Worship Musician Church Video + Streaming Handbook | Page 7

return to our church buildings? Or if we return. It’s a way of keeping things from falling through wear thin and start draining that storehouse of Likewise, offering an experience that meets the cracks. Nevertheless, we still discover goodwill. It makes sense to reserve that grace real needs is a fantastic way to increase your surprises. So weekly we do a complete run for things that cannot be avoided. So after the congregation’s impact. Some of the very through of each element of the service as if it was service is over, review it, noting how to better people in your congregation who have never in front of a live congregation. Announcements, reach your win next time. shared their faith with their family and friends videos, transitions, prayers, message (at least may now be able to let others know about your the intro and conclusion), everything. Even with CELEBRATE THE WIN online experience. The terms “watch party” and all our planning and preparation, every week You don’t have to be complicated to reach your “premiere” are becoming bywords for the new we identify little (or big) details that would have goal. Being deliberate helps. Everyone knows era. otherwise distracted or disrupted the service. we’re in an unprecedented time. And even This principle holds true for online services. though our enemy would love to sow discord PRESENT YOUR STRENGTHS and frustration, we can still keep our eyes firmly An empty room is not a strength. Instead of Before going live, have a thorough run through. focused on Jesus. The coronavirus certainly reminding people about what they’re missing, Run the countdown. Check each camera didn’t take the Lord by surprise, and we can perhaps it may be more effective to focus on angle. If the worship leader only partially enters trust Him to create the fruit. So have fun. Free what actually draws them to your congregation a camera shot, spike (tape) the correct place to the gifts that the Lord placed within you so in the first place. Instead of cancelling services stand. Listen to the audio playback to ensure that they can shine in the most effective way and activities, move them online. Do your a quality mix and signal. Verify that the lighting possible. people like to eat together? Share cooking levels are the same on every person on the videos or cook together using a video chat app screen. Pay special attention that all transitions Right now, that seems to be through streaming like Zoom or Google Meet. Is praying together are smooth. Double check the people within on the internet. a strength? Host an online chat room in which the camera view who are not speaking to your congregation can share and pray for ensure that their eyes are focused on the requests with each other. person speaking and that their body language speaks engagement. If they’re communicating Pastors no longer simply create sermons. that they’d rather be elsewhere or you find We’re becoming content creators and video yourself drifting mentally, you can bet that the producers. The churches that thrive right viewers will begin to feel that way, too! If you’re now will learn to use technology to better a complete risk taker and don’t prerecord your communicate. Instead of carving out ten service for live playback at service time, have a minutes of sermon time to explain online giving, pre-recorded service “safety net” ready to go consider offering a step-by-step booklet or in case a camera fails, a cable disconnects, video for your people to click on a link to view. a prop or scenery piece malfunctions, or your Create a video montage of people sharing internet upload speed slows. answered prayer or testimonies about how the Lord is meeting real needs. Develop a production vocabulary with your tech teams so that you can communicate Use the new constraints under which we quickly. (Words and phrases like talking head, now operate to find new ways to allow your spike, frame, lower-third, pan, close up, shot strengths to shine. Even post-coronavirus, we’ll list, three-point lighting, white balance, wide be stronger for it. angle, push and pull, cut, pre-production, post- production, pre-record, fade....) UP YOUR PRODUCTION VALUE I’m a big fan of procedures. In addition to ALLOW MISTAKES organizing our services minute-by-minute on They’re going to happen. Sometimes they Planning Center Online, for every service I cannot be avoided, even with preplanning provide a check list for each volunteer at each and tech station under my direction. It even includes happen a second time. Even with a gracious details that we all know like muting cell phones. congregation, repeated mistakes begin to practice. SPECIAL EDITION But they don’t need to Timothy J Miller Timothy has served as a worship pastor and technician for over 30 years in small, medium, large, and multi-site churches. In addition to being the WSC campus technology director at Bayside Community Church (an 8-campus, 12k+ congregation along Florida’s Gulf Coast), he writes for church leadership and worship-related publications. His recent book, Born For Worship: The Best You Can Be In Worship Arts Ministry, uses mini-chapters to help teams and individuals explore the biblical foundations that result in growth and effective service. htworship.com [email protected] Subscribe for Free... 7