To have the facility to fade-in video as the back ground then fade-out again back to the still image would be very useful. It would be most useful if you can select the video source. Be it a file (Mpeg, gif looped as a background eg. sea shore); a DVD/ VCD in the DVD or CD Drive; or live feed video from a camera.
One of the applications we would use it is, when someone brings a scripture, message or prophetic word or song, you could fade in the live video feed and then clear the words or if the people can sing along you can type in the words that are being established as a response or key line. This is far easier and less distracting to the people than flicking channels on the projector to get live video. We want to provide all the help we can with out getting in the way. Besides this would look really proffesional.
video backgrounds
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Video Backgrounds are cool
by zer0burn316 » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:17 pm
i use video backgrounds all the time in youth, Powerpoint wist the ability to impliment thm into this program will lower my disk space alot DVD support wouldbe cool if you can get it through the projector i have found alot of laptops and PC with DVD-Roms do not allow them to be seen through the second monitor for some reason that is why we have to use a actual DVD player.NONAME
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zer0burn316 - Most Senior
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Video backgrounds - Distracting or Useful?
by Diceman » Sat Nov 22, 2003 7:38 pm
Video backgrounds - Distracting or Useful?
This is based on my experience of doing video for church and youth events from crowd sizes of 5 to over 10 000 and working alongside worship leaders and bands like yfriday, delerious, the band with no name, steve, and the tribe to name a few.
Words are visually neutral - that is, unlike video or images they do not instill any emotion (unless a fancy font is used - not recommended). This is the mainstay of the video crew's objective: to facilitate worship. I will always lean towards less rather than more. WHY? - Because my idea of 'worshipful' as a director is someone elseÂ?s 'disrespectful' and another person's 'cheesy'. I personally can't stand a video crew, which sticks soft focus pictures of mountains or lakes behind the words. Why? - Because it reminds me of 'oh so well meant' but oh so dated hippy looking posters from the 70's in my local Christian book shop. Now this might be great for all those who can remember the Summer of Love but it alienates everyone else. Kids go "erghh" and grannies can't read the words because someone has stuck a baby deer behind them. Regardless of lyrical accuracy, the video crew is not there to provide a visual lesson. Our job is to facilitate worship - in whatever capacity possible. Pray with your team, study bible with them and have fellowship (we've seen loads of young rookies come to know Jesus personally while on video crew). The various different technical teams are equally important as the worship leader in the church leader's quest to facilitate worship.
If you use an image, it's got to be appropriate, not alienating and not distracting.
So what about video?
Done correctly this can be very effective. We started using video in '93 to allow the people at the back to see the faces of the people at the front (medium close-ups, close-ups and extreme close-ups). This stopped them from being the impersonal speaker at the front, and instead made them an up close, personal down-to-earth face (and if Christ isn't about being down-to-earth then I don't know what is).
A good trick is to use a heavy masking edge on the words, i.e. white sans serif typeface with a black outline around the letters. This makes the words much more legible than just white text on the video and compensates for whatever the background image may be (light or dark). Most often it is preferable to bring down the gamma of the background image/video so that it is less prominent on the screen.
When a speaker is speaking, complex transitions between camera angles can be distracting, so use a 2 second dissolve or a straight cut (you don't need a mixer, a rapid fire audio switcher will do, and the less time spent switching the less noticeable the frame drop will be).
All visuals have a distinctive pace, be it the rhythm of the music, the end of a bar or the motion of the preacher who irritatingly paces up and down forcing you to pan. Get a sense of timing for your subject and tailor it to your target audience. If it's a bunch of old dears, be sensitive and don't let them get sea-sick. If it's a youth event with a live band - you can afford to have a slightly more guerrilla documentary style of live editing.
You are producing narrowcast television here. At youth events more people will be watching the screen(s) than the stage - because that is how the younger generation has been socially conditioned.
Above all, no matter how technically advanced you want to get (and you can with a little lateral thinking and a shoestring budget), focus on the objective - enabling the people to worship - not bamboozling them with 'nice' images. If it's a youth event use live camera - but be sure to know when to loose it. At a youth event you don't have a congregation, and you don't have an audience, you have a crowd. So don't film them or put them on screen during worship. Worship is personal and the camera is invasive - stay on your stage/worship team. It's there job to be seen worshiping (and leading).
Video and image in Zionworx will be great!
Black Matte edging on text will be clear.
Background image/video controlable/fadable gamma will allow creative sensitive control of the screen.
Responsible creative and appropriate direction, will justify these features.
We are emulating our creator God. He did not cut any corners. He did not create anything half-baked. Neither should we - it is our witness.
