A magical scene unfolds within the Pensacola Christian College Commons, right outside the Campus Store. It’s dark except for the glass display of a drummer statue. Third-grader Finlow McIntyre stares in, captivated. Then moving as if in a dream, Finlow discovers drumsticks in his hands and looks down to see an actual drum and himself clad in a drummer’s uniform. In surprisingly perfect cadence, Finlow marches out onto the terrace. With each step and beat, lights strung across the landscape flicker to life all around him.
Capturing moments and details like these is just one part of what artistic producer Liz Thomason (Performance Studies’16, MFA ’19) does to create music videos. Together with the PCC advertising video team and videographer/owner of Selective Cinema, Andy Gwynn (Studio Art’14), accompanied by Voices of PCC and a collection of musical talent, Liz produced three Christmas music videos for the College community and friends.
The Logistics
The creative process begins about a year in advance with song selection. As Susan Ward (Music’93, Music’95), general producer for PCC, and her team assemble the program for the annual Christmas Lights Celebration (CLC), a handful of songs are chosen to be pursued further. Tracks are developed for CLC, with room to enhance for separate audio and video releases.
Then Liz devotes time to studying the style and goals of each song and what emotion they evoke—and much more. “As I listen, I’ll do visual research,” Liz explained. “Sometimes that means jumping on Pinterest and curating a board of images that fits the feel of the song. Sometimes, it’s walking around campus looking for the next location. And at times, it comes through conversations with other collaborators.”
“As I listen, I’ll do visual research.”
Once a basic concept is developed, Liz sits with President and Mrs. Shoemaker and gets their valuable input on concepts and storyboards. Then the video crews come along, ready to bring the vision to life. The PCC team contributes an elevated set of skills, equipment, and inter-departmental communications since recording shoots on campus affect surrounding areas including Interiors, HVAC, Maintenance, Security, and more. Adding adaptability and cutting-edge experience, alumni contractor Andy Gwynn “provides valuable support with camera, movement, lighting, and other equipment,” said Liz. “He has a unique blend of artistry and technical knowledge that is so evident on these creative projects. He is very collaborative. We work so well together, and the final product really is a testament to that teamwork.”
At the end of a full shoot, Liz likes to ask the talent, “‘Who wants to call it?’ and then someone shouts out ‘That’s a wrap!’ and we’re officially done with production and on to postproduction.”
The Energy
Every shoot is different, Liz would attest. “The ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (In Excelsis Deo)’ set was full of laughter and jokes. They looked like they were having fun in the video, but the video doesn’t even begin to capture how much we laughed,” she shared. The goal Liz had for this video was to highlight the joyful moments of unpacking Christmas décor with loved ones. “I wanted to create a modern, bright video that felt like a common Christmas memory and kept the nativity as the central focus.”
Tim Marshall (Sr., Idaho), one of the vocalists in this piece of nostalgia, got to share the recording experience with his roommate. “Joey [Nalty] (Sr., MN) is in the video, and I think having the camaraderie helped the energy overall,” Tim said. To ensure the best take, the cast built the manger scene repeatedly, and Joey entered through the door with a container of cookies again and again, smiling every time.
Filming began in April, not the typical season for a Christmas carol, but graduate student Megan Smith (Performance Studies ’24) still got well acquainted with the lyrics. “I really thought about the night when the angels came to tell the shepherds the good news. I truly believe that it was probably one of the most beautiful moments in time,” she said.
More serious and pensive, “O Holy Night” was recorded both on the Crowne Centre plaza and the Mullenix Chapel foyer. “This song feels elegant, classic, and slightly formal,” Liz described. Working with the PCC advertising video team, creative lighting and haze were used to simulate moonlight around the performers. “One of my favorite visual details of the video can be seen in the drone shots,” shared Liz. “Short poles on the plaza throw lights in a star-shaped pattern. The drone shots really showcase these starry patterns which is so fitting with a song about the night.”
It was eye-opening for Coda Lee Owens (Sr., FL) to witness how many details were considered for the performance. “Roads had to be shut down, lights all had to be changed to be the same color on big drone shots, and a whole team of people were there just to make sure things ran smoothly,” Coda related. “They even had a rag to make sure there were no fingerprints on the piano after moving it, or after I touched it.”
“Being on set was just pure holiday energy,” said pianist Allison Mergen (Sr., PA) who accompanied Coda. “I wanted it to be Christmas Eve immediately.”
“Being on set was just pure holiday energy.”
“[The ‘Little Drummer Boy’] has been a journey,” admitted Liz. “Several other options fell through due to talent or rights, so when we finally landed on this one, it was a race to design the concept.” In this video the little boy, played by Finlow McIntyre, is fascinated with a marching band uniform on display, and imagines he is a drummer, marching through campus and spreading Christmas cheer as he goes. “Ah the magic of Christmas,” Liz mused.
Chair of performing arts, Dr. Johnathan McIntryre (Music ’07, Music ’10), had the privilege to share the special filming experience with his son. “He was up late and quite cold, but I was so proud of his professionalism and humility,” Dr. McIntyre said. “I was also blessed by how kind and encouraging the whole cast and crew were to him, surrounding him with so much support and making it an unforgettable night for him.”
“The director came prepared with a detailed plan for every shot and location,” he continued. “Then actively collaborated with the entire video team to bring the plan to life. Voices of PCC filled the empty time with singing favorite songs and just having fun. They kept a great spirit through the evening that was a joy to experience.”
“I Played My Best for Him”
Having spent time with the lyrics, Dr. McIntyre shared this thought from the “Little Drummer Boy,” “When Mary says yes, the drummer boy plays his absolute best for the King. The last line says, ‘then He smiled at me.’ Jesus doesn’t ask us for any gifts when we come to Him; He came to give us eternal life.”
“Music holds such a special place in my heart and life,” added Megan Smith, thankful to be part of this year’s Christmas music video collection. “And I am so grateful to the Lord for the gifts He has given me and all the friends I worked with, as well as the neatest opportunity to use them in such a special way to honor Him!”
“We do our best to create a positive and creative environment.”
From start to finish, there are multiple details to consider while producing a music video.
- Showcase student talent while adding minimal stress to their schedules. Check.
- Use songs with campus relevance (from Christmas Lights Celebration). Check.
- Highlight a facility, location, or stagecraft. Check.
- Develop visual and audio variety. Check.
- Have fun! Check.
“We do our best to create a positive and creative environment,” said Liz. “The talent are about to have cameras shoved in their faces and that can be unnerving. So, we do our best to break the tension and put them at ease.”
Liz Thomason is usually smiling when she watches the final version of the videos. “I love the process of production and watching the video take shape,” she shared. “The viewers only ever see a final product, but from my point of view I still see the video from behind the camera, monitors, and lights. I hear the jokes we made on set, and I see talent cheering each other on from just outside the frame. You see a polished video, and I see the whole production from beginning to end.”
And at the conclusion of this behind-the-scenes look at how music videos are made, “That’s a wrap!”
Enjoy the 2025 Christmas music videos (and others!) at watch.pcci.edu.