words—with no voice-over—if possible. That method takes more clips to produce. Second, we knew that even if an interview didn’t end up being a “best fit” for the Love Gift DVD, this was a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to record the insights and experiences of our PCA friends that would prove valuable for other venues too. (In fact, since the filming of the WIC Love Gift DVD, MNA Special Needs Ministries has received a grant from the Harris-Harper Family Foundation to produce a Christian Education DVD series for adults—and we are excited that we will be able to incorporate some of the unused clips for that project.) It was genuinely a privilege to interview each and every individual. My husband Fred and I conducted all the interviews. We often felt like we were on “holy ground” as we listened to amazing stories of God’s grace in the lives of so many families.

Lynn Wheeler (left) during interview with Steph Hubach (right).

In addition to individual interviews, we also had the tremendous privilege of attending Pear Orchard Presbyterian’s Sunbeams’ Night Out—their community respite care program. Attended by approximately 100 children and adults with special needs from the community—and their siblings—it is a contagiously fun event! The love of Christ was so evident that evening…and it was a genuine privilege to be invited to see how God is so evidently at work advancing His Kingdom through the body of Christ in Jackson MS.

Fred Hubach with Joshua Ball (right) at Sonbeams’ Night Out

Jeannie Kalbercamp with Benjamin Smith at Sonbeams’ Night Out

Worship Time at Sonbeams’ Night Out

One segment of the video was filmed in California and shipped to us. That was done by our good friend, Joni Eareckson Tada. Joni is well known around the world for her amazing story and how God has used her life to touch countless others through the ministry of Joni and Friends (www.joniandfriends.org). Joni is also well-known and well-loved in PCA circles, as she and her husband Ken are members of the Church in the Canyon, in Calabasas CA. Joni has also been a beloved keynote speaker at most of the major Women in the Church National Conferences over the years.

Joni at the 2006 WIC Conference in Atlanta GA

When we actually did the filming, we started out by heading to Jackson MS and Fayetteville GA on a five-day trip in March. Jon Carlson and my husband Fred and I traveled together. Fred and Jon lugged TONS of photographic equipment in and out of vans and to and from airports. You learn a lot about people when you travel with them. Especially when you’re stuck in the Atlanta airport for 8 hours in the rain… Our flights went “less-than-smoothly” trying to get to Jackson MS. There is no easy path between Harrisburg PA and Jackson MS—particularly if you’re trying to fly through Atlanta on a rainy day. We were so thankful to finally get there!

Picture of our only on-time flight in the entire 5 days

After Jackson, our travels took us back through Atlanta for several days to film Jim Bland, Coordinator of MNA and Lynn and Doug Wheeler’s story at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville GA. While in the Atlanta area, Jon and Fred and I realized we had two things we wanted to do for fun: Eat at a Chick-Fil-A (they are scarce in the north!) and eat “authentic Southern BBQ” somewhere. We accomplished both. We even ended up at the Original Dwarf House, site of the beginning of Chick-Fil-A. We actually stumbled on it by accident—just looking for any Chick-Fil-A using Jon’s I phone. Our authentic Southern BBQ quest took us to The Speedi Pig in Jonesboro. Wow…an adventure in food and in “atmosphere.” Scary-looking as the place was on the outside, the BBQ was fantastic!

Our Chick-Fil-A quest

Fred and Steph Hubach at The Speedi Pig (Jon and Fred split that big tray of food: The Sampler)

Our final filming ventures were done in Pennsylvania, which meant easy day trips for everyone. We filmed at Reformed Presbyterian Church (my home church) in April, and at Tenth Presbyterian Church in May. Both churches welcomed us with the same open arms and hospitality that we had received from our friends at Pear Orchard and Covenant Presbyterian too.

After the last filming in May, my job got easier, and Jon’s got harder. Now he had to sift through 20 hours worth of video recordings to find just the right pieces to tell the story. Background music selections, graphics, color scheme, coordinating bulletin inserts etc. were all part of that package as well. Thanks to technology, most of the communication regarding these decisions was done over email. I did spend one day reviewing clips with Jon as he was pulling together the final pieces of the video. Video production technology is amazing! We were also able to share ideas with the MNA Special Needs Ministries Advisory Team who gave incredibly insightful and helpful feedback throughout the process. Final review of the video was done in September, and then it was off to Christian Education and Publications in October for final review. Mass production of DVDs and covers took place in November, and the online framework was established in December. Now, here we are in January 2010, ready to go!

It has been a wonderful privilege to be part of this entire process. We have seen God’s gracious provision of our every need—and been granted a birds-eye view into some of the amazing ways He is at work in and through His people. We hope you’ll catch the vision and the excitement with us as you watch and share and give to this year’s 2010 WIC Love Gift for MNA Special Needs Ministries!

If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t delay! Click here now!

In His Name,
Stephanie Hubach
MNA Special Needs Ministries Director

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