Behind the Scenes at Student Camp 2025
This summer, I had the privilege of serving on the Comms Team for Student Camp 2025—our church’s annual student gathering designed to awaken a generation to the call of Christ. This year’s theme, “The Stand,” challenged students to live boldly, take ownership of their faith, and stand firm in a culture that constantly pressures them to compromise. As a cinematographer and storyteller on the team, my role was to help visually translate that message—authentically, creatively, and powerfully.
Jul 29, 2025
3-4 min
Building the Visual Identity with the Comms Team
As part of the Comms Team, our scope went far beyond just capturing the event. We collaborated on branding, sermon series artwork, and all visual elements that represented the week—from pre-camp promos to daily story recaps. Everything we designed or filmed aimed to support the heart of the theme. Our collective goal was clear: make every piece of content feel purposeful, energetic, and grounded in truth.
My Setup: The Run-and-Gun Cinema Rig
For this camp, I built a cinema rig around the Panasonic Lumix S9—a compact but incredibly capable full-frame camera with internal 6K recording and V-Log support. To achieve a cinematic look while staying light and mobile, I paired it with the Blazar Anamorphic 1.33x 75mm lens, giving me subtle horizontal flares, an immersive field of view, and the organic character only anamorphic glass can provide. To manage light and highlight control in Florida’s ever-changing conditions, I used a PolarPro VND/PL Gold Mist filter—offering both ND flexibility and a slight halation that gave highlights a dreamy, nostalgic glow.
The full rig was mounted with a compact top handle, HDMI monitoring solution, and a lightweight cage setup for quick shoulder or handheld operation. It gave me the speed and flexibility of a run-and-gun build, while still capturing cinematic footage that held up in post.
Filming the Testimonies: Creating a Controlled Environment
One of my favorite assignments that week was producing a set of filmed testimonies with four college students, each sharing how they’ve taken a stand for God in their own lives. I converted a quiet area of camp into a mini interview set, dialing in a soft key light and letting natural bounce fill the scene. With a minimal backdrop and shallow depth from the 75mm lens, the frame kept the focus squarely on their faces—raw, honest, and filled with conviction.
The Grade: Color as a Storytelling Tool
Back in post, I leaned into the strengths of the Lumix S9’s V-Log profile, which gave me a flat but detailed starting point. I built a custom color grade using DaVinci Resolve, starting with exposure normalization and white balance matching, then applying a tailored conversion LUT designed for Panasonic’s V-Log.
To enhance the emotional tone of the testimonies, I pushed a warm color palette—soft skin tones, lifted midtones, and slightly cooled shadows for contrast. The Gold Mist filter’s natural bloom helped preserve glowing highlights, especially during golden hour exterior shots. I also added subtle grain overlays and a touch of film emulation to give the final product a texture that felt personal and tangible—not overly digital.
More Than a Recap
“The Stand” wasn’t just a theme—it was something we got to see lived out in real time. Through every lens flare, every testimony edit, and every highlight reel we built, the heart of the story remained clear: students stepping forward in faith, unashamed of the Gospel. As a creative and communicator, I’m grateful to play a part in telling those stories—through both pixels and purpose.
Until next year’s camp, I’ll be ready to look forward to the next new experiences and projects we get to work on as a team! I'm already excited.
– John Patterson
And here's the full recap that a legend of a videographer, Caleb Owens, masterfully made before he departed our team. :)
