Jon Acuff onstage at Echo 2011
I was reminded recently of a conversation I had with some folks at Echo 2009 about their church moving to an IMAG (Image Magnification) production for their Sunday services. We talked excitedly for a long time about the reasons for doing so and the ramifications of such a big decision. I think I remember actually taking the stance that they should not consider using IMAG, and I was wrong in not simply helping them ask the right questions and come to their own conclusions instead of my conclusions.
To be clear, when I say IMAG, I’m not talking about just using video screens during your services. I am referring to the projection of your speaker’s face on the screen during his or her talk. With video cameras, projectors, and production equipment becoming a little more financially attainable, I wanted to take some time to go back and do what I should have done then — just prompt you with some of the questions and considerations that will help you come to your own conclusion.
WHY?
The first big question to ask is, “Why does my church want or need to use IMAG?” I make a distinction there because I hear from time to time that there is simply a push from somewhere in the church to do IMAG. No matter what it is your church is considering it’s always good to keep that question in mind. ”Because we want to,” can color the rest of your answers in a way that might be unhealthy.
However, it is very important to evaluate the need. There might even be some pastors who would consider it silly to put themselves on a big screen — that is until they discover that 25 percent of their congregation feels disconnected from the sermon because they can’t see from the back and they can’t find seats closer to the front.
Once you work through the answer to the “Why?” question you will be empowered to either shut down the conversation or power through with purpose.
SUPPORT
Before moving to the tech side of things it is imperative to consider the human element. Without someone to operate the equipment with some level of competency week in and week out, the question of To IMAG or Not To IMAG is not even relevant.
As someone who directed live church broadcast and IMAG services for a number of years, I will tell you that you need people who are dedicated and passionate. The dedication means they will show up consistently. The passion means they will care about the product enough to perform well and even improve their skills over time.
I have heard it said that “Sunday comes with alarming regularity.” Considering the number of volunteers, training, and the amount of time asked of each person each week will help you in your decision.
Also, how well a camera is operated might not seem like a big issue. Your audience may not consider themselves experts on television production, but they are! They see it every day from folks who are the best at what they do. Someone in your audience might not be able to pinpoint an awkward transition or bad framing, but they will subconsciously know something is wrong. Therefore, if your church’s production is not up to a minimum standard, it will be a distraction — more of a hinderance than a help.
When answering the questions of who and how well they might do, be realistic but don’t call it quits too quickly. While I was the Media Director at First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa, AL back in the late 1990s — just for fun — I started letting a group of junior high boys experiment with the video equipment. Of course, I supervised them, but I let them get on the headsets and switcher and run camera for each other before services. Some of them showed amazing aptitude and focus! I actually ended up using a few of them to run camera for a few things. They had some important things working their favor: they were going to be there every week, they were really excited to learn the equipment, and they pushed on each other to become better operators. It was a neat experience seeing them develop into little production rats and from what seemed to be a very unlikely place — the junior high ministry.
One last thing to think about here is the option of compensation. In the business world there is a cost associated with the combination of skill and time. It’s not uncommon for churches to actually hire camera operators in order to maintain consistency in production quality and commitment. At that point, though, expectations go way up, so it’s necessary for the person in charge of that ministry to set and monitor those expectations and be willing to treat the operators like employees and not like volunteers.
FACILITY
I have some good news and some bad news. Good news: I went to a Worship & Arts Conference a few years ago. Bad news: The only practical information I remember is that audience members who are more than 90 feet from the speaker should probably have IMAG so they can see what’s going on.
That is not to say that facilities where everyone is within 90 feet should not have IMAG. It’s just another important thing to consider. When there is an IMAG screen available for people to look at, they will almost always look at the screen instead of the live speaker. Most pastors convey their message with their whole body and not their face alone so it would seem that anyone not looking at the pastor “live” might miss something he or she would have caught if the screen were not an option.
Something else to consider is whether introducing cameras into your facility will be a distraction. Will a camera and operator block the line of site of a significant portion of your audience? Will a camera operator be so prominently displayed that he or she is certain to be a distraction? Can someone be tucked away or positioned well enough that they won’t even be noticed?
EQUIPMENT
It’s important to ask if your church can financially sustain an IMAG production. I am reasonably confident that with a $100 in cables and maybe the purchase of a video card, many churches that already have screens and a video camera could just jump right in to IMAG. But however exciting that frugality may seem, it is unlikely that making a little jump to IMAG will produce results that are worthy of being on your screens. I think it is necessary to actually do the research and talk to folks who install the necessary equipment in churches to ensure you are doing things the right way.
Though this will typically cost more, it will set your ministry up for success. Finding someone who does this for a living buys experience as much as anything. You will likely have pitfalls and technical issues that this person has already encountered and overcome. That can be priceless.
So the questions to ask are Can we afford the equipment? and Can we afford to sustain the equipment?
Cameras die or mysteriously disappear. Good tripods are crazy expensive. Wiring may wear out over time. And it might be necessary to install more lighting to improve the shooting conditions. I’ll be interested to read in the comments about any other unforeseen expenses you have had when setting up IMAG for your own church.
THE BASIC QUESTIONS
Good on you if you actually read this thing! If you just skipped here to the end, you are a very efficient person and should also be commended.
Just as a recap, here are the questions you should start with when considering IMAG as an option for your church.
- Why would we need to use IMAG?
- Do we have enough skilled and passionate volunteers to maintain this portion of our ministry? Can we train each person to competency?
- Can we afford to pay our camera operators?
- Does our facility warrant the use of IMAG?
- Can we introduce a camera station to the auditorium in a way that keeps distraction to a minimum?
- Do we have the appropriate equipment or can we afford to purchase that equipment at this time?
Trent Armstrong is a Creative Producer for Igniter Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AETrent