Church of the City is a family of churches with campuses in Franklin, Spring Hill, and Nashville, Tennessee. The tech team at the Spring Hill location had been using an older, single-channel analog intercom system that was original to the installation of the building in the early 2000’s. So, they were thrilled to be part of Church Production’s Road Test User Experience for the Pliant CrewCom Intercom System.
The Pliant Technologies CrewCom Intercom System has received the Church Production Road Tested Certification.
"...the clarity and presence with these units we're really just outstanding." - JR Benton, Director of Production, Church of the City, Spring Hill, Tennessee
“Using the Plant Technologies CrewCom intercom system has been really just an absolute game changer for our production team,” says the church’s Director of Production JR Benton. “We were able to work directly with the guys over at Pliant on what our current needs are, and they were able to actually customize a system that works and fits just for us and our building and our needs.”
The new system gave the team tons of options and new possibilities that simply weren't there before. It allowed camera operators and Benton to roam cable-free and not worry about missing cues or translating things to the team or landing at a certain spot where there is a wired com.
"...the intelligibility and communication was not an issue at all.” - JR Benton
The CrewCom offers four-channel belt packs and two-channel ones so users can customize what channels go with each pack. Benton says they utilized the four-channel pack to communicate to everyone, letting the camera ops, graphics, lighting, etc., use the two-channel belt packs, which prevented users from accidentally keying on and talking to the wrong person. “No one's stepping over each other, talking over each other. We're all able to stay on the same page in a clear and clean and concise way,” he says.
And Benton says what surprised him most about the CrewCom system was the audio quality. “Traditionally, whenever you're working with wireless intercom systems, there can actually be a steep amount of high-end roll-off, but the clarity and presence with these units we're really just outstanding. We run a pretty loud worship environment ranging anywhere between 91 to 95 dB A-weighted, and so even with that loud SPL range, the intelligibility and communication was not an issue at all.”
To hear all of Benton’s interview and see the CrewCom system at work at Church of the City, watch this video.
