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I am keeping this here for the sake of my Stake. They have done nothing wrong but man are they embroiled in a church public affairs nightmare. Last week (right before July 4th) our Stake Public Affairs guy received an email stating that this weekend a film crew was coming to film our Stake in action. They mentioned needing a few people to do some “Mormon Ad” type things BoM related.
Our guy sent off a few names. Done.
Wrong- In the back and forth emails the entire plan spilled out. It’s 5 days of filming. They want to run around to ward buildings on Sunday. They want people to talk about the BoM but they need to have an interesting hobby or career – Like fly fishing or welding or something super dramatic.
They want a mother/daughter team to talk about the new mother/daughter ministering program, but they are supposed to come in in casual clothes on Sunday and be interviewed. First of all our Stake hasn’t really started implementing the ministering program. 2nd the whole Mother/Daughter thing doesn’t roll out till fall, so who exactly should talk about this?
I was invited because of our community service. I am out of town. I made that clear up front. So not to be deterred they are calling other people in my Stake and trying to fill in with them. One of the things they want is a group of our young women, serving or acting like serving at the shelter our Stake serves at. Well funny thing – Our shelter is closed for the summer. It’s housed in someone else’s church. To get there we have to get special permission from the church that houses it.
We can’t just walk in. And if we are doing PR about another churches shelter how does that make them feel? Last of all, it’s girls camp that week. We don’t have people around.
The film crew also wants to do “The man about town” type of interviews. And be taken to various local sites, like landscapes etc.
Many of our members are out of town or serving at camps and don’t have hours to be “filmed”.
Everyone is grumpy. We had no warning, no full picture and while I was on the phone with someone in my Stake – Salt Lake was calling me. I didn’t answer.
Have any of your Stake done this?
Nope, thank goodness. What a freaking fiasco. Good intentions; hellacious implementation.
Nope, and I agree with Curt. Hopefully we’re far enough away in the mission field to not be noticed, and it’s much easier for them to notice the two stakes closest to the “Cradle of the Restoration” anyway. No. Sounds like your stake won the lotto. It also sounds like they are trying to capture a very specific experience. Possibly to show in a feel good movie with the intention of showing other members, “this is how to do things?”
When I read:
mom3 wrote:
They want a mother/daughter team to talk about the new mother/daughter ministering program, but they are supposed to come in in casual clothes on Sunday and be interviewed. First of all our Stake hasn’t really started implementing the ministering program. 2nd the whole Mother/Daughter thing doesn’t roll out till fall, so who exactly should talk about this?
I got to thinking (dangerous). Someone is going to have to act like they’ve been doing that and act like it’s the greatest thing slice sliced garments (two piece) so the filmmakers can capture the narrative they want…. at that point why not use actors for everything?
Quote:I got to thinking (dangerous). Someone is going to have to act like they’ve been doing that and act like it’s the greatest thing slice sliced garments (two piece) so the filmmakers can capture the narrative they want…. at that point why not use actors for everything?
Bingo!!! Can you imagine. We have no idea what the program is yet. But you get to be the little video gal. Check it out.
Quote:It also sounds like they are trying to capture a very specific experience. Possibly to show in a feel good movie with the intention of showing other members, “this is how to do things?”
I think by yesterday afternoon I figured it out. 2 Stakes in our area serve at this Interfaith – Winter ONLY homeless shelter. They want to highlight that. It’s different than responding to a hurricane. The church has donated lots of money to it in the past couple years. My perception is that they had a list of videos to make so they want a one stop filming week.
But poor planning is not getting them what they want. They may wangle it a bit. I did pass along a couple of names of people who could help, but I don’t see how it’s going to be a win. The church we serve at is in the middle of Vacation Bible School. We can’t just crowd in. Who knows. I am out of town. I wouldn’t put it past them to arrive anyway in hopes of creating something.
