Three Ways to Create a Vibe with Video

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The place was crackling with energy. Teenagers were everywhere, holding those red cups (not what you think –the cups contained sodas), laughing and talking with each other. The walls were covered with photos of teenagers – taken during the many activities, camps, mission trips, and outings the group has sponsored. The lights were kind of low (except for the “mood” lights that altered colors on the walls), surf/punk music was on the sound system, and a cool skateboarding video was playing on the screen.

I knew that every student there would be bragging to his or her friends tomorrow morning about this experience. This place was dripping with “brag factor” – and it was a small church in the middle of nowhere!

I’m a proponent of “Five Sensing” our youth ministry environment – planning what we want kids to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste each time we have a large-group meeting. If we don’t, our programs become predictable and we lose momentum as a ministry. Video is a big part of “seeing” and “hearing” when we create the “vibe” for our meetings. Here’s three ways to make video to work for you this week:

1. Show Something Unusual. Since teenagers are saturated with pro-level media, have been making videos since they were children, and are somewhat difficult to impress, the video you choose to show needs to be something they haven’t seen, and something energetic and cool. For instance, I just found this way cool surfing video that I’m going to be using this week. It’s of the Pipeline in Hawaii, but it used a drone with a GoPro to get the footage – completely different angles than every other surf video I’ve seen. I’m positive that it’ll help create a memorable vibe that has “brag factor” for the guys who will be there.
2. Pump The Volume – but not too much. The kids need to be able to hang out and have fun conversations. If the music’s too loud, or too insistent, the vibe will be ruined. The video I will be showing this week has a cool Dubstep-ish soundtrack – it’s instrumental music, so I don’t have to worry about trying to make lyrics heard.
3. Don’t Show It Again For A While. This will reinforce the “unusual” concept in idea #1, as well as keep your meetings from becoming predictable. This is why I’m always on the prowl for cool videos that I can show as kids arrive for a youth ministry meeting. I rarely find them when I’m actually searching for a video, but rely on recommendations from kids, “shares” on social media sites, and dumb luck.

I hope that the students who attend your meeting this week will brag about it to their friends the next morning!