It was in 1964 that former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said, when pressed to describe something he could not articulate, “I know it when I see it.”
Perhaps that, then, is a suitable response for anyone asked in the church world to describe good-quality live video on either an IMAG or broadcast feed. While it’s sometimes hard to subjectively describe what makes video “good,” it’s potentially much easier to start off on the flip side and describe what makes video bad.
The best video direction disappears into the background, allowing the message and worship to shine.
Maybe starting there can help whittle down what should be foundational principles of good video.
“Our live video non-negotiables [to avoid] are shaky shots, capturing the side screens in our shots (creating the mirror effect), up-the-nose shots, and shots that don't give the lead enough "breath room" (too much space behind the singer),” says Willow Hodge, the Technical and Video Producer at Texas multisite Hope Fellowship.
“After reviewing over 1,000 livestreams on my YouTube channel I’ve noticed some common mistakes,” notes Ryland Russell, the Worship & Media Arts Pastor at Oklahoma’s Central Baptist Owasso. “Unwanted camera shake is a big one.”
“Inconsistent framing and not having shot variety,” adds Ellie Kazebee of Portland’s Athey Creek Church.
For the most part, these seem to be concepts that could be universally agreed upon as negative, because even just imagining an online feed or IMAG cut that is shaky, out-of-focus, or poorly framed probably makes just about every church tech cringe.
A more traditional worship gathering will feel different than a modern nondenominational one, and video direction should follow that.” — Chris Brown, Church of Eleven22
Does this then mean that a video cut that avoids all of these “bad” things is then a “good” cut? Maybe, or maybe not. Like so many things in the church tech world, the best outcomes are often the ones most closely aligned with a clearly defined vision.
What works for one ministry as a good cut may not necessarily work for another.
“A more traditional worship gathering will feel different [when compared] to a modern nondenominational gathering and video direction should follow that,” says Chris Brown, the Live Video Director at Jacksonville, Fla. multisite Church of Eleven22.
“They way we shoot our worship experiences would seem more edgy to the Southern Baptist church I grew up in, but what they were doing in that church at the time matched the vibe and energy of overall atmosphere of the worship experience.
It comes down to following a clear vision.”
Athey’s Kazebee agrees.
“If you keep mimicking others and changing based on them, it’s hard to set a standard and vision for both you and your church,” she notes. “Also, each venue is different and not everyone uses the same equipment, so developing a look and style that works with YOUR resources will benefit you more than trying to achieve a look that may not work with you and your team.”
"Have a clear standard and style for your team to follow. Once you have rules, you’ll know the right times to break them.” — Ellie Kazebee, Athey Creek Church
Russell adds, “something that may be ‘too much’ for one church would be just fine for another.”
Having said that, each ministry should initially be able to internally evaluate the quality of its live video, whether on IMAG or broadcast, based on whether its leaders feel that it upholds their ministry vision, whatever that might be.
1 of 3
“After reviewing over 1,000 livestreams on my YouTube channel I’ve noticed some common mistakes—unwanted camera shake is a big one,” shares Ryland Russell, the Worship & Media Arts Pastor at Oklahoma’s Central Baptist Owasso. Image courtesy of Central Baptist Owasso.
2 of 3
One way to help eliminate unwanted camera shake is to use camera sliders, such as shown here. Image courtesy of Central Baptist Owasso.
3 of 3
Image courtesy of Hope Fellowship.
But what goes into forming that vision? Are there certain techniques that should be considered? Philosophies adhered to? Preferences catered to or avoided?
Maybe it’s a “yes” to all of those.
“At our church, we believe the most important part of worship is the worship leader,” explains Hope’s Hodge. When shooting for IMAG, “we stress the importance of getting back to the lead as quickly as possible for worship moments, ad-libs, Spirit-led moments, etc. We use shots of instruments as filler shots and try not to linger on them for too long, especially during lyrical lines. Our idea is that if someone walks into the room and looks at the screens, they should know what they should be doing by seeing the worship leader.”
“Our church does not do IMAG so the goal of every shot is to help the online viewer feel like they are a part of the service and to engage them,” states CBC Owasso’s Russell. “Techniques like intentional camera motion, motorized looping sliders, POV shots and handheld camera ops help to achieve that.
“While we think mainly as directors about what TO capture, we also should be conscious of what NOT to capture,” he continues. “For instance we choose to only frame our congregants from behind, mostly silhouetted. There is still a part of worship that is personal, and if someone is crying at the altar, we choose not to focus on them.”
Worship and teaching call for different video approaches—what works in one moment can feel completely wrong in the other.
In each of these scenarios, clear, top-down vision has defined a successful outcome for those ministries that shaped their focus (an audience to focus on, for one) and has also clarified pillars around which the video director would shape a cut. The leadership has then granted those teams the latitude to achieve a final product to their satisfaction based on “coloring within the lines” that were already defined.
“Artistry and creativity can be built up and expanded upon, but the church’s mission is the critical foundation of it all,” Hodge says.
Artistry and creativity tend to be more prevalent when churches shoot the live worship portion of the service. This can extend to different camera shots and angles (with POV or handheld cameras on stage, jibs, or dollies), types of movement (organic “shaking” of handheld cameras or controlled pan, tilt, or zoom movement from robotic or manned cameras), and even different camera techniques like rack focus or drop-downs/reveals.
When done smoothly and intentionally, these actions tend to blend seamlessly into the overall fabric of the worship experience, much like a director cutting cameras on the beat of the music. The cameras match the energy and emotion of the song and it can come across as almost unnoticeable as audio and video work together to create a cohesive, multi-sensory experience.
But when the service transitions to the speaking portion, an entirely different set of parameters tend to come into play.
“A ‘good’ shot for worship may be a ‘bad’ one for teaching and vice versa not because of the shot itself but because of the style we aim for,” notes Kazebee.
This is where having a more formulaic plan, as opposed to more of an “in the moment” feel could be helpful.
“I like to run a formula of 65/15/10/5 ratio of shot selection,” explains Russell. “Sixty-five percent waist-up, 15 percent head-to-toe, 10 percent alternate medium shot, and 5 percent wide shots.”
Having a firm strategy of how to cut a message can make it easier for camera ops to know what to expect and how to frame their shots accordingly, especially if a limited number of cameras will require any operator not live to have to reframe for another shot.
If multiple camera options are available, having each one maintain constant framing and always acting as if they’re live provides the director with immediate options if something unexpected happens on stage and a “safety shot” is necessary.
“While our Pastor or speaker moves, we believe it's important to keep the sternum of the individual centered at all times,” Hodge adds. “Our operators are encouraged to adjust their tripod drag accordingly to be able to fluidly follow wherever they may move. We do not want to see any quick jerks or shakiness as the camera is moved.”
Having other backup shots ready in those moments allows a director to quickly cut away from a problematic shot and minimize any distractions it could introduce.
Beyond framing, the pacing of a video cut during the message is also critical, because that’s the place where things can also feel unnatural if done poorly.
“Pacing is important because cutting too quickly might be jarring and become distracting to those viewing remotely,” states Eleven22’s Brown. “Knowing the speaker’s tendencies helps with pacing because you can cut on their pauses and movements, so the video direction becomes a smoother, more cohesive cut.”
The worship and speaking portions of a message are seemingly two opposites, with different sets of “rules,” but each section is of critical importance. The worship portion is where most creativity tends to be exercised (and what tends to get more “oohs” and “ahhs” out of viewers), yet it’s the speaking portion that, while less visually exciting, tends to be the most watched segment thanks to podcasts and VOD audiences.
What makes a video cut “good” for either segment may be drastically different from the other. But when done well, it creates a visually appealing product whose components of framing, composition, and selection become unnoticeable.
The goal for either segment is to have a clearly defined set of parameters that align with the individual ministry’s goals and vision so that production teams have clarity on what defines a “win” for that church. Having that clarity then enables the exploration of creativity inside the already-constructed guardrails.
“Have a clear standard and style for your team to follow,” advises Kazebee. “Once you have rules, you will know the right times to break them!”
