Over the years I have been involved in some exciting production elements, including in my work with the video production crew at LCBC Church in Manheim, Pa. But for sheer craziness and behind-the-scenes drama, nothing beats the challenging video elements we incorporate with the live worship band in our baptism gatherings—something we have come to label “Live Baptism Edits.” We have now gone through the process three or four times, and we improve it a little more each time.
It always starts with the selection of the song. We leave that to our worship leaders. Once the song has been chosen, we listen to it and decide which parts will be lyrics on the screen and which parts will include video of the baptisms.
One of our editors builds a timeline in Final Cut Pro including the recorded song for timing. He puts markers in the timeline to show where the different video elements will be. He then develops a “look” for both the lyrics and the baptism video. He also builds the lyrics video and exports that as a separate playback file. Then he begins experimenting with render times on the sections of baptism video. Based on those experiments, he determines where in the song he needs to start rendering in order to have it ready for live playback.
In the meantime, one of our techs is patching all of the video, audio and communication lines necessary to pull off the live edit. We run the SDI output from a Sony EX3 [PMW-EX3 camcorder] directly to the editing system. We also run house genlock to the editing system so that it can play directly into our production switcher, which of course requires an SDI output from the editing system to the production switcher. An RF line of our program audio and video allows the editor to see and hear what the audience is seeing and hearing. A communication line is also run so that an assistant editor can talk to the camera operator, video director and tech director.
During the service, the camera operator is located to the front left of the pool to capture the best shot of the baptism candidate without getting in the way of any of the IMAG cameras. The camera operator is constantly feeding shots to the editor, who is using the Capture Now feature in Final Cut Pro to capture the clips live. The assistant editor is directing the camera operator to obtain certain shots and prompt- ing the editor to capture shots that he may not see, since he is already trimming and dropping clips into the sequence.
By the time the last person is being baptized, most of the edit is finished. The editor is cleaning up the edits and applying effects and slow motion. When the song starts, the lyrics video is triggered on an IMAG computer running AJA TV and midiStroke by a MIDI note sent from the band's Ableton Live session. The editor is watching his time to make sure he starts to render with enough time remaining. At the appropriate point in the song, the editor rolls the baptism video right on his timeline, and the video director takes it onto the screens in the auditorium.
I don't know if it sounds as crazy on paper as it is in reality. Sometimes it is flawless. Sometimes the render finishes with only seconds to spare. Sometimes things go terribly awry, but that's live production.
Link to a behind-the-scenes video of Live Baptism Edits: www.vimeo.com/21614150.