Diceman
This is based on my experience of doing video for church and youth events from crowd sizes of 5 to over 10 000 and working alongside worship leaders and bands like yfriday, delerious, the band with no name, steve, and the tribe to name a few.
Words are visually neutral - that is, unlike video or images they do not instill any emotion (unless a fancy font is used - not recommended). This is the mainstay of the video crew's objective: to facilitate worship. I will always lean towards less rather than more. WHY? - Because my idea of 'worshipful' as a director is someone elseÂ?s 'disrespectful' and another person's 'cheesy'. I personally can't stand a video crew, which sticks soft focus pictures of mountains or lakes behind the words. Why? - Because it reminds me of 'oh so well meant' but oh so dated hippy looking posters from the 70's in my local Christian book shop. Now this might be great for all those who can remember the Summer of Love but it alienates everyone else. Kids go "erghh" and grannies can't read the words because someone has stuck a baby deer behind them. Regardless of lyrical accuracy, the video crew is not there to provide a visual lesson. Our job is to facilitate worship - in whatever capacity possible. Pray with your team, study bible with them and have fellowship (we've seen loads of young rookies come to know Jesus personally while on video crew). The various different technical teams are equally important as the worship leader in the church leader's quest to facilitate worship.
If you use an image, it's got to be appropriate, not alienating and not distracting.
So what about video?
Done correctly this can be very effective. We started using video in '93 to allow the people at the back to see the faces of the people at the front (medium close-ups, close-ups and extreme close-ups). This stopped them from being the impersonal speaker at the front, and instead made them an up close, personal down-to-earth face (and if Christ isn't about being down-to-earth then I don't know what is).
A good trick is to use a heavy masking edge on the words, i.e. white sans serif typeface with a black outline around the letters. This makes the words much more legible than just white text on the video and compensates for whatever the background image may be (light or dark). Most often it is preferable to bring down the gamma of the background image/video so that it is less prominent on the screen.
When a speaker is speaking, complex transitions between camera angles can be distracting, so use a 2 second dissolve or a straight cut (you don't need a mixer, a rapid fire audio switcher will do, and the less time spent switching the less noticeable the frame drop will be).
All visuals have a distinctive pace, be it the rhythm of the music, the end of a bar or the motion of the preacher who irritatingly paces up and down forcing you to pan. Get a sense of timing for your subject and tailor it to your target audience. If it's a bunch of old dears, be sensitive and don't let them get sea-sick. If it's a youth event with a live band - you can afford to have a slightly more guerrilla documentary style of live editing.
You are producing narrowcast television here. At youth events more people will be watching the screen(s) than the stage - because that is how the younger generation has been socially conditioned.
Above all, no matter how technically advanced you want to get (and you can with a little lateral thinking and a shoestring budget), focus on the objective - enabling the people to worship - not bamboozling them with 'nice' images. If it's a youth event use live camera - but be sure to know when to loose it. At a youth event you don't have a congregation, and you don't have an audience, you have a crowd. So don't film them or put them on screen during worship. Worship is personal and the camera is invasive - stay on your stage/worship team. It's there job to be seen worshiping (and leading).
Video and image in Zionworx will be great!
Black Matte edging on text will be clear.
Background image/video controlable/fadable gamma will allow creative sensitive control of the screen.
Responsible creative and appropriate direction, will justify these features.
We are emulating our creator God. He did not cut any corners. He did not create anything half-baked. Neither should we - it is our witness.
Diceman
"Let there be light, cameras and action"
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Diceman - Senior
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webcam or USB video background
by zer0burn316 » Mon Dec 29, 2003 2:56 am
hey has anyone given any thought to the possibility of a usb hook up, or a webcam source as a background i been in alot of local assembly of god churches in the north texas district and they all seem to be using a live feed of sometype, and it would be cool to have a USB or webcam connection just a thoughtNONAME
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zer0burn316 - Most Senior
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Re: webcam or USB video background
by Christian » Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:42 pm
zer0burn316 wrote:...has anyone given any thought to the possibility of a usb hook up, or a webcam source as a background...
Yes!!
I've already got this working now and we'll be beta testing soon I hope...hang in there!
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Christian - Site Admin
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SWEEEEEEEEEEEET
by zer0burn316 » Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:27 pm
i just wanted to say SWEEET you guys are awesome i be hangin in there and ready to try when avalible
SWEEEET
NONAME
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zer0burn316 - Most Senior
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by Williamting » Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:11 am
Me too! I have the hardware ready to go! I have just borrowed a Belkin video adaptor (audio/vidio->usb) and I will find out how it works soon.
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