Why is it that our church services don't quite reach the caliber of awards shows on television? The gear available to churches has improved dramatically over the past 20 years, so maybe the problem isn't the equipment. At some point, we must evaluate our working relationship with the performers on stage. For years, I thought I had the wrong idea on this, until I started working in professional AV and witnessed the results of unity between the performers and crew.
As members of the production staff, we have a responsibility to produce the best production possible. We should never settle for anything other than excellence. Our job is to make the people on stage look and sound great. I was amazed the first time I saw an audio guy on a large show demand that a celebrity singer hold the microphone two inches from his mouth. But it was because he wanted the best sound possible that he had high expectations for the performers on stage. There is only so much the tech crew can do; the rest is up to the performers. However, if we can work as one with those on-stage, our productions can reach new heights that we never thought were possible. In the modern church, a stellar production is critical to spreading the Gospel to new attendees and growing our congregations.
We all aim to please our “clients,” but at what cost? No one likes to say no, but before saying yes, evaluate what can realistically be done with the team's unique variables. I've observed countless times where a media director says, “Sure, no problem,” only then to run and panic to attempt to do the impossible. Learning when to say “no” will save hours of time and prevent burning out valuable volunteers. It will also save a service from going down in flames. When in doubt, leave it out. This also includes “shielding” senior leadership from the true costs of their requests. If the producer can't back up his guarantees with results, why should he expect to have any credibility when it comes to other issues? Keep your promises.
I've found from my experiences that most pastors don't even realize there's an issue here, especially if the answer is always “yes.” If the music stand is up too high for the camera to see his or her face, speak up. Communication like this should always be followed with an explanation of why this matters, in this case, the importance of IMAG to the congregation in receiving his or her important message. If the leadership truly shares the vision for a high quality service, they will be more than willing to accept reasonable requests. We as tech directors must learn to lead our productions; we can't let others make uninformed decisions for us. Remember, a bad production, for whatever reason, reflects poorly on the church and the Christian community at large.
Many college theatrical programs require that students attend an introductory class to lighting design, audio production, and other technical theater positions. By giving them a glimpse of “How the sausage is made,” they are able to understand the limitations and capabilities of the stage and become better performers. Why does it matter where I stand? How come the lights have to be in my eyes? Why do I have to hold the microphone at that “sweet spot”? Knowledge is power. Consider working with the music director and performers to plan a seminar or training course to educate the performers in the capabilities of the AV system. It will help them be better at their talents.
I have also found that rehearsals, even if they are very brief, can have a very positive impact on the quality of the service. Generally, it's not realistic for every second to be rehearsed, so consider a truncated “walk-through” of the service. These rehearsals should be carried out under the direction of the technical director or producer. Use this time to cover all microphone checks, video rolls, or other stage movements. Letting everyone know what to expect is invaluable. We once caught a musician wearing a color of pants that when viewed on stage, gave the appearance of no pants at all; we saved her from a very embarrassing moment by having rehearsals. Most of the time however, we just catch minor technical issues and problems that can be addressed the moment they happen, instead of trying to explain and correct later.
It's important to realize that this gap between the performers and tech crew won't mend overnight, but don't wait to start working towards unity. The larger the church gets, the harder this becomes. The sooner a church's tech crew and performers can work as one team with one dream, the sooner their services and productions can reach new heights.
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