Redemption Church, Gilbert, AZ. Photo courtesy of Kayce Smith.
One thing I love (and hate) about technology is that there always seems to be a better piece of equipment out there. When my church was building our new auditorium things were going out of date as fast as they were being installed. Now, there are times when equipment upgrades are necessary, but let's look at a few ways to fully utilize the gear you already have.
Achieving “great” video in your service requires all the pieces of the puzzle working together. In the church world, we have bid a fond farewell to the days of transparencies and 35mm slides and welcomed a world of high definition, high-lumen projection, LED walls, and now the prospect of going 4K. With each new technology doing its best to beat out the one before, how do we get the most out of the systems we have?
1. Your Lighting Design is Key
Video technology has come a long way, but the fellas over at Sony and Panasonic haven't quite caught up to the Almighty Creator. Our eyes are much more forgiving than the camera's eye. So if you are making the switch to IMAG (Image Magnification) in your services, or want to improve the quality of your live video you will most likely need to reconsider how you light the people on the platform. Light is needed for all cameras to function; however, the idea that it takes an enormous amount of quantity and intensity is no longer true. The light required will differ between camera brands and models and lens selection, but the goal is to get even and consistent stage lighting. You need to ensure your pastor or worship leader is not walking through changing light levels. These are things that cameras will pick up on that our eyes may not, unless they are looking at the screen. In situations like this, a light meter is a crucial tool for creating an even stage wash for IMAG. There's a fine line between lighting the stage, and washing out the projection screens.
Having enough front light, AKA key light, is key (tech pun) to ensuring good translation to video. Opinions vary here: some will insist on the key light being at a 45-degree angle to the subject; others will say 30 to 35 degrees is necessary for video. Either way, the idea is to keep the key light at a low enough angle to avoid any shadows from the nose and eye brows, but high enough to keep the subject from looking flat.
Depending on how far you plan to take your video system, you may also consider using some color correction gels. There are a wide variety of options available to help alter the temperature of your subject on the platform. Oftentimes color gels are not used in front lighting; however, when combining conventional and intelligent lighting, CTB (Color to Blue) gels will even out the color temperature on stage. These gels are not system-critical, but will save your camera some processing by creating less fuzz and keeping a consistent look across both the stage and IMAG.
3. Your Video is Only as Good as the Weakest Link.
This can be said about most things, but rings so true for video systems. I have seen churches spend the majority of their budget on a few pieces of equipment then skimp on the rest. Then they ask why their projected image is so poor. You aren't HD just because you purchased an HD projector; the entire signal chain must be capable of processing in high-definition. Bottlenecking your signal at say, the router, will greatly degrade the quality of the video.
There are many ways to get high quality signal around your facility these days. SDI, CAT6, coax, and fiber are the standards; but, you can also utilize DVI and HDMI in shorter lengths. Check with the manufacturers of the specific cable to determine the max length it can run. A low-cost cable can reduce the quality of your video. Cable length can degrade the signal as well.
4. Take Advantage of Your Projectors Full Capabilities.
Projectors are like cars, there are many different makes and models, and each one has multiple variances on top of that.
Many projectors can display a wide-array of image sizes, however, each one has a preferred resolution, called the “Native Resolution.” Check your projector's manual, because not all inputs will allow for “Native Resolution.”
4. What About Lamps?
Projectors are a still a staple in the modern worship environment. They have become vital in helping the congregation engage in worship. But how does a worship service operate when the projector lamps aren't operating properly? Many projectors these days have an internal protection system that will cause them to turn off if it senses the lamp has reached a certain number of hours. It is best to not continue to force the projector on, but change the lamp to avoid any damage. Usually you can find the lamp hours nested in the on screen menu of the projector. However, it's best to contact the lamp manufacturer to determine the optimum number of usable hours. Some may last 2,000 hours, while others are rated for just 750. Do the math ahead of time, and purchase lamps a few months before you'll need a replacement. This way you won't be caught unprepared when a lamp wears out.
Not all lamps are created equally; you want to make sure you're purchasing a recommended lamp for your projector in order to ensure the longest life and best picture possible. All lamps will change in color temperature and brightness as they age; but using a manufacturer-recommended lamp will ensure the best performance for as long as possible.
Finally don't forget the filter. Most manufacturers recommend changing the filter each time you replace a lamp. Having a new filter ensures good air flow, preventing your projector from overheating which extends the life of the lamp and the projector.
5. Know Your Equipment
In order to use your equipment to the fullest capabilities, you have to know what those capabilities are. Most video switcher manufacturers offer some sort of on-site or regional training for their products. Take them up on this. It will pay for itself in the long run. The ability to know how to do something when the pressure is on, comes from training and practice.
Have training sessions with your team so they have the opportunity to figure things out when the stress of service isn't on their shoulders. The best equipment in the world won't create stellar videos if the operators don't know how to use it.
These are just a few quick and easy ways to help get the most out of your video system. Routine maintenance, proper lighting, adequate cabling, and training all work together to create a high-quality video system.
Special thanks to Travis Carpenter, lighting director at North View Church, Carmel, Indiana for his contributions to this article. www.northviewchurch.us
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article was published in February 2013