Seriously a little planning would have been better. I assume they want this all by October Conference. If you see videos – you know what Stake it’s from.
mom3 wrote:
Seriously a little planning would have been better. I assume they want this all by October Conference. If you see videos – you know what Stake it’s from.That was my thought. I think it will be part of the World Report between sessions. And they’re not looking for the toothless guy who misses a Sunday or two a month and gets church welfare himself but is serving because he gets satisfaction from it.
Quote:And they’re not looking for the toothless guy who misses a Sunday or two a month and gets church welfare himself but is serving because he gets satisfaction from it.
You are right. They have a look they want. Brother Sincere and humble is not on the list.
nibbler wrote:
I got to thinking (dangerous). Someone is going to have to act like they’ve been doing that and act like it’s the greatest thing slice sliced garments (two piece) so the filmmakers can capture the narrative they want…. at that point why not use actors for everything?
Some years ago the hotel casino where I work was going to have a half hour segment aired. The host was a comedian that had clips from his comedy routine interspliced with his touring of the facilities and amenities. When it came to the hotel we wanted the comedian to run into a housekeeper that would offer to show him around. We wanted someone pretty, youthful, well groomed, looks good in the uniform, energetic and enthusiastic, speaks and enunciates well without a hint of stage fright. We hired an actor and told her what to say. Best decision ever!
I can understand however that the church does not have this option. Can you imagine the field day that some people would have if the church started using paid actors in some of their testimonial/feel good movie clips?
Roy wrote:
I can understand however that the church does not have this option. Can you imagine the field day that some people would have if the church started using paid actors in some of their testimonial/feel good movie clips?
Yes, I’m sure people would.
I remember rumors/reports going back 20-30 years ago with the movie
Together Foreverand how people in the movie were actors and/or the stories were made up. I’m sure they were actors, whether the stories are true… don’t know. I suppose it could be enough to say that the stories represent things that happen to people so it doesn’t matter whether the story actually happened to the actual person sharing it. There can be an issue when the stories become so polished that they begin to create unrealistic expectations for people.
Just the name of their company “Heartsell” is telling. Let’s “sell” our product by manipulating emotions! Woo hoo! Quote:“They have a look they want.”
So so true, which is behind calling only the “hot” sisters to Temple Square, and also behind them asking my friend’s daughter to be in their LDS artwork. Their family is Brazilian, and their adopted daughter is a very dark skinned Brazilian beauty, so she checks some diversity boxes they have a hard time filling given our racist past and present.
nibbler wrote:I remember rumors/reports going back 20-30 years ago with the movie
Together Foreverand how people in the movie were actors and/or the stories were made up. I’m sure they were actors, whether the stories are true… don’t know. I suppose it could be enough to say that the stories represent things that happen to people so it doesn’t matter whether the story actually happened to the actual person sharing it. There can be an issue when the stories become so polished that they begin to create unrealistic expectations for people.
ya…it feels disingenuous when presented as if just a random testimony meeting and then determined it was all scripted to pull at your heart strings.philosophically…all testimonies are all stories anyway, they are all just stories told by someone…but…if it is actors, it should state that up front so people know. I remember that Together Forever video… we used it on my mission A LOT and it touched many gullible/sensitive people…but it’s a let down when you find out it was scripted crying families talking about their daughter dying. Kinda uncool. I look back now and see how ignorant and naive I was…I was buying into it all and when others would criticize how it was a polished story I just wrote them off as “hard-hearted”
I guess now I’m hard-hearted too. Life will do that to ya.
mom3 wrote:
2 Stakes in our area serve at this Interfaith – Winter ONLY homeless shelter. They want to highlight that. It’s different than responding to a hurricane. The church has donated lots of money to it in the past couple years. My perception is that they had a list of videos to make so they want a one stop filming week.But poor planning is not getting them what they want.
The poor planning is what will make it less than ideal, no matter what they do. I can understand them trying to make decisions to get as much done in as little time…but…it will show if they have to make compromises. Of course, on a church budget and poor planning…that is going to happen. Even if the intent is good.
There are good things happening in your stake. If done right, they can highlight it. I’m glad I’m not in charge of that.
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