Author Archives: Jim Killam

From prayer letter to video story

Posted on June 30, 2020

  The video above came about through strong communication among Wycliffe Global Alliance partners. Let me walk you through the process. Jurek Marcol, director of the Biblical Missionary Association (Wycliffe Poland), wrote a letter about working with Roma people in … Continue reading →

Posted in Photography, Videography | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

5 keys to shooting smartphone video of yourself

Posted on April 30, 2020

Suppose you need to shoot a video of yourself speaking. Even if you have no equipment other than a smartphone, here are five ways to maximize quality: 1. Lighting Light your face. If there is a window, it should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Videography | Tagged , , , ,

Inside jargon, outside voice

Posted on February 11, 2020

During a recent sermon, American televangelist and presidential adviser Paula White prayed: “We command all satanic pregnancies to miscarry right now.” Wait, what? Social media went crazy. Isn’t she pro-life? Who is satanic and pregnant? Those Christians really are nuts. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Writing for a global audience

Posted on January 23, 2020

Imagine you are talking with a friend. Then write that way. That was one of the best pieces of writing advice I ever received in college. It has served me well through almost four decades now, because it helps me … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , ,

Interviewing for video

Posted on January 7, 2020

Even though I had worked for decades as a print journalist, I had to relearn how to interview people for video stories. A good interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. In a two-way conversation, both people talk a lot. … Continue reading →

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How to tell a dangerous story

Posted on July 8, 2019

Here’s another guest post from our friend and fellow missions journalist, Heather Pubols. You can learn more about Heather’s work at: http://www.lemotif.org “I know how you can tell this story,” I said to a colleague with a smile. “Someone did … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, sensitivity, Story | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

2019: Year of the Shed

Posted on June 25, 2019

I’m building a backyard shed this year. Several months ago, I would have told you I’m building a backyard shed this weekend. We needed more storage space and this seemed like a good idea at the time. That was before I … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Story | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Simplicity gone astray

Posted on April 12, 2019

Today we welcome this guest post by our friend, Heather Pubols. Heather has traveled the world getting stories for mission organizations. You can learn more about her work at: http://www.lemotif.org In 2012 I took a media team to a country … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, Photography, Reporting, sensitivity, Videography | Tagged , , ,

Prayer in its proper place

Posted on March 19, 2019
Image | Posted on March 19, 2019 | Tagged ,

Brevity on the Battlefield

Posted on February 19, 2019

Last summer I spent a day on the battlefields at Gettysburg, Pa. From July 1-3, 1863, almost 50,000 men died here. The relatively short battle turned the Civil War; Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army would never again invade the … Continue reading →

Posted in Story, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment