Written by Wade Russell
You ever wonder why so many churches have big white pieces of fabric stretched from end to end across their stage? This look was pretty cutting edge back in the day but how often do you see it now? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cheap way to use lights and what you have to create some great looks on stage. It’s always interesting to see the trends that come and go within stage design. I have noticed that a lot of people are utilizing the aspect of video as a part of their set designs. Over the last several years there have been a lot of breakthroughs on presentation video software that makes these types of sets easier to accomplish for the end user. Having the capability to change the look of your set at the click of a button is very efficient for most churches because they are relying on a volunteer base to do the work. This does have added time in the graphic or video department however with as many sites on the web as there are now, you can find some great content. There are several pieces of equipment on the market that allow you to efficiently create a video or graphic driven set. We have used ProPresenter and ProVideoPlayer for presentation and video loop playback and know that the interface is very easy to navigate and work with. Another great product for a little more involved system is the Green Hippo Media server, there are several different models out there that give you full control of multi layer video mapping and capability to mask and control via your lighting console. Now, the media server becomes another light fixture with more control. Elite provided a great solution using these applications at First Baptist Trussville, AL. Having the capability to control the video content from the lighting console also cuts down on number of staff or volunteers you have on schedule. This equipment can be expensive but if you are a church that currently changes your sets on a regular basis or a church that would like to but just don’t have the man power and are tired of the spandex stages this may be a solution to look into. Just using softgoods and homemade set pieces can be a great solution for the look you are trying to achieve but the cost can add up and as most churches you can run out of space. Let’s face it, what church do you know that says they have more than enough storage? I use to end up throwing things out after I tried to donated the pieces to another ministry or church. As a former Creative/Technical Director at churches I know it takes a lot of time to brainstorm, plan, and create the big work of art that is a stage design. The effect that you can make with video is amazing, you can take your congregation through a journey using videos and I believe it’s a great way to enhance a worship experience. The great thing about these products is they will be around for a long time, the software will have updates but the goal behind what these products can do won’t change. The main change that you may see will be with the Projectors and the LED walls and displays used for these applications. So if you are looking at taking your church to a new level using a visual enhancement for worship take a look at these products and enjoy the results.
