As IMAG for live worship continues to develop and mature, tech directors across the country and around the world are continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible from the art form. Many broadcast ministries today are employing varying approaches toward shot composition, movement, and pacing to enhance the worship experience. An increasing number of live video teams are also beginning to explore advanced cinematic techniques and tools to forward their mission. Finding the right approach for your unique IMAG ministry moving into the next decade will likely be informed by a number of important factors, but the first and most important question tech teams need to answer revolves around the issue of maximum effectiveness. And the answer to that question must be informed by your church’s mission and strategy. Let’s explore some of the key elements that go into developing an effective IMAG mix for worship.
Are the shots lasting so long as to lose the interest of viewers? Or are the shots moving so fast that your target audience feels continually jolted out of the experience?
Shot Selection
When you really stop and think about it, there are an enormous number of ways to compose any single shot for an IMAG feed. Now add in camera movements such as dollies, cranes, gimbal, and handheld styles and your shot selection options multiply exponentially. While there is no one right way to set up an IMAG team’s shot list, having a solid sense of your team’s philosophy will help ensure that the one you’re choosing is taking your mix in the right direction. For example, wide establishing shots would be the wrong choice if the purpose of your IMAG ministry is to create a video product that helps make a large venue feel smaller and more intimate. Conversely, if one of the goals of your broadcast mix is to add some visual energy to a pastor’s message, utilizing strategically timed shoulder-mounted angles may add a more visceral, documentary vibe to your mix. Established broadcast teams can also learn a lot by reevaluating their current shot selections through the lens of purpose and effectiveness on a regular basis. Inviting stakeholders and leaders from outside your IMAG team can help establish external buy-in for your strategy, and possibly even help free up resources for your ministry down the road.
Shot Pacing
Another critical factor in developing an effective IMAG mix for live worship is determining your pacing. Shot pacing, or how quickly or slowly your team is changing shots, is probably the most controversial aspect of broadcast ministry. If you haven’t already encountered leaders with very strong opinions on the topic, you likely soon will. The question usually comes down one of energy verses intelligibility. On the one hand, if a primary purpose of your IMAG ministry is to connect the attendees more deeply to what’s happening on stage then it may be important to allow your shots a bit more time to breathe before cutting. On the other hand, if your ministry strategy is to emulate a faster, music video style then your pacing may be on the faster side. When evaluating the shot pacing in your IMAG mix, it’s usually going to come down to questions of balance. What balance is too fast for your specific live experience? Are the shots lasting so long as to lose the interest of viewers? Or are the shots moving so fast that your target audience feels continually jolted out of the experience?
Sometimes secondary edit issues can create disconnects, as well. For instance, cutting between shots framed too similarly can be visually jarring. Overuse of special transition effects (wipes, flashes, animations, etc.) can instantly take attendees out of the worship experience and put all of the attention on the control booth. As a good rule of thumb, cuts and very short dissolves should be the vast majority of how IMAG mixes should move between shots. Remember that just because you can use a flashy transition doesn’t always mean that it’s an effective transition. In most churches the team that creates the live IMAG mix is the same team creating the content for livestreaming and video-on-demand. While this purpose multiplication is usually a natural step in the progression of building a healthy broadcast ministry, the dual nature of the work can sometimes lead to a live product that’s less effective. For instance, many tech and video ministry leaders will routinely check out worship broadcast mixes from other influential churches around the country, and the danger can be to believe that what they’re seeing on their computer screen is what was seen live in that church’s sanctuary.
With the introduction of larger-sensor, cinema-style cameras capable of sending broadcast-compliant video signals, timecode and genlock, IMAG teams … are beginning to create content with a far more filmic look than has ever been possible before.
They note the ultra-wide establishing shots, fast tracking shots, crane shots, and reverse tight shots of people listening to the message or participating in the worship. They may often see a faster cutting style, as well. These observations can be misleading insofar as many of these larger churches utilize two almost completely separate teams to create the IMAG mix and the broadcast mix. The IMAG mix is optimized for the live experience and rarely uses establishing shots, crane shots, or reverses, since those shots do more to take people out of the live experience, rather than connect them more deeply. The broadcast team, on the other hand, uses these kinds of shots to help someone experiencing the worship remotely get a sense of the scale and scope of the experience. The two audiences are receiving unique video products based on their specific viewing contexts.
cinematic imag
Since the very beginning of ministry-focused IMAG, churches have been employing cameras primarily designed for news broadcasts, cameras built around smaller 1/3-inch-sized sensors optimized for sharp focus over deeper depths-of-field. While these cameras have proven optimal for operators needing to achieve critical focus reliably, that deeper depth of field created a very specific, news-style visual aesthetic.
With the introduction of larger-sensor, cinema-style cameras capable of sending broadcast-compliant video signals, timecode and genlock, IMAG teams at cutting edge churches are beginning to create content with a far more filmic look than has ever been possible before. These larger sensors allow for exceptional color rendition, dynamic range, and exceptional separation between in-focus subjects and their background. The newest generations of these cameras are also beginning to employ tools like face-tracking and even eye-tracking auto focus abilities, which may prove to be a very useful tools for volunteer-driven camera teams.
moving forward
Ultimately, directing IMAG for worship comes down to questions of what’s going to be most effective for your church’s ministry. Determine what success looks like in your context, based on your missional priorities and strategies. Once your team has clarity on those questions, ensure you have buy-in from your team and leadership. Finally, make a plan, execute to the zenith of your abilities, and stick to your guns when the doubts and second guessing come your way. Which they will. Ultimately, remember that the goal is to connect and focus a congregation’s attention on the worship experience—to eventually reflect that attention on things above.
