There is a saying that many churches buy three sound systems before they get one they like. The first is the one the building “comes with” — one that was most likely designed by the general contractor or a local music store. A wellmeaning, but ill-experienced volunteer does the second one by adding some new Radio Shack equipment. The third system is usually the result of the church leadership (and members) being tired of the problems and calling in a consultant or design/build A/V firm to “do it right.”
Now, given the fact that most churches should have learned their lessons from the audio debacles, one would think that they’d not waltz right into the same trap when it comes to adding video. I must report, however, that lightning has been striking twice in some churches.
There are three main reasons to add/upgrade your equipment:
- New building program
- Renovation of existing building
- Just beginning to use video
If any of these three items applies to your church, don’t fall into the “sound system trap” we described earlier. But there are a few other “traps” you should avoid as well.
“We found a good deal on the Internet”
There is a mind-set that brings about this type of purchase: determining budgets
before assessing needs. Not knowing how to choose the right projector and associated
hardware leads to wasted money and frustrated viewers. Assessing your needs
is something we’ll cover later in this article, so read on.
“A sales guy on the phone sold me
a video system”
Hey, I’m in sales and I talk on the phone to a lot of churches. But I
can’t sell a system over the phone. It’s impossible to know what
the church needs, what the environmental factors are in the building, what kind
of distances are involved, what kind of light levels are associated with the
room, etc. A personal sitesurvey is in order.
Find an expert – and check references
I find shockingly large percentage of churches don’t check references.
How hard is this? Ask each contractor you are considering for a list of references.
If you can’t call, or better yet visit, any churches on the list you are
asking for trouble. Another method is to start with the references and backtrack
to the contractors or consultants. Let me explain. Simply find churches in your
area with newer video systems and ask them whom they used. Then go peek in their
sanctuary and see if it’s done the way you’d want yours done.
If you’re about to begin a new construction, select an A/V contractor or consultant and bring them in to meet with the architects during the building design process. Implementing the A/V at this stage will save your church thousands of dollars down the road as important infrastructure such as conduit, power runs, screen placement (viewing angles), control point access, wall plate and floor box locations that affect the A/V will be mapped out early on.
Hear me say this: the money your church spends by bringing a qualified A/V contractor and consultant in at the beginning of the process will be saved by the mistakes that are not made. This isn’t a sales-pitch; this is truth. In the renovation process, the same is true: earlier is better. Let the experts be the champion for the church. Allow them to fight the battles with electricians, GC’s and architects. After the construction is complete, it will cost exponentially more to retrofit.
Finally, if your church is just beginning to use video, consider the applications you want to include (song lyrics, sermon points, video announcements, testimonial videos, IMAG) and pick up the phone to get some help. Find an expert that will work with your church and not only recommend equipment, but also will train your volunteers and staff on the operation and maintenance.
Sit down with your consultant and tell them what you want to do and allow that expert to then design a system to fulfill your needs. Their research and your input will create a system. Make sure the system has a clear upgrade path for growth. That system will have a certain price. That price is now your budget. If you can’t spend that, find a way to raise the money or hold off on the purchase of the system.
“What equipment should I consider
for my video system?”
This depends largely on what you’re wanting to do with video. In order
to get you thinking along the lines of what’s possible, I’ll list
different video options that churches are using.
VIDEO PROJECTION IN THE SANCTUARY
- Song Lyrics
- Sermon Notes
- Video Illustrations
- Animated video backdrops
- Videotaped testimonials
- Announcement videos
STAGE/CHOIR REFERENCE VIDEO
- Sermon notes for Pastor to see
- Song lyrics for praise team singers
- Projection system in sanctuary facing choir loft
- Sound booth/ Tech booth reference monitors
TV INFORMATION DISPLAYS
- Foyer announcements
- Hallway information system
- Kiosks (You are here. Preschool is to your right)
- Foyer/Lobby overflow for parents with disruptive children STAGE VIDEO
- Additional monitors on stage (could be projectors, plasmas, TV’s) that have looping animations to enhance the look.
- Music videos synced with live band and live singers.
VIDEO CAMERAS
- IMAG (Image Magnification) of pastor, singers, etc. for large sanctuaries
- Shoot and edit testimonials, promotional spots for activities, create a Visitor’s Video, etc.
The possibilities are endless. The information that people can utilize from these video displays is amazing. Don’t be overwhelmed by these options. Consider what your church wants to accomplish with video and develop a plan to implement the technology and training in stages. Research ways to reach your audience, then work with your consultant to formulate a plan of action.
Be a good steward of God’s money. That means spend it once, not three times.
Anthony D. Coppedge is the resident expert in church media
with Audio Visual Innovations, a nation-wide A/V design-build firm. Anthony
has also been a media minister, technical director and technical volunteer prior
to consulting. He is available for inchurch clinics, or he can recommend another
qualified clinician or consultant. Anthony Coppedge lives in Bedford, Texas
with his wife Rachel and his four-year-old daughter, Marian. He can be reached
at acoppedge@aviinc.com.
