What do you call an “A-Grade” lecture?

In an ideal scenario where money, equipment, and human resources are not an issue you may be able to produce something along the lines of what multi-million dollar studios produce. A speaker who can hypnotize and move people with their words. A setup where you have multiple professional grade cameras facing both the audience, and the speaker. Elaborate lighting that is setup in a way that is not uncomfortable to either the speaker nor the audience, and at the same time is able to set the right mood. Technical directors and editors on hand that can switch from one angle to another with such finesse that you hardly notice the fact that there is a whole crew of people behind all of this…

…delivering an experience that is both exciting, inspirational, entertaining, and beneficial as a whole…

…but the layman doesn’t have all that at their hands…or does he?

The last two weekends of January I spent my time in Houston attending an AlMaghrib seminar with Qabeelat Hosna on the topic of Thematic Tafsir. I was invited by Eman Rush to help with the production of the DVD for the seminar. Although we had to cancle production on the second Friday of the seminar due to a location change that was unsuitable for recording there were many lessons learned that can be applied by anyone to produce a true A-GRADE lecture.

I’m a firm believer…

…in the fact that the technology and equipment doesn’t define the production, rather its the passion that drives the producer. That passion will lead the producer to come up with creative ways of meeting the deadline and keeping to a standard at the same time.

• Know your tools and team – What good is a camera to you if you don’t know how to use it? How will you direct and suggest your team to do certain things if you yourself don’t know what you’re doing? What good is a professional microphone if you don’t know how to record with it? How will you lead your team if you don’t know what makes them tick?
• Max out your creativity before you max out your wallet – Throwing money at a problem or challenge doesn’t necessarily solve it. Throwing your mind, body, and spirit at it does.
• Be Macguyver — In other words, be resourceful. Take an account of everything you have available to you? Locations, people, tools, equipment, etc. Don’t have a boom pole for a mic? Make one! who said you cant use a broomstick or a broken windshield ice-scraper as a means of holding your microphone from a distance. Who says you can string a few $2 pipes together to make a camera stabilizer? Who says you can’t use some string and a bolt to use an a camera anchor?
• The Speaker – Is the speaker engaging? Are they the type to connect with your target audience? Do they have a story to tell? Do they give words that are inspiring, educating, inline with the Sunnah, and overall beneficial? In that end what they are saying and the way they are saying it is what will really matter.
• Cut it up — The production and filming is only half the job. The other half if editing and marketing. Be creative and have fun. Cut it up like no other lecture has been cut up before (most lectures are just static with a single camera angle…how very un-engaging.)

- — -

Leadership & Character

• Be diplomatic – Not everyone will appreciate what you’re trying to do. That’s okay. You’re not there to please them. Just keep in mind the hadeeth of RasulAllah-saw, “Fear Allah where ever you are, follow every bad deed with a good deed, and be kind to others.” — Treat everyone with respect. This goes a loooong way.
• Break the rules – Who said they’re rules in production? Break them! The only rules are the ones you set for yourself. The only limitations are the ones you set for yourself.
• Lead by example — when you want to instruct someone to hold the camera in a certain way, do it yourself first. They will follow.

- — -

Originality is Golden

• There is no one way to get a result – Find out how others have done it (and/or) find the way that works best for YOU and DO IT! The key is to DO IT!
• Be Different — Do something that others wouldn’t do. Produce a lecture on a topic that others wouldn’t dare to risk. Maybe you don’t even want to do a lecture. Do something else. Be creative. Have fun
• Be Sincere — There’s nothing worse than having all your effort wasted in the sight of Allah-swt because your intentions were not directed to Him. Don’t be the one to stand on the day of judgment in front of your creator and be told that your actions were in vain because you did it for the wrong reasons.

- — -

Tie Your Camel

• Ready…FIRE!…aim. Repeat. — The MOST important step is to start. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to get going. That’s all that Allah-swt demands of us. The results are in His hands, so put your trust and reliance in Him.

- — -

InshaAllah this is of MASSIVE benefit to you, leading you to amazing RESULTS. I’d love to see the product of your efforts.

     

Leave your comments. Share your thoughts and remember to subscribe!