Live Video Production

Welcome to the Live Video Production & Visual Presentation Reinforcement area of the WELSTech wiki!

Introduction

  • In regard to WELStech, worship services are our most important "live events".
    • Visual reinforcement of presentations is probably the most important aspect of live video production in regard to video program material that is shown in a church sanctuary.
  • Extensive support for other types of events operated by WELS ministries is also included here.
  • If you have a heart to serve the Lord and you crave well-planned and well-executed presentations, or you like playing with video cameras, then your church could probably use your help as a volunteer!

Orientation

Live Video Production is the use of video systems to show presentation and/or video program material to people who observe the event...

  1. While physically in attendance, able to see the event leaders from where they are sitting/standing and/or...
  2. Remotely via a live feed. This may include support for attendees located within "obstructed view" areas of the venue.

Usually there is a separate video program for each group of observers in the list above because those in attendance at an event may not need to see images of the event leaders on the big projection screen.

Other times,the exact same program material may be sent to both on-site and remote audiences (i.e. there is only one video program), especially when the event is large enough that those on-site benefit from the use of image magnification ("imag"), and there is only 1 video projection screen available. Imag is the technique of making event leaders more easily seen, by putting a video image of the event leader into the video program, using cameras that are zoomed up close to the body of the leader. If there is more than 1 video projection screen, then the matrix of video program mixes may become a bit more complex, but possibly very helpful.

Imag is not necessary in most WELS churches, so most WELS churches use the technique of having 2 separate video programs: one for the projector(s) in the sanctuary and another for broadcast (live streaming) to remote TVs on the church campus (cry rooms, fellowship halls, overflow rooms, etc.) and/or the Internet. Often, the sanctuary screen(s) are fed by a computer running presentation software, while the remote feed is fed by a simple video camera.

Some live video production systems are more complex, using multiple cameras and some way to switch between or mix the sources of video. See the page about Video Mixers, Matrices and Switchers for more information.