Journey into Video

Help with difficult lighting, building the right relationships, and a glimpse into the future

by David Rauch

Countless local churches have taken up the challenge of using the latest video technology to creatively communicate the Good News. As they travel down this road they are beginning to see the incredible impact these new tools can have on their worship experience.

Those churches that haven't yet taken these first steps, but would like to, should have no fear. Dedicated and passionate consultants stand ready to educate, train, and guide churches as they effectively integrate the latest technology into their services and activities. Once a church gets behind this vision (spiritually and financially), it is only a matter of putting the right people and equipment into place.

Fortunately, the future looks bright in terms of products for the church environment. Manufacturers of audio, video, and lighting equipment are realizing the significance of the church market and are developing professional and affordable solutions for it. Churches have no lack of fine options. The sky's the limit!

Working with Difficult Buildings

Many churches are interested in using video technology, but their facilities present a challenge. Most traditional and some modern church buildings have beautiful window-lined sanctuaries that allow plenty of ambient light to enter the worship space. This may be wonderful architecturally, but projection systems need darkness or at least control over lighting.

"It's no easy task to clearly display video images and messages in a large space characterized by grandiose ceilings, bright window treatments, and ubiquitous sanctuary lighting," says Tim Butler of Digital Projection.

Nevertheless, churches shouldn't abandon hope. Multiple new equipment options can help. Digital Projection, a major industry player with a projector lineup featuring three-chip Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology from Texas Instuments, has invested time and effort into solving such problems.

With a nationwide network of dealers, Digital Projection specializes in high-quality, high-brightness projectors that can offset the kind of sanctuary lighting that would normally result in unclear images. Chuck Collins, Digital Projection's national vertical market manager, says, "In large church environments, a super-bright projector is a visual necessity. It is only effective to show video, computer messaging, hymn texts, graphics, and live image magnification if every worshiper can see these things clearly."

Digital Projection offers an impressive list of projectors designed for mid- to large-scale worship facility needs, including the HIGHlite, POWER, and LIGHTNING Series projectors. These range in brightness from 3,500 to 14,000 (+/-10%) ANSI lumens. In addition, Digital recently introduced a new projector for smaller environments, the SHOWlite. It offers around 3,000 (+/-10%) ANSI lumens of brightness.

Other manufacturers also are producing smaller and brighter equipment capable of solving church lighting problems. This June at INFOCOMM International, the annual video industry showcase convention, Eiki International introduced several future models of projectors. Each will be newly designed and significantly brighter than current models. Among the new models is a brighter version of the popluar Powerhouse (SXGA-resolution), the LC-SX4L, which delivers 5,800 ANSI lumens.

There's also exciting news in the world of lenses. Manufacturers are developing more options for different projector placements or throw distances (how far the projector sits from the screen). Navitar/Buhl Optical, a U.S. manufacturer, specializes in the design and production of custom audio-visual products, including LCD lenses and custom OEM lens assemblies. Buhl Optical is continually building lenses that allow projectors to be placed at extra long or very short throw distances. When dealing with worship facilities that offer multiple challenges, like rear-screen projection installation (when the system is located behind the screen), the variety offered by Buhl is a major plus because it allows consultants and designers to solve problems unobtrusively.

Finally, it's important to address one commonly held misconception—that redesigning or retrofitting an existing facility will disrupt and deface the beauty of the original design. This topic merits its own article, but the bottom line is that while it is important to be careful when integrating contemporary tools into an existing facility, the process can be handled without causing any damage.

"Being concerned and aware of the sanctuary aesthetics and not disturbing them is one of the most important things [we] consider," says Doug Henriques, owner of Christian Video and Audio, a company that helps churches plan, design, and purchase video and audio systems. Dealers and consultants are very aware of churches' concerns. As manufacturers continue to create useful new products like the ones mentioned above, more problems will be handled in ways that balance the many factors involved in introducing technology to church worship.

Build the Right Relationships

Once a church has decided to move forward, it needs qualified help from dealers and consultants to ensure they are getting the equipment that fits their specific needs and goals while not wasting God's money.

It is important to get manufacturer-certified service from a dealer that can provide immediate support, accessories, and professional advice. Technology consultants can provide advice that in the long run will save a church much more than any fees they might charge. A good consultant will lead a church to dealers that will treat it fairly.

It is so disheartening to visit a church where the video installation was not done correctly the first time because relationships with consultants, dealers, and architects were never considered or were dropped prematurely. It is essential to find people who genuinely care about the church market and your church specifically, who will give you the right advice upfront, and who will exhibit integrity, excellence, and quality in their work and business relationships. Finding these people is as important as any budget discussions; it's worth pursuing them no matter how long it takes.

There are many companies across the nation that do genuinely care about the churches they work with. Fowler Productions, which has been assisting churches, ministries, and missionary groups since 1992, is one.

"Our goal has always been to help churches choose the best system to suit their specific needs and budget," says Ron English, CEO of Fowler Productions. "We realize that every worship [service] is different and every pastor [is] unique in his approach to spreading the gospel. That's why we take the time to get to know each and every situation, every congregation. Every church desires to grow and bring more people to God. We have made it our mission to provide [tools] that will help all churches, of any denomination and size, accomplish this."

A Bright Future

Now that you know a video projection system can work in almost any facility and you know what to look for in a consultant and dealers, let's take a brief look at the future of video in churches.

• New, improved, and more affordable. Projectors are getting smaller, yet they are brighter and sharper than ever before. All the while, prices continue to go down.

"Many ministers have attended pastors' conferences and seminars and have been amazed by the technology they have witnessed," says Doug Henriques of Christian Video and Audio. "Many of these same ministers have said to themselves, 'Our church could never do that,' thinking of the expense needed to accomplish the task. That statement may have been true four to five years ago, but today churches can do a lot more for a lot less."

• Updated software. Software is a powerful tool that can help music ministers get the most out of their projection system. The exciting news is that manufacturers are constantly updating and upgrading their products, and they're listening to churches to find out how they can target their needs. Products such as SongShow Plus from Fowler, along with many other tailored software packages, are now available for evaluation, usually using a time-sensitive demo version.

• New lighting applications. Companies such as High End Systems continue to astound the industry with innovative products. Recently, High End introduced the Catalyst, an orbital movement system, much like a periscope, that mounts on the front of a video projector. It allows static images or moving video to be projected anywhere within a 360-degree-by-180-degree hemisphere of movement.

• Increasing use of control systems. User-friendly control systems, provided by companies such as AMX, help the lay volunteer control multiple technical areas from one touch panel. Having designed and implemented this type of control system in several of the churches I have worked with, it has proven itself a very powerful tool, yet easy enough for anyone to use.

• A whole new concept in projectors. New projectors, some of which were introduced recently by Barco and Digital Projection, will not only provide users with wireless/Ethernet applications, they will have computers and seamless switching units integrated inside.

If manufacturers continue to research and design at their current pace, the future of video technology in churches can only be bright. Projectors will be smaller, brighter, and sharper, allowing more creativity and flexibility. And on top of all that, they'll cost less. That's great news for churches as they seek to reach a society that not only wants to see new and exciting technical applications, but demands it.

David Rauch (david@electratechnologies.com or Dmrtic@aol.com) is president of Electra Technologies, a design/installation/consulting company in San Antonio, Texas, that educates, equips, and trains churches to use technical tools to reach the lost for Christ. He has more than 23 years of experience in the technical entertainment industry and has worked for Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, and the Opryland Hotel. He also served as technical director at Crosstown Community Church in Brandon, Florida.

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