iPad vs. white board

Last week, during our weekend planning meeting,  our worship pastor asked if he could use a whiteboard for his message this last weekend.

I am not a huge fan of the white board on camera, for one  the wash out of white, and second for the the size that the markers make.  In the past we have used a 3M large yellow pad with a large marker so it can be seen a bit easier on the camera.

So the thought came, how can we take it to a new step.  How about we use our large 60″ TV in a lift case with an iPad2 onstage.

We worked with a few proofs of concepts using the HDMI output and PenUltimate and Sketch Up Plus Apps but we weren’t getting a fullscreen solution.

So I asked @stanylst, who is the Associate Director of Tech Arts at Windsor Crossings, how they integrate their onstage iPad with their video system.  He suggested Adobe Ideas, as it outputs fullscreen from the iPad and doesn’t show the tools bars that the operator sees.

After messing with it we realized we could also layer in a graphic, so we created a graphic for the base information that the pastor wanted to start with which gave him the ability to write ontop of it.

Not a new concept, but new for us so I thought I would share.

By the way, it was a great message on margin:

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts outside environmental projection

This weekend was the opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, MO. On Sunday they had an open house to the public where an estimated 50,000 people came for a tour.

The building is a beautiful addition to the Kansas City skyline.

Quixotic Fusion who is a local group that covers an amazingly wide varitey of music, dance, and arts produced this amazing environmental projection.  Love the added 3D of the fireworks.

Cow Tipping Finale – Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park 9/4

As a church with multiple campuses and multiple services we celebrated and worshiped together as 1 church in 1 location. It was the end of our series Cow Tipping.

The big idea for this series was that  Jesus expects us to examine our beliefs in the light of scripture. 

It was quite a large undertaking for our Production Team, whom I am extremely proud of.  Not only this year did we setup the audio supplied by Harvest Production in conjunction with their installed system.

We also were graciously donated video walls and a 4 camera video system from Big Picture Productions to help bring the baptism experience closer to the audience.

The crew of about 20 started at 5am unloading the truck and we finished at 2pm packed back up and pulling out.

Here is a great timelapse from Wes:

The only problems we faced were troubleshooting our ProPresenter stage display confidence monitor setup for the lyrics.  Wes (ATD) spent over an hour trying different configurations.  We had set the whole thing up in the office and beta tested it to make sure we were solid when we got out there.

Final fix was to use a laptop next to the TV’s and screen share the ProPresenter stage display screen.  It worked then right at the start of worship the worship leader turned on his 2.4ghz wireless transmitter for his guitar and bam gone.  Dooo…  It took me a while to figure out what was going on, but by that time we were 4 songs into the set.

The worship team went through the whole service with no lyric support on stage and no lyric sheets and did a great job!

What can we learn:

Setting up the day before would have given us more time to troubleshoot then pushing up to the wire. The video system was such a last minute add that we didn’t have the budget to rent the venue for the day before.

I am thankful to a ton a volunteers who rolled in at 5am for load in.  Also to Wes Koetje for leading the charge on creating the content for video, video directing and being a amazing assistant TD.  My wife for bringing breakfast and being willing to run backgrounds for me last minute. And Evan French who donated the video gear.

GEAR:

• AUDIO:
• FOH: Digidesign Venue D-Show
• MON:Yamaha M7CL
• HOUSE SYSTEM:
• L – 3 EAW 750 over 3 EAW 755
• C - 3 EAW 750 over 3 EAW 755
• R - 3 EAW 750 over 3 EAW 755
• SUB – 2 Meyer 700 HP per side
• MONITORS:
• AVIOM SYSTEM
• 5 Meyer – MJF-212A
• VIDEO
• BARCO LED – IMAG walls
• BARO MITRIX with custom carts- onstage backdrop
• Echolab ATEM Video switcher
• 4 – HITACHI – Z4000W cameras (2 fixed – 2 handheld)
• MAC PRO – PROPRESENTER for graphics and video playback
• POWERMAC G5 – PROVIDEO PLAYER - center Mitrix videos and graphics

Cow Tipping Resources:

• Setlist
• Videos:
• Week 1 Bumper 
• Week 2 Bumper
• Week 3 Bumper
• Life is a highway video
• Troy Kennedy Worship Pastor baptizing his boys.

MIDI with ProTools Part 1

Using MIDI sync from ProTools

The Setup:
Laptop onstage cueing Protools Track
8 Tracks total (track 8 is click)
All 8 tracks come out Analog from the Digi002 to the Venue

The Digi002 spits out the MIDI track to the MidiLink which sends it over CAT5 from the stage to the Light Booth total distance via the cable is approximately 250ft.

The ETC Express Receives the MIDI first from the MidiLink.
The thru on the ETC Express passes the MIDI to the PVP Master computer using a USB to MIDI converter

PVP Master is cueing off videos for the center screen.
It is also cueing off videos on PVP 2 Slave using PVP’s built in Network connection. PVP 2 Slave content is for the left and right side of the center screen that falls on the pipe.

The Vista Spyder switcher is stitching and blending the image in the center. Using a built in effect it is duplicating PVP2 input on the left side of the screen for right part of the center screen.

It hits the Christie DS65 projectors and projects on the set.

Signal Flow:

Vista Spyder Setup:

Stage View of Video:

MIDI Setup:
We built 2 different MIDI track in Protools (1 for lights, 1 for PVP)

Lights use Program Change to recall Preprogramed Cues

PVP uses Midi Note command to fire each video inside a playlist

Protools View:

This gave us the ability not only to sync the lights and video up with the music, but we actually added moving text and builds into the song by adding it to the videos programed for the center screen. By being able to fire them off at Chorus and Verse it added another creative element to the song.

Big thanks to Wes Koetje & Jason Mills

Part 2 we will get a video of it after this weekend.

Countryman E6 improper placement

So Saturday we ran across a new problem. Dan had left his E6 headset in his shirt when it was time to speak. He takes it off his head when he is not using it and places it 2 buttons down his shirt, inside his shirt pointed to his pocket.

This weekend he forgot to pull it out. Surprisingly the sound was hollow, but still audible. Here are 2 quick clips from Saturday and Sunday. They are at the beginning of the service so Robert (FOH Engineer) was still tweaking on the sound once we figured out what was wrong.

Way to go Countryman!

No I didn’t sneak out there and fix it. It is the 1 and only service we tape for the regional campuses and Dan and his ADD might not recover well. It was working, well enough for me to fix up a little in post so we made it work. If it would have been any worse I would have.

What is ironic is we just had a conversation at the Sennheiser RF Academy about how forgiving OMNI directional microphones can be. Case in point.

Do you have the Knack?

I love this video!

Well done my good and faithful believer?

My lifegroup rocked my socks off Thursday, this is my verbal debrief from that night:

The book we are reading is John McCarthur’s “The Vanishing Conscience”

The chapter this week was about sanctification.  We got on a very interesting point of sanctification that drew me to this conclusion
Everyone wants to hear at the end of their life “well done my good and faithful servant”.  This coming from Matthew 25:21 with the Parable of the talents.  The correlation of the Parable to your journey of your spiritual life (sanctification)  This is the charge!! A call to action!!

After all the definition of servant is: One who expresses submission, recognizance, or debt to another. Following hard after Christ.

We start our journey with believing.  Believe def: To accept as true or real

John 3:16

¹⁶“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. in

If you accept it or believe it as true then we should live it out.

Why is it then we may end up hearing more “well done my good and faithful believer”?

We don’t seem to get past the point of believing into servant hood.

Matthew 7:21,23

²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

²³Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Then my next question is, is believing enough?

So lastly there is the whole:

Faith without works is dead vs. Works without faith is dead also

We blurred the lines tonight saying there is no good works, there is following Christ and living life to what He has called and the opposite; which would be bad works.  Sounds lame, but it sounds lame to call it good works when it is supposed to be just “WHAT” you do.  Normal everyday stuff that makes a difference.  It can be big it can be small, but it is what God has called us to be.

Anyways, probably more of my rambling, but it’s on my heart and I felt the need to share it, at least get it in writing off my mind tonight.

Tech thoughts from Saddleback Worship Conference

The Digi Design Venue platform makes life so EASY to run lots of soundchecks and festival type stages.

• Copy/Paste Channel
• Copy/Paster Mix
• Insert Channel
• Mix on Fader
• Back to Snapshots including Patches Names, ETC.
• Just love it! Super smooth.

Keyboard and any professional audio components should ALL put their stupid $20.00 external power supply inboard and every piece of gear should use IEC connection.

All guitar players want to see other guitar players pedals!!

In-ears and wedges are about half&half of the time

In-ears

• Steve Fee band (all)
• Brenton Brown (all)
• Tim Hughes (all)
• Vickie Beeching (all)
• Merdith (3/5)

Wedges

• Israel Hougton
• Saddleback (worship, youth, praise) (Drums Ears only, Rick 1 ear)
• Paul Baloche

Networking with other churches and tech staff is great!

Networking with Vendors is a great way to increase knowledge of what is out there, what is to come, and how to use your gear.  Thanks Tim Hunten.

Being prepared is key.  Being prepared for the unprepared is priceless.
It was a good time, thanks to Jon Wilson, Greg Baker, MJ Maltbie, and Jacob Matlbie and the rest of the Tech Arts team at Saddleback!

Amazing Subaru video!

Birthday Verse!?! Birthday penance??

So today is my birthday, and if you know me, I’m not a big fan of proclaiming it, either myself, or others.

However this is the email I received this morning with my “Birthday Verse” from my office, a Church.  I’m not sure if I am in trouble or what.

_______________

I must issue a declaimer for Jared’s verse. Though it was automatically selected by BibleVerse, I didn’t have the heart to change it. Please enjoy a little of God’s humor for Jared’s birthday on April 28^th!!

Ephesians 4:28 NIV He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

You are a child of God, His treasured possession. He created you in His own image. He chose the day for you to be born. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. Cherish your birthverse. BIRTHVERSE consists of 366 verses chosen from the 66 books of the Bible. Each verse correlates the chapter and verse with its month and day.

Nothing personal, Jared – hope you have a blessed b-day!!

Gina <><