When I first arrived at RTB, we were selling products on VHS and cassette tapes. (That should tell you something about how long I’ve been here.) Our primary media exposure was at 4 AM on TBN and the occasional radio interview.
Because of my background in media production, I was recruited to lend a hand on a variety of projects, including the launch of a live radio program. I even got to host for a few years. If you were to listen to some of those early broadcasts, you would hear me trying to make sense of what Hugh was teaching about Genesis. His ideas were still very new to me at the time.
Our team worked hard to come up with creative ideas to help the ministry ramp up to the next level of media production. At that time, our line of videos included one (outsourced) documentary, Journey toward Creation, and several episodes from our TBN television program. It was a big step forward when we produced The RUFO Hypothesis DVD. With no budget for professional actors or a crew, a couple of us went over to founding board member Dave Rogstad’s house on a Sunday afternoon to film the scholars. In the background of one of the opening scenes, you can see the silhouettes of Dave Rogstad and his wife enacting a “lonely road” UFO encounter.
The next big step we took was to rework and update Journey toward Creation. We talked Hugh into filming a few new scenes all in one day. I’ll never forget pulling off to the side of the desert road where, without permits, we filmed Hugh speaking against the backdrop of that dry landscape. It was definitely guerrilla-style filmmaking.
The rise of new distribution options, such as podcasting and YouTube, and the provision of new cameras and equipment have revolutionized our ability to get our message out in new, more effective ways. Now when I see how far we’ve come, including having a well-equipped production studio, I see the incredible blessing of the Lord through our supporters.
