For many tech and lighting directors the pace of ministry sometime crowds out the time it takes to stay innovative and inspired. When push comes to shove it can often be tempting to just recycle techniques and approaches that have worked in the past. Easter worship is usually the first big event of the year that challenges us to grow and push that creative envelop a little further than before. In order to help fan that creativity, we’ve invited some of the top lighting designers for worship to discuss what’s inspiring and motivating them as they approach this coming Easter season.
I try to make the Easter set feel special, feel big, and feel really set apart from the usual weekends. There are usually some stage design elements I hold back from using during the year that we pull out just for that service. Holding back some of the moving light fixtures or LED panels, and then bringing out everything for that weekend gives the whole thing more of a “special event” type feel for Easter.
“Holding back some of the moving light fixtures or LED panels, and then bringing out everything for that weekend gives the whole thing more of a 'special event' type feel for Easter.”
For bigger songs I like to utilize elements like flashes, chases, or color changes that highlight nuances in a song. I’ve been doing a lot of programming with chases timed to snare hits or even bass drum kicks lately, which can add a lot of great energy. On slower songs I keep things very isolated and dark, using lots of back and top light to highlight vocals and band with minimal front wash, with the exception of creatively front lighting the main vocal when necessary. This gives the stage depth and mystery when designing from a canvas black.
“Sometimes it means not using that cue that you pre-programmed, or it might mean toning down that effect because the moment calls for something more reflective….”As lighting designers, we have such a crucial role in the worship experience. Lighting for worship is very different than lighting other events in that we must be conscious of where the Holy Spirit may be leading in a moment during a service. Sometimes it means not using that cue that you pre-programmed, or it might mean toning down that effect because the moment calls for something more reflective and still than you initially anticipated. Lighting shouldn’t just be something we do—it should be an act of worship to God in itself.
When designing for worship you want to be aware of things like depth and always be thinking in three dimensions. Don’t limit your lighting design to just the back of stage. Think sides, ceilings, and floor. Make sure to tie in the audience space to what’s happening onstage. The goal is to create a complete atmosphere where your audience feels and becomes a part of the space, not just exists as spectators. This approach helps them be more involved and engaged in worship. LED walls and LED tape are definitely the trend right [now], but poor implementation can sometimes backfire on you. So when going with LED walls or LED tape make sure to include your video department early on. Keep in mind things like the temperature of cameras, and remember that video and lighting are a married couple—they have to work together or it becomes an ugly divorce.
“Don't limit your lighting design to just the back of stage.”
“Keep in mind things like the temperature of cameras, and remember that video and lighting are a married couple—they have to work together or it becomes an ugly divorce.”
One really neat trick I’ve been using lately is to incorporate mirrors to extend laser beams and such. Imagine you only have one laser, but you’re designing the effect for a large room. You can actually set up small mirrors around the ceiling of the room so that when the beam hits it that beam can be reflected everywhere. It’s actually the same concept as when Egyptians used mirrors to provide light from the sun in dark rooms, and it’s one way you can save a lot of money with a little creativity.
A lot of lighting design for worship is based around the worship set. For musical performances like that, designers need to be sure to use spots and keys well. Lately I’ve been using low sides, which are key lights that are coming from a low angle, and then adding high keys sparingly to create a more dramatic look. The thing to be careful of with that approach is that you have to stay away from certain colors like greens and yellows that don’t really look good with skin tone. You also want to make sure to create contrast with complementary colors.
“You can have a cool rig, but if the faces aren’t there the design isn’t going to be the best. Key lighting should be your No. 1 priority….”
New lighting fixtures should always be giving you new ideas, but again, the most important thing for me is the faces. You can have a cool rig, but if the faces aren’t there the design isn’t going to be the best. Key lighting should be your No. 1 priority, because if your audience can’t see who’s onstage, you’re missing an essential part of the design.
You also need to be very careful using powerful beam fixtures. They can be good for accentuating your design, but you don’t want to do too much with them. They need to be tailored the right way and placed in the right spaces, especially in worship. Be sure to place them strategically around your stage so as not to block or wash out important things—visual elements like the main screens.
With our scene designs, I’ve been experimenting with the best ways to use LED tape and stretching its uses as far as possible. We’ve been using it to create accent lighting on set pieces by incorporating it into clear tubes, metal studs, coraplast, and even creating walls of dots using mini candy cups.
“We’re also creating great background light through the right combination of LEDs and beams of light in the haze. Good haze is so important if you have moving lights….”
It’s also useful for creating glowing or floating-type stage designs. “We’re also creating great background light through the right combination of LEDs and beams of light in the haze. Good haze is so important if you have moving lights….”We’re also creating great background light through the right combination of LEDs and beams of light in the haze. Good haze is so important if you have moving lights, or you want to see shafts of light in your program, so be sure to get a hazer that creates good results, safely. “The most important thing when designing for Easter worship is to not create lighting that’s too distracting.”
The most important thing when designing for Easter worship is to not create lighting that’s too distracting. We try to always program to enhance what’s already happening on stage, rather than to compete with it. If you create a look or series of specifically timed cues, be sure not to repeat them too often. You never know when that one repetition is too much and you cross that line into becoming a distraction.
