Jeff Baker, Director of Stills Photography

TRANSCRIPT:

My name’s Jeff Baker and I’m the Stills Dir Gold, Golden Era Productions.

I was working with Mr. [David] Miscavige on a major international event and during the production of that, I experienced a seizure, which led to finding out that I had a brain cyst that had to be removed. I had to get an operation on it. And, this was a major operation, it was rather large and it took me off of my duties for several weeks.

Now, this for me, was an aspect of Mr. [David] Miscavige and how he operates. Here he is, in the middle of a major event production. Every day I was at the hospital, every day I was out getting this operation, he was checking on me, every single day. On a blow-by-blow basis, now this is amongst his busy schedule. Okay, I get out of the operation, I finally get to my recovery area, and there sits this, the biggest bouquet of flowers I’ve ever seen, sitting in the room waiting for me, from him.

With a card, a very personal card from him, wishing me that I get well, very soon, my friend. And, that to me, well, that operation was very major, it was a lot to come back from and that communication, I still have it to this day, in my room. I treasure it and will treasure it, forever. And that’s the kind of friend that he is to me. He is, he’s been my, my best friend, I call him my best friend, for decades. And that’s, that is him to me. He’s not only the leader of my Church, but he’s also a very personal friend to me that cares for staff, on a level that is personal, direct, and very emotional actually. His care factor is really unmatched, by anybody.

After the operation, after I came back, I was back on, on you know, doing my duties and it required me to, to fly abroad at one point to do a portion of it. And his immediate concern before going there was, would I be able to do it. It wasn’t that, oh I need to just go overseas, you know. He was immediately checking on, am I physically capable of doing it. And the care factor there, just again came through. He, he is always interested in how you’re doing, on a very personal and deep level. This is beyond any, any professional status or, or any production that seems to be going on. He’s always interested in how you’re doing. And he asks me any time I see him, “How’s it going, how’s it going with that?” You know, and I tell him and keep him updated and it’s, it’s come, I’ve come through it very well.

But it was major and his concern for it was just very deep, personal and appreciated. And, that’s the kind of guy he is.

Well I’ve known Mr. [David] Miscavige since, really 1983 I’ve been working with him. My post is a photographer and, and what I do, he has helped me along in my profession. I truly think that I’m as good as I am because he has helped me to achieve that. He’s a very professional person himself, he’s a high achiever and he puts a, a standard there that he knows you can reach and he makes you reach it. And that’s what’s very, very particular about him.

He has helped me be a better photographer, to be a better professional in my field and I think a lot of my success—I’ve been here for going over, wow, over thirty years now doing pretty much the same function that I’ve done all the, all the while, and he has kept me there either by seeing to my, my training, seeing that I’m a, a professional at what I’m doing or helping me along. He himself is a photographer, so he has a lot of interest in the field. He’s a very professional photographer and on that basis, he’s helped me be a better photographer, a better professional.

CHAPTERS:

#1 Jeff Baker introduces himself. #2 Mr. David Miscavige’s compassion for Jeff when Jeff suffered a seizure due to a brain cyst, and how his care is unmatched. #3 Mr. David Miscavige helped Jeff on his post by seeing to his training as a professional photographer.