Videographers tell service stories in 'reeltime'

  • Published
  • By Alex Salinas
  • Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  If photographers capture moments in time and graphic artists create artwork and images, then 502nd Air Base Wing videographers record life, keeping the Joint Base San Antonio community informed.

From readiness exercises at JBSA-Randolph to military training at JBSA-Lackland to educational medical instruction at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, the current three-person video crew's tight schedule includes planning, filming and editing projects for customers throughout JBSA.

The team generates about 30 video products each quarter. The video services division mission is to provide documentary and production videos.

Videos support education and training, mission operations and heritage, plus senior leader communication and news pieces.

"We're cameramen, sound and lighting crew, film editors and more," Wayne Cooper, 502nd ABW public affairs video services division chief, said. "For each production, we wear many hats. It's a constant balancing act with our manpower and workload."

Using the latest equipment and software, videographers split their time between being out on "shoots" and back at the office editing and preparing footage.

While demand is up for their services, these videographers get satisfaction from serving each customer.

"We know our work is valued and people are naturally drawn to digital storytelling," he said. "Video stories often show what's motivating an event as it unfolds."

"The joy in a customer's face when a video exceeds their expectations is the best part of my work," Tony Hearst, a 502nd ABW/PA audiovisual production specialist with 30 years video experience, said. "That never gets old."

The team admits that being out of the office and learning about different specialties and being a part of preparing training videos that normally affect an entire military service is a motivator that keeps things new and exciting every day.

"Getting out on the field with military members during training is always a good time," Cooper said. "Getting up close to an event and seeing how it happens and knowing it affects so many people is a great job to have."

To request video services, call Cooper at 652-4876 or email him at wayne.cooper.2@us.af.mil. Customers can also reach the video services section by calling the JBSA-Randolph Public Affairs customer service desk at 652-4226.

For more information, visit http://www.jbsa.af.mil, scroll over "Library" and click on "Multimedia